by Anya Breton
"I have summoned you to this circle from the Realm of the Fallen. I command you, Kruzulun," Talise called out in an imperious voice. "Kill her now!"
The demon sedately turned its head toward the witch. Its horns were within inches of my face. I struggled not to react to it in fear. Most predators I went up against responded to fear. I didn't want it responding. It was holding me within a single, colossal hand that could easily squeeze the life out of me. I was confident I couldn't heal that kind of damage.
With an unhurried movement I was set down on the ground within the circle. It had been done almost with...care. Why would a demon gently set me on my feet if it were about to kill me?
"Your ritual called me," the thing said. My eyes shot wide at the thunderous voice. "But it was her blood that brought me over."
"She is our sacrifice to you!" Talise began to sound frantic. "Take her, Kruzulun!"
"The sacrifices were consumed by the flames of my arrival. This is not a sacrifice." A long, clawed finger extended toward me. "All she need do is command me with my name."
There was no thought involved in what I choked out, "I command you to go back to where you came from, Kruzulun."
The creature's head whipped toward me. "I cannot grant that."
"No!" Talise shrieked.
"She makes such racket. I would like to kill her," the demon said blandly.
"So would I," I half muttered.
The creature started toward the edge of the circle to do just that. "I cannot depart the circle without a door."
That was good to know. I glanced around now that I knew he wasn't going to kill me. The line of salt was strangely untouched though the shale was missing. No doubt it was another of the sacrifices.
"You whore!" Gerard's savage voice shouted.
I heard the man's thudding footsteps against the dirt behind me. My palm was flat in front of me as I turned toward his attack. I was ready to catch the nearest portion of skin for a good plaguing. I'd enjoy every bit of horror in Gerard's eyes as he struggled for his last breath while the sores took over.
However the asshole Gerard never made it to me. He was snatched up in the demon's meaty fist, broken in half with a revolting crunch and hurdled somewhere in the darkness. There'd been no doubt in my mind that the massive creature was a killing machine but actually seeing it in action was still a blow to my peace of mind.
I watched with a slack jaw as the thing walked out of the circle the way the witch had come in. He had his door now. Talise was dead in a similarly violent fashion before I'd comprehended that the demon had broken free of his sacred prison.
Strangely rather than fly off to begin a killing spree, the demon walked around the perimeter until he was in front of me. "What shall I do now?"
"Get back in the circle," I replied in a steadier voice. My breaths were a bit less labored now. I suspected my lung was almost fully healed.
Even though I hadn't used the demon's name he followed the command. He soon stood within feet of me. The empty black eyes stared down awaiting the next order. I couldn't help but shiver.
"Unnnng!" Gray's voice echoed in the darkness.
"A vampire has him," the demon told me.
Yes, she did. And she was going to pay for that.
I glanced over at Gray. The noise the Prime had let out wasn't just a fight against a command this time. After a quick sneeze-like sound, Gray seemed to implode into himself. He'd shifted.
"Shit," I swore.
In his animal form Gray was faster and had sharper teeth and claws. He wouldn't be able to talk once he'd transformed and I wasn't certain he could listen to reason. Gods, the witches were dead. Why couldn't the vampire just give up? Her partnership was dissolved!
The honey colored wolf pounced forward out of the darkness. Apollo's Warning gave me enough time to dart out of his path. In the split second I had I saw the reflection of the moon's light on the dagger not far from me. I ran for it, breaking through the salt.
A high-pitched yelp tore my attention back into the circle. The demon had Gray by the leg and was about to bash him against the ground. I felt my heart stop.
"No! Don't hurt him, Kruzulun!"
Those Void-like eyes turned toward me with what appeared to be curiosity. "He was going to kill you."
"I know. But it's the vampire's fault. Let him go. I'll take care of him." I hoped.
"As you wish."
The moment the demon set Gray's feet on the ground the shifter shot out toward me. I waited with my hand holding the dagger firmly beside me. My early warning system slowed everything to a crawl.
I channeled all of my energy, all of the fury and the adrenaline that coursed through my veins into a single action. My hand lifted the dagger high in the air and then swung down with a powerful force to impale Gray's thigh to the ground. The dagger's hilt partially pushed through his fur.
Apparently I was really fucking pissed.
The wolf writhed on the ground below me with a canine whimper that tore at my heart. This was the least damage I could do to him while still thwarting him. On the ground he shook, snapped and twisted. He did himself more harm than good. He wasn't going to stop until the vampire retracted her command...or died. The only other thing I could think of to do was punch him in the head with enough force to knock him out. So I tried it. The wolf went frighteningly still.
I couldn't take the time to see if I'd killed him with a mere vanilla human punch. Because if I hadn't, he was going to get up and come after me. No, I needed a head start.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I couldn't look at the fallen figure of my friend without feeling my chest squeeze in worry. So I avoided seeing that part of the circle. I noted the witch's white robe on the ground nearby. The edges of it were charred. Cinders had burned through to the ground beneath in several spots but it would be better than nothing.
I knelt to fetch it, pulling it over my shoulders. The fabric was smooth except for the few charred spots. Once clad, I stepped out in the direction of the soft glow in the distance that must be Boston.
