“Are you quite finished?” the demon asked. A couple of strips of its ruined skin melted off and fell to the ground.
McCoy was at a loss. Either the holy water had been tainted, or he was dealing with something he’d never faced off against before. Either way, it wasn’t looking good for the home team.
“My turn, then,” the demon said, and unleashed a stream of hellfire which engulfed McCoy. Thrashing wildly, McCoy stumbled backward and fell into the marsh where he was hidden by the reeds and sawgrass.
The demon smiled victoriously, but its smug demeanor vanished as Wolf Donovan hit it at full stride and buried one of the blessed daggers deep into its shoulder. Finally displaying pain, the fiend shrieked and attempted to push Wolf away, but Wolf dropped low and scissored the demon’s legs, causing it to topple to the ground. In an instant, Wolf had the other dagger in his hand, ready to pounce on the fallen entity.
The demon, however, had other ideas. Abandoning its human form, it morphed into the form of the Goat Man. The blood-stained axe materialized in its hands, and it swept the weapon in a powerful arc, causing Wolf to fall backwards. The razor-sharp blade missed his chest by inches.
“Wolf!” Pru shrieked. For one of the few times in her life, she felt completely helpless. She could only stand and watch as Wolf battled the demon. Of McCoy, she could see no sign.
Upon hearing Pru’s voice, the demon turned to regard her. The Goat Man’s mouth spread in a wicked smile, and its tongue lolled out of its mouth. Here was the prize it had sought, and now she was within its grasp. Forgetting Wolf, it strode toward Pru, the axe dangling from one hand.
“Pru!”
Pru turned toward the sound of the voice and saw Rena emerging from a hole in the side of the mountain. Her friend was staring wide-eyed at the spectacle taking place in front of her. She was like a deer trapped in a car’s headlights, unable to move.
“Rena!” Pru screamed. “Run! Get out of here!”
Rena didn’t run. She just stood there uncertainly, her eyes darting back and forth between Pru and the demon.
“Go!’ Pru shouted, motioning back toward the trail.
And then Wolf was on the attack, jumping on the demon’s back and driving it into the swampy ground. Seeing this seemed to break Rena’s paralysis, and she began to run up the slope toward the path. Pru watched her friend go and prayed they could buy Rena enough time to get to safety.
With a mighty shrug, the demon flung Wolf off its back. It rose and continued to advance on Pru. It paid no attention to the fleeing Rena; it had planned to use the girl to lure Pru to the trestle, and now that Pru was here, it had no more use for her.
“Subsisto!” Stop!
Both Pru and the demon turned to see McCoy staggering drunkenly out of the cattails. His straw hat was singed nearly beyond recognition, but he appeared otherwise relatively unharmed. He was carrying his gun in one hand, and he raised the firearm and fired at the demon. It let out a wail as the bullet grazed its ribs.
“Blessed bullets, you bastard,” McCoy said. “You ruined my hat.”
For the first time, the demon seemed uncertain. Though confident in its ability to defeat both McCoy and the other man, it did not want to take a chance on Pru slipping away during the melee. Turning back to the girl, it released a stream of hellfire directly at her.
Chapter Twenty
“Pru!” McCoy yelled, and fired again.
The hellfire hit Pru hard enough to send her flying into the tall grass. Instead of consuming her, however, it was deflected back at the demon. It shrieked in pain and rage as it was burned with its own fire. The fiend began to stumble clumsily, temporarily blinded.
McCoy saw their chance. He looked at Pru, who was getting to her feet, a dazed look on her face, and then to Wolf, who was trying to decide whether or not to attack the disoriented entity.
“Go!” McCoy shouted. He scooped up his knapsack and ran to Pru, who was nearly as discombobulated as the demon. Grabbing the girl by the waist, he began to lead her back up the incline toward the trail. They were quickly joined by Wolf, who practically picked Pru up and began to run up the mountainside.
Behind them, the demon wailed in fury and frustration as it thrashed about wildly, trying desperately to connect with an opponent. It randomly spewed hellfire, charring the earth and setting the tall grass on fire. It morphed through several forms, finally settling on the one which most closely resembled its true appearance: a gargoyle-like beast with a misshapen head and large, leathery wings.
