“The only pathetic person I see right now is you.” Laura whipped out her own dagger and aimed it at the Magister. “You were so unwanted in Scotland that you moved countries in order to start your own.”
“Alright.” I held up my hands between them. Laura couldn’t get in a true hit against anyone in the loft, not with the wards protecting the room. But the Magister didn’t have that same problem. If she wanted to dash out and stab Laura in the gut, she could. “Let’s all take a deep breath and calm down. We came here to chat, not lob threats at each other.”
“Oh, this isn’t a threat. It’s a promise.” Piper smiled, flicking her fingers in the air. A rush of wind filled the room and shot toward our trio, bringing with it a loud roar that echoed around us. But this wasn’t the sound of a werewolf. It was the sound of a demon, a harsh and grating noise that shook me to my core. The dark form rose up behind Piper, the wings stretching out to fill the entire width of the loft. Piper smiled at the creature over her shoulder, but the other blood mages cowered back, as if they were far more afraid of it than she was.
“See,” Piper said with a smile. “Not a threat. A promise. I can destroy any or all of you with a single flick of my wrist.”
Ben gaped at the corporeal demon. Even though I’d explained to him what had happened, this was the first time he’d set eyes on one himself. “Why are you doing this? Don’t you know what it is you’re playing with here?”
“Yes, I do. They’re demons we can command,” Piper said. “Vampires are the ones we cannot control. We’ve been ignoring our purpose for far too long. It’s time we take back control of the world.”
“Right,” I said, grabbing my own dagger from my sheath. I’d heard enough. As much as I’d wanted to avoid violence, we couldn’t let her continue on like this. The demons were growing stronger, and the veil was weakening by the moment. She had to be stopped. “We didn’t come here to fight, and we certainly don’t want anyone to get hurt. Surrender, return Dorian, and reverse your spell to bind the demons.”
Piper stared at me for a long and silent moment before she tipped her head back and laughed. The sound was eerie and strange, like it was coming from another time and place. As the seconds ticked by, her laugh got louder and harsher until her voice choked off into a cough of rage. “Nice try. But there are three of you and six of us. Plus, my lovely demon.”
Frowning, I glanced behind her at the creature who hovered in the air, its face blank, its eyes focused hard on the wall above our heads. “Just the one?”
“Oh, trust me. One is enough.” Moonlight reflected off her teeth when her smile widened. “And soon, I’ll have even more. We’ll have even more.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Laura glance my way. She was thinking what I was thinking. I could tell by the furrow of her eyebrows and the pursing of her lips. If this was the only demon within their control, what about the others who had been stalking around Juno’s shop? The demons who had attacked her and escaped into the night.
“So, you’re telling us that this is the only demon your coven has bound?” I cocked an eyebrow, hoping my hunch wasn’t right. Because I didn’t know what that would mean if it were.
She rolled her eyes. “I know you are aware that the spell requires a human sacrifice, and despite what you might believe, we aren’t the bad guys here. Our rules are simple. Only sacrifice a human who is a bane upon this world. Murderers, for example. Vincent did not live by those rules, which resulted in his untimely death, but the rest of my coven does. So, yes. This is the only one so far. We want to be certain when we make our sacrifice, and we want to keep control of their forms for eternity. The next demon we bind will be through the Unbound vampire. This first one was merely a test.”
My heart thumped hard. It was just like I thought. The demon in the crypt was the demon Piper bound, but there were three more lurking around the world. Either they were bound by someone else entirely, someone we weren’t aware of, or they were demons without a master. Demons who could do whatever they wanted, including slice up blood mages who were trying to harness them into an army through mind control.
“What’s going on, Zoe?” Ben asked quietly, but his words were easily overheard.
“Yes, what’s going on?” Piper repeated. For the first time since we’d arrived, she looked uncertain and more than a little bit worried. “Why are you asking about other demons?”
“Let me just get something straight,” I said slowly. “As far as you know, the only demons who have been bound by your coven have been through yourself and through Vincent.”
