by Michael Todd
When it struck midnight, it was officially All Hallows Eve. I sat up in my bed, expectant, as if someone was destined to appear. After a few moments, I laughed, thinking that it was just my mind playing tricks on me. However, a few moments later, a loud thump sounded in my room, and wind whipped around wildly, blowing out the lamp. I clung to my sheets, uncertain what to do. He stood before me in the darkness, his eyes shining brightly through the shadows of night. His laughter bellowed, but only for a moment.
When I opened my eyes again, the lamp was lit and the demon was gone. I thought perhaps I had only dreamt it. I turned over, relieved, and fell asleep. This morning came too soon, with so much to do. I hurried from my chambers and did not return until nightfall. As I sat here in my pajamas, reading the word of the Lord, I glanced at a mark on the floor across the room. Curious, I walked to it and stopped, my breath catching in my throat. In the floor were deep gashes, as if something had clawed the wood.
My gaze shifted to the wall, where a message was written in dripping blood. It read, I will return at the stroke of midnight.
I watch the clock. It’s 11:55.
Chapter Eleven
Max breathed heavily as he slowed the treadmill to a fast walk. He was warming up for a strong, healthy workout with Astaroth, and the upcoming fight constantly invaded his thoughts. It would be beyond his experience, and he was nervous. He knew he could exorcise and he knew that he could fight to a degree, but he had not tested those two things in such a large-scale situation before.
Astaroth was ready. It’s no use sitting there dwelling on it. Let’s get some hand-to-hand combat in. Grab one of the dagger dummies and put it on the floor. You’ll practice offense today.
The young priest turned the treadmill off, grabbed his towel, and wiped his forehead before he retrieved one of the dummies. He twisted the pole to raise it to eye level and tossed his towel aside. Okay. I’m ready.
The demon thought carefully. I’ll call out moves for you to make. Try not to anticipate them. Just move with my words. Focus on the movements.
Max nodded, rolled his shoulders, and stretched. He moved into position and waited. Astaroth began to bark simple but clear commands. Max gritted his teeth and attempted to complete each action. The dummy’s head bounced a little, but mostly a tangle of arms whirled wildly around it. There was no grace to his movements. In fact, the harder he tried, the crazier it got.
Finally, after about five minutes of total chaos, Astaroth stopped him. Stop. Stop. Good Lord, Maximus. You look like one of those waving tube men at the side of the road in a car dealership, only with six arms. You need to calm yourself and find your inner momentum. Focus your mind on each individual hand movement. Connect your mind with your hands so completely that you don’t even remember my commands when you’re finished. Keep this up, and that dummy will start fighting back. If that happens, we shut it down and find a new career—something safe like stuffing pillows or painting fences.
Max dropped his arms to his side and shook his head. We may need to eventually face the fact that putting me in combat could have unintended consequences. It could spark an international conflict.
Astaroth chuckled. No, no. Once you learn to focus on your movements, you’ll see how easy it becomes. Come on, let’s try again.
The priest cracked his neck. Ready when you are, Sensei.
Max inhaled a deep, calming breath, closed his eyes, and tried to release the anxiety from his chest. He didn’t want any distractions. Instinct told him that knowing how to defend and fight might be critical to his survival on the upcoming mission.
Astaroth started again. Right punch to the neck, left punch to the chest. Right chop to the neck, left chop to the arm…
The demon continued, paying close attention to every move the human made. Feeling the rhythm flow through him, Max opened his eyes and watched his movements. He knew his mind was responsible, but it felt almost as natural and thoughtless as walking down the street. His hands moved fluidly, with his elbows tucked in neatly. With every new round his motions became more fluid, and by the fifth round, his actions were twice as fast as when he had started.
Max smiled as he turned, trying new moves as they were called out to him. Do you see this?
Astaroth couldn’t help but laugh. I do. Concentrate. One more round and we break. When we come back, we will incorporate the legs.
