Conjuring Wrath (Seven Deadly Book 3)

by Michelle Gross

Maureen’s lips parted, and she looked like a rabid dog. Where was her confident smile? She then sighed. “I can feel your I-told-you-so from here.”

  I didn’t think she was talking to Joy or Kitty. They were staring at each other with lifted brows. Small steps echoed through the alley until a small red-cloaked figure came out of the shadows and stopped next to fake Maureen.

  “You were right this time. They saw through it, but I know for a fact that this trick will work. It has before. One of them would have fallen.” Fake Maureen turned her head toward the smaller figure, who never answered. “Always so talkative,” she said sarcastically.

  “A player of faces…” Joy’s eyes narrowed. “It’s him.”

  Kitty watched her sister’s reaction before drawing her large sword. “I missed the first encounter with you, Harvest. You haven’t met my blade yet.”

  Fake Maureen—or Harvest—laughed. Joy and Kitty lunged for him. The figure next to him raised a small hand in the air. Joy and Kitty were thrown back instