“I already have a connection with Gray. Will it interfere?” Seraph replied.
“It shouldn’t.” Brenna took a long breath. She hadn’t realized the bond between Gray and Seraph ran so deep.
“You’re not going to go all master vampire and try to control us, are you?” Keegan shook his head. “If you do, I’ll eat you.”
Brenna ignored him. There were several ways to do this, but they needed the quickest one. She motioned to Keegan. “Give me the bottle of water inside your jacket.”
Without a word, he did as she said. Brenna cleaned her athame with the liquid, wiping it dry on her shirt. In one swift movement, she sliced through the skin of her forearm. As blood welled in the wound, she let it slide across her skin to fill the bottle. When there was enough, she murmured a brief incantation and the skin healed.
She held the bottle to the light and stared at it.
Gray was going to be furious, but what else was she supposed to do?
Her hands trembled as she handed Seraph the bottle. He drank his fill then handed it to Keegan who drained it. Almost immediately, she could feel their power. Her blood flowed through their veins. Now they each carried a piece of her inside them. As long as they were alive, she could find them and use their power as her own. On the flip-side, her blood would fortify and accentuate their own powers.
“It tickles.” Keegan danced back and forth. “Are we done?”
Brenna shook her head. “Keep your pants on, the fun’s just starting.”
With a deep breath, she tapped into their essence and found the heart of their magic. They groaned as she pulled it into her body to strengthen her power. Once she had gathered what she needed, she released them. Both men were breathing hard, their skin flushed. She gave them a few moments to gather themselves.
“What the hell was that?” Keegan watched her carefully.
Seraph shook his head. “She drank part of your life essence. Did you think it would feel good?”
Brenna pushed passed them until she could see hunters outside. Eyes closed, she wrapped her magic around them. The flow of magic blanketed them, pulled them from battle, and deposited them on the hillside next to their former headquarters.
Chapter Sixteen
By the time Gray materialized by the shed, he was bloody, sore, and ready to rip the demon in his arms limb from limb. The beast had no fear. Sick of his obscene threats, Gray had pistol-whipped him to keep him quiet. In retrospect, that probably hadn’t been one of his better ideas.
The shed sat behind the main structure of the boarding house. A rickety wooden storeroom with a dirt floor, it was where they stored any excess food. Gray kicked the door and it swung open with a loud creak. A single light bulb hung from a plank near the ceiling. The breeze from the door stirred it, and it began to swing.
Gray dumped the demon on the ground near several burlap sacks of flour. He had made sure to take a demon who wore Adare’s stamp of authority, a diamond-shaped brand on the side of his neck. Knowing it would be awhile before he woke, Gray left him there. Gray warded the building as he stepped outside. It would keep the demon in and any curious observers out.
The combination of the battle and transporting the demon had drained Gray to his limits. He needed blood. Thankfully, he still had a stash in his old bedroom. As he made his way up the front stairs of the boarding house, it struck him the building was too quiet. Lucy wasn’t here. She had either left or never made it. He made a mental note to check on her.
He played back the events of the day in his head as he climbed the winding staircase to the upper floor. He hoped Brenna and the others had made it out. Although he had connected with her soon after he left with the demon, she had been too distracted to communicate. He would try again once he was stronger. Right now, even the small amount of energy required to open their link was beyond him.
As he stepped inside his old room, Gray realized he had missed it. In his short time at the house, it had been his refuge. He was glad Keegan had been delegated to the smaller room so Louie could move in. The dragon was a mess. The contents of his room were already spilling into the hall. In stark comparison, Louie had left Gray’s room pristine. Clothes folded with military precision lined the walls, and the bed was made with hospital corners.
Gray shoved the bed away from the wall to uncover a series of loose wooden boards in the floor. He crouched down and pried them open to reveal a hidden cavity. Inside lay a black leather messenger bag. It was filled with flasks of potions and bottles of blood. He pulled out a small vial filled with a restorative potion. Tipping it to his lips, he drank it in one swift swallow.