“Yes, but Vincent is dead,” she said in a whisper. “Your coven sentenced him to death for his terrible deeds against innocent humans, did you not?”
Despite the pain that shot through my heart, I nodded. “And yet, there are three other demons displaying the same traits as yours here. Which leads me to this: what happens to bound demons when their master dies?”
Piper’s mouth dropped open, her eyes blinking so rapidly that her lashes looked like wings. “I…I don’t know. I always assumed that they went back into the demon realm.”
The lights in the loft began to flicker, and a buzz of electricity hummed in the air. A chill swept across the landing before pushing into the room, the mages shivering when it blasted them in the face. Dread pooled in my stomach as the final pieces of the serial killer puzzle fell into place. The murderer wasn’t human. He wasn’t a vampire, and he certainly wasn’t a werewolf. And I knew deep down in my gut that the killer—or killers—was now here.
Sucking in a sharp breath, I stared up at the lights, knowing the answer to my next question without even uttering it aloud. “Tell me something, Piper. When that spell of yours gets broken, how do you think the freed demons would react to the fact they had been controlled? Think they might want to put a stop to it ever happening again? Maybe get a little bit of revenge while they’re at it?”
“Oh, shit,” Ben whispered, his words echoing my own fears. Laura’s hand found my arm, and she squeezed tight. Wind hurtled past us, ice blasting into the loft. Piper stumbled back, glancing at the growling demon over her shoulder, her eyes so wide they resembled the full moon.
And then the lights popped out.
Chapter 28
“Let us in. Now,” I said in a hurried rush of words. “Vincent’s demons have been freed upon this world, and they’ve been taking out your coven members one by one. And if this wintry wind is any indication, now they’re here. We can’t help you if you don’t let us inside.”
“Why should I trust you?” Piper’s eyes darted around the room as her face went stark white. She stumbled back, clutching her dagger to her chest. “What’s to stop you from attacking me?”
Laura edged to the door and pointed up at the massive creature flapping its wings behind Piper. “That thing is what’s stopping us from attacking you. We figure if you’re controlling a demon, then we really don’t stand a chance. Besides, if we killed you, it would be free to do whatever the hell it wanted. None of us wants that.”
Ben nodded, spreading his hands to his sides as if to call a truce. “Come on. We’re all stronger if we fight together.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Piper nodded and lifted her hand to drop the wards that kept the outside world from intruding upon her home. As soon as the bright red beams flickered away, several demons appeared all around us, their mouths open wide and their bodies billowing with smoke. My heart lurched in my chest, horror shaking through me as they rushed into the loft, their dark and soulless eyes zeroed in on the cluster of blood mages who were quickly retreating to the back. I realized our mistake far too late. These creatures had been watching and waiting, and we’d played right into their hands.
Laura, Ben, and I pushed into the room just as a werewolf howled in the distance. Glass shattered down the hall, and Anastasia appeared through a window with Nathan by her side. She took one look at the swarm of demons and let out a string of expletives that would cause a sailor to
blush. But I couldn’t blame her. Unless we did something—and fast—we were screwed.
“Where are your Nosferatu fangs?” I shouted as I pulled my dagger from my sheath. Laura’s back pressed into mine, and we bent our knees as one. Together, like this, we couldn’t be attacked from behind. It was a move Dorian had drilled into our heads from day one.
“A glass jar in the kitchen,” Piper shouted as she motioned for her coven members to form a V formation with the Magister in the front, facing the demons with daggers raised. They all reached for the vials around their necks, grabbing the blood they carried with them in order to draw their runes. But their spells would be useless against these demons unless we had those fangs. They might be able to get some damage in, but it would only be a temporary solution since these creatures were immune to our banishment magic. And there was no other way to force them out of our world.
“You have fangs in your kitchen?” Laura shouted over the storm of demons whirling through the room. “You guys are more fucked up than I thought.”