“We need to get to the Jeep before it recovers,” McCoy huffed as they hurried up the mountainside.
“I might have been able to finish it back there,” Wolf argued.
“No, you couldn’t have. We’re outgunned here. The bullets in my gun will sting it, maybe do a little damage, but they won’t really hurt it. If that hellfire hadn’t backfired, we’d probably be toast by now.”
“Why did it backfire like that?” Wolf asked, looking down at Pru. The girl was beginning to come out of her daze, but she still looked confused.
“That’s a good question,” McCoy said. “Divine intervention? Hell, I don’t know. But I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth.”
They reached the top of the ridge and started down the trail toward the field. Behind them, the wailing and shrieking had ceased, but there was no sign of pursuit. They moved as fast as the terrain would allow, though Wolf, who was still carrying Pru, was beginning to visibly tire.
About halfway down, McCoy spotted a girl on the path ahead of them. She was trying to run while watching the trail behind her, and her foot caught a dead limb which had fallen across the path. Hands outstretched, she went sprawling to the ground.
“Who the hell is that?” McCoy asked.
“Rena!” Pru yelled, literally jumping out of Wolf’s arms. She took off at a sprint towards the fallen girl, her recovery miraculous and complete.
“One of Pru’s friends,” Wolf said, filling McCoy in. “The demon must have taken her to use as bait to lure Pru here.”
“That explains why she’s still alive,” McCoy reasoned. “You’re a protector, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. And you’re a handler.”
“Right now, I’m a runner. And I don’t much care for it.”
“Me either,” Wolf agreed. “Can we stop the demon.”
“In theory, it can be banished just like any other demon. But I’ve never tried it on an archdaemon before.”
“So you figured out its true nature.”
“It dropped its camouflage while you were fighting it, so I was able to get a read on it. I think we’re both out of our league here, pal.”
They caught up with Pru, who was helping the other girl back to her feet. Rena’s knees and elbows were bleeding from a few shallow cuts and scrapes, but she otherwise appeared to be unhurt.
“Pru, get your friend moving,” McCoy said. “My Jeep is parked up the road a bit. Wolf, where did you park your bike?”
“Behind the police car.”
“Okay. When we get to the field, you girls come with me. Wolf, meet us back at Pru’s house.”
“We’re okay now, right?” Rena asked. “The monster won’t come after us, will it?”
“I’m afraid it will, honey,” McCoy said. “But we’re going to try to get rid of it.”
“Don’t worry, Rena,” Pru said. “McCoy and Wolf will figure out a way.”
A few minutes later, they arrived safely at the field. Wolf headed toward his bike, while McCoy started to lead the girls through the field to his Jeep.
“Take the cruiser,” Wolf yelled. “The keys are in it, and the deputy won’t be needing it anymore.”
“Might be a little hard to explain if we get pulled over,” McCoy said. “But we’ll use it to drive to the Jeep. It’ll be faster than walking.”
“I’ll wait at the end of the dirt road and follow you back,” Wolf said as he started the Harley.
McCoy nodded and motioned for
the girls to get into the police car. When everyone was in, he started the car and spun it around, throwing grass and sod as he raced out of the field and onto the dirt lane. Within minutes, he was pulling in behind his Jeep.
“Okay,” he said. “Both of you, into the Jeep. I want to be as far away from here as possible when our luck gives out.”
“What makes you think it will give out?” Pru asked as she hopped into the passenger’s seat.
“Because it always does.” McCoy said. He started the Jeep, wheeled it around in the road, and headed back in the direction of town. As they passed the dirt road turnoff, Wolf fell in behind them.
“You two keep your eyes open,” McCoy instructed the girls. “If you see anything out of the ordinary, let me know.” He looked over at Pru. “You don’t know how lucky you are, girl. I’ve never seen hellfire misfire like that.”
“It didn’t misfire,” Pru said casually. She took a handful of the wildflowers she’d picked earlier out of her pocket and showed them to McCoy.
“Agrimony?” McCoy asked, surprised.
“Yep. I read online that it’s used to turn back hexes and evil spells.”