"Mistress," the demon called after me, "Shall I remain in the circle?"
"Yes," I replied without stopping my forward momentum.
"That is not wise," he said in his dead voice. "I can help you."
A demon help me? I didn't think so. My response was, "You could also kill most of the city."
"Only if you tell me to."
The calm way with which the creature had answered was disturbing on a few levels. I blurted out another few lines, "Besides, you look...like a demon. Everyone will scream. I can't deal with screaming people."
"Easily remedied."
I was curious enough at the reply to stall and turn. There in the half destroyed circle of salt, the demon's monstrous fourteen-foot winged body slowly condensed into an entirely ordinary male body. Well, ordinary in that he didn't have wings or horns.
That body was clothed in a rather curious red linen tunic that covered his upper body but fell only to the knees of his caramel-skinned legs. Though still bald, his horns had receded into his skull. He had the look of a middle-eastern man without the facial hair I usually associated with them. And he was quite becoming, a drastic change from his nightmarish demon form.
"Will there be screaming people now?" His voice was still deep but it didn't rumble within the very ground like thunder. Spoken through human vocal chords he managed to sound bored.
No, there probably wouldn't be screaming people. But I wasn't going to answer with that. Gods, I couldn't bring a demon into Boston! Even if it was to kill the vampire responsible for the mayhem in the first place.
So I told him that.
He posed a question of me. "What else will you do with me? I cannot go back. You cannot kill me."
I didn't know about that. The plague didn't work on vampires because they were already dead. Who knew what the case was with demons? But it wasn't a good idea to let on that I might be able to hurt him. And he did have a point. What
the hell would I do with him?
He glanced to the side. "The shapeshifter is regaining consciousness. Shall I fix that?"
"No way," I quickly replied to his dull question. "You stay away from him."
"You care for him?"
The awkwardness of the situation had me doing something truly stupid. I stomped forward while calling back, "Come on."
"These might help."
I gasped slightly when a set of keys magically appeared in front of my face. Not a second had passed before the demon stood just to my right holding them in his caramel colored hand. Apparently he could move as fast as a vampire.
Up close I saw that he was easily six and a half feet in this form. His eyes were still an empty void. To avoid looking at them for longer than necessary I snatched up the keys.
And then I turned aimlessly, "Any idea which way to..."
"North." He started in the opposite direction.
I had to run to keep up with his long strides. It took five minutes to travel through the wooded area that had surrounded Talise's sacred circle to the car that belonged to the keys in my hand. Somehow the demon had simply known where to walk even though I hadn't finished verbalizing where I'd wanted to go.
The vehicle the witches had brought was a black utility van with tinted windows, so kidnapper chic. The demon was in the passenger seat before I could get my door unlocked.
I slid into the driver's seat, nose crinkling at the disgusting scent of human sweat and stagnant water within the thing. I wondered if the demon was the reason behind that as I fit the key in the ignition and then started the vehicle. Once the headlights were flipped on I could see a path out of the woods. It wasn't long before I'd hit a dirt road and less time before I was on pavement.
This was insane. I'd truly lost my marbles. I was chauffeuring the demon I'd worked so hard to stop right into downtown.
"So how can you help me?" I asked to break the uneasy silence in the van. "A vampire isn't going to die if you break it in half."
"I am stronger, faster and deadlier than a vampire. I can kill anything."
I believed that. I'd seen how he killed the witches. "Yeah, well, don't. Unless I ask you to."
"Perhaps you would be better served by placing me on the defensive. What if your vocal chords are damaged?"
He had a point. I didn't like that he did. I wasn't jazzed about these ploys for violence disguised as little nuggets of wisdom.
"All right, be on the defensive," I paused to add more because I had visions of him killing someone for trying to cut me off at a stop light, "Only against people truly wishing to kill me."
The damn thing laughed. It was the eeriest sound I'd ever heard, a low, rumbling that shook the entire van. I glanced over while he was chuckling to find that a toothy grinned expression had formed on his caramel face. His profile turned slowly to look back. I couldn't hold the cold void of his black eyes for longer than a nano second.
My voice was unsteady for the first few words of the next phrase I spoke. "The vampires were pretty insistent that you not be brought into this world. Any idea why that is?"
"We are their natural enemy." He'd been so blasé about it that it was a wonder he hadn't added a yawn on the end.
I heard the words but they didn't register right away. "Wait. Demons are the natural enemies of vampires?" How fucking evil did vampires have to be do have a natural enemy this badass?
"Can you think of anything more powerful than they are?"
"Gods," I answered without thinking.
"The gods do not meddle in the affairs of men. We do."
The answer gave me the willies. "So how does this work? You have to follow all of my commands?"
"Any that include my name which do not involve harming myself or you. As much as I'd like my freedom, the nature of the ritual precludes violence against my summoner."
I could feel those empty eyes on me. "I didn't summon you. The witch you killed did, so technically you're wrong about that."
"I am not wrong. I had a choice of masters. I chose the one that did not want me."
My teeth set within my mouth. "Just because I didn't want you doesn't mean I'm going to set you free. I'm going to find a way to send you back."