The trainee completed a final round of punches and swipes and finished with a loud battle cry. He stepped back from the dummy, pressed his palms together, and bowed. A round of applause sounded from the doorway with Damian’s familiar chuckle a pleasant echo.
His mentor leaned against the wall, smiling widely. “You’re getting better—much better. I’m happy about this. Maybe now you’ll actually hit a demon when you swing at it.”
Max faked a laugh as he took a swig of water. “Astaroth is trying to prepare me.”
“Well, speaking of that, the Secretary called. We gotta get on the road. She pretty much threatened my life if we miss the flight.”
Max laughed. “Well, I guess I better get on it then. I don’t want to be killed by your weird robot stalker.”
Damian nodded. “Exactly. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
Max gathered his things and headed to the guest bathroom. He hurried through a hot shower and dressed quickly, and it took only a few minutes to throw what he needed into his duffle bag and click the light off. In the garage, he was surprised to find that Damian had already packed the SUV with whatever they were taking. Max tossed his bag in the back and jumped inside.
He smirked. “You managed to pack the car on your own. Are you all right? Didn’t stroke out?”
The older man chuckled. “Okay, wiseass. Sit back. Time to party.”
Both men passed out within the first fifteen minutes of the flight. Damian had somehow managed to get them upgraded to first class, so Max had more than enough room to stretch out comfortably. He rested his head against the window and listened to the engines purring softly. His companion drooled on the edge of an inflatable neck pillow.
By the time they reached Scotland, both had gotten a short rest. They grabbed their carry-ons and headed to baggage claim. Damian pointed at the carousel. “Don’t let any of our luggage get picked up inadvertently. There are very fragile things there. I got lucky with a special concession on this flight thanks to Katie, and they allowed me to check everything we need.”
Max nodded, hurried to the luggage area, and retrieved the black duffels as they circled on the belt. Damian wandered toward the door, unsure of the next step. His phone buzzed with a message from the Secretary.
SUV out front. Address loaded in GPS. Don’t forget the Wise Men’s instructions.
The priest growled and shoved his phone into his pocket, slung his bag over his shoulder, and exited through the sliding doors. A blacked-out SUV waited at the curb. The driver’s door opened, and a man in a dark suit and sunglasses emerged and handed the keys to Damian. Without a word, he turned and walked to a cab.
Max rushed out, pushing a loaded luggage cart. “Is that ours?”
Damian nodded. “Load everything in, my friend.”
The trainee rolled his eyes and pushed the cart to the back. He lifted the bags quickly into the back and shut the door while Damian slid behind the wheel and glanced around for the GPS’ on-switch. The system booted, and the address and directions popped up.
Max slid into the passenger seat and raised a brow. “They sure did think of everything.”
Damian scoffed. “Yeah, except the details of what we’ll walk into. We have nothing, so we should make an interesting entrance into a fight that the mercs started hours ago.”
The younger man shrugged. “Maybe they will have finished the whole thing by the time we get there. We can sit around and enjoy Scotland for a hot minute before rushing back.”
“Please, like the Wise Men would let that happen. You know they would sacrifice their own souls to see us do our jobs.”
&
nbsp; Max chuckled and relaxed as they drove to the incursion. It wasn’t far, but rather than head for the city, they turned toward the country. When they arrived at the old farmhouse, they found the mercs already there. Demons raced everywhere, and gunfire plowed across the landscape. Things seemed completely out of hand as the beasts crawled up the house or were shot point blank in the fields.
Max exited the SUV with wide eyes and stared at the chaos in silence. Damian grabbed his arm, and the two loaded up with pistols, knives, their crosses, and their bibles. The older man caught and held his companion’s attention. “I know it seems wild right now, but take a deep breath, okay? You’ll get into the swing of it really fast, and I’ll be right there with you.”
The trainee nodded nervously. They crossed the field to where the mercs had gathered to reload and for water and medical attention. Damian elbowed Max lightly and nodded toward the group. “Let me do the talking, okay?”