The effects were immediate. His blood tingled as it began to regenerate. The wounds across his arms and chest itched as they sealed shut. Gray drew a long breath. He needed to contact Brenna. But before he could open the link, he felt a presence in the doorway.
“What are you doing?” Sam leaned against the frame, a curious look in his eyes.
Gray ignored him. Instead he replaced the empty container, zipped the messenger bag, and replaced it in its hiding place. Standing, he returned the bed to its original position.
“I asked you a question.” Sam scowled as he stepped inside the room. His magic was uncontrolled. It flitted around the room like a lightning bug.
“The answer was obvious.” Gray pushed past him into the hall.
Not one to take a hint, Sam followed. “Does Brenna know you’re hoarding potions?”
Gray turned to face him. “No. And she doesn’t need to find out.”
Sam’s eyes widened. “Are you threatening me?”
The words were so unexpected, Gray took a closer look at the incubus. There was a gray cast to his skin. Dark circles colored the spaces beneath his eyes. He had lost weight, and his clothes hung loose around his once muscular frame. “How’s the assignment going?”
Sam grinned. For a moment, his old self peeked through. “Cake walk. Humans are pliable.”
“Is that where you’ve been the past few nights? Brenna was worried.” Gray watched him carefully.
Sam shrugged. “I’ve been following some leads. Pretty sure we’re missing something.”
Gray blew out a long breath and prayed he was wrong. “We were. But not anymore. We know about Ga’loh.”
Sam went white. “If I had known Ga’loh was working with Adare, I would have said something.
“When did you figure out what he was?” Gray crossed his arms, already knowing he wasn’t going to like the response.
“As soon as I met him.” Sam locked eyes with Gray. “I’m his subservient. Why would he hide his true self?”
Gray fought against his rising temper. “I was with you the first time you met Ga’loh. I introduced you. Why didn’t you mention he was a demon? Who are you loyal to, Sam?”
Sam stared at him, stricken. “Brenna. She saved me.”
There was an undercurrent of dishonesty in his words. He wasn’t telling the whole truth. “I’m taking you off this job.” Gray’s magic danced around him, playing off his temper.
“You can’t. Only Seraph can.”
“If I find out you’re helping Ga’loh, even Brenna won’t be able to save you.” Afraid he would do something he would regret, Gray reeled in his anger. He would let Seraph decide what to do about Sam. “Headquarters was destroyed. Stay here until Seraph contacts you.”
Sam didn’t react to the news, another red flag. The evidence was piling up against him. Gray hoped, for Brenna’s sake, he was wrong and Sam was innocent. Sam walked down the hall to his room, slamming the door. Gray placed a magical boundary around the room, to secure the incubus. He wasn’t going anywhere until Gray could get Hilda here to track him.
Gray’s temper was still in full flame as he stepped through the shed door. The demon was awake. Leaning against the far wall, it stared at Gray, a smirk on its face. The h
ost was young, around late twenties, but the demon had ridden him hard. His greasy red hair lay tangled against his scalp, and his sallow skin hung loose on his bones. The human essence that had once inhabited the host was long gone. There was no way Gray could save him. The only thing keeping him alive was the parasite living in his body.
It was imperative that the demon stay inside the body for the interrogation. Lesser demons required a host. They couldn’t survive on this plane without them. The easiest way for the demon to escape Gray would be to commit suicide by leaving his host. It would be far less painful than the punishment for betraying his betters.
Gray met the demon’s red gaze. Crossing his arms, he moved into the center of the room. “How do you want to play this?” He settled on the rickety chair he had pulled from the corner of the room. It creaked with age as he leaned back and crossed his arms. “We can play nice.” He motioned to the chair across from him. “Or I can beat it out of you. Your choice.”
The host’s hands began to tremble. Gray cast a quick holding spell to keep the demon trapped inside. “Not a good way to start.”
