By impulse alone, I lunge and strike him with a right cross, slightly throwing me off balance. My abdomen wails in pain, but it’s overshadowed by the satisfaction of seeing a narrow crimson trail flow from his lips. Blaze’s brow wrinkles as he looks at me, but I motion to him, signaling that I’m fine.
“Okay,” I huff as I fix my posture. “You know why we’re here, so let’s skip the small talk. Where is he?”
“Who?” he asks with a blood-stained smile. I shake my head, draw Abby’s knife, and plunge it blade into the base of his foot. The demon shrieks in agony as I press my body weight against the blade before lifting it and standing to my feet.
“Wrong answer,” I say while brushing the excess blood on her knife against his black jeans. His cocky smirk is gone and his lower body is still trembling from the pain. I turn around and place the knife on a table nearby. “Do you think I’m going to get tired of this?” I ask; my back to him while I unscrew the lid off my canteen. “My mom and dad died because of demons,” I scoff. “I won’t ever get tired of this.” I turn back to him, a devilish grin on my face. A stream of Holy Water trickles onto his wounded foot and the demon howls at the top of his lungs. I take a moment to bask in his pain, letting it all sink it. “No, not ever. This is way too much fun… So, I’m going to ask you one more time, and this time, I better get an answer.” Gareth continues to squirm in agony as the Holy Water irritates his wound. I let him sit there, spacing out the old wounds from the new so he can feel every last bit of pain he’s intended to feel. “Okay.” I sigh, once I determine he’s had enough. “Round two. Where is Ben?” The demon that possessed Gareth looks up at me with a defiant stare, silent, though his face is wrought with pain. “Gareth, Gareth, Gareth.” I sigh. “You got to give me something, buddy, or else this isn’t going to end well for you. You’re alone, and I’m not going to lie. You’re probably going to die. Now, whether it’s quick and painless or slow and agonizing is going to be up to you.” I tilt the canteen at a snail’s pace, holding the demon’s gaze. “Are you sure you really want to go through this again?” I ask. “Hell, was taking over this guy’s body even worth it?”
“If you kill me, you’ll kill him, too,” the demon reminds me.
“Good point,” I say as I wave the canteen at him before placing the canteen back on the aged worktable. In one fluid motion, I grab Abby’s knife, crouch down, and sink it into his other foot. My ribs cry out in pain, but I manage to suppress any signs of weakness. The demon howls as I dig into Gareth’s bone. “Counterpoint. Do you actually think I give a fuck? You must be an idiot.” I rise to my feet and toss the blade back on the table while the demon bellows. “I think death would be the better option as opposed to living as someone else’s slave, don’t cha’ think? How long have you had him—actually, no, don’t answer that. It’ll just piss me off more.”
In most cases of possession, the demon will either push away or kill those close to the vessel, whether by acts of manipulation, like Gareth’s attempt at Ben’s mom, or a set-up, conspired by other demons. If the demon that possessed Gareth were to somehow escape, depending how long it’s been, I doubt the real Gareth even has any family left. He could have just been a college kid from a whole different state and ended up here once his body became compromised, for all I know. After seeing what he’s seen, how could he even live a remotely normal life?
I grab the Holy Water again and pour a stream into his freshly opened wound. The chair begins to rock uneasily as his body flails while restrained.
“You know what you have to do to make it stop,” I state soberly. “Where is Benjamin Evans?” I wait for the demon to stop thrashing, hoping to get answer, but my question is met with silence. “Fine then. Blaze, hold his face. Keep him still.” Blaze comes up from behind and moves his hand towards the demon’s face. Unwilling to compromise, the demon angles his jaw and begins to bite at Blaze’s hand. “Careful. Aim for the forehead, not the jaw line,” I insist. Blaze grabs the temple of Gareth’s head and I position the edge of Abby’s blade parallel to the demon’s cheek. “I was going to give you another chance, but since you decided to be difficult…” I slowly run the edge of the knife against his cheek, drawing a horizontal streak of blood, “This is what you get in return.” Gareth quakes in his seat and a violent roar escapes from his lungs. Blaze releases his hold on him once I’m through and we both step away while the demon tugs aggressively against his restraints. “Are you done acting out, or do I have cut you again?” I threaten. The demon’s anger quells once the reflection of the raised blade catches his attention. “Where are you keeping Ben?” I grab my canteen and inch closer. The demon and I hold a mutual silence, until finally I break. “Nothing? Blaze, grab his head again and tilt it towards the stairs.” Blaze strong-arms the demon once more and positions the devil’s head with little effort. “This stuff is like acid to you, right?” I say as I rest the opening of the canteen on his cheek. “I hope it doesn’t get into your mouth. That would be real unfortunate.” I tilt the canteen painstakingly slow, allowing me to feel the water as it shifts inside. A pinch of water kisses his cheek and the demon cringes as it rolls down to his lips. “Five…four…three…two…on—”
“I-I didn’t hide…him,” Gareth responds, defeat evident in his voice.
“Well, who did?” I jut my canteen.
“Another demon,” he quickly responds as he flinches.
“Another demon? Who?” I inquire, fire in my voice. I step away and Blaze releases his hold on him. “Who!?” I demand.
“I-I can’t tell you. He’s…my bos—AHHH!” I twist the knife I buried in his leg, cutting him off.
“Enough with the bullshit. You can and you will,” I protest, my anger beginning to ripen.
“His name is—Desmond.” Desmond. Up until now, I’ve never heard that name in my life, but the second he said it, a faint sense of déjà vu overtakes me, almost as if I’m trying to recall a memory from long ago.
“Desmond…,” I mumble to myself, calming down.
“Yes…Desmond. He took Ben.”
“Where?”
“2300 Running Oak,” the demon replies between groans.
“That’s in-state, right?” I ask. The demon nods wearily. When I was captured, they virtually took me on a road trip. I couldn’t be too sure; anything is fair game whenever demons are involved. “Abby—”
“Already on it.” I watch her while she pounds away on her phone. “He isn’t lying,” she says a few seconds later. “It’s about thirty minutes away by car…it’s an isolated spot with a few abandoned lots out in the country.”
“Great. Now what about his mom? Anything I should know about her?”
“H-his mother is fine. I was supposed to see her again. Desmond’s orders.”
“Is anyone watching her now?”
“No. I was the only one in charge of her. It was just me.” I can’t tell whether he’s lying or not, so I make a note to keep an eye out for her after we get to Ben. Maybe find some way to get her and her son out of state for a while till we clean things up. At this point, Ben already knows that supernatural evils exist. I shouldn’t have a problem convincing him to lay low. It’s his mother I’m worried for.
“Desmond…,” I begin, bringing myself back on track, “is he the demon that tortured me?”
“Yeah…my boss’s boss—the one you killed that night in the club.”
“So he’s also the one who possessed the waitress at the coffee house,” I muse. As powerful as he is, he should know about the raid four months ago. Hopefully I can get some information when I finally meet him. “How many demons are usually there at the address you gave us?”
“I…” I draw my hand closer to the knife lodged in his thigh. “Ten! No more than Ten! Please, don’t!” I pause and glance over at Blaze, whose eyes narrow once they meet mine. I shift my gaze to Abby and she shakes her head in distrust.
“Ten people? You’re lying!” I twist the knife and the broken demon cries in agony. “Wha
t do you take me for? What kind of demon leads an operation and only has ten men on call?” I growl and torque the burrowed blade, ignoring his pleas for mercy as it grinds away at his insides.
“AH! Stop…p-p-lease. It’s not his home. It’s a prison!” the demon forces out. I release my grip and his body lunges forward in relief. “It’s a prison,” he repeats, almost sobbing.
“A prison?”
“It’s like a place where—”
“I know what it is.” Gareth flinches at the sound my voice. “So, this guy has a freakin’ prison, too? Great. How big is it?”
“It’s an abandoned facility…not that many prisoners there at once,” Gareth groans.
“What are the chances that Desmond is on the night watch? It’s past midnight.”
“I-I don’t know. Desmond is a busy man. He’s probably not there, but nearby. Ben’s important to him…he’s trying to use him to get you. It’s the same deal with his mother. She’s just another bargaining chip.”
Damn. The second he crossed my path, he was destined for this. No, that’s wrong. The demons were using him from the start. Ben was just meant to be another vessel, now he’s bait, for me.
As it stands right now, Ben knows way too much for them to let him go. If things go south, they’ll kill him for sure once they’ve had their fun. Given what’s happened and his background, his death wouldn’t be hard to cover up.
I turn away from Gareth, drop my assortment of weapons onto the table behind me, and sigh.
We can save Ben tonight, easily. But at the same time, we can use this as a chance to bring down Desmond, the demon who’s in charge of the Sphinx operation poisoning this area of Illinois. If Desmond finds out that Ben’s been rescued or even if there’s been an attack, he’ll know that we’re on to him. Whatever we do, we have to do it quick; virtually back-to-back while everything still seems fine.
“Tomorrow at sundown…that’s how long they’re giving him, but I doubt that he’ll make it till then. Rumor has it that he hasn’t been eating since they abducted him. He’s been tortured, too. They say he’ll either break or die, although Desmond will most likely intervene if he still thinks his life worthwhile. I-I…don’t know where Desmond is, but I’m sure he’ll make a personal visit sometime soon. He’s been checking up on him…interrogating him.”
I turn back to face the demon. “About me…” Gareth nods.
“Yes and negotiating the terms of his mother’s life.”
“Figures. Well that’s low. Even for demons... Ben doesn’t know a thing about me. I used an alias and covered my tracks, plus I’m not stupid enough to fall for whatever trick Desmond is attempting to pull.” As much as I want Desmond, Ben’s life is more important. The chance of gaining a lead isn’t worth putting Ben’s already fragile life at risk. There has to be another way. I fold my arms and pace the basement while a steady flow of adrenaline powers my thoughts. With it being so late, Ben’s most likely asleep and Desmond is probably doing something evil somewhere while his other men stand in as guards. If we can get Ben out and then get Desmond to show up, everything will fall into place. But how? I stir in my thoughts for a while until suddenly, it hits me. “He wants me, right? Well, that’s what he’ll get.” I smile coyly. “Guys, I think I have a plan.”
