by KD Jones
“Yeah, I won’t be by myself.” She was getting pretty fed up with Michael’s holier-than-thou attitude. “Why did you come to the Earthly plane if you weren’t going to help protect the humans? Isn’t that your mission?”
Michael’s face turned a bright shade of red. He glared at her. “My mission is to help lead the angel army against the demons.”
“Why?”
He blinked, clearly confused. “That is the Lord’s will, and it is a great honor to serve him.”
“Why is it God’s will?”
“To protect his children.”
“His children—the humans?”
Michael didn’t bother answering her, and she didn’t have time to try to convince him to help. She turned to Ari.
“Can you go through the building to the front door of my apartment and wait until I get the demon to leave with me?”
Ari didn’t look happy. “That will leave you alone to deal with the demon if bird-boy decides he doesn’t want to help you.”
“I can’t leave her there, Ari. Either you both help me or you both can fucking leave!” She had her hands on her hips. She would’ve been better off coming there alone.
Michael sighed. “Fine. I’ll go around to the other side of the building. I’ll take your friend to safety and return to help with the demon.” He stormed off.
She turned to Ari. “You need to find a place to hide so that the demon doesn’t see you right away. If I can get him to the bottom of the stairs, as far away from the apartment as possible, it will give Michael enough time to get Leeza away from here.”
“I hate to say it, but you’ll need to leave your bow and arrows. If the demon sees you with weapons he’ll kill both of you without blinking an eye. He needs to think you’re just as defenseless as the first time he saw you.”
She knew he was right, and reached for the quiver and carry-case, handing to him. “Don’t lose those.”
Ari slung it over the handlebars of his bike. “One more thing.”
She turned back to look at him. “What?”
He walked up to her, took her into his arms, and kissed her. Flashes of them naked and intertwined on a bed ran through his mind. She picked up on it and responded by kissing him back. Her own images of them together played through her mind. She wasn’t sure if it was just her own libido bringing up those pictures, or if she was seeing the future. When he released her she was out of breath.
“What was that for?”
“I was dying to taste you again.”
She had no words for that. Cass turned and headed to the fire escape. She tried to be as quiet as possible as she climbed the steps. When she got to the top and peeked inside the widow, she could see the demon pacing back and forth, mumbling something. She couldn’t see Leeza except for the top of her head. She took a deep breath and climbed through the window.
*****
The demon looked her way and snarled at her. “You bitch!”
She’d expected him to come at her, but she stumbled backward when he struck her against the side of her face. She heard Leeza cry out and glanced over to see her friend tied up and crying, but still alive. She wouldn’t be for long if Cass couldn’t get the demon to come with her, though.
“I found out my friend was missing and came home to get a change of clothes before I went looking for her.”
“Where have you been? I came here to your apartment, but you never returned. So I had to go to the diner. I killed the male and took the female, knowing you would want her back. Look what you did to me!” He pointed to his bleeding wounds.
She didn’t let him know that Jerry wasn’t dead. “I can help you get that bracelet off so that you can heal and return to your circle.”
“How?”
“I know where the guy is who put that on you. He’ll be able to remove it.”
“Why would he help me? Why would you?”
“Ari will help you because I asked it of him, and I just want to save my friend.”
“I don’t leave witnesses—ever.”
“You’ll leave this one if you want to get that bracelet off.”
“I could kill you where you stand.” He came up to only an inch away from her. When he spoke, spit hit her in the face. She wiped it off.
“You could kill me, but then you would be dying a slow death and my friend Ari would come looking for you to finish the job.” She kept eye contact to make sure he saw that she was telling the truth.
“Fine, let me get my stuff from the kitchen. Why don’t you say goodbye to your friend.” That was ominous.
She went over to the futon and knelt down in front of Leeza. She reached up to wipe away her tears.
Leeza was crying hysterically. “You need to run, Cass. This guy is weird and crazy. He keeps saying he’s a demon and bleeding on everything. Oh God, he killed Jerry!”
She whispered low so that the demon wouldn’t hear. “Shhh...it’s going to be okay, honey. Just be strong a little while longer. I have someone coming to save you.” She hugged her friend before whispering one more thing. “Jerry’s alive. I have a friend with him and the paramedics are taking care of him.” She looked one more time at Leeza, who stopped crying and stared at her in shock. Cass stood up and walked over to where the demon was waiting for her.
“Let’s go, Child of Light. We have someplace to be.”
She looked at Leeza once more before going to the window and climbing out onto the ledge of the fire escape. She quickly scanned the area for Ari, but didn’t see him; he was well-hidden. The demon shoved her shoulder.
“Move it!”
“Easy. It won’t do you any good if you make me plummet to my death.” She started down the stairs, anxious to get the demon away from Leeza. Just as she reached the ground, Ari leaped from the darkness and tackled the demon. She took a few steps back. She needed a weapon.
She ran over to the bike and pulled the bag with the bow and arrows off. She took out the bow with shaking hands and grabbed an arrow, then headed back to where Ari and the demon were fighting.
