by Lisa Kessler
“Gabe. It’s him.” She backed up, but Gabe wasn’t behind her.
The demon stepped out of the dark hallway, his eyes still glowing gold. “The girl is mine.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Suddenly Gabe was at her side. His voice sank to a visceral growl. “That’s the Hingo who attacked you?”
She nodded slowly and wet her lips as she slid her fingers inside her coat, brushing the tip of the candle lighter, reassuring herself she was ready to finish the bastard. They’d poke holes in his slimy skin and then set him on fire. She was ready. “That’s him.”
Gabe bolted from her side. He swung the flail, hitting her attacker in the ribs. In spite of the thumping music, the sound of bones cracking echoed in her ears.
Out of the corner of her eye, the ox-head thing was on his feet and rushing toward her. She threw the handful of salt into his eyes and hit him in the abdomen with a side kick that sent him smashing into the bar. Behind her, the big smelly Drog stirred. Shit.
Gabe should have had her back. This was not the plan.
She spun around, stabbing the Drog in the gut. Yellow goo flowed from the wound, the stench stinging her nostrils. Not a mortal blow but enough to weaken him a notch.
She raced toward Gabe. The next swing from his flail hit the demon in the leg, but the Hingo caught the spiked end before Gabe could pull back for another go.
The demon tossed the weapon to the bartender, licking his thin, bloody lips. He shouted over the music. “The girl is mine.”
“She’s anything but yours.” Gabe slid his battle-axe out from his coat and stalked the demon.
Tegan gripped the hilt of her katana and ran to help Gabe, but his ax swings were wild and erratic. He traded punches with the demon before taking a couple swipes with the ax as if it were an afterthought.
Had Gabe lost it? What was he doing?
Tegan tried to get closer. Someone needed to keep the other demons from getting involved, but Gabe’s crazed attack made it impossible for her to get a good defensive position.
The front door opened and more bodies entered the club. Unlike her horned friend, these men and women appeared to be human.
Except for the glowing, yellow eyes.
Tegan’s pulse jumped to superspeed. “Gabe. We’ve got more trouble.”
She thanked whatever gods might be listening that he’d heard her voice. For a second, she had his attention. He glanced at the new visitors. “Shit. His army.”
The Hingo demon backed away with a slick smile. “Welcome, my children.”
Tegan’s hands ached from her tight grip on the sword. “Do we have a plan?”
Nothing.
She averted her gaze. “Gabe?”
The back door flew open. Tegan turned just as Gabe chased after the Hingo demon. She moved to follow, but the demon bartender slid in front of the exit.
She raised her sword. “If you don’t get out of my way, I’ll go right through you.”
The demon crossed his arms over his chest and growled. “Try.”
…
Gabe pursued the demon down the alley, tackling him to the ground. He landed punches to its face, over and over, until demon blood burned his hands, oozing from the sick creature’s nose and mouth. He wasn’t ready to kill him yet. He wanted him to hurt, to ache, to yearn for death like Gabe had for the past four years. Since the night he’d fought this same Hingo demon while Laura died.
The demon hissed and covered his face with one arm, lunging forward with his jaws. His sharp teeth sank into Gabe’s forearm, the pain shocking him out of his cloud of vengeance. He rocked back, grabbing the wound, and the demon wriggled free, coughing up blood.
Gabe stumbled away, retrieving his abandoned battle-ax.
“Tell me, slayer.” He tipped his head toward the door to the club. “Was saving her four years ago worth Laura’s life?” The demon’s gold eyes glowed in the dim light of the alley.
Anger narrowed Gabe’s line of vision, blocking the pain from the wound in his arm. He choked up on the battle-axe handle and moved in closer to the demon. “Don’t ever say her name, you bastard.”
“Laura was nothing.” The demon wiped his mouth on his shirtsleeve. “This girl carries the blood of the red dragon in her veins. You made the right choice saving her and leaving Laura behind to die.” He licked his lips. “My minions told me she screamed for you while they fed on her flesh.”
Gabe threw the ax, sinking the blade deep into the Hingo demon’s abdomen. The demon’s shirt darkened with blood as his legs wobbled. He stumbled, leaning against the wall of the Eden Club.
Gabe followed, reaching into his coat for the lighter to ignite the bastard and send him back to hell.
The lighter. Tegan had it.
Tegan.
Gabe spun on his heel. Holy shit, he’d been so consumed with rage he’d left her alone in the club.
“You won’t save her this time, slayer.” The demon tugged at the ax handle. “Her blood will open the gates of hell for me. The dragon awaits his freedom.”
Gabe didn’t hear the rest of the demon’s monologue. He ran for the door just as it flew open. Tegan stumbled into his arms. Demon blood stained her entire torso. One eye was swollen and human blood, bright crimson, dripped from her fingertips. The bartender demon’s headless body crumpled into a huge doorstop behind her.
“You’re wounded.”
“He scratched my arm. I’ll be fine.” She scanned the alley behind him. “Where the hell is he?” she shouted.
Before Gabe could answer, Tegan sprang from his arms, running toward the Hingo demon. Gabe chased after her and caught her elbow, stopping her a couple yards from her target.
“Wait. Don’t run off half-cocked. We need to—”
“Half-cocked?” Her eyes narrowed. “You’re one to talk! You ran off after this asshole and left me behind! You were supposed to be covering my back, or did you forget?”
The truth of her words wounded him, but it barely scratched the surface of the putrid well of guilt the Hingo demon had opened up.
When Tegan spied her attacker inside the club, he’d been ready to exact justice, but his thirst for revenge magnified when he recognized the face of the demon.
He’d never seen the face of the woman he’d saved the night Laura died. He’d thrown the demon across the alley, and when he’d turned to check on the victim she had already scrambled to her feet, racing down the dark alley. He never saw the girl again, but judging by how fast she got out of there he figured he’d stopped the demon before he feasted on her. He’d continued fighting the bastard, but without a lighter to jam into the puncture wounds, he couldn’t finish him.
But Tegan had been the victim, and she’d escaped that night and survived. He’d been saving Tegan’s life while Laura lost hers.
The sick truth stole his ability to think. He could only act.
“You have every right to be pissed, but if you light him up now, we’ll never figure out how he found you.” He gripped her arm tight enough to leave a mark while he waited for his words to sink in.
She jerked her head toward the demon, breaking eye contact with him.
“Think about it, Tegan. Demons can’t use magic. Short of a magic spell, how could he have known you carry the dragon’s blood? You didn’t even know. If we don’t find out how he found you, another demon could come after you again.”
She nodded but didn’t look his way. “Fine. Let me go.”
He did, but he stayed close behind her, drawing his dagger.
…
The demon sat at the base of the wall, a line of green demon blood marring the bricks above him, the ax still embedded in his middle.
Tegan crouched in front of the demon who nearly killed her and haunted her dreams. “How did you find me?”
“Why would I tell you that?” He stopped struggling to free the ax and met her eyes. “I did not come this far to lose.” He growled some words in a language she’d never heard before, and sud
denly the alley was surrounded with glowing, golden eyes. He laughed and yanked the ax from his abdomen. “Yes, my children. Feed!”
“Fuck you!” Tegan pulled the trigger on the candle lighter and lunged forward, thrusting the flame at the end of the long tip into the demon’s wound. His body erupted in hot, blue flames. Demon blood stung her skin like sizzling bacon grease, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the writhing husk of the Hingo demon.
“Tegan!” Gabe’s voice pulled her away from the visceral scene.
She stood up and picked up the flail from the ground beside the demon doorstop. Rushing to Gabe’s side, she took up her defensive stance at his back. His coat was in a pile on the side of the alley, soaked in a puddle of demon blood.
He had his battle-axe in his hands, swiping at the demon army to keep them back.
“You all right?” He grunted, swinging again.
A demon reached for her leg, and Tegan cracked his shoulder with the flail. “I think so.” Igniting the lighter with her other hand, she set fire to two of the wounded demons. “Why are they still fighting? I thought you said they’d stop without a leader.”
The inhuman screech of the demons on fire hurt her ears, but she couldn’t cover them with more demons lurching in.
“They should be running away,” Gabe shouted over the noise. Sweat ran down his flushed face, but he kept up the fight. “Unless they have another leader…”
Tegan did her best to protect him, but the battle she’d waged against the bartender inside the Eden Club caught up with her. Exhaustion tugged at her muscles as she whacked another demon with the flail. She tried to tighten her grip on the slippery handle and noticed it was wet with her bright-red blood.
The gash in her arm still bled. Had the demon cut an artery?
Gabe reached around her waist, pushing her back behind him again while he fought the next demon coming at him. “Talk to me, Tegan. You have to stay awake. I’m going to get you out of here.”
She narrowed her eyes, trying to focus on Gabe. His attacks were fluid, as though he moved in slow motion. The noise dulled to a low rumble, and shadows closed in on the edge of her vision.
“I got her!” Lago flew toward them, pulling Tegan back from the edge of exhaustion and shock. Hanging from the talons on his feet, dangling by her now not-so-gorgeous blond hair, was Tina.
Chapter Eighteen
Lago dumped his prisoner beside Tegan and landed. “This one was scrying, seeking visions of the future with blood and bones. She helps to open the portal for the dragon to enter.”
“Tina?” Tegan fisted her hands at her sides.
Tina wrapped her arms around her waist, eyes wide, staring at the demons closing in. “Get me out of here, and I’ll explain. Please.” Her lower lip trembled, and she finally made eye contact with Tegan. “Help me.”
Tegan punched her in the nose and watched her legs wobble until she toppled over face-first into a puddle of demon blood.
“Bitch,” Tegan said. The extra burst of adrenaline kicked her senses back to high alert. “I’m back with you,” she shouted to Gabe.
He turned just long enough to catch a glimpse of Tina on the ground while Tegan lit a couple more wounded Hingo demon minions on fire.
“Lago, why’d you bring her here?” Gabe sounded winded. Tegan’s heart sank. There were still so many left to fight.
Lago answered, “She seeks visions of the future for her sister.”
“So?” Tegan landed a solid strike into a demon with the flail, trying not to feel bad about knocking out a woman who might’ve just been attempting to find her kidnapped sister.
Lago took a step behind them, away from the action. “Her sister is of demon blood.”
“Shit.” Gabe growled, stumbling back a couple steps. “Her sister.” He spun around, slashing two demons with one move. “Tina’s sister is directing this army, isn’t she?”
Tegan cracked a demon skull with the flail and followed it up with the lighter flame, sending another demon to hell. Lago’s words slowly sank in. Tina’s missing sister was a half demon? And was helping to open the passage from hell?
Lago shot up in the air. “The portal!”
Tegan followed his pointed finger. Fifty yards down the alley, the air rippled and a circle took shape, outlined in fire. The demons stopped attacking, their focus shifting to the portal.
“Oh shit.” Gabe lowered his battle-axe and stood beside her, chest heaving. “It’s starting. Get out of here, Tegan.” He met her eyes. “I’m serious. Go. Now.”
“I’m not leaving you here.” Her gut twisted at the thought. Even a slayer wouldn’t survive. “Either you come with me or we’re both staying.” She glanced at the ring of fire taking shape. “How is this possible when I’m still alive? I thought they couldn’t open it without—”
A moan interrupted them. Tina sat up and groaned. “You hit me.”
Tegan choked up on the flail. “You had it coming.”
Gabe grabbed Tina’s upper arm and hauled her to her feet. “We don’t have much time. Tell me what the hell is going on.”
Tina pointed toward the ring of fire, her jaw slack.
Gabe shook her until she looked at him instead of impending doom. “Lago said you were scrying with blood and bones. That’s black magic, Tina. What did you see?”
Her voice hiccupped with sobs. Tegan wanted to punch her all over again. “My mother died giving birth to Mara. I raised her to be a good witch, but when her powers never manifested, something happened.” She trembled. “She was angry, dropped out of school. I didn’t understand what was going on with her. I needed to see her future.”