Chapter 11: Search and Destroy
“Okay, I guess this is our stop,” I mumble to myself as I watch Blaze’s sedan come to a halt from inside my car. We aren’t exactly at the prison just yet, but walking straight into a demonic establishment isn’t the best idea. The demon that possessed Gareth said that there were around ten guards at the prison. Total bullshit. After I killed him, Abby, Blaze, and I agreed that what he was saying was too good to be true… that we should proceed with caution. We were dealing with a demon, after all.
I take my time exiting my car, adjusting my body ever so slightly to avoid as much discomfort as possible. Tonight I’ve ran, crouched, twisted, and did all sorts of things you’re not supposed to do with a recovering body. Not to mention, I’ve also gotten thrown into a wall by a homeless demon incarnate—yeah that didn’t go so well. I’ve been popping pain pills non-stop since the day I woke up from my mini-coma, but I’d be lying if I said I was operating anywhere near my maximum.
By the time I stand to my feet, Blaze is already heading my way, dressed in a black V-neck and matching sleek jacket. He must have switched outfits while we were in the city. It looks fine, but out in the country, it kind of looks out of place. The black will work wonders though. Well, better than a blood-stained shirt, anyway. “Hey, Sailor, you okay?” he asks as I balance myself on my Mustang’s doorframe.
“Dandy. Just a little pain, but nothing major. The car ride helped,” I respond tersely. “Abby sent the text, right?” Blaze studies me for moment but answers once he realizes that I know what he’s up to.
“Abby? Yeah, she sent the text when we were about halfway there to give us some extra time.” Extract Benjamin Evans and the others before luring Desmond to his demise—that was the plan. All it took was Abby sending a message from Gareth’s phone with an image of me bound and unconscious to set things in motion.
“Did Desmond say anything back?”
“Not really, no. He was super brief. The drop-off time works though, and that’s all that matters.”
“Good. So we know he’ll be there…if he isn’t there already.”
I go to shut my car door but Blaze locks eyes with me and places his hand on my shoulder. “Sailor,” I glance at his hand and then back at him, taken aback. “You know Abby still has that unit of hunters we called out in the field. If you’re not up to it, you can sit this one out. We can call them in, and you can take a breather. You’ve been through a lot already. You shouldn’t push yourself too hard. I saw how you were during the interrogation.”
Suppressing the growing dark impulses given to me as a side effect of cohabitating with a demon?
“This line of work takes its toll.”
“Blaze, you know I can’t do that. We’re on a timeframe and we already told them to handle the body. They’re busy. If we wait, we’ll miss our window.”
Blaze sighs. “I know this is important to you but—”
“Blaze, I’m fine. I appreciate your concern, but I can do this. I’m more than capable. Trust me. We had a deal, remember?”
“Sailor…”
“Blaze, just stop it. I’m going to save this guy, okay? He’s being tortured by demons and he hasn’t eaten in like half a week.” I sigh, calming down. “I got him into this,” I say, pointing to my chest, “and I’m going to get him out. That’s all there is to it.” The silence between us only lasts a couple of seconds before my conscious kicks in and I press my fingertips against my forehead. “Blaze,” I say as I begin to rub my face. “I’m sorry. I—”
“No, no, you’re right.” He raises his hands in surrender. “I overstepped. You can handle yourself. One day I’ll remember and stop pissing you off.”
“One day.” Putting our differences aside, I shut the door to my car and walk with Blaze towards Abby just as she exits his sedan.
“So what’cha got, Abs?” Blaze asks, trying his best to act normal. I walk over to the other side of her, sandwiching her between myself and my ex.
“Just a few updates.” Abby scrolls through her phone, pulling up a map of the area along with a layout of the demon’s prison. “I finished looking at the blueprint I managed to load up on my phone. The building’s not a maze, but at the same time, there are a lot nooks and crannies except for a few open spaces. It does have a ton of rooms given its square footage. Size wise, the place is comparable to a decent sized industrial facility. Ten guards could cover it from the inside; sure, but whether they have guards on the outside or not is a different story. We’re coming in earlier than announced, so at least we’ll have the element of surprise.”
“Yeah, true, but we shouldn’t be careless. It’s a prison,” I remind her. “There’ll be people there. People we need to
make sure make it out alive. The best thing we can do at this point is scout the area, find a weakness, and make our way there. We have about an hour to get in and get everybody out.”
“That’s more than enough time for our backup to arrive,” Abby confirms. “After they’re done with the body, they’ll provide support to make sure we’re okay and to accommodate the people we rescue. A couple will stay behind to help us with Desmond, just in case. If he shows early or is already there, we’ll improvise.”
“Sounds good.”
In the distance, I hear a car rev its engine towards the main road and I turn to meet the sound. I almost reach for my gun but my senses snap me back to reality. It’s probably just some random guy trying to look cool on the open road “That scared the shit out of me.”
Sailor Ray and the Dark Descent (The Pact Book 2) Page 14
