by Gail Koger
“The demons are still here.”
“Fuck,” Ed spat.
“Get this on tape, Hank, in case we have to make a run for it,” my husband instructed.
“Yes, sir.” Pulling a video camera from his pack, Hank slowly panned it round the cavern and zoomed in on the desiccated remains.
I approached the warriors cautiously. You never knew when they’d jump up and take a swing at you.
Some of the fighters petrified features peeked out from Jaguar skulls and their mummified bodies were covered in rotted panther pelts. If they weren’t already dead, it kinda made you want to sic PETA on their asses.
The others wore feathered helmets with beaks opened in a defiant scream. Each warrior had a
death grip on a round wooden shield with a few tattered feathers still attached and a carved sword.
“Funky outfits.”
My Tomb Raider bent down and examined the bodies. “The Eagles and Jaguars were the elite warrior knights of the Aztec.”
“Get out of here? Like Knights of the Round Table?”
“Somewhat but the English knights didn’t sacrifice their captives.”
“No they just pillaged and raped.” I picked up a sword and fingered the still-sharp obsidian pieces embedded in the blades’ sides. “These pitiful weapons wouldn’t do much good against demons.”
“No, but they were fierce warriors who never backed down in battle. No matter what the odds were,” my husband added with touch of respect.
“Even big, tough Navy SEALS know when to retreat,” I retorted.
Ed snagged an obsidian blade. “All that macho pride got them was dead.”
I aimed my flashlight through the doorway. The beam reflected off of thousands of bones. “And their families slaughtered.”
Fabian kicked a rotted basket out of the way and stepped inside the pueblo. “The gold has to be here.
Every nerve in my body went on red alert and I turned.
A swirling green mist oozed from a crevice and slithered across the floor.
“He’s back.”
The men spun around and each tossed a grenade.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
An obscene cackle echoed around the cavern and a Jaguar fighter rose up.
“Crap. I really hate when that happens.”
Derek threw me a tense glance. “It happens a lot?”
I tightened my grip on Excalibur. “More than I’d like.”
The mummified flesh of the warrior stretched and contorted.
“That can’t be good,” Hank gasped.
“Tempore. Cuidamn. Monstrata. Desopsuit de cruce,” I shouted and blue fire shot from Excalibur’s blade.
A writhing wall of green energy shot up, blocking Excalibur’s flames and the obscene power pulsed around the Jaguar fighter. In a blink of an eye, it grew ten feet.
“Dios Mio,” Fabian gasped.
The Thunder God’s burning emerald gaze focused on me. “Now you die.”
“You idiots keep saying that but I’m still here.”
Derek hissed, “Shut the fuck up.”
“Just saying.”
A thunderous cracking boom shook the cavern and Asmoday appeared in all his terrifying serpent glory. “The woman is mine.”
“You dare to challenge me,” the Thunder God cried and charged Asmoday with a huge obsidian sword.
Not the brightest move.
The King of the Ninth Hell opened his enormous mouth and with one chomp, ate him.
Gotta say I didn’t see that one coming.
Asmoday burped loudly and turned his attention to me. “You shall take your aunt’s place as my necromancer.”
“Never,” I spat.
A remorseless malevolence in his eyes, the demon king smiled. “An hour in the pit and you will do whatever I ask of you.”
Derek stepped in front of me and pointed Charlemagne’s sword at him. “You’re one dead snake.”
Asmoday bared his deadly fangs. “Foolish human, I cannot be killed.”
Something fluttered in the darkness above us.
I glanced up.
A monkey like face with glowing red eyes and curved fangs stared down at me.
“What in the hell is that?”
“That is a Hag Bat,” Asmoday answered. His tail flicked out, wrapped around my waist and flung me high into the air.
“Oh shittttt!”
The Hag Bat swooped down and caught me.
I screamed in agony as its claws dug deep into my flesh. Excalibur slipped from my hand and fell at Fabian’s feet.
“Angel,” Derek shouted and tossed a grenade at Asmoday.
BOOM!
Ed, Hank and Fabian opened fire, riddling the demon king with salt bullets.
With a howl of fury, Asmoday snapped his tail out and slammed the men into the wall.
The guys started hurling grenades like crazy.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
“Granny,” I shrieked, trying to pry the claws out of my shoulders.
The Hag Bat’s great wings flapped mightily as it struggled to gain attitude, carrying me away from the battle.
The pain grew until all I wanted to do was let the swirling blackness take me.
“If you pass out, you will become Asmoday’s minion,” Granny whispered in my head.
“Never be that.” I could feel the blood running down my stomach as we flew further and further into the inky darkness.
Another series of explosions and gunfire reverberated off the cavern walls.
“Derek,” I gasped. “Gotta help him.”
“Your man is a warrior. You must survive or all is lost.”
“I will not die today.” My hands slick with blood, I managed to pull my dagger and stabbed the Hag in the heart.
The Hag screeched in pain and dropped me.
I smacked the ground hard and struggled up, trying to get my feet under me. Agony rolled over me and I collapsed against the cold earth, gasping for air. I held on to consciousness with a grim determination. I would not allow that monster to take my family from me.
Red eyes glowed in the darkness and I could hear whisperings in the shadows, like rats skittering behind walls.
“What are they?”
“Hungry,” Granny Annabel answered. “Get up.”
Fear sent a rush of adrenaline through me.
With a groan, I forced my screaming muscles to move and climbed to my feet.
Clumps of glowing yellow fungus provided some light and I quickly scanned the area. Contorted rocks reared up like giant monsters and faraway voices wailed in anguish.
“Holy Jesus! Is that…?”
“Si, it is the portal to the nine hells.”
I patted my pocket and sighed in relief. The vial of Lucifer’s blood was unbroken. “How close do I have to get to perform the rite?”
“You must toss the vial into the vortex.”
“That close, huh?” I pulled out a small bottle of holy water and poured it on my wounds. Gritting my teeth against the burning pain, I took a staggering step forward.
The glowing red eyes suddenly rushed towards me.
“Throw your grenades now,” Granny yelled.
Yanking the grenades off my belt, I hurled them in every direction.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Shrill shrieks sounded and the eyes vanished.
“Are they dead?”
“Si, but more Hags come.”
Crap. I slid my Glock from its holster and searched the darkness.
Six Hag Bats swooped down with claws extended.
Arms trembling, I brought my Glock up and opened fire. Grim satisfaction filled me as all but one fell. My gun clicked empty.
Sliding my hand into my left pocket all I came up with was a squishy chocolate. Shit! Where was my other clip?
Its eno
rmous mouth opened in a hiss of fury the Hag Bat rushed towards me.
“Maybe this will sweeten you up.” I hurled the chocolate down its throat.
The Hag swallowed it, coughed and convulsed violently. With an ear shattering screech it just shriveled away.
Huh. Not quite the reaction I was expecting.
Another Hag landed and I tossed a dark chocolate down its gullet.
It screamed bloody blue murder, convulsed wildly and shriveled into a pile of dust.
Death by chocolate. Go figure. I pulled out a milk chocolate and popped it into my mouth. It sucked to be a demon.
Another round of explosions lit up the darkness and Asmoday bellowed in pain.
“We’ve got to lure that fucking demon away from them.”
“Close the entrance to the underworld and Asmoday will come.” Granny Annabel advised.
“They’re all still alive?”
“Si.”
Relief flooded me. “Okay, let’s get it done then.”
The closer I got to the rocks, the more I could feel the presence of death around me. It beckoned to me. I shuddered at the sensation of skeletal fingers brushing against my face.
“You are not alone,” Granny whispered in my mind. “I will always be with you.”
“Good to know, but not on my honeymoon, okay?”
“As you wish, bella.”
An eerie orange glow bathed the area.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped cautiously through the rocks.
A pulsating orange vortex hovered in mid-air.
I pulled out the manuscript and vial of Lucifer’s blood. God I hoped this worked. Hmmm. Let’s see.
“Miraculum sepulcrum viri dyde ond tela mistral.”
“Throw the vial now,” Granny commanded.
I did. It missed the vortex by a good two feet, bounced off a rock and rolled back to me. “Well, hell.”
A murderous roar sounded and the cavern floor shook as something the size of a T-Rex pounded towards me.
“Eeek! I think it’s working.”
“Throw the vial,” Granny’s disembodied voice shouted.
I marched up to the vortex, tossed the vial inside and chanted, “Monstrata dominus coenavit de gradali.”
The vortex winked out of existence and the eerie orange light began to fade.
That wasn’t too hard. I popped another chocolate into my mouth. Way better than morphine.
Asmoday shoved his head between the rocks and snapped madly at me.
“Aw, are we having a bad day?” I tossed a handful of chocolate down his gullet. “There’s nothing like a little chocolate to make things all better.”
A violent shudder shook the demon king. “What have you done?”
“I’m just trying to sweeten you up.”
Asmoday’s body glowed brightly and suddenly shrank down to the size of a garden snake. “What magic is this?”
“Godiva chocolate. It’s really powerful shit.”
The demon king clamped his itty-bitty jaws on my right boot and tugged viciously. Yeah, like that was going to work.
Derek burst through the rocks, did a double take on the snake.
“Asmoday?”
“Yep, courtesy of the miracle of chocolate.”
The snake doubled in size.
“Shit! Off with his head.”
With one swing of his sword, Derek decapitated Asmoday.
The ground rocked violently and the demon king vanished.
Granny’s
disembodied
voice
announced.
“Asmoday is back where he belongs.”
I blew out a long breath. “Thank God.”
Running a concerned gaze over me, Derek asked, “How badly are you hurt?”
“Nothing Excalibur can’t fix.” I stepped up to him and caressed his bloody face. “I could really use a kiss.”
Wrapping his arms carefully around me, my husband lowered his mouth to mine. “I love you, Angel.”
His long, gentle kiss touched my soul. “And I love you, sugar.”
My cousin shouted, “Bella! Derek! Where are you?”
“Over here,” I shouted back. “Are you ready to show the world your amazing discovery?”
“Our amazing discovery,” Derek corrected.
“And I think it can wait until we come back from Maui.”
I grinned up at him. “Two weeks in paradise sounds like heaven.”
“A month in paradise is even better,” he amended and his mouth closed over mind in a hot, intoxicating kiss.
About the Author
I was a — dispatcher for thirty-one years and to keep insanity at bay, I took up writing. Not to worry. The insanity isn’t catching – much. Other than the addiction to chocolate and the twitch in my left eye, I’m good. I’ve had my weird but true stories published in newspapers and magazines. My current project is Vexing Voss, the next in the Coletti Warlord series.
My website is www.gailkoger.com
