by Kelly Oram
I grabbed his shoulders and stuck my face right in his, hoping some of my calm would rub off. “I know. But he’s not going to hurt her.”
Ethan frantically shook his head. “I can still feel her. She’s terrified!”
“But is she hurt?”
“Not physically, but—”
I didn’t let him finish that sentence. I couldn’t think about what Gracie was feeling right now. I couldn’t afford to lose my focus. “I need you to calm down, dude. We’re going to go get her, and I need your head on straight. Can you still talk to her?”
Ethan took a breath and nodded. It was progress.
“Okay, tell Gracie I’m here, and that we’re coming for her.”
Ethan focused on an internal conversation that seemed to go a long way in the calming-him-down department. Good ol’ Gracie. She was probably scared out of her mind, and still, she was the one encouraging Ethan and telling him it was going to be okay. Honestly, Grace is the strongest girl I’ve ever met.
“You ready?” I asked Ethan. “Dad’s got a small army of demon-possessed people with him. I’m going to need your help.”
Ethan’s face crumpled. “Russ, I—” His voice broke, and he looked down at the ground. “Your father did something to me. My power…”
I felt awful for the guy. I couldn’t imagine how crappy it must have been to get stripped of his essence. How helpless he must feel. If I lost my magic, I think I’d go insane. It’s so much of who I am. He must feel broken right now.
It was one more thing. One more thing my father had done that needed retribution. I couldn’t let him get away with it. “We’ll get it back,” I promised Ethan. The words rang so true I may as well have sworn the oath in blood against my own life. There was no room for failure. I couldn’t let Ethan live out his life as a human, incapable of protecting Grace the way he needed to. Especially not when it was my own father that had done this horrible thing to him. No, I would get his essence back for him even if I had to kill my father to do it. Or I would die trying.
Ethan saw the determination in my expression, and forced himself to match it. “He took my weapons.”
With a smirk, I handed him one of my regular daggers and then one of my special ones. Ethan’s eyes grew at the sight of the blazing steel. He was so mesmerized he looked scared to touch it. “Come on,” I urged, thrusting the hilt of the knife at him. “You know you’ve been dying to hold one since the second Michael conjured them up.”
“Russ…” Ethan swallowed. “Those are yours. I couldn’t…”
“Dude, we’re about to face a bunch of demons, and these bad boys are the only things that can kill them. We’ll fare better if we each have one.”
“But I’m no stronger or faster than a human.”
I shrugged, faking a nonchalance I didn’t feel. “Neither am I.”
“You have magic.”
I wanted to slap him. “You’re still trained to be a warrior, Ethan. And it’s still your job to protect Grace. Quit giving me excuses, man up, and let’s go get your girl. Just take good care of my knife, dude. You break it, you buy it.”
Ethan cracked a smile and then gently picked up the seraph blade, giving it a graceful swing. He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing its power. Or maybe he was praying to the angel it came from. Probably a good idea. I had a feeling we were going to need all the prayers we could get.
. . . . .
The Woolworth Building used to be open to the public, before the council bought it and made it home to the consulate. The observation deck on the roof of the building that used to be a tourist attraction had been closed down, and the council converted it into a magical garden that bloomed year round. It was also spelled with tranquility spells so when you stepped into it you were overcome with a sense of inner peace. It was the strangest sensation to feel, with everything going on at the moment. The emptiness of the garden also upped the creep factor.
We stepped into the garden and immediately came to a halt. My stomach dropped a few feet. Ethan gasped quietly. Grace was sitting on a bench in the middle of the garden beneath a blossoming cherry tree, handcuffed, gagged, and held in place by two of the demon-possessed supernaturals Maggie had warned us about. The way their hands circled her neck when they saw us, I knew they weren’t messing around. “Nobody move! They’ll kill her.”
“We want the Chosen One and the Scion,” one of the demons called out. “The rest of you leave now, and we’ll let you live.”
The wolves stepped forward, growling and ready to pounce. I had to do something fast. Werewolves had little to no control on a good day. If one of them attacked, people were going to get killed. I met Ethan’s eyes over the top of Dani’s head. When he nodded and reached for the knives I’d lent him, I elbowed Dani and muttered, “Distract them.”
“What?” Dani hissed. “How, exactly, would you like me to do that, Russell? Do a little song and dance?”
I grinned at her. “I said distract, not torture.”
That earned me a glare. “You’re an ass.”
“But a lovable one. I’m sure you’ll think of something, oh great Chosen One.” Winking, I kissed the top of her head and cast a cloaking spell on Ethan and myself.
Both demons hissed when we blinked out of sight, and Dani cursed. “Hey, ugly!” she called out, taking a few steps in front of the rest of our group toward the demons. “Yeah, I’m talking to you two idiots. I hope you guys have your bags packed, because you just won a first-class all-expenses-paid trip to Hell. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but I happen to be a supernatural badass, and I’m itchin’ to fulfill a prophecy, so bring it, you bastards. Let’s rumble.”
“Man, she’s got some balls, doesn’t she?” Ethan muttered with a snort of amusement.
I laughed. “That she does.” I nodded at the two guys still holding Grace. They hadn’t moved an inch, but they’d forgotten about Ethan and me, and now had their attention solely focused on Dani. “They might feel us coming,” I warned Ethan. “We’ll have to be fast, and it has to be a killing blow.”
“Got it. On three.”
“We’ll only get one shot. Miss, and Grace is dead.”
Ethan’s face turned hard as he stared down the demon closest to him. “So don’t miss.”
Ethan counted us off, and then we shot across the garden under the cloak of magic, simultaneously plunging our seraph blades into the hearts of Grace’s captors. They were dead before they knew anything was wrong.
Grace screamed when the bodies standing behind her fell. I dropped our cloak, and Ethan pulled the gag from her mouth. The second I spelled her free of her hand restraints, she threw her arms around Ethan and began sobbing into his chest. He pulled her face out of his chest and stared at her, as if he couldn’t believe she was real. Then, without warning, he pulled her face to his and planted an epic kiss on her mouth.
Go, Ethan! So much for his stunted manliness in the girl department. He got his woman back, and he was doing his best to let her know how happy he was about it. He broke the kiss as quickly as he’d sprung it on her, and immediately apologized for losing his self-control. Grace was redder than I’d ever seen her, and so shocked she couldn’t respond.
As I enjoyed the endearing display of awkwardness, a soft pile of fur nudged my hand, stealing my concentration. I grinned down at Cynthia and scratched behind her ears. “Hey, I never did get the chance to ask, but if we get out of this alive, I’m going to need a date to the dance. What do you say, hot stuff?”
Cynthia yipped a bark that I took to be a yes. Though, I suppose it could have also been a nasty name for calling her hot stuff. Cynthia was unpredictable like that, and I didn’t speak wolf.
Ethan and Grace joined the rest of us, looking flushed from embarrassment, but their heads were also back in the game. “That’s two down,” Ethan said, tethering Grace’s hand in his. I doubted he’d ever let go again.
“If he left Grace here, it’s because he couldn’t hide her,” I said. “He’s clo
aked, but he’s got to be here, and he’s still got other demons with him.”
“Demons that we can’t even see,” Clara grumbled, scanning the empty garden.
“I don’t think he’ll attack unless we make a move first, Clare Bear. If he wanted any of us dead, he’d have given the order the second we stepped outside. He’s only after the council, and he’s—”
There was a sudden blast of magic in the air that hit a small tree and split it in two. It was answered with a second blast, as Councilor Mason fell to the ground with a groan, too weak to hold his cloaking spell.
We all ran forward, but every single last one of us was blown backward with a magical hit that rattled our brains. I’d never felt a spell so powerful, and that’s saying something, considering Clara the witch-warlock hybrid once blasted me with a lethal spell while she was amped up on immortal blood. The magic my father had, when fused with my blood and combined with fey magic, must have rivaled Dani’s power. We were so screwed.