"You are going to try," he replied blandly.
He was so certain I'd fail. He didn't know me very well. I could be resourceful when I needed to be.
My eyes crinkled upon putting a few pieces together. "So if violence against me gains you freedom why are you trying to help me? Why not just let this bitch kill me?"
"I am not freed if someone else kills you. My servitude merely shifts to them."
"Oh, lovely. No pressure to stay alive or anything," I muttered under my breath.
I truly hoped he didn't realize most anyone else in the Underground would let him get crazy with the killing. If he knew that, he'd conveniently neglect his defensive duties. Maybe it didn't matter. If I couldn't handle what I was about to do without the help of a demon then I wasn't meant to do it.
"I'm going to an Underground club where I suspect the vampire has fled," I explained to break the silence. "I only want to kill the ones who are working directly for her. So if you see any other vampires there that aren't trying to kill me, you're not allowed to hurt them, Kruzulun. Do we understand each other?"
"I understand you," he said instead of a simple yes.
I was weirded out by it because I got the feeling he wasn't limited to comprehending my present wish. Those black eyes could probably see right through into my soul. Silently I willed Kastio to do some research for me. I needed to get rid of this demon stat!
There was a parking spot not far from the warehouse that served as the Dungeon's benign front end. I maneuvered the van into place, shut the thing off and then hopped out of the vehicle with a determined scowl affixed to my face.
"You are planning to go into an Underground club nude with no weapons?" The demon drawled from his new spot leaned against the hood of the van.
My cheeks flushed when I recalled what I was wearing. I glanced down to find that the white robe's edges nearly met in front of my body but they were spread enough to give anyone nearby quite a show. No, this would not do inside the Dungeon.
"At least allow me to clothe you," he said.
My eyebrows arched at the offer. How could a demon clothe me?
When I didn't immediately reject the offer, he lifted his hand toward me. I felt the heat of flame coat me. When it had cooled the white robe was covered in a lightweight chain mail knee-length tunic with a plate metal girdle. I imagined I looked rather like an armored ghost. I couldn't help but crack a small smile.
"The sword that goes with it is even better," the demon remarked mildly.
I shook my head and heard tinkling of the chainmail that had mysteriously formed on my head. "I'm no good with weapons unless they shoot something."
"You may have use of this." He held in his hands an ornately carved recurve bow and matching quiver packed with arrows. "Unless of course you do not know how to..."
My snatching it from his hands shut him up. A bow was the first weapon I'd learned to use nine years ago when I'd been transformed into a Diakonos. It hadn't been until I'd reached my majority that I'd begun playing around with guns.
The weight of it was familiar in my hands and somehow soothing. I had no doubt I'd be just as accurate with this weapon as I was with my Kahr. Accuracy might improve my odds against foes faster than I was.
But I'd wasted enough time dallying outside. It was time to finish this.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The place was packed shoulder to shoulder with the nastiest creatures in the whole of the city. Few took note of the armored woman that had stepped within their midst and fewer saw the man-shaped demon behind her. It was a wonder to me that no one recognized the evilest of evils within their midst.
A thundering growl behind me snagged my attention. I glanced back to find the demon's obsidian gaze focused on something to my rig
ht. I followed it to see Aiden Bruce materializing from the crowd.
I held up a palm for the demon's benefit. Once Aiden was near enough I spoke in a voice I hoped held all of the menace within me. "If I live through this you and I are going to have a serious chat, you rat bastard."
The vampire's eyes tore themselves away from the demon long enough to fix on me. He opened his mouth to speak. I shoved myself into the crowd without another word because I didn't have time to deal with him. Unfortunately his cool hand curled around my wrist to slow me before I could move a single step.
"Go away," I hissed.
"I mean to help," Aiden replied with his lips against my ear.
I hated that the proximity sent a shiver down my spine even when I was furious with him. Because of it, I snarled out, "I've got all the help I can handle. Now go away before I tell him to kill you."
The tepid grip loosened and fell away. There was a bit of noise behind me, a snarl that might have been from Aiden and an answering rumbling noise that was most certainly from the demon. A few heads turned our way. The bastards were going to give our arrival away.
"Shut up," I ordered the one I could.
"A thousand apologies," the demon said at my back in an unapologetic tone.
I shook my head. There was no time to comment on his attitude. We were nearly to what I hoped was the entrance to the club's owner.
A pair of Rhino guards had the spot beside the darkened corridor. From what I'd seen no one had gone in or come out of it since I'd arrived. In all of the times I'd visited the club no one had ever done so. Still, this had to be the way to that bitch Linea.
"Here we go," I whispered for the demon's benefit just before pouncing between the guards. My fingernails dug into their bare arms long enough to wish them ill. The disease blackened the skin where I'd touched, already shooting upward when I continued forward in my purposeful gait.
The darkened corridor before me ended abruptly at a set of stairs that went further down into the ground. I took them two at a time, stopping only long enough to plague the set of guards at the bottom. Through a door I slammed into another hallway with yet another set of stairs and more guards. By the time I reached something that resembled a room I'd killed eight guards and traversed four sets of stairs.