Tegan listened while she watched the center of the fiery ring start to shimmer. Luckily, the portal seemed to have distracted the demons.
“Tell me what you saw.” Gabe still sounded out of breath, but it didn’t stop the malice in his tone.
Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she pointed at Tegan. “I saw her kill Mara.”
Tegan turned slowly. “What?”
“Mara was fourteen, without powers and full of rage. I saw into her future, and Tegan was there. She killed her. I had to protect my sister.” Tina’s teary-eyed gaze met Tegan’s. “I didn’t know who you were.”
Gabe shoved her backward. “You cast a spell for Tegan’s name, didn’t you?”
Tina stumbled, hitting her back against the wall of the club. “She had a unique name. It was simple to find her.”
Disbelief swam through Tegan’s gut. This woman basically signed her death warrant without so much as a second thought. She’d never seen her or her sister before.
“The future is always unclear. Free will changes things. You taught me that, and you were the one who said looking ahead was black magic, but you did it anyway.” He spat blood on the ground. “Shit. You sent the Hingo demon after her four years ago, didn’t you?” Gabe rushed toward her and slapped the bricks right beside Tina’s head. She squeaked.
“I thought I was protecting my sister from a killer. Once the demon tasted Tegan’s flesh, he knew she carried the red dragon’s bloodline. I had no idea you’d be affected by any of this, Gabe. You have to believe me.”
He jerked back from her. “Did you know Mara was a half demon?”
“No.” Tina shook her head. “Not until the demons kidnapped her. They said they were taking her home, and if I didn’t help slow you down they would kill her.”
The portal grew, shimmering in the middle, shadows moving on the other side. Tegan took a step toward Gabe. “I’m still alive, so nothing should be able to get through that portal, right?”
“I thought they needed to end the bloodline, but…” He looked at her, his eyes full of regret. “The book said the blood of the dragon was the key. You’ve been dripping blood from that wound all over the alley.”
“Oh shit.” She glanced at her arm, her chest tight.
Gabe brushed a kiss to her temple and then turned to his informant. “Lago, fly her out. Now.”
/> The demon fluttered up into the air, and Tegan swiped Gabe’s battle-axe off the ground, eyeing the demon. “Don’t you dare.”
…
Gabe ground his teeth. “Do you have a death wish? We can’t win this one!” He pointed at the portal. “When the white dragon walks through that portal with his thirty-three legions of demons, nothing is going to stop him.”
She kept a tight grip on the battle-axe. “If I’m the last of the red dragon’s line, then he’s coming for me. How can I run? He’ll find me eventually, right?”
“At least try to stay alive.” Gabe swallowed the bile burning the back of his throat. She couldn’t die. He wouldn’t let this happen. “Lago can get you away from here.”
The battle-axe didn’t lower. “I’m not leaving. Let’s stop wasting time.” She narrowed her eyes at Tina. “Which team are you playing for?”
Tina flinched and wiped her nose. “Mara isn’t evil. They’ve done something to her.”
“I’m not talking about Mara.” Tegan took a step toward her.
Tina turned to Gabe. “Get me out of here, and I can help. I could cast a protection spell or healing—”
Gabe shoved Tina aside. “You’ve done enough damage. We don’t need any help from you.”
Tina stumbled away, racing back into the club. Good riddance.
The portal wavered like summer heat rising from pavement, and a carbon copy of Tina stepped through. Only her eyes were different. Instead of blue like her older sister, Mara’s eyes glowed violet.
She raised her arms. “I call the mighty white dragon. Haagenti, the Great President of Hell, I offer you the last of the red dragon’s bloodline. Lift the curse, and open the gates.”
Tegan’s fingers entwined with his. “We can’t let him through.”
“No, we can’t.” Gabe squeezed her hand. “I’ve got an idea.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’ll distract the Hingo minions. You get to Mara and shut her up before she brings the big guy through.”
It was the only way they would be able to stop Haagenti from entering. It was also the only way he could see Tegan getting out alive.