One of the men inserted a new magazine in his pistol and looked up, recognizing Damian. He immediately jogged out to meet them. The priest put his hand out and shook the merc’s hand. “I’m Damian, and this is Max. We’re here for the exorcisms, and to help where we can.”
The man nodded with a smile, squinting into the sunlight. “Yeah, man. I remember you. You were on Korbin’s Killers for, like, ever.”
Damian smiled. “That’s right, I was. You look familiar too.”
“I’m Charlie. I was on a New York team, and you and I fought a few battles together late in the merc season. It was when Katie was on your team but not yet the badass angel-demon she is now.”
“Right. Yeah. Was that the fight where we took down that one-eyed bastard trying to pull a King Kong on the Statue of Liberty?”
Charlie howled and nodded. “Yes! That was one of them. You did the backflip off Lady Liberty’s spikes and jammed your knife into that fucker’s back. It was awesome. Good stuff.”
Damian pointed to Max. “Max is my partner but is also in training. This will be his first all-out incursion. He should be with or near me the entire time.”
Charlie shook the young man’s hand. “Good to meet you, buddy. Just pay attention and watch for the fallers—the ones that jump from the ceiling. Other than that, do your thing and try to have fun. Worry and fear will only slow you down and make it more dangerous. If you need protection, the team has vests. Grab one. They’ll recognize the priest getup.”
“We’re not here to fight so much as we were sent by the church to exorcise as many Damned as possible. Obviously not mercs, but any others we can save.”
Charlie nodded. “Got it. Okay. Let me get on my comm.”
He pressed the comm button on his ear and spoke quickly. “Team, we have two priests here, both Damned. One is ex-merc, the other a newbie. They’re here to exorcise as many infected as they can. Help them out by either throwing them the infected or killing the demons to clear a path. We’ll have to work together today. Kick ass, guys.”
The team responded, ready and willing to help. It was a relief to find someone who recognized him and didn’t seem to have any problems with their role but also saw their firearms. Damian had always done things his way, which was why he had survived as long as he had.
Charlie pulled him aside and lowered his voice. “I’m all about saving the innocent if we can. I want you to know that. But understand that even though we’ll do what we can to help you, this is a battle. Most likely we will have to kill a lot of the demons, even the infected ones, because you know how it is. When you’re out there being attacked from all angles, you don’t stop to think who could be exorcised. You fight for your life. Have some patience with the team, okay?”
The priest patted him on the shoulder. “I completely understand where you’re coming from. We came with weapons, even though the church doesn’t technically allow them. I know what these things are like, and sometimes it’s your life or theirs. We’ll eliminate as many of the pure demons as we can to help you guys out. We won’t get in the way, and we won’t put your team in any danger.”
Charlie seemed relieved by that response. “You’re welcome to any of our ammo or weapons. They’re from your girl anyway. I’m gonna get out there and get my kills. I’m already past my personal quota, and I’m gonna see if I can double it.”
Damian laughed and watched as the merc ran into the field, his guns already blasting. Max chuckled. “That guy is freaking wild. I love it.”
The older man held both his cross and his weapon ready and smirked. “Mercs are a different breed. I know, because I’ll always be one at heart.”
Chapter Twelve
“Where to first?” Max asked, his expression taut.
Damian glanced around, quickly assessing the scene. He nodded toward the farmhouse. “They have things under control out here. Let’s go inside and see what damage we can do there.”
Max pulled his knife, then shook his head and exchanged it for his gun. “I think I might need bigger this time around.”
“Probably a good idea.”
They moved across the field, alert for approaching demons. The older man glanced at his companion and sighed, then tossed his bible to him. Max juggled it for a moment before he gripped it firmly and stared at the name printed on the front cover. “What’s this for? I have mine.”
Damian kept his face expressionless, not liking the choice he had to make. “You’ll have to help. There are too many for me to handle on my own. You’ve exorcised demons before, and this situation is no different.”
Max wrinkled his nose uncertainly. “Except for the gazillion demons trying to take me down to hell with them.”
He put his hand out to stop Max and faced him. “I’ve marked the prayers I like to use.” He flipped through the bible, showing him the dog-eared pages. “The longer ones work better on larger infestations. Read them the way you would any other prayer.”
Max holstered his gun and grabbed the satchel around his neck. He could feel the energy of the cross inside it. “What about you?”
Damian chuckled. “I know these prayers by heart. The bible is a prop for me. I’ll be fine. The most important thing is to focus when you’re saying them. Bring God into it like you do when you pray normally.”
“Well, this should definitely be a learning experience for me, if nothing else.”
“Remember one thing, though. If an infected can’t be exorcised, you must take that person’s life. They may look completely normal, and they may even prey on your sympathies, but hold strong. If the demon has completely taken over, there is nothing we can do for them. We have to neutralize the threat.”
Max took a deep breath and straightened, mustering his inner strength. “I can do it.”
Damian nodded. “Good. Now come on. Let’s kick some ass.”
They climbed the porch steps, and the older priest kicked the front door. It slammed open, grating on its hinges. Dust billowed, and light flooded the old stained floors. Damian slapped Max on the shoulder and smiled. “Good luck.”
With that, he strode down the hall and kicked a demon square in the chest before blowing a hole in its forehead. He turned his head quickly when the walls creaked and rattled. A demon dropped from the ceiling and knocked him onto the floor, where they wrestled and the beast pinned Damian down. Its mouth opened wide, and its teeth dripped with saliva as it hissed in his face.
The priest struggled to bring his gun up between them. “Say hello to Moloch for me, asshole.”
He pulled the trigger, and his adversary hurtled into the wall and slid to the floor. Damian stood, straightened his jacket, and fired another round into the demon’s head. The beast squealed loudly and turned to dust. Damian moved into the kitchen and stopped when he saw a blonde woman at the stove, her back to him. He swallowed hard as she snarled and breathed heavily.
Damian held his cross up and cleared his throat, beginning the exorcism. As the woman turned, her eyes glowed bright red, and her teeth showed jagged and crimson. She held a frying pan co
ntaining a severed hand. As the words of the prayer increased in intensity, the Damned shook, dropped the pan, and slammed her hands over her ears. She growled loudly, stiffened, and fell.
The fiend rose from her body and screeched before bursting. Damian knelt beside the woman and found her pulse. It was weak, but he could tell she would pull through. As he stood, he glanced at the blood leaking onto the tiles from the frying pan. “Bon appetit?”
The priest raised his pistol instinctively as a loud crash sounded right in front of him. A demon stood on the counter and knocked the dishes onto the floor. It swiped at Damian, but he evaded the deadly claws. “I don’t think I invited you to dinner.”
He squeezed the trigger twice, aiming for the skull. The beast fell backward and turned to ash before it hit the floor. Three more demons and one infected bolted through the doors, and Damian sighed, bracing himself on the edge of the counter. He aimed carefully and dispatched each of the demons with a single shot, but left the Damned untouched. Slowly, he walked forward, speaking the prayer.
The man cringed, and his hands turned to claws as his face twisted unnaturally. The priest spoke the prayer louder, but it had little effect. He shook his head, knowing the man was too far gone. “I’m sorry for this.” He released the empty magazine from his gun and reloaded. “May God have mercy on your soul.”
With that, he pulled the trigger, and the body hit the floor.
Max breathed heavily and held his pistol at the ready, taking one slow step at a time toward the upper floor. The claws of a demon scraped the walls above with a harsh sound that sent shivers down his spine, and he gripped his weapon tightly. Near the top, he paused to see if anything would jump out.
Astaroth sighed. Go on, already. Sheesh.
The young priest shook his head. One thing I have learned is that anything is possible with these bastards. I know they get their rocks off by jumping out at me. Max listened for a moment, but he heard nothing. They must have gone into one of the rooms.