“I’ll grab them,” Ben said, giving me a salute before disappearing down the hall.
Everything slowed as the demons and the mages came to a tense standoff. Laura and I stood back to back near the door with Anastasia and Nathan on either side of us. The Blood Hunter Coven hunkered in the back corner of the loft, hands curled into tight fists around their daggers and their runes. In between our two groups were four demons, only one of which who was under Piper’s control.
Or was it?
As the tense standoff continued, Piper’s demon cackled and threw back its arms in a show of strength, its eyes full of fire as it stared at its master. My skin skittered from a storm of shivers. These creatures were full of rage, their anger directed toward the mage who wanted to force them to do her every bidding. They’d found a way to get revenge, taking out each and every mage in her coven. One by one, when they’d been alone and entirely unaware that something had been stalking them like prey.
I was starting to realize that demons were far more clever than I’d thought.
So, maybe I could reason with them.
“Listen,” I said, my voice ringing out sure and strong, even though I was trembling in my boots. “You don’t need to do this, demons. No one else needs to die. The Blood Hunter Coven will agree not to bind any of your kind anymore as long as you agree to stop these kills.” I glanced at the hallway where Ben had disappeared, hoping he would return before my diplomatic discussion time ended. Demons had never been much for truces. I doubted that would change today. “How does that sound?”
One of the demons cackled, a harsh and grating sound that made me want to shove my hands over my ears. It turned to meet my eyes, its large and veiny neck throbbing as its leathery tongue licked its lips. Narrowing my eyes, I stood my ground. These creatures needed to see a show of strength from us if they were going to agree to our commands.
“What guarantee can you give us, witch?” it hissed. “Are you certain these blood mages will agree?”
“No. We’ll agree to no such thing,” Piper shouted, effectively destroying any hope I had of ending this night without a fight. She narrowed her eyes as she pointed her long, twisting blade at the demons. “Those creatures are ours to control and control them we will.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Laura muttered under her breath.
All around us, the demons roared, including the one bound by Piper and her coven. They rose high in the air, their massive veiny wings flapping so hard that waves of air rushed around us. My hair billowed behind me, and I gritted my teeth, steeling myself against the oncoming attack.
But Piper merely flicked her wrist and smiled. “Attack our enemies, demon.”
Her demon tipped back its head and screeched, its body twisting and turning and vibrating with dark shadows that rippled into the room. It was fighting against her orders, trying its best to break free, and as I stood there with my heart rocketing inside my chest, I was suddenly sure it could.
As strong as the spell might be, this demon was stronger. Maybe it was because Piper’s magic was too weak, or maybe it was because the demon’s strength was enhanced by the arrival of its own kind. Whatever it was, it was enough. She couldn’t control it. Not now. With one last shout of rage, the demon broke free of Piper’s binding spell.
And suddenly, the creatures descended upon the cluster of mages. Horror-filled screams filled the room, and I felt Laura stiffen behind me, her back still tight against mine. With a roar, Nathan loped forward and joined the fight, his claws slashing against a demon’s dark and lizard-like skin. Anastasia’s fangs protruded from her mouth as she jumped to his side. Everything was a blur, full of slashing and growling and screaming and sobbing.
“What do we do?” I whispered to Laura, fear choking my gut. “We’re not wolves or vampires, and my bone magic sucks serious ass.”
“Use your shadow power, Zoe,” she said in a low voice. “I know the demons might be immune to being banished, but you can hold them off long enough for Ben to get back with the fangs.”
One of the mages fell, his head cracking against the hard floor. Blood poured from the wound as his gaze went vacant and clear. Emotions battled for dominance inside me. Fear, anger, sadness, and rage. These demons would keep going until every single mage here was dead. And even though these mages had joined Piper’s coven, with her vile plan to destroy every Daywalker alive, they were innocent themselves. They hadn’t done anything wrong. Not yet.
They didn’t deserve to die, especially not like this.