A growl spilled from the demon’s throat as he lunged forward. Claws sprang from his fingertips. One raked across Gray’s shoulder. It stung like the devil. He slammed the demon into the chair he had vacated, securing him with a stronger spell.
The demon strained against its bonds as Gray paced the small space in front of him. “See,” Gray began. “I’ve had a bad day. And you’re going to make it better.” He strengthened the magical ropes which bound the beast. The demon hissed. Spittle gathered in the corner of its mouth then dribbled down its face. “Where is Adare?”
The demon laughed. “I’m not telling you anything.”
“Because you’re scared of Ga’loh?”
The demon’s eyes widened. “How did you—”
“He switched sides.” Gray ripped off his sleeve to bind his wound.
“Doesn’t matter.” The demon attempted to shrug, but his bindings held him fast. “Adare has what he needs, and he’s more powerful.”
“Than Ga’loh?” Gray didn’t try to hide his surprise.
The demon grinned. His dagger-like teeth gleamed in the candlelight. “Adare’s already put his plan into action. The humans will be dead within the week.”
“What did Adare do?” Gray tightened the binding until the demon’s eyes threatened to pop from his head. Thankfully, the host was long gone. He wouldn’t feel any of it.
Although the demon couldn’t lift his arm, he still managed to flip Gray off.
Gray shook his head. “Do you know what I am?”
“I don’t care.” The demon laughed. “Adare protects me. You can’t do squat. Even if you banish me, Adare will bring me back.”
Gray’s temper threatened to get the best of him. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths in an attempt to remain rational. Once his rage had dulled to a simmer, he opened them. His magic danced across his skin as he focused on the demon’s hand. Tendrils of magic wrapped around the bruised flesh dissolving it piece by piece until the hand was gone. The demon screamed in agony. Tears streamed down its face.
“What the hell did you do?” The demon stared at his hand in horror.
Gray laughed. “Try to regenerate it.”
When it didn’t work, the demon cursed. “That’s impossible.”
“You stupid bastard.” Gray shook his head. “When I get done with you, there won’t be anything left for Adare to resurrect.” He flipped the empty chair around and straddled it. “Last chance. Where is Adare?”
The demon was still staring at the space where his hand had been. “I don’t know. He only talks to us through messengers.”
“What did Adare do? How are the humans going to die?” Gray could feel power building in the room, so he strengthened his wards. He wasn’t taking any chances.
“Piss off.” The demon leaned back and closed his eyes. “Adare will rip me apart.”
Gray sighed. Demons weren’t usually this slow on the uptake. He wrapped his magic around the rest of the demon’s arm and dissolved the flesh. But this time he made sure to destroy a piece of the demon’s essence as well.
Eventually, the demon stopped screaming, but his power continued to build. Before Gray could act, the binding spell shattered. The host’s head hit the back of the wooden chair, his eyes empty. Wisps of greenish smoke danced around the body for several seconds before disappearing with a loud pop.
The demon was gone.
For a few moments Gray could only stare, stunned. The demon shouldn’t have been able to break the spell. It wasn’t powerful enough. Something, or someone, had helped him.
If the demon had been telling the truth, Adare had found a way to expose the masses to the disease. They had to move quickly, or it would be too late. The war would be over before it began.
Gray released his remaining spells, and the host’s body fell to the ground with a loud thud. He would give the man a decent burial. He deserved at least that.
Brenna spit the dirt from her mouth as she rolled onto her back. She had managed to transport them to a field near headquarters, but it hadn’t been pretty. Her legs quivered as she stumbled to her feet. Keegan had landed a few feet away. He stared at her with wide, slightly glazed eyes.
“I think you broke my back,” he complained as he rolled to his side. “Did you have to slam us down in a field of rocks?” Some of the other hunters murmured their agreement.
“Maybe I should have left you there,” she snapped.
A sharp pain shot through her thigh. A jagged rock had embedded itself in her leg. Blood flowed from the wound. With a quick movement, she pulled it free and threw it on the ground. She didn’t have the strength to heal it, so she let it bleed and did her best to ignore it.
Despite the power she had borrowed from the others, her magical reserves were depleted beyond repair. The only fix was fresh blood, and her only source was playing fight club with a demon. He’d better win.
“Did everyone survive?” Seraph moved to her side, limping. He gazed across the field. “Warn us next time. I didn’t realize you were that rusty.”
Brenna growled. “I’m not rusty. I told you I was weak. All of you are alive thanks to me. Show some freakin’ gratitude.”
“She has a point.” Agnes appeared on the dirt path beside them. She looked horrible. Her long black hair was filled with dust and debris. Her leather pants were in tatters, the gaping holes revealing blood stained flesh. Her corset was askew, her heavy breasts nearly tumbling from their minimal casings. Blood streamed down her face and shoulders from a multitude of cuts and scrapes. The magical hum that always accompanied her was gone. Igor lay panting at her feet. Even the familiar looked exhausted.
“Where are the others?” Brenna stumbled toward her.
“Dead or injured.” Agnes sat on the ground as if her legs could no longer support her. “My sisters went underground to free survivors. The earth started to shift, and I lost almost all of them.” She shook her head. A stray tear slid down her cheek.
“How many hunters did we lose?” Seraph settled on the ground in front of her. Brenna followed while Igor eyed them cautiously.
“We only got about thirty. The rest are gone.” Agnes grimaced. “Nature didn’t do this. Magic did. It was a carefully crafted attack.”
“Adare?” Brenna leaned forward.
Agnes shrugged. “I don’t recognize the magic. But whoever did this knew the perfect time to pull it off. All of your hunters were vulnerable. The ones on the battleground would have died if you had stayed around to help the others.”
“I know.” Brenna shut her eyes. “Did the hybrid survive?”
Agnes glanced up. “One of our healers was with him when it happened. She got him out.”
“Thank her for me.” Brenna closed her eyes, relieved. “What ab
out Lucy’s lab? Were you able to recover anything?”
“Some of the equipment made it out. It’ll be taken to the boarding house so she can keep working. She needs to find that cure.”
Brenna nodded. “If anyone can, it’s Lucy.”
“Regardless, we need to up our timeline.” Seraph helped Agnes to her feet.
“If Adare did this,” he motioned to the collapsed tunnels, “he wants us out of commission.”
Chapter Seventeen
When Brenna arrived home, Gray was burying the body. He was standing on the edge of the property, propped against a shovel and staring into the hole he had made in the frozen ground.
“It didn’t go well?” she asked as she moved beside him.
Gray shrugged. “Not for this guy.” He pulled the shovel free. “But the demon had stripped his soul before I tortured his body.” He dumped dirt on the prone form.
Silent, Brenna watched as he filled in the grave. “What did you find out?” she asked as he smoothed the dirt.
Gray straightened then pushed the shovel into the ground. “Might as well keep it here. We’ll be digging more soon.”
“Aren’t you all smiles and sunshine?” Brenna winced as she turned too quickly. Limping, she followed him back to the house. “Are you going to answer my question?”
“Adare’s moving fast. He’s already done something big, maybe irreversible.” Gray didn’t turn around.
“We lost a lot of our hunters in the collapse.” She slowed down. It was useless to try and keep up. “Our resources are pretty much gone.”
“Lucy better come up with something fast or we’re screwed.”
“She will.” Brenna grimaced. Her body ached, and she was still bleeding. “Did she settle in okay?”
He gave her a puzzled look. “She’s not here. I figured she changed her mind and stayed at headquarters.”
Brenna quickened her pace, pulling her phone from her pocket to call Seraph. “She has to be here. If she tried to get back underground, she’s dead.” Brenna still hadn’t recovered from losing Marissa. She’d be damned if she’d lose Lucy.
Fading Light: Shadow Born, Book 2 Page 16