Wicked Whispers

by Nina Bangs

  They were trudging into the wind and rain. Ivy put her head down in a vain attempt to avoid the worst of it. Didn’t work. Icy water trickled down her back and her wet shoes squished with each step.

  Suddenly, Sparkle stopped. She crouched behind the remains of an old boat. Ivy did the same. For a moment, she felt a little relief from the weather. Then she looked up.

  They were at the edge of the cloud, and Ivy got her first look at the battle.

  The Master had brought his own brand of hell to earth. She didn’t have any trouble spotting him. He had freaking horns—black, tipped in crimson, and the crimson was dripping blood. He’d rolled out his ugly face for the event. Probably wanted to scare the crap out of the enemy. Good choice.

  He was a huge hulking man—okay, not a man, but he had male features—with the trademark red eyes of the ticked-off demon. His thick lips were drawn back in a snarl, made more terrifying by the bloodstained pointed teeth they exposed. Bloodstained? Did he use them to kill? Or maybe he sipped blood during the battle to keep up his strength. Ugh.

  The thought made her feel like throwing up. Where was Murmur? Frantically she scanned the mass of fighting demons. They were covered in blood. How did they know friend from foe? Or maybe they just lashed out in a killing frenzy. The ground was covered with demon body parts, and those still battling stomped them into the blood-soaked earth as they fought to survive.

  Ivy clamped her hand over her mouth. Don’t throw up, don’t throw up. She took deep breaths to push back the nausea. Too bad the coppery scent of blood filled the air. She dropped her hand. This was her reality. She’d deal with it.

  “Are all the ones on the ground dead?” What did she know about demon mortality?

  “Their physical bodies are.” Sparkle was scanning the battlefield. “Their essence returns to the Underworld. They can’t come back to the mortal plane for thousands of human years.”

  That meant that if the Master destroyed Murmur’s body she’d never see him again. “Where’s Murmur?” She blinked rapidly. Absolutely not. Crying wasn’t an option. Stay grounded. Her mother’s words. But her mother never had this scenario in mind when she’d said them.

  “He’s over there.” Sparkle whispered close to her ear. She pointed.

  Ivy looked. There. Even in the midst of a life-or-death struggle, he left her breathless. His long hair whipped around his face as he fought. His shirt was plastered to his torso, and he radiated deadly power.

  “I’m giving you my magical earplugs.”

  “What?” She couldn’t take her gaze from him. He was the only one not covered in blood. And he was alive. Alive.

  “He’s using his death music. It’s not aimed at us, but even hearing a faint echo will put us on the ground. So my little spell will block his music as long as he doesn’t get too close. The best part is that you’ll be able to hear everything else fine.” Sparkle looked smug. “It protects inside and outside the head. Many a night it saved me from listening to a cat who had a lot to say about nothing.”

  “Oh.” Ivy was only half listening. She watched, mesmerized, as he swung what looked like a curved beam of glowing light. It almost looked like a giant… scythe? It cut down any demon it touched. Even the demons not touched, the ones who were just close to him, fell to the ground and convulsed. She shuddered.

  Ivy followed his path of destruction as he fought his way toward the arch demon. Fear tore at her. The Master wasn’t without his own skills. The earth moved around him, opening to engulf any enemies who drew close and then closing over them. Meanwhile he threw his hands out, sending tendrils of what looked like sizzling energy to cut apart Murmur and Klepoth’s forces.

  Sparkle poked her and leaned close. “See those demons fighting with themselves, and the ones banging their heads on the ground? That’s Klepoth’s work. He’s spreading his illusions among the enemy.” She laughed softly. “Go, Klepoth.”

  Before Ivy could reply, someone moved out of the shadows to crouch on her other side. Bain.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” His disapproval included both women.

  Sparkle glared at him. “We have a stake in Murmur and Klepoth staying alive and healthy.”

  Bain narrowed his gaze on Ivy. “You can’t do anything to help either of them. Take the car and go back to the castle.”

  Not long ago, Ivy would’ve fled from the demon’s anger. Not now. “No.”

  Bain widened his eyes. “No?”

  “I can’t help, but I care. So I’m staying.” Ivy knew her stare dared him to do something about it. She only hoped he didn’t take her up on the dare.

  He made an impatient sound and turned his attention back to the fight. “The Master’s legions are better trained, but I think the combined power of Murmur and Klepoth might be too much for him.” He shook his head. “The silence creeps me out. Where’re the shouts, the screams, the grunts and groans? You should be able to hear a war.”

  “Why aren’t you out there fighting with them?”

  Sparkle asked the question Ivy had been thinking.

  Bain kept his gaze on the battle. “Murmur asked for my help. I turned him down. I couldn’t take the chance that the Master would drag me back to the Underworld. Someone has to be here to free Elizabeth. She’ll be trapped in Faery forever if I’m not there when the Sluagh Sidhe shows up.”

  Ivy wanted to call him a coward, to rant and ask what kind of friend he was, but she didn’t. Instead she thought about Kellen, and what she’d do if he was in Elizabeth’s place. “At least you’re here now.”

  He nodded. “I’ll help where I can without entering the fight.”

  “By the way, the Master doesn’t seem worried about the music.” That worried Ivy.

  “He’s an arch demon. He can resist the sound. But Murmur can kill him with the physical manifestation of it.”

  “Got it.” Ivy decided she had a few more questions for Bain when this was all over. But she forgot about Bain when she heard Sparkle’s gasp of alarm.

  Klepoth was using his illusions to keep the Master’s forces occupied while Murmur drew ever closer to the arch demon. But neither Murmur nor Klepoth noticed the fresh horde of demons pouring through the Master’s portal.

  “Fuck.”

  Ivy agreed with Bain’s assessment.

  Sparkle stood up, clearly visible if any of the demons were to look their way. They didn’t. She clenched her hands into fists and thrust them into the air. Immediately, the new demons fell to the ground clutching themselves.

  Ivy choked back a gasp. “What happened?” She barely remembered to keep her voice to a whisper.

  Sparkle grinned. “I kicked each of them in the balls, magically speaking.”

  Bain snorted his appreciation.

  There was no more time for celebrating, though, because the battle was ramped up to a new level. Murmur was only a short distance from his goal. The Master looked a little less confident than he had a short while ago. He pulled out the big guns.

  Without warning, the earth opened between Murmur and the arch demon. Something slithered out of the chasm—a long snakelike something that wrapped around Murmur’s ankle and yanked.

  Ivy couldn’t help it, she screamed and leaped to her feet. Bain stood beside her.

  For the first time, Ivy saw Murmur stumble. He managed to control his music, but the thing dragging him toward oblivion wasn’t reacting to his death song.

  “The cursed snake is deaf. And it doesn’t have a head to get into.” Bain’s voice was tight with worry.

  Terror froze Ivy. What good was she? She couldn’t even save the man she loved.

  “Do something.” Sparkle grabbed Bain’s arm. “You’re the damn Destroyer. Okay, destroy something.”

  Bain stilled. Ivy held her breath.

  The snakelike creature had dragged Murmur almost to the edge of the fissure when the arch demon spoke for the first time.

  “I’m torn, Murmur. How to destroy your mortal body? So many wonderful choices. Yo
u can fall to your death. Rather anticlimactic, though. Or I can tear your body apart. Much more dramatic, in addition to being a cautionary tale for any other demons who might think to defy me. Perhaps I’ll combine the two. Yes, I like that.” He smiled.

  Ivy had never seen anything so horrible in her life.

  “Do you have any final words?” The Master glanced over Murmur’s head to where Klepoth still fought on. “The illusion maker won’t last long once I’ve taken care of you.”

  “Go to hell.” Murmur’s voice was a rasp of defiance.

  “Oh, I will. But you’ll be going with me.”

  Ivy felt Bain tense a moment before he struck.

  The tear in the earth snapped shut, cutting the thing wrapped around Murmur’s ankle in half. It writhed in its death throes, releasing him.

  Murmur didn’t waste the opportunity. He struck at the arch demon.

  The earth shook with the force of their coming together. They moved too quickly for Ivy to see more than the flash of Murmur’s music or the sizzle from the Master’s energy.

  The demon armies stopped fighting and backed up. They clapped their clawed hands over their ears. Even with Sparkle’s earplugs, Ivy caught the faint notes of something so terrifying that for a moment she couldn’t breathe. Murmur’s death song was growing louder, gaining power. How long could he keep it up?

  This then would decide all of the demons’ fates. Klepoth was trying to reach Murmur, to help with the fight, but he staggered and almost fell.

  Ivy bit her lip. Klepoth was injured. Murmur would have to defeat his master by himself. She glanced at Bain.

  “I can’t help. They’re moving too fast.” Frustration lived in his voice.

  Ivy’s heart felt as though it would explode from her chest. Her breaths came in short gasps. Was it just her imagination, or were the flashes from his music growing dimmer, slower?

  How could she help? She clenched her hands into fists, not even feeling the pain of her nails digging into her palms. Do. Something.

  Her puny little puff of faery power wouldn’t help. She had no physical way of saving Murmur. But… If he could get into her mind, would she be able to do get into his? Would he hear her if she concentrated on sending a message to him? Zane had explained a little of how it worked. She had to try. She wouldn’t stand here and watch him die.

  Closing her eyes, she pictured him, the way she’d first seen him—his long hair lifting in the breeze, his smile that had left her breathless, the strength and mystery of him. Once the image was fixed, she imagined sinking into him, reaching for his mind. She spoke to him.

  “I’m here, Murmur. Keep fighting. You can’t give up. If you lose, the demons will turn on me.” Okay, so she was lying shamelessly. But if it revived his flagging energy, she’d lie like a rug. “I love you. Come back to me.” Ivy would think about flinging the word “love” around later.

  Ivy opened her eyes. She’d done all she could. But had it been enough?

  “Yes!” Sparkle pumped her fist into the air.

  Ivy held her breath and dared to hope. Murmur was beating the Master back. The arch demon stumbled, and that was his first and last mistake. Murmur swung his death music in a powerful arc and cut the Master in half.

  Ivy turned from the carnage. Relief made her weak. She sank to the ground. The rest of the demons stood waiting. What did they expect to happen? She threw Bain a questioning glance.

  “If Murmur chooses, he can take the Master’s place. He’ll add the arch demon’s legions to his own. He’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the Underworld.”

  And gone from the mortal plane forever. Ivy felt his words stab her in her all-too-vulnerable heart.

  Bain looked intent for a moment, and then seemed to relax. “Murmur’s shut down his death music.” Bain turned and started to walk away.

  “Wait. Where’re you going?”

  He looked back at Ivy. “I don’t want him to know I was here.”

  “Why not, for heaven’s sake? You saved him.” Ivy couldn’t hide her frustration.

  Bain shrugged. “If he knows I helped him, he’ll think he owes me a favor. It’s a demon thing. But I didn’t come for any damn favor. I came because…” He seemed lost for a moment. “Because he’s my friend.” He seemed amazed by the revelation. With a parting grin, he disappeared.

  Sparkle laughed. “I like Bain a lot more now.” She glanced down. “I think I’ll hit up Murmur and Klepoth for two pairs of shoes.” She studied her nails. “Hiding in the weeds didn’t do my nails any good either. I’ll add a manicure to my bill.”

  Ivy wasn’t listening to her. She had remembered Klepoth. He was hurt. Now that the fighting was over, she ran to where he lay. The other demons looked startled, but when they moved toward her, Klepoth held up his hand to stop them. She leaned over him. “Are you okay?”

  Klepoth shook his head. “Not right now, but I’ll heal fast.” He grinned up at her. “We kicked ass.”

  She smiled back at him. Somewhere during the battle, her distrust of him had vanished.

  Ivy didn’t get a chance to say anything, though, because suddenly someone grabbed her arm and spun her around. She looked up.

  Murmur glared down at her. His eyes were still red, and fury gleamed in them. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  He and Bain must have memorized the same lines.

  “Don’t you know better than to be anywhere near a demon battle?” He looked behind her. “I thought you had more sense, Sparkle.”

  Ivy had no idea what she would have said in reply, or even if she would have bothered answering him. She probably would have just flung herself into his arms. She didn’t get the chance.

  An unfamiliar voice spoke. “I hate to interrupt your justly earned celebration, but I really have a few things to discuss with Murmur.”

  They all turned. A new portal had opened, and a woman stood in the opening. She was the most beautiful woman Ivy had ever seen. Something inside Ivy shrank away, understanding without being told what she was.

  Long black hair rippled down the woman’s back. Her eyes were large and so blue they made Ivy’s eyes seem like muddy water in comparison. Her lips were full and parted slightly in a smile no man would ignore. Ivy hated her.

  He nodded. “Hello, Naamah.”

  16

  “You were magnificent, Murmur.”

  “I didn’t do it alone. Klepoth helped me.” Murmur would have to thank him for saving his butt. He’d been inches away from a one-way ticket back to the Underworld when Klepoth had closed the earth. He glanced at his partner. The other demon was healing, but he wouldn’t be much help if things got ugly.

  Naamah didn’t move from the portal opening; still, Murmur could feel her seductive power touching him. He remained unmoved. Coldly, he took stock of the demons behind her. Not enough for a full assault, but…

  She laughed. It was a laugh meant to seduce, tempt, and conquer, right before she destroyed the object of her attention. “I only brought a few of my demons as bodyguards.” Her smile hinted that he could guard her body in any way he chose.

  He glanced at Ivy. She stared at Naamah with narrowed eyes and lips pressed tightly together. Something in her expression made him smile. Jealousy. He recognized it in Ivy because he’d felt the same emotion when he’d seen her with Zane.

  He returned his attention to Naamah. “Why are you here? And don’t tell me it’s just so you can congratulate me.”

  Naamah dropped her gaze to the scattered remains of the Master’s physical body. She wrinkled her beautiful nose. Yes, he could admit that everything about her was amazing. He felt nothing, though, because he knew what lived inside her. But he was at ease with her. He understood her, and he could use her.

  She met his gaze. “We’ll be neighbors. And I must admit to looking forward to a few… neighborly visits.”

  She was trying for coy, but it wasn’t working. He would respect her more if she just acted like herself—vicious, gorgeous, and deadly.r />
  “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Murmur?” Sparkle had evidently reached her limit for silence.

  “Sure. This is Naamah. She’s the arch demon who controls the territory beside the one that used to belong to my unlamented master.”

  Naamah smiled at Sparkle. “I’m the demon of seduction.”

  She might have been smiling, but her eyes dismissed Sparkle as being beneath her. Murmur thought she’d made her first mistake on the mortal plane.

  “A demon seductress?” Sparkle raised one brow. “If you’re going to stay on earth long, you’ll need a complete makeover.”

  Naamah’s smile died. “I’m perfect just as I am. Ask any man here.”

  Sparkle shook her head. “How sad. You’ve obviously lived a sheltered life. You’ll have a lot more competition on the mortal plane: women who understand how to create that certain look no man can resist. You have a few problem areas, sister—wrong hair style, wrong clothes, and definitely wrong shoes. Oops, no shoes. My bad. Sweetie, the barefoot look is embarrassingly out of date. And…” She widened her eyes. “Oh. My. God. No makeup. Never ever step outside without putting on your face.” Sparkle brightened. “But anytime you want me to help you upgrade your look, stop by Sweet Indulgence, my candy store, and we’ll see what we can do.”

  Naamah looked puzzled.

  Murmur stepped into the silence before the demon realized Sparkle had insulted her. “We have things to talk about, Naamah. I’ll contact you.”

  Naamah cast him a considering look before nodding. “I’ll be waiting.” Without another word, she turned and disappeared back into the portal. It closed behind her.

  Klepoth released the breath he’d evidently been holding. “What’re you going to do about her?”

  “I don’t know.” He had a few options to consider. “I’ll have to think about it.”

  Murmur chanced another glance at Ivy. The excitement in her eyes had dimmed since Naamah showed up. The arch demon’s timing sucked. He was considering how to put the shine back in Ivy’s eyes when Ganymede appeared.

  “Yo, I’m here. Where’s the battle? Point me toward the demon hordes and get out of the way.” His ears were pinned back, and his claws were out.