The Devil's Soldier

by Rachel McClellan

  She turned a corner and nearly choked on a sudden lump in her throat. The door she needed to open was at the end. She knew it immediately because it was bending outward as if some great pressure inside was trying to get out.

  The hall was quiet, most people sleeping soundly in their apartments, oblivious to the evil that stirred only feet away. Eve moved forward hesitantly. Except for Boaz, she had never fought against a power of this magnitude.

  She reached the bowing door and pressed her palm to it, expecting to feel the bend she could see, but it felt flat, the way a door should be. Her hand slid to the doorknob. Just before she turned it, a familiar pungent odor stung her nostrils, sending an ice-cold chill up her spine. She withdrew her hand, her breathing quickening.

  It can't be. Not here. Not now.

  She knew this fight was coming, but didn't expect it so soon. She glanced over her shoulder, away from the door. She could go back. To Lucien. Her hand dropped to the doorknob. If she did go back, though, they would never be safe. If this witch wasn't stopped, then Boaz would find out she was alive. And he would bring his wrath upon all those inside the Deific. No, this had to end tonight.

  Eve turned the doorknob and stepped inside. Off to her left was a bare kitchen. No dishes were on the counter, no soap at the sink, no evidence of anyone living there, but the dark energy in the home screamed otherwise. A room next to the kitchen was also empty, most likely a dining room. Eve walked farther into the apartment, but stopped at the living room. It, too, was void of furniture or any signs of normal human life, but there was another kind of life existing in this earthly hell. Facing the window, sitting in a lone chair, was the back of a woman with long golden blonde hair.

  Eve squared her shoulders, ready as she would ever be. "Hello, Sable."

  "I wish you wouldn't call me that," Sable said and turned around. "I am your mother, after all."

  Eve clenched her jaw and resisted the urge to argue. It would be pointless and a waste of time. "What are you doing here?"

  Sable stood, her figure long and lean in a simple, floor-length green dress. She was as beautiful as ever. "I'm here on a hunch. And it looks like I was right. You really are alive."

  "How did you know?" Eve asked and snuck a glance around.

  As far as she could tell, they were alone in the apartment, but for how long? She had no idea how Sable communicated with Boaz. Maybe he was already on his way.

  "The spell I put on Lucien after you died, or I should say, when you disappeared. I told Boaz it was necessary, as I truly believed you weren't dead. He didn't think it was possible for you to have enough power to save yourself from that fall, but I knew if you had survived, Lucien's emotions would tell us." She tilted her head. "I was beginning to doubt my instincts, but then the strangest thing happened."

  Sable gracefully walked across the room. "Two weeks ago, Lucien felt hope. It was small, but enough that I noticed it. And then this morning, my spell on him was removed. I knew then I would have to personally come here to find out exactly what was going on."

  Sable took three long steps to Eve. "And now you're here. Tell me, daughter, how did you do it?"

  "I'm taking you prisoner," Eve said.

  "Now that I'd like to see," Sable said and laughed.

  "The Deific will keep you safe. There are protection spells. Not even Boaz will know where you are."

  The smile disappeared from Sable's mouth and twisted into something ugly and cruel. "Boaz is the least of my problems, and yours."

  Before Eve could react to her odd comment, Sable pushed her hand toward Eve's chest. A blast of energy hammered her body and sent her flying into the wall behind her. She crashed through drywall and broke a two-by-four. The sound would draw unwanted attention.

  Before the fight could continue, Eve whispered through the piercing pain in her back, achanum, silencing all sounds that might come from the apartment.

  She scurried out of the hole in the wall. Sable was talking, but Eve couldn't hear the poisonous words. Probably for the best.

  Eve took a deep breath and curled her hands into fists. She didn't want to fight her mother, but Sable was giving her no other choice. Besides, this was one battle Eve might actually enjoy.

  11

  "Can we help any of them?" Rick asked. He stood between Charlie and Lucien, staring at the diner across the street, his nose scrunched and mouth turned down.

  Lucien understood his confusion. Diablos were strange creatures to look upon. Not quite human, but not full demons either. It was hard to discern whether to kill them or save them. That was the illusion, anyway. Lucien knew otherwise. They were beyond saving.

  "They've already begun to change," Charlie said.

  Lucien tightened his grip on the leather handle of a sharp blade. "We need to kill them. Now."

  "Do you think there are any humans in there?" Rick asked. "I don't want to kill anyone accidently."

  "I sense only evil," Charlie said and closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly. "And something else. Something powerful has brought them here. Do you sense it too, Lucien?"

  Lucien focused on his surroundings. There was something else here. It whispered dark and ugly things, dulled light, and stunk up the air. "Let's clean up this mess, then we'll take care of the rest of the trash."

  "How do we kill them?" Rick asked.

  Lucien walked forward. "Break their spinal cord, knife to the brain, or cut off their head."

  "Maybe we should get back up," Rick said from behind him. "Charlie?"

  Charlie caught up to Lucien. "Walk in the park. Just be mindful of the hairless ones. They don't go down without a fight."

  The street was deserted. Not a single car or real person in sight. Not entirely unusual for the late hour, but Lucien felt it was more because of something supernatural. Humans were not welcome in this place.

  As he approached the front of the diner, two male Diablos leaning against the front window straightened. The both still had hair on top their heads, but their skin had already begun to turn sickly gray.

  The larger of the two came straight for Lucien. "You are forbidden here."

  He reached for Lucien's arm, but Lucien knocked it away. With his other hand, the one holding the blade, Lucien jabbed the knife through the Diablo's eye and deep into his brain. Charlie was right behind him, taking care of the other Diablo with the swipe of a thin sword across the Diablo's neck. Its head dropped to the ground, hitting the pavement with a hollow thud. The bodies of the dead Diablos let out a whispered hiss as they began to wilt and crumble inward until all that was left was a pile of fat and skin.

  Rick turned to his side and gagged. "That is disgusting."

  "Get the door," Charlie said to him.

  Rick stumbled forward and opened the door.

  Charlie looked at Lucien. "Ready?"

  Lucien charged through the entrance, blade raised. The small coffee house was at least ten degrees coolor than usual and no longer smelled like cinnamon and coffee. It reeked of rotting flesh and urine. Several of the circular tables in the center of the room had been knocked over, and a few chairs too. Some of the Diablos were sitting on the floor or on the built-in tables against the wall, but most were standing.

  It was easy to remove the heads of the first few Diablos that crossed him. The demons inside their human hosts were still getting used to their bodies and weren't able to use their limbs properly, but the farther Lucien moved into the diner, weaving in and out of the overturned tables, the Diablos became less human-like in appearance and more mirrored their true demon form. This made them fast and dangerous.

  Lucien kicked at a female Diablo; her chest collapsed inward, bones splitting as she flew backwards. A thick hairless arm came around Lucien's neck from behind and clamped tight. He reached up and tried to unhook the arm, but it wouldn't budge. Rick rushed forward to help, but he slipped on a pile of skin and blubber. His shoes squeaked across the linoleum floor as he tried to get his footing beneath him.

  "I ha
te these things!" Rick said.

  Lucien snatched a metal napkin holder on top of a nearby table and smashed it into the face of the Diablo that was holding him. The blow lightened the grip enough that Lucien was able to spin free. As he did so, Rick stabbed the Diablo in the side of the head.

  "Just die already," he growled.

  Charlie slid across a table and finished off the woman Lucien had kicked earlier.

  Seven more to go. Lucien analyzed the situation quickly, determining whom to kill first. There was only one who worried him. A fully-changed Diablo that was several inches taller than him with a chest that looked more like a tree trunk. He was entirely nude but there was nothing left of him that resembled a human.

  Lucien worked fast, snapping the necks of two Diablos and fighting a third who proved more challenging. Rick was struggling with his own, not because he was weaker, but because he didn't want to touch the creature whose face had partially peeled off; one eye rested just outside its socket.

  Charlie went straight for the larger Diablo, surprising Lucien. Charlie was a good fighter, but he was no match for this Diablo. Before Lucien could help him, the Diablo swung his open palm at Charlie. Charlie flew backwards. He crashed on top of a table, moaning.

  Lucien dropped to the ground and slashed at his smaller Diablo's knee, a blow deep enough to slow the creature down. The Goliath Diablo's long, thick arms were raised high above Charlie. His fists came crashing down. Charlie slid off the table, just before the table splintered from the blow.

  Using speed and strength, Lucien rained blows into Goliath's back, hoping to weaken him enough to deliver a deathblow. Goliath turned around, swung once, then twice. Lucien dodged both. Lucien came up and swung the blade sideways at the creature's head, but the Diablo snuck in a punch at his gut. Lucien doubled over, the pain severe. Another blow came again onto his back, dropping him to the floor. Before Lucien could roll away, the beast's heavy foot stomped on his head and pressed hard. Stars exploded in his vision and swirled deep red. Lucien growled, a deep feral cry.

  Charlie hurled a dagger at Goliath's chest while Rick threw a glass at his head. Goliath blocked both, but at least he stepped away from Lucien. The pressure on his head lifted. One more second, and his brain might've exploded.

  It took a few seconds for Lucien's vision to clear, before he could stand. Rick was sprawled across the floor, holding his oddly bent knee, and Charlie was being gripped high by his neck, his body limp and eyes closed.

  Lucien rushed the giant Diablo, swooping up a broken metal table leg as he went. In an upward motion, Lucien rammed the metal into the Diablo's stomach. The creature dropped Charlie's limp body and wailed a terrible cry. Lucien kicked at the table leg, further embedding it into the monster's gut.

  "Sword!" Rick called and tossed Lucien's weapon into the air.

  Lucien caught it midair and swiped downwards. The blade sunk into the Diablo's leathery skin just below the back of its head, but stopped short at the spine. Lucien slid the blade out, ducked when Goliath swung at him, and swiped at his neck again. This time Goliath's head dropped to the ground, thudding as if a hollow melon. The rest of his body fell back, the skin already withering within itself.

  Lucien lowered to Charlie's side. His eyes were still closed and his breathing shallow. "Wake up, Charlie!"

  "His bell got rung good," Rick said as he limped over to him. "We should probably get him back to the Deific."

  "He'll be fine." Lucien rubbed his knuckles hard against Charlie's sternum.

  Charlie flinched, then moaned, but his eyes remained closed. Lucien repeated the motion. Harder this time. Charlie's eyes flew open, and he swung his fist at Lucien, who easily dodged it.

  "That's more like it," Lucien said. He straightened and held out his hand toward Charlie. "We have a lot to do. Hurry up."

  "I apologize for almost dying," Charlie said and accepted his hand.

  Lucien pulled him up.

  "What are we going to do about this mess?" Rick asked. "And where are the normal employees? Or the boss of this place?"

  Lucien walked into the kitchen entrance behind the counter and froze. A surge of anger burned deep inside him. "They're back here."

  "Alive?" Charlie asked.

  "Dead." Lucien breathed out his nose.

  Four bodies, one man and three woman—two of the females looked like teenagers—had been piled on top of each other, their throats cut and limbs mangled. Lucien suddenly regretted killing the Diablos quickly instead of making them suffer.

  He walked back into the dining room. Charlie was on the phone with the Deific, asking for cleanup assistance, and Rick was mumbling something to himself as he stepped over piles of skin and fat.

  A sudden violent chill shook Lucien He stumbled forward, catching himself on a nearby table.

  The phone fell from Charlie's hand, clattering against the tiled floor. He turned to Lucien. "Did you feel that, too?"

  "Feel what?" Rick asked.

  Lucien hurried out the door and onto the darkened street. A bigger evil was at play, but it wasn't just present, it was actively engaged with something. Or someone. Waves of dark energy were pulsing through the street. He could practically taste the bitterness.

  Charlie was right behind him. "The Diablos must've been masking the power."

  "What do you think is causing it?" Lucien asked, his eyes scanning the darkness for the source.

  "It's got to be a witch. A mega powerful one." He turned around to Rick. "Help the others take care of this mess. We'll be right back."

  "Ah, man, really?" Rick said. "You know I hate this stuff!"

  Lucien jogged next to Charlie. "Where are we going?"

  "Following the source. It's stronger this way." Charlie glanced sideways at him. "Are you ready for this? Because we could call Henry."

  "Aren't I always ready?"

  "This isn't your typical monster, Lucien. This is a powerful witch. You can't muscle your way through this one." Charlie stopped at the corner and looked up and down each of the streets.

  Lucien wasn't sure he was ready. He'd never fought anyone using just his magic. He may have learned a lot these last couple of months, but he was pretty sure any kind of magical sparing he'd done with Henry wouldn't come close to the real thing.

  "This way," Charlie said and turned up the street.

  There were a few parked cars against the curb, but other than that, there were no signs of life, not even a distance headlight.

  "It's too quiet," Lucien said. "Where is everyone?"

  "Subconsciously avoiding this place. You'd be surprised what humans can sense. They just couldn't tell you why." Charlie stopped at the entrance of an apartment building and shivered. "It's coming from in here. Man, I don't feel very good."

  While Charlie doubled over, Lucien too felt his stomach twist in a direction it wasn't supposed to as the dark energy leaking from the building coated an inky film all over him. Each breath only made the sickness that much worse.

  "We should hurry," Lucien said. "If it is making us ill, I can't imagine what it's doing to the humans inside."

  Charlie vomited what little food was in his stomach and straightened, his face pale. "This is going to be rough. Maybe I should call Henry."

  Lucien jerked the door open, breaking the lock. "Just wait. This witch could have something to do with Boaz. We don't need to blow his cover yet."

  Charlie followed behind him into the small lobby, his hand clutching his stomach.

  "Upstairs," Charlie said.

  Lucien turned away from the elevator and headed toward the stairwell. Best to stay away from anything mechanical when magic was present. And this magic was practically palpable.

  He pushed open the door and ran up the stairs, taking two at a time. Charlie was behind him, coughing and making strange noises with his throat.

  "I am so sick," Charlie said, puffy through each breath.

  Lucien was about to tell him to suck it up, but stopped abruptly and inhaled deeply. H
is heart lurched inside his chest, so much so that he touched his palm to it as if to steady its rhythm.

  "What's wrong?" Charlie asked, hunched over and hands on his knees.

  "Eve's been here. Recently."

  Charlie straightened, color returning to his face. "Go!"

  Lucien hurried up the steps. With each floor he approached, he glanced back at Charlie for direction. Charlie continued pointing up until they reached the sixth floor.

  "Here," he said.

  Lucien shoved open the door. A hallway stretched long and thin, doors closed on each side. There were no sounds coming from behind them. Hopefully tenants were only sleeping and not nearing death. The dark energy permeating the building was a toxin to their system.

  Charlie hurried past him, his hand outstretched toward the doors on each side sensing for magic. He waved his fingers in a rhythmic pattern, as if they were skimming the slow swells of the ocean.

  Lucien followed behind, flexing his jaw muscle and shaking his head. How did Eve always seem to be one step ahead of him? They needed to be working together before something terrible happened.

  Charlie stopped in front of a door. Color drained from his face again. "Behind here. Can you feel it?"

  Lucien raised his hands a few inches from the door. They tingled as if a magnetic force was protecting the apartment. This energy felt different. Good and pure.

  "Eve," Lucien said. "But there's something else."

  "What?"

  Lucien cocked his head, listening closely. Beyond the door was total silence, an unnatural stillness that unnerved him. "It's like there's a black hole on the other side."

  "What do you think we're walking into?"

  Lucien placed his hand on the doorknob. "One way to find out."

  He turned the doorknob and pressed hard, but the door wouldn't open. He tried again, using all his strength.

  "Let me," Charlie said.

  Lucien looked at him. "Really?"

  He shrugged. "Maybe my psychic abilities can open it."

  Lucien stepped back. Charlie turned the knob, even throwing his shoulder into it, but the door wouldn't budge. "It's sealed by magic. You're going to have to open it."