As we all slowly caught our breaths and climbed to our feet, two more demons descended on Councilor Mason, holding him down as he thrashed and cursed. Dad appeared, kneeling over Councilor Mason’s chest, holding Beelzebub’s artifact that now dripped with my blood.
“Dad, stop!” I screamed, running forward again.
Dani was right on my heels. “Alex, no!”
“Trust me, kids,” he said, slamming the talisman down on Councilor Mason’s chest.
Councilor Mason screamed as the colorful aura surrounding him was sucked into the artifact. The energy channeled into my father and his own aura expanded. It glowed so brightly now that it was stronger than Dani’s.
We lunged for him, but were too late. He and his demons disappeared. As Dani helped Councilor Mason sit up, I sprang to my feet and pointed to Ethan. “Get Gracie out of here!”
Ethan headed toward the exit just as Councilor Sena, Gabe, and a swarm of guardians spilled into the garden. Their presence made Dad’s minions come out of hiding, and everybody froze. We were all caught in an epic standoff, waiting to see who would make the first move.
Someone should tell that nice old lady to have her eyes checked. Half a dozen demons? More like twenty of them. On the bright side, I didn’t recognize any of the people the demons were possessing. It looked like Sheriff Guston and Deputy McHale were the only two Dad took from Carmine. He probably needed them to help him get Grace and Ethan here, but I’m sure he didn’t like the idea of recruiting the people I’d grown up with to do his evil bidding any more than I would have liked killing them. And as much as I wished I wouldn’t have to take any innocent lives, people were going to die here just like Sheriff Guston.
Dani ran to Gabriel’s side, hands shaking with both fury and fear. “Gabriel! What are you doing? I told you to stay downstairs!”
“I apologize, Danielle, but when Maggie told us what happened, we could not let you try to stop Devereaux on your own. The guardians and I will fight with you even if it means our lives are forfeit.”
The demons tensed in response to his comment. Any second now, things were going to get chaotic. I had to do something. “Hey, Dad!” I called out, whirling around to shout at the open air. “Cut the crap and face me, you coward! Stop using filthy demons to do your dirty work!”
I glanced at Dani. “Can you sense him?”
Dani’s eyes closed in concentration. After a moment, she shook her head. There’s too much buzz from the garden’s magic. I’ll have to break the spells to find him.”
I put a hand on her arm to stop her. “Don’t. You do that, and he’ll find your other council member.”
“We have to find him, Russ.”
“I know. Just give me a minute.”
I closed my eyes and stepped away from everyone. As I focused on the energy around me, I realized that I felt the presence of the demons. They called to something deep within me. Among them was something else. Something dark and powerful that felt familiar, as if it were a part of me. My fingers itched to have it in my hands. Beelzebub’s talisman was singing for me. It had chosen me when I first put it on, and now it wanted to be reunited. It wanted me to find it. I felt it pulsing like a slow, rhythmic heartbeat.
Slowly, I began drifting around the garden, trying to pinpoint exactly where the artifact was. The closer I got, the more intense the throbbing in my stomach got. “Dad, come on. Don’t you think enough people have died today?”
I got no answer, but I figured out where he was. The relic was making its way toward the line of guardians. Somehow, I didn’t think dad was trying to slink past them toward the exit. No. His sights were set on Gabe and Councilor Sena. Dad was delusional if he thought taking Gabe’s essence was going to sit well with Dani.
I circled around the edge of the crowd, trying to get my timing right so that I could reach Gabe and Councilor Sena at the same time as my father without letting him know I was on to him. “Even if you do manage to get the rest of the council members and fight your way past the guardians, it won’t matter, Dad. Dani and I will never follow you.”
I was right on top of him now. I could feel the relic so precisely I could tell it was hanging around my father’s neck. Just as I reached Councilor Sena, Gabe disappeared. Dad had gone after him first. Dani gasped and screamed my dad’s name. I wasted no time and thrust my dagger just below where I felt the relic, aiming at what I hoped was Dad’s stomach and not his heart. I didn’t want to kill him if I didn’t absolutely have to. Plus, there was a chance that he’d pulled Gabe in front of him, and as much as the punk annoyed me, I didn’t want to be the moron who accidentally killed the Seer.
My instincts were spot on. Dad grunted and dropped his spell as he fell to his knees. I smirked at his shocked face. “Hey, Dad.”
Muttering a few choice curses—he’s totally where I got my potty mouth from—Dad groaned. My smile widened even further. “Having trouble healing yourself?”
My dad pressed a hand to his stomach and rasped, “What did you do to me?”
I was more than happy to explain it. I lifted my gift from Michael up and examined the blade. “Nifty things, seraph blades. They’re like poison to all things demonic, which, thanks to you, includes my blood. I’m assuming you drank some after you stole it from me, since you’re now controlling demons and working their magic.”
Dad coughed and grunted some more, but managed to stand up. His healing spell was still working, just very slowly. “Smart kid.”
“Yeah, I must take after my mother.”
Dad backed up and I stepped in front of him, squaring off like a cowboy in an old Western flick. His demons stared at us both, salivating as they waited for my father’s command to attack. Both guardians and resistance members stood poised on the balls of their feet, weapons at the ready, prepared to defend.
“Call your demons off, Dad. Send the trash back to Beelzebub where they belong, and stop all this craziness. If you surrender now, I’ll make sure the council—what’s left of it—spares your life. I mean, you’ll have to spend it in prison, of course, but that’s better than Hell. Though I’m pretty sure you’re going someday anyway, because I’m fairly certain you’ve put yourself on the naughty list this time.”
“Russ, I had to. You know the council needed to be stopped. You saw what they did to Dani, and they ordered your death. They don’t want what’s best for supernaturals. They only care about themselves. You and Dani will be so much better for your people. I’ll help you.”
“Dad, don’t make me kill you.”
Dad laughed and took another step back. “You can’t stop me now, Russ. Not without losing yourself to Beelzebub, and I know you won’t do that. You won’t put Dani and your friends in danger like that. You’re too softhearted.”
I hoped he was right about that.
Dad looked around the group and raised his voice all majestic-like. “Join me. Follow my council, and together we can make this world a better place for all supernaturals. Resist, and you will die. I will do what I must. Th
e oppression has to end, and none of you can stop me. Not one of you is powerful enough.”
“I am.” Dani stepped forward, piercing my dad with a determined stare. “I can’t let you hurt anyone else.”
My dad’s face crumpled with regret. “I don’t want to fight you, Dani.”
“I don’t want to fight you, either, Alex, but I’m the Chosen One. I was born to protect the world from evil, and I will do my job.”
“I’m not evil, Dani. I’m trying to stop evil. We’re on the same side. Can’t you see that?”
“I see you using demons and practicing dark magic. I see you taking innocent lives for power, killing my friends, and selling your own son’s soul to the devil.” Her voice broke, and she swallowed hard. “How could you, Alex?”
“Dani, you don’t understand.”
Maybe she didn’t, but I understood. He was stalling so that he could get his strength back. There was no reasoning with him. The worst kind of villain is the one who truly believes he’s doing the right thing. Dad considered himself a patriot. He’d never give up.
So be it.
The only way to stop him without killing him would be to get the relic from him and take back all the power he’d stolen. I lunged without warning, but with all his power, he was simply too fast. He moved in blurred motions, completely untouchable. He dodged my tackle as if it were nothing, and hit me with a knockback spell that had me on my back, seeing stars.
That was the moment everything went to hell. The world erupted into chaos around me as I tried to catch my breath. “Bind him!” someone yelled. “Everyone, together!”
“It’s not working!”
“He’s a warrior!” Ethan shouted. “We can resist magic! You’ll have to fight physically!”
From the sounds of it, Ethan was already busy doing exactly that. I had no doubt that, having the only other seraph blade, he’d gone after the demons. I sent up a quick prayer to Michael to keep him safe, and scrambled to my feet.