“It is,” McCoy agreed. “But hellfire?” He sounded doubtful.
“Hey, you didn’t get burned alive, either,” Pru countered.
“I covered myself with powdered lavender. And I wore this.” He showed Pru the medallion he was wearing. “I forgot to protect my hat, though. Damn. I loved that thing. First Boo, and now my damned hat.”
“At least Boo didn’t get burned to cinders,” Pru said helpfully.
“Pru!” Rena squealed from the back seat. Both Pru and Rena turned to see what appeared to be a large bird quickly gaining on them. The closer the object got, the more apparent it became that it wasn’t a buzzard.
“I knew it,” McCoy muttered. “Do either of you know how to drive?”
“We’re only thirteen,” Pru said. “You have to be sixteen to get a permit in Kentucky.”
“I didn’t ask if you had a license,” McCoy said. “I asked if you know how.”
“Is it an automatic?” Rena asked.
“Yes.”
“Then I can.”
“Scoot up here, then.”
“Are you nuts?” Pru asked, her voice low. “I’ve seen her drive. She’ll kill us all.”
“I can’t drive and shoot. And the archdaemon will kill us all if we don’t make it back to your house. Now, hop in the back and let Rena up here.”
Reluctantly, Pru shifted to the back of the Jeep, allowing Rena to crawl into the front seat.
“Don’t go for any speed records,” McCoy cautioned. “Just keep us going, and keep us in the road. I’ll take over again in a minute.” He slid back and over as Rena took the wheel. Once in the passenger’s seat, McCoy took his gun out and turned around. He motioned to Wolf, who hadn’t yet noticed their pursuer.
Wolf turned and saw the demon closing in on them. Since his gun was not loaded with blessed bullets, it was useless. He dug the bottle of holy water out of his pocket and adjusted his mirror to keep an eye on the fast-approaching fiend.
As the demon hovered over Wolf, McCoy steadied his arm on the headrest of the seat and took aim. He fired. The bullet pierced the demon’s right wing, prompting it to howl and veer sharply away.
“Did you get it?” Rena asked.
“Just watch the road, short stuff. How far to town?”
“Not far,” Pru said. “Rena, look out! Here comes a car!”
Rena swerved, nearly sending McCoy tumbling from the vehicle. He grabbed the roll bar at the last second to avoid hitting the pavement, but was able to hold onto the gun, at least. The driver of the other vehicle, also swerving and then overcorrecting, almost clipped Wolf, who had to accelerate and ride the ditch line to keep from getting hit.
“Hell’s bells!” McCoy shouted. “Watch the road, will ya?”
“I’m sorry,” Rena said. “This is, like, my third time. But I think I’m getting the hang of it.”
“We can only hope.”
The demon suddenly reappeared behind Wolf. It dove at him, forcing him to swerve to avoid the fiend’s grasping talons. McCoy took aim, but the demon was simply too close to Wolf, and he couldn’t chance a shot.
Wolf, unable to shake the entity, took the bottle and used his teeth to unscrew the cap. Balancing himself upon the motorcycle, he abruptly stood on the foot pegs, turned, and tossed the contents at the demon. The water hit the demon square in the face, blinding it once again and sending it into a uncontrolled spiral. It plowed into the ground on the side of the road, sending rocks and debris flying.
“There we go,” McCoy said. “Okay, Mario. I’m taking the wheel back.” He climbed over Rena, who slid to the passenger’s side. McCoy accelerated, with Wolf right on his bumper. They sped into town, slowing only when they pulled up to Pru’s house.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Pru, we need to double check the house’s defenses,” McCoy said as he led the way to the house. “There can’t be even the smallest break in the red brick dust.”
“I’m on it,” Pru said, running ahead of McCoy and opening the door. McCoy ushered everyone inside, then bent to inspect the dust under the door frame. Satisfied, he went inside and closed the door behind him. He and Pru spent the next ten minutes giving all of the entrances and windows a thorough examination.
When they were done, they met up with Wolf and Rena in the living room. Everyone plopped into a seat, exhausted both physically and emotionally. Rena’s elbows and knees were caked with dried blood, Pru and Wolf were covered in dried mud and slime, and McCoy looked as if he’d stuck his head into a charcoal grill. He removed the ruined hat, studied it sadly, and tossed it onto the table beside him.
“So,” Pru said, looking around the room. “What do we do now?”
“I don’t know about you guys, but I vote for Disney World,” Wolf said without much humor.
“We figure out how to banish this thing,” McCoy said. “I mean, we have one-and-a-half handlers, a protector, and a…best friend. How hard can it be?”
“What’s a protector?” Pru asked.
“It’s what I do,” Wolf said. “There are more like me, just like there are others like you and McCoy.”
“How did you die?” McCoy asked.
“Die?” Rena asked, eyeing Wolf with suspicion. “You mean, he’s like a zombie or something?”
“Hardly,” Wolf laughed. “About six years ago, my girlfriend and I were leaving a bar in Tucson. We were getting on my bike—I had a Road King back then—when a guy came out of nowhere and pulled a gun on us. Wanted money. I gave him my wallet, told him to take it, just leave us alone. I was fresh back from Afghanistan, and I was tired of the violence. I just wanted to be left alone. But he decided he wanted Carrie, too. We fought, and I took a bullet to the chest. After I went down, Carrie tried to run. He shot her in the back.”
“That’s horrible,” Pru said.
Wolf nodded. “I died on the operating table, but they brought me back. Or something did. Carrie wasn’t so lucky.”
“You poor man,” Rena said. She was eyeing Wolf dreamily now that she knew he wasn’t one of the undead.
“Protectors are charged with saving certain people from supernatural menaces,” McCoy said. “They’re usually someone who’s experienced a near-death experience while trying to protect another. I’ve only ever met one other, and that was a long time ago.”
“It sounds so mysterious,” Rena said. “And romantic.” Pru, sitting beside her, kicked Rena in the leg.
“Mysterious, maybe,” Wolf said. “But seldom romantic. As you might guess, I’m forced to lead a rather nomadic lifestyle. I never know where I’ll be going next, or when.”
“Speaking of next, we need to get to work on a game plan,” McCoy said. “A Prince won’t be so easy to get rid of. It’d help if we knew exactly which one we’re dealing with.”
“We already know that,” Pru said. “Asmode
ous.”
“And how do we already know that?” McCoy asked, surprised.
“I pulled the name from one of my visions,” Wolf explained. “That’s how I knew it was an archdaemon. I’ve heard the name before, but I can’t remember where.”
“Well, Asmodeous is one of the Princes, all right,” McCoy affirmed. “If memory serves, it is the Prince of Lust. That’s about all I can come up with off the top of my head, though.”
“That’s what the Internet’s for,” Pru said. “Come on, Rena. Let’s see what we can dig up on this goon.”
Rena reluctantly followed Pru out of the room, her eyes lingering on Wolf as she exited.
“Have you ever met a woman over the age of ten that didn’t go gaga over you?” McCoy asked when the girls were safely out of earshot.
Wolf shrugged. “They do seem to like the bad boy image. And it does make it easier sometimes, when the intended victim is a woman. It’s not easy trying to convince someone that a monster is trying to kill them.”
“Yeah, I’ve had some experience in that department,” McCoy agreed. “About the time you mention a demon or spirit, they’re on the phone with the guys in the white suits. It can be irritating.”
“I had to break out of a mental institution once,” Wolf said with a chuckle. “Guy I was trying to save had me hauled in. He changed his tune when his new girlfriend grew fangs during their next make-out session. I barely got there in time.”
“Have you ever lost one?”
“Not so far. And I don’t intend to start with Pru. I can’t help but wonder, though…”
“What?” McCoy asked.
“Why is an archdaemon after her? It seems like overkill to me. I mean, I know she has gifts. But if you and I weren’t around, even a mid-level demon would have been more than sufficient to do the job.”
“It’s bugging me, too.” McCoy agreed. “Demons can see the future to a certain extent, so maybe they knew we would be here. That makes as much sense as anything, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more to it.”
Dark Hollows (A Finn McCoy Paranormal Thriller Book 4) Page 12
