A Very Paranormal Holiday
Page 33
I was running toward it faster, now, as the ground leveled out somewhat, although there was still a downward slope. Molten rock flowed about me, running as fast as I did, as if it were in competition with me.
I didn't care. A rogue werewolf yelped—his paws were burned by heated ground as he ran from my approach. More yelps sounded, until the entire pack of rogues ran toward Annabelle's cabin—they had no desire to take on a racing fireball.
They weren't fireproof. No animal was.
After tossing carefully-formed flames toward the Olympic-sized swimming pool at the back of Annabelle's property, I sped toward the horde of Demons, who in turn were racing toward Parke and his army.
I saw a few running at the back of the pack—some had turned to watch me chasing after them.
Why were they running away? I didn't slow my pace. If Destiny weren't alive by the time I reached Ross, then I intended for both of us to go down fighting.
Shoving the first demon out of my way, I barely heard his scream as I reached for the next one running before me. His scream joined the first. I could hear the edge of Ross' army crashing into the forefront of Parke's. I knew he was there—he wouldn't have it any other way. The King of the Demons was doing battle. I hoped he survived.
Tearing my thoughts away, I grasped another running demon by the throat. His scream cut off as he began to burn, his body lighting like fireworks on Independence Day.
The next was the first Water Demon I encountered. I ran through his wall of water, thinking that all my plans to destroy Ross were gone. Water quenches Fire; the old tale rushed through my thoughts. Demon water sizzled, hissed and then turned to mist as other Demons on both sides of me shouted and scattered.
Was I still burning?
You bet your ass I was.
Chapter 8
Parke
Dexter fought beside me like the experienced Demon he was. He was always Dad's best supporter and a good advisor. He gave me the same loyalty and allegiance he'd offered Dad.
I'd let him know how much I appreciated that, provided we survived the night. So far, I hadn't seen Daniel go past with Destiny.
Tucking that worry into the back of my mind, I watched as Ross and Willis' army flowed toward us, chased by a huge (and growing) fireball.
With the forest surrounding us as wet as it was following recent, heavy rains, it surprised me that Cassie was having such an effect. Are those screams I hear? Louise's voice filtered into my mind.
She and I had telepathy. I'd heard Cassie, too, but that could be the bond we'd formed earlier in the hollow. Something to explore if we survived. Grasping an Ice Demon by the throat and throwing him forcefully to the ground, I watched as his ice shattered into shards of glittering, frozen crystals. Another one down—too many more to go.
I hear screams, too, I replied to Louise's question. No idea what that means. I punched a Water Demon in the face, breaking his body into a rain of droplets as I stalked onward.
* * *
Cassie
I could see Ross ahead—there was no mistaking his Rock Demon. He towered over the Rock Demon next to him—likely Willis, Prince of Alabama. Rock Demons were common as Princes and Princesses—they held a tremendous amount of power on their own.
I suspected, too, that Ross was wading through his army to get to Parke. That was his intention—to take Parke down and force everyone else to bow to his will as he took the Chancellor's seat. With the army he'd gathered, he could stand against any who thought to come against him.
I was working my way through that army as swiftly as I could, refusing to think of the lives I was taking—focusing instead on the ones I might save.
Surprisingly, Ross didn't have Destiny with him. Tossing out fireballs on either side of me, I heard more screams as I worked my way through the crowd toward Ross' broad back.
* * *
Parke
I had no idea where Daniel was. Dexter had dropped back to fight a Rock Demon who'd attempted to blindside me. From the noise coming from behind, I understood that Dexter was teaching the fool a lesson.
The wolves, too, had dropped back to attack the rogues who'd attempted to flee the coming fire. That's what it appeared to be, now—half the mountain was ablaze. I could survive a normal fire. A Fire Demon's fire, however, looked to be another story. A worry nagged at my mind—could Cassie turn this off, once it had gone this far?
* * *
Cassie
Where was Destiny? A horrible fear gripped my heart that Ross had already killed her before this battle started. After all, what incentive did he have to keep her alive past this point? Fury possessed me.
I didn't think I was capable of running faster, but I did. Ross would die, if I had anything to say about it.
* * *
Parke
Cassie was almost behind Ross and Willis. I was close enough to see the fear in their eyes.
That's when the booming shout came, and to my horror, I recognized the voice.
Bridgett was here.
* * *
Cassie
From the corner of my eye, I caught movement, and then saw enough to stop me in my tracks—a bitch of a Water Demon held Destiny against her, my sister looking frail and small against the taller Demon's scales.
The worst part?
The Water Demon held a huge gun at Destiny's head. I'd only heard of the guns built specifically to destroy demons before—that's why they were referred to as Demon Killers. This demon had somehow acquired one of the rare weapons and now threatened my sister with it.
"Stop now or the girl dies," the Water Demon screamed. I knew who she was; she would have no sympathy for my sister or me.
The flames of my tears dripped to the ground as I stared at the scenario before me. Every piece of the puzzle fell into place the moment Ross approached Bridgett and draped a heavy arm about her shoulders.
* * *
Parke
I understood how my father died the moment Ross placed an arm around Bridgett's shoulders.
How easy would it be for a Water Demon to capsize a fishing boat?
Too easy.
I suspected she had other help, too, but that could wait.
Bridgett held a gun to Destiny's head while Cassie stopped in her tracks. It had come to this, and I had no doubts that Bridgett intended to kill Destiny and Cassie.
"Move and the girl dies," the Prince of Alabama's voice was as gravelly as his outer Demon skin.
"Let her go, Willis. Making a threat against a child relieves you of the title of Prince."
"I'll have your title instead," Willis threatened.
"You mean Ross didn't tell you?" I growled.
"Tell me what?"
"That he's using you as his stepping-stone. You won't get the Chancellor's seat—he intends to take it."
"That's a fucking lie." Ross pulled away from Bridgett and walked several steps in my direction. He thought to intimidate me.
"I'm a Truth Demon, remember?" I snapped at him, holding my ground. "I can sift the truth from a lie any day."
My eyes slid to Bridgett, who'd raised her Demon Killer to rest it against Destiny's temple.
* * *
Cassie
"Turn it off or I kill her," Bridgett shouted at me. I saw Destiny through fiery tears before pulling the fire back. Everything went dark around me for a moment as all fire died, leaving only a bright moon overhead to light the battleground below.
"I love you, sissy," I whispered into the ensuing hush. She had to know I loved her before we died.
Bridgett didn't intend for us to live.
"I know," Destiny whispered back.
Bridgett turned the gun toward me, then. She intended to kill me first.
That was her biggest mistake, as it turned out.
Destiny burst into a larger form as Bridgett struggled to hold onto her and swing the gun around again.
It was already too late for that.
A fledgling Ice Demon can still freeze
an unsuspecting Water Demon. I gaped as Bridgett's body froze, her gun halfway to Destiny's head.
The punch Destiny's Ice Demon delivered to Bridgett's frozen Water Demon would have made any older sister proud.
Bridgett's icy body burst into thousands of crystals that tinkled to the ground. The gun, now worthless, dropped on top of her crystals.
That's when I saw Daniel's Ice Demon appear. He grabbed Destiny and pulled her away from Ross, who was now attempting to strike a killing blow against her Ice Demon. I screamed.
Parke roared and leapt at Ross.
I burst into flames.
Ross and Willis turned to face us as we raced toward them.
Parke and I—it didn't matter whether we died at that moment. Ross and Willis died first, crushed and melted between Rock and Fire. The resulting boom shook the mountain and the fireball burned everything within a hundred feet.
Chapter 9
Parke
"Did you see this one?" Mom held up the newspaper claiming that the devastation, which culminated in a huge, booming fireball at the foot of Mount Pilchuk, was attributed to a UFO crash.
"As long as it doesn't say Demon War Responsible, then I'm all for it," I shrugged.
"How's Cassie?"
"She's fine, just worn out. It helped when she realized she didn't hurt me at all; my shield held. Ross and Willis died quickly between us. I told Cassie to go back to sleep when I got up," I said.
"Destiny's exhausted, too, poor baby. I took breakfast in, she ate and then went back to sleep."
"They've had a rough time of it," I said, accepting the cup of coffee Mom handed to me. "Cassie told me last night how they killed Dad. Do you want to hear this, or would you rather not know?"
"I want to know," Mom sounded determined.
"Ross positioned Geoffrey and Annabelle to take Lucas' third of the partnership after Lucas died. Lucas' family was coerced by Ross to sell to Geoffrey and Annabelle. Their assignment was to keep an eye on Dad and wait for the opportunity to take him down. They got that when they learned how much Dad loved to fish."
"How does Bridgett figure into this?" Mom asked.
"Ross approached her, too. Promised her she'd be the Chancellor's wife if she helped. At first, she took that to mean that she'd have me—something she'd always wanted. It didn't take much for a Water Demon to capsize Dad's boat."
"But he was a good swimmer," Mom pointed out.
"But nobody was taking Annabelle into consideration. She's a shapeshifter, Mom—just like Geoffrey. Know what sort of shapeshifter she might be?"
"No idea."
"She's a shark. I know they're rare, but that's what she is—Cassie figured it out. Dad was killed by Annabelle after Bridgett capsized the boat."
"And Geoffrey, the pig shapeshifter, waited onshore for both of them—with dry clothes and a car to drive them home," Cassie walked into the kitchen.
* * *
Cassie
"What happened to Geoffrey and Annabelle last night?" Kate glanced from Parke to me the moment I walked into the kitchen and made my announcement.
"One of the wolves got Geoffrey—he didn't want to be barbecued so he ran," I shrugged. "Annabelle, well, she didn't realize that a Fire Demon can burn normal water. I set her Olympic-sized swimming pool on fire last night while her shark was swimming in it. I'm sorry, honey," I turned to Parke. "I wanted to fry her for you. Instead, she was boiled. You like bouillabaisse, by any chance?"
Parke laughed and pulled me onto his lap. "Merry Christmas, baby," he said and kissed me.
"Honey," I said when he pulled his mouth away.
"What?" Parke leaned back and offered a lazy smile.
"This is the best Christmas ever."
He kissed me again.
The End
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