Ari had taken a few hard hits and he was limping. The demon was looking worse and worse. Too bad the bracelet was keeping him from dying completely. It would help if Ari had the right weapon to kill the demon. He is mostly injuring him and pissing him off more.
She got closer and threaded the arrow. Damn, her hands were shaking bad. Maybe she should have taken Michael up on the sword training.
She raised the bow and tried to take aim. She watched and waited for an opening. Come on Ari, get out of the way.
Ari was limping but he was still dangerous; he managed to cut the demon’s face with a knife he pulled out of his boot. It left an ugly jagged slash from his eye down to his chin.
She had to help take the demon down. She pulled the string back tight, and just as she was about to release, there a loud booming sound, followed by a bright light, and then a strong wind knocked her backwards.
Cass hit the ground hard and felt a sharp pain at the back of her skull where her head had hit first. She was dazed, but managed to sit up just in time to watch in horror as the top part of her apartment building began to collapse in on itself, taking another two floors down with them in the process.
“Leeza!” She coughed as the dust and rubble filled her lungs. Turning her head she got a glimpse of the demon disappearing down the alley. She got to her hands and knees and crawled a few steps toward the almost completely destroyed building. Her home was gone but that didn’t matter. Tears fell as she panicked. Was Leeza in there when it blew up?
The sound of coughing from a few feet away got her attention. She crawled over and caught a glimpse of Ari’s leather jacket peeking out from under part of a beam. She began to pull and drag the debris away.
“Ari?”
He coughed and looked relieved when he saw her. “You’re okay.”
“Yeah, but I don't’ know if Leeza was still up there.” Her voice choked with emotion.
“Where’s the demon?�
�
She helped him get to his feet and looked around. “He got away.”
“I see some of his blood there, he left a trail.” Ari looked at her expectantly.
She sighed. “Here we go again.” She squatted down and placed a finger in the small puddle of smoking blood. Images ran through her head, and she gasped before opening her eyes. She stood and pointed to the alley to their left. “He went that way.”
Chapter 14
Her first time hunting a blood trail should have been a momentous occasion, but it wasn’t. All she could think about was Leeza. Was she alive? Did Michael get her out before the place blew up? She felt her hands shaking and she was almost on the edge of breaking down into tears.
“Concentrate!” Ari growled out.
“I’m trying! I’ve never done this before, so a little patience would be nice!” Her panic faded in the face of her anger at Ari for being impatient and at this demon for hurting her friends. Now that she was more focused, she found it easier to move. Her senses were on alert, and she felt a thrill go through her. Was this what hunters felt when they were after a prey? She smelled it first—blood. She ran around the alley and stopped to inspect the side of the brick building.
“The blood is fresh here.” She touched it, and this time didn’t close her eyes. She saw images of someone watching her and Ari from high up. She looked at Ari.
“He’s here.”
“Where?”
“On one of the buildings. He’s higher up, watching us.”
“Are you sure?”
She glared at him. “Look, I may not have all my powers honed, but I know what the fuck I saw.”
“Okay, okay. You stay here where it’s safe. I’ll check out this first building. If you see him, call out and I’ll come. Don’t try to take him on yourself.”
She snorted. “I’m not stupid, Ari. I know I’m not a fighter.”
“Not yet, you just haven’t been trained yet.” He turned and disappeared into the shadows. She was amazed at how easily he could do that. Was it a half-demon thing or an Ari thing?
She didn’t want the demon to know that they were on to him, so she acted like she was continuing to search for his trail. Man, she deserved an Oscar for this shit.
She continued to worry, but now it was over Ari. She just hoped he would be okay.
*****
Ari could smell demon blood; it was getting stronger and stronger. Drey hadn’t tried to conceal it; it was like he wanted them to find him. The trail led him to the fourth floor of the building. A bloody handprint had been left on the wall outside a partially open door. Ari moved closer and pushed the door open.
The demon wasn’t even hiding; he stood by a broken-out window, watching the alley below. Ari knew he was watching Cass.
“We were friends once, Ari. What changed?”
“You tried to kill someone I care about.”
Drey snorted. “The Child of Light is a thing, a weapon that will only hunt us and kill us.”
Ari shook his head. “She’s more than that. Besides, she’s not going to hunt demons, not demi-demons.”
“You think she’ll care about the difference? Those Arkangels don’t care. They want to destroy anyone with demon blood, which includes you.”
“Good thing I’m her friend then.”
“Why do you care about that bitch?”
“She’s mine. Mine to care for, mine to protect, and I won’t let you or the angels hurt her.” Ari drew a hunting knife with silver blade that he’d dipped in holy water earlier that day and approached Drew cautiously. He would keep her safe, no matter what.
“Are you that delusional? She has angel blood in her. That angel blood will repel you.”
“That’s for me and her to work out.”
Instead of fear on Drey’s face, he saw a smile appear. “You think yourself so clever, don’t you, Ari?”
Something was different. Drey wasn’t worried; he looked happy. Ari felt a stab of panic. “What did you do?”
Drey raised his arm. “Take this off.”
“Why would I do that?” He slowly made his way over to the window. He just needed to see Cass, to make sure she was okay.
“You think I didn’t have friends I could call?”
A scream had Ari bounding forward, looking down into the alley. He saw two demons appear on either side of Cass. They took her arms and held her between them, struggling.
“Let her go!” He turned to glare at Drey.
“My friends will, once I have this off of me. You know what you have to do.”
Ari growled. He had no choice. He moved forward and used the hunting knife to slice his palm, then approached Drey and took hold of the bracelet. He heard it snap open and the bracelet fell to the floor. Drey kicked it to the other side of the room.
“I should kill you myself for putting that on me, but I don’t have time. I have a portal to get to.”
Ari was hit in the back of his head and he fell to his knees. “Fuck!” He hadn’t even seen that there was another demon in the room.
“What do you want me to do with him, Drey?”
“Kill him. I’m taking the Child of Light through the park portal.”
“I want to come too.”
“Then you better hurry.” Drey went to the window and leaped out to the alley below.
Ari still had the hunting knife in his hand. He gripped the handle. No way would he let anyone take Cass to the inner circles. He would die first.
*****
Cass was standing in the alley alone and frustrated that she couldn’t be with Ari. What if he got hurt? She was supposed to be this prophesied demon hunter, but she felt useless and powerless.
She paced back and forth until she ran into something—or someone. She looked up, and a tall man was suddenly there, his eyes glowing red. A demon! She turned to run, but another one just appeared. They took her arms and held her still. She screamed, hoping to warn Ari. “Ari!”
“This is the Child of Light?” The demon with red hair frowned, looking at her.
“That’s what Drey claims. I don’t really know, and I don’t really care. We’ll help him take her through the portal, and if she is who he claims she is, we’ll all be welcomed into the inner circles.”
“I say we leave without Drey.”
“He’s got our money.”
Cass was listening to all this. Evidently demons were available for hire. Who knew? Her biggest concern was what was happening with Ari.
“Finally, you took long enough,” the red-haired demon called.
She turned to see Drey walking towards them. He was bracelet-free and his wounds were already healing. “Get ready. We need to leave for the portal before—”
The red-haired demon holding Cass’s left arm was suddenly yanked up into the air. She glanced up and saw white wings. Michael.
“Get her, we’re leaving now!” Drey started to run down the alley toward a dark SUV.
Cass tried to fight the demon holding her, but he hit her in the back of the head making her dazed and weak. When he opened the back of the SUV he took out some rope and tied her hands behind her back. He tossed her in the back of the vehicle and shut the door.
“If the bitch tries to get out of the car, feel free to make her bleed.”
“No longer want to kill her?” The other demon asked.
“I think bringing her alive through the portal will actually be more profitable.” Drey said, getting in the driver’s seat. He turned on the vehicle and stepped on the gas.
Cass struggled to get to a sitting position. Drey’s erratic driving made her hit the back of the seat. She did a faceplant into the side of the car when something landed hard on the roof. Drey swerved, and the SUV tilted over on its side, sliding. She cringed at the sound of metal against pavement. Then the vehicle hit something and came to a jarring stop.
The back door of the SUV was ripped open and she rolled out onto the road, hitting the feet of someone with hard boots. She looked
up, blinking the blood out of her eyes. Ari.
“Hi.”
“Hi? I thought I told you to hide somewhere safe?” Ari helped her to get to her feet.
“Well, next time I promise to do that.”
Ari growled but turned his attention upward to the top of the SUV. “You weren’t supposed to wreck the SUV.”
Michael was standing there with his wings fully extended. He shrugged. “I stopped it, didn’t I?”
A door being shoved open made all three of them turn to look down. “Damn it! Drey is getting away!”
Ari took off running after Drey. Cass moved at a much slower pace, holding her side. It hurt like a son of a bitch. She glanced up, catching a glimpse of Michael weaving in and out of the trees. That did look like an awesome ability. The crunch of boots against sticks made her glance backward. The other demon had made it out, too. They stared at each other.
“Why are you helping Drey? If it's money, I can pay you more than him.” That was a lie, but he didn’t need to know that.
“The money is one thing, but you—you’re my ticket to the inner circle.”
Oh fuck! She’d left the only weapon she knew how to use on Ari’s motorcycle. She did the only thing she could do without her bow and arrow—she ran. She heard him coming after her and tried to speed up. Ignoring the throbbing in her side, she searched for something inside of her, something that was there but hidden and blocked.
Everything became clearer to her. It was pitch black in the park forest, but she could see every tree, every bush, and every rock. She leaped and ran, feeling something break free in her. A warm light surrounded her as she ran, and the pain in her side faded almost to non-existence. Everything became a blur, and finally there were no more sounds of anyone following her. She came to a slow stop and looked around.
“What the hell? I’m on the fucking wrong side of the park.” She leaned over at the waist and took in deep breaths. She’d left Michael and Ari back in the middle of the park to deal with two demons. If this was what she was born to do, then she needed to step up and do it.
Determined, she rolled her shoulders and began running back the other way. She let her mind focus on where she needed to be, with Ari and Michael. The glow came again as her speed was enhanced, but this time she had more control. She heard the fighting and knew she was getting closer. She slowed down and followed the sounds.