With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tightened my fingers around my dagger. My magic roared to life, filling up my very soul. It whispered suggestions, the darkest of things, but I didn’t even let my mind consider those thoughts.
Bending my knees, I threw out my hand to cast my magic at the nearest demon. Swirls of black flew from my fingers like smoky tendrils of pain. They wrapped around the demon, pulling tight and choking its body like an attacking snake. Last time I’d cast this spell, the demons had fractured into a million tiny black pieces, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
But that didn’t happen now. This demon was immune to that kind of power, immune to being forced back home. But that wouldn’t stop me from shooting a heavy dose of damage upon it. The demon screamed as it got trapped within the shadows, and I turned my attention on the next.
Throwing out another hand, I aimed my magic on a demon who had pounced on Piper. She’d fallen to the ground, her eyes wild and her teeth chattering from the cold that had descended upon her. My shadows surrounded the demon, curling around every one of its limbs. Gritting my teeth, I kept one demon in my grip while surrounding the next, the very depths of my power shooting out into the room like a storm of darkness and shadows.
From the corner of my eye, something shifted down the hallway. It was Ben, rushing back from the kitchen with the jar of Nosferatu fangs. His feet slowed when he saw me, his eyes transforming into saucers. Gaze flicking from my face to the shadow magic tumbling from my hands, he shook his head. My power began hissing thoughts into my mind. The bone mage doesn’t trust you. He’s going to kill you for what you are. You need to destroy him before he has a chance to get to you first.
Squeezing my eyes tight, I shook the voices from my head, refusing to give into their demons. I was the one in control here. I refused to let the whispers take over. Even though Ben would go straight to the council and tell them what I was, I wouldn’t do a damn thing except keep my spell aimed on the demons.
Laura left my side to join Ben, my back going cold without her there to keep me steady. She grabbed his shoulders and whispered something too low for me to hear. Swallowing hard, he finally snapped his gaze away from me, and he passed Laura some fangs from the jar.
Together, they joined the fray, daggers in one hand and fangs in the other. My heart throbbed hard in my chest, fear and anger pounding through me at the sight of my friend surrounded by creatures of the nigh
t. Tears leaked from my eyes. All I could do was watch, the demons thrashing hard against my shadowy wards. It was taking all my power to hold them in place while Ben and Laura sunk the fangs into their leathery skin.
The creatures roared when the venom made contact, and the ground beneath our feet began to shake. Power rippled off their bodies and rocketed through the room. With a deep breath, I held my magic steady around them as their forms flickered and faded, shadows swirling where their skin used to be.
“Now!” Laura shouted from where she stood amidst the carnage. “Banish them both, Zoe!”
Gritting my teeth, I raised my hands even higher and threw another round of my darkness at the creatures. This time, the shadows took hold, clinching tighter and tighter around their fading forms until there was nothing left except a cloud of harmless smoke.
My hands fell to my sides as breath expelled from my lungs. I was exhausted, and my power felt weak from such an intense and damaging spell. I’d never cast this much of it before, and I could have crawled in bed and slept for days.
But we still had three demons left.
Together, we took on the remaining demons, Anastasia and Nathan adding to the damage while the coven members cowered in the corner. It took every ounce of energy I had, but I somehow managed to banish every demon back into its realm. My power hummed in my veins, aching and weak but euphoric. Tempting. Whispering. Why stop here? There’s a werewolf and a vampire. And evil, evil blood mages. Destroy them all and take this victory for yourself.
“Shut up,” I mumbled out loud as my hands fell to my sides, heavy and aching from the electric power that had poured from my soul.
Ben frowned, his eyes hardening now that there were no more obstacles in our way. He knew what I was now. And there was no doubt in my mind he’d tell the council as soon as he could. I didn’t know what that would mean for me. I could be exiled from Boston. Or worse. And I didn’t know what I’d do if I could no longer call my house my home. My entire life and everyone I loved was here.
The Bone Coven Chronicles: The Complete Series Page 41