Wicked Flames (Solsti Prophecy)

by Sharon Kay

  “Shit,” Ria muttered, linking her arm through Gin’s.

  “Who are those guys?” Gin’s voice rose with her confusion.

  “Get her to the car and go,” Mathias growled to Ria. He pushed open the door and strode forward.

  Ria followed him, dragging Gin toward her Honda.

  “Why are they staring at us?” Gin hurried behind Ria, craning her head to look at the Deseratis.

  “I don’t care, and I don’t want to socialize. There’s no time.” Ria’s voice was low and impatient.

  “Um, well no, I guess not.” Gin turned a startled gaze to Ria. “I mean—never mind. I’m sorry, you must be worried sick.” Gin squinted her eyes in the bright sun, looking back to Mathias. “I’ll call you when we get there.”

  “You two aren’t going anywhere.” The largest Deserati stepped forward.

  “Excuse me?” Gin said, indignant.

  Ria pushed Gin behind her and faced him. “Get the fuck out of my way.”

  “You killed my brother yesterday. I saw you through my scrying glass.”

  “Your brother shouldn’t have gone into a dark alley with a female he didn’t know.” Ria stood motionless save for the flex of a muscle in her hand. Mathias knew she could grab her dagger in the space of a heartbeat.

  “Ria?” Gin squeaked. “What’s going on?”

  “Both of you are about to take a trip. Our mistress wants to meet you,” the Deserati said. He took a step closer.

  “Let’s take this somewhere else.” Mathias stalked closer. “No need for collateral damage. Or rumors about magical beings.”

  “On that we agree, Hunter. But not because of any concern for the little humans in this town. No, we think it’s best if your leader has no idea what became of his soldiers and their little pet.” He flicked a finger and the air around the parking lot wavered like a mirage. An invisible barrier surrounded them, shielding the rest of the world from the sights and sounds within.

  “Magical beings? Pet? Soldiers? Someone tell me what the hell is going on!” Gin pushed against Ria’s arm, trying to get around her.

  Shit. This wasn’t how it was all supposed to go down. But Mathias had one second to take out the lead Deserati. One chance. The miserable bastard’s eyes were locked on Gin. Summoning a ball of demon fire in each hand, Mathias muttered, “Sorry, Gin.”

  She looked to him, perplexion turning to shock as her eyes dropped to his hands.

  With preternatural speed, he flung them at the leader and the demon next to him. They struck home, engulfing the demons instantly.

  Gin screamed. The fear in her voice cut him to the quick. She dropped to the ground, covering her mouth, staring in horror at the smoking remains in her parking lot. She turned to him, and the look on her face went beyond shock. Beyond confusion.

  No, the stare she leveled at him was new and ugly. It was the look of recognition, disgust, accusation, and betrayal.

  It was cold frozen hatred.

  CHAPTER 20

  NO!

  This can’t be happening.

  Oh my God, no!

  The cold pavement beneath her knees couldn’t compare to the ice storm swirling through her body.

  Mathias was one of them.

  Nausea rolled her stomach. They’d slept together. No, no no! She couldn—

  “Gin!” Ria was in her face, yelling. “Get up! Get behind my car! Now! Move!”

  Gin scrambled to her feet, staring at her friend. Ria was usually so laid back. She got that Ria was concerned about her mother, but—

  “Behind my car! Now!” Ria screamed at her, then twisted faster than Gin would’ve thought possible. Ria kicked her foot high as she turned, striking an approaching man in the jaw. He grunted, landing hard on the pavement.

  She did NOT just do that! Gin’s jaw dropped and she scampered behind Ria’s car, but didn’t get down. “Ria, what are you doing? You don’t know—”

  The man sprang to his feet as if he’d never been down. As if Ria’s boot hadn’t just clocked his face. He lunged for Ria, twisted her arm behind her, and spun her so her back was against his chest.

  No! Confusion slammed Gin hard. The parking lot was chaos. And why was the air around their group wavering like a mirage? “Ria!”

  Ria dipped her head forward, only to slam it back into the man’s nose. His grip loosened and she whirled to face him. She had a…knife in her hand. A really big knife.

  Where was she hiding that? Gin stared in shock. Ria fought the man with moves that would rival Brooke and Nicole’s martial arts skills. How had she not known this about her own best friend?

  “Duck!” Mathias hollered from the other side of the lot.

  His voice jerked her from the spell of Ria’s fighting. She whirled to face him. Holding a knife as big as Ria’s, he fought with one of the men. Left arm, right arm. He moved fast and skillfully, like he’d done this before. Many times.

  Gin looked back at Ria, who ducked just in time to avoid the man’s…tail?

  Holy shit. Shit, shit, shit! These men weren’t human.

  Neither was Mathias.

  The knowledge sent a new, sick feeling through her body. She hadn’t even questioned what had been right in front of her. She should’ve known better. Her sisters had told her that some of them could blend in with the human population. After all, their boyfriends looked human.

  Neither Mathias nor Ria seemed surprised to see this group show up at her place.

  Was Ria a demon too? No, please no.

  Knife out, Ria shrieked curses at the man—er, whatever he was—and spun in place. What the hell? Ria was twirling, spinning like a tornado, so fast, it couldn’t be real. Gin stood, transfixed once again by her friend.

  Red splashed across the pavement. Oh god. The knife. Ria was whirling so fast Gin couldn’t see what she was doing, but the blood falling on the pavement filled in the blanks in her imagination.

  Gin’s stomach lurched. Her legs gave out and she crumpled on the asphalt next to Ria’s car. Questions, hurt, shock, and fear mixed in her mind, a lethal cocktail of desperation that urged her to flee.

  Ria and Mathias had lied to her. Who are they, really?

  Her chest hurt. Her lungs gasped rapid shallow breaths.

  She was frozen. Numb with disbelief.

  What the hell was going on? She had to get out of here, but her parking lot was a war zone.

  She crouched, peeking through the windows of Ria’s car. Ria was still fighting. Like a machine, efficient and graceful. She stabbed another man, who fell to the ground. Ria opened her palm and a ball of fire appeared, bobbing wildly.

  Demonfire. They can summon it in their hands. Her sisters’ explanation of their boyfriends’ powers rushed into her mind.

  Ria is a demon. They’re all demons.

  God, no!

  Gin covered her eyes, unable to watch as Ria finished the guy off. Grunts and curses carried to her ears.

  I have to leave. The fight-or-flight instinct crashed over her like tsunami. She didn’t want friends like this. She didn’t need her sisters pulling her into their game. She didn’t need any of it. She’d leave. Now.

  She had her car keys in her purse, out of habit. She could speed out of here.

  “Behind you!” Ria’s piercing scream echoed off the cars.

  Gin reflexively peeked behind her, but all she saw was her own car, parked next to Ria’s. That meant…Uh-oh.

  She jumped up. Mathias was fighting two of the men, and Ria was fighting one more. They were all that was left of the group.

  Mathias raised his hand, and a baseball-sized ball of fire appeared in it. He drew his hand back. “Say goodbye, motherf—”

  One of the demons hurled a knife at his head and Mathias ducked, dropping the fire. It fell to the asphalt with a soft poof, then winked out.

  The demon in front of Mathias had a tail, like the others. Leathery and brown and as long as a bullwhip, it wrapped tightly around Mathias’s ankle. Silver flashed, catching sunligh
t in the knife he raised.

  He lunged for the tail, but the demon yanked, throwing Mathias off balance. His head bounced on the pavement. He looked over at Ria, his expression morphing from pain to anger. “Look ou—”

  Ria’s opponent extended his long tail behind her and whipped it against her calf. The fabric of her pants ripped and red blood darkened her leg. She grunted and tumbled to the pavement.

  The tail wound around her leg like a living vine. Wrapping fast, it tugged and lifted her.

  With a sadistic chuckle, the demon flung Ria across the lot. Her body smashed like a ragdoll into the windshield of one of the resident’s cars. The hood dented. Glass shattered beneath her.

  “Ri!” Mathias face contorted with fury, and he wrested free of the other demon’s tail. Fire appeared in his hand and he flung it at Ria’s opponent, who burst into flame.

  Gin shrieked and covered her face. It was too much. Too much fire, too much death. Too much unreal-ness happening right in front of her. But trepidation shot up her spine, warning her. This was no time to hide. Her world was crumbling with each passing second. Open your eyes. She forced a peek through her fingers.

  Ria wasn’t moving. Should I check on her? Yes, Gin was pissed. But still, it didn’t seem right to ignore her friend. She crept around the car. Maybe no one would notice.

  “Gin! Stay the fuck down!” Mathias roared.

  She jumped. Oh god. He looked so angry. He didn’t look like the man she had laughed and joked with, held hands with and lounged in bed with.

  One of the demons near him turned to her, finally giving her a good look at him. He looked human, mostly. But he had pointed ears, tiny horns above them, and that tail. He charged toward her.

  Gin ran. The creature was faster. He caught her in his arms, yanking her back against his chest. The sickly smell of burnt sugar wafted from him.

  “No!” Terror burned through her muscles. She kicked and flailed, but his grip tightened with every move she made.

  Mathias still fought his opponent, ducking and swinging, managing to avoid the swing of the demon’s knife. Or sword. Gin couldn’t tell. It was long and thin—

  The demon lunged for him and nicked his shirt sleeve. Mathias cursed. Blood dripped down his arm. Panting, he backed up a step.

  Oh no. Was he tiring? What would these things do to her? To Ria?

  The demon advanced on Mathias, tail snapping high in the air behind him.

  “Ria!” Mathias yelled. “Now would be a good time to get up!”

  Gin looked to Ria’s crumpled form lying amidst glass and twisted metal. Why was Mathias yelling like that? And why didn’t he seem worried about her?

  He turned to Gin and the demon clutching her. “Let her go.” His voice held a menacing edge that promised more violence.

  “Watch out!” Gin shrieked.

  The other demon’s tail whipped forward.

  Mathias caught it in his hand and held it, a lethal smile on his face.

  Why is he holding it like that? Her jaw dropped as realization dawned. Fire raced up the length of the tail from Mathias’s hand to the creature’s body. It yelped and pulled back, giving Mathias enough time to summon another ball of fire and hurl it at the demon. It dropped down, incinerated in seconds.

  He’d burned that thing alive. And others too. Bile rose in Gin’s throat as disgust warred with terror.

  Mathias stalked toward Gin and her captor. “I said let her go.”

  “Never, Hunter.” Its grip tightened on Gin. “Your fire won’t work if you don’t want her hurt.”

  Gin squeaked. She had no idea what to do. Her mind went blank with fear and an overload of batshit craziness.

  Across the lot, Ria stirred and sat up. Gin sucked in a breath. Thank God.

  Mathias held up his knife. “This can land between your eyes before you take a breath.”

  “Not if I move. Then it could be between her eyes.” The demon jostled Gin in his arms.

  Ria slid off the car and collapsed on the ground next to it.

  “No.” Gin whispered, her voice cracked and dry.

  The demon holding her chuckled. “Looks like your partner’s down for the count, Hunter. Put these on.” His tail appeared at his side, dangling two black circles connected with a chain. They looked like metal…handcuffs?

  “Your fight is with me.” Mathias growled.

  “Yes, but she’s unique, this one. The mistress wants her. You too.”

  A tiny movement caught Gin’s eye. Ria was still on the ground, but she wasn’t lying in a lifeless heap. On her belly, she made a methodical sliding motion with her arm.

  “No.” Mathias glared. “Fucking put her down and fight like a warrior. No civilian shields.”

  “I don’t think—”

  Pfft.

  The soft hiss punctuated the air and a whoosh of smoke shot across the parking lot. The demon cried out. He dropped to the ground, letting go of Gin. She stumbled forward into Mathias’s waiting arms.

  Her body wanted to sag into his powerful embrace, but her mind burned with fury. “Get away from me!” She wrenched free and took several steps back. With those muscles, he could’ve held on to her. But he didn’t. Good.

  A moan from the pavement drew her attention and she turned, still not sure what was happening to the fallen demon. She immediately wished she hadn’t checked.

  Both his ankles were covered in blood. In fact…Oh God. She looked away. His feet were mangled, a mess of sinew and tissue. Her throat gagged reflexively. She looked at Ria.

  Ria?

  Her friend strode across the parking lot carrying a thin silver tube, looking like hell. One cheek was dotted with blood, her jacket was ripped, and her blond curls dropped slivers of glass as she walked. But she moved with the same confident grace she always did.

  “Gin.” Mathias’s voice broke through her thoughts. He stepped closer and reached for her.

  “Don’t touch me.” Gin backed up a step.

  “I know this is a lot to—”

  Gin held up a hand. Her shaking fingers undermined the confidence she forced into her voice. “Shut. Up.”

  Ria reached them, her expression one of concern tinged with guilt. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry.”

  Gin glared at her. “Sorry?” Her grip tightened on her car keys. “I don’t know what the hell just happened, but I’m leaving. By myself.”

  “We were attacked. And we need to get you out of here.” Mathias’s tone was commanding, but this time she couldn’t care less.

  “Go to hell.” Rage seethed inside her. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” She looked at Ria. “You fell into a windshield.”

  “I’m fine. Been through worse.” Ria spoke calmly, her eyes sweeping Gin up and down.

  “What are you?” Gin whispered, though she knew the answer.

  Ria and Mathias exchanged a look. Ria nibbled her lip. “We—”

  Mathias turned to her. “Gin. Listen to me. You’re not safe. There might be more of these guys.” Urgency lanced through his voice.

  She backed up another step. “They knew you. They called you Hunter.”

  “Let’s go to the safe house.” He held out a hand.

  “What? Safe house?” She swallowed. “No.”

  Ria inched closer. “Gin. You need to be with one or both of us at all times. We need to get to Mansfield. It’s completely safe there. We can talk on the—”

  Oh. Oh God.

  Gin’s stomach caved in. She felt like she’d been punched. Facts circled in her mind, repeating on a taunting, hellish loop.

  They know each other.

  They’re demons.

  They hid it from me.

  How could I be so stupid? She wrapped her arms around her waist, gulping air that didn’t seem to fill her lungs. Stupid. Stupid. “Get away!” Gin’s voice rose. “Both of you!” She backed up toward her car. “I don’t want any part of your world!”

  Mathias took a step toward her. “I’m sor—”

&nb
sp; “Don’t!” Gin couldn’t lower her voice. Couldn’t stop the screaming both in her head and in her heart. “Don’t ever speak to me again. Either one of you.”

  “Just let us expl—” Ria’s eyes beseeched her.

  “No! I don’t want to hear it. You lied! You both did.”

  “We did it to protect you.” Mathias stared at her, tracking every shrug of her shoulders and movement of her hands. A mixture of fury and dark emotion flared in his eyes. Regret?

  She didn’t care. “I don’t need protection. I don’t need you. I’m not a part of…” She flung her hand out in an arc. “This. I never was, and I never will be. I was totally fine, before you two showed up.” Backing up farther, she reached her car. “I’m going to help people. People who have next to nothing! I’m not helping a bunch of devils fight a bunch of werewolves, or whatever things live in your crazy world!” She grabbed her purse and duffel bag from the pavement between her car and Ria’s. She unlocked her car and got in, slamming the door.

  Ria and Mathias didn’t move. Thank God. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if they tried to physically stop her. After what they had done to those bad guys, she didn’t want to test them.

  Throwing her little Bug into gear, she revved the engine and peeled out of her parking lot. She navigated the quiet streets, making her way to the interstate that would take her north.

  Her flight to New York was still a few days off, but what the hell. She’d go now. Head straight to O’Hare Airport and switch her flight to the next available one. She needed to be anywhere but here. And she didn’t want to talk to anyone. Not even her sisters.

  God, her sisters. Had they known about all of this? Gin didn’t want the answer. Either way, it would hurt too much. It would rip her heart out if they were part of this stupid little plan. But it would crush her if they hadn’t known enough to check on her. Given how they were always talking about dangers lurking, and how vicious supernatural creatures could sneak up on you.

  I almost died. Gin had always thought her sisters’ warnings were a bunch of overblown, big-sister-ish protectiveness. She rubbed her eyes, wishing she could erase the images she’d just seen. Nothing seemed overblown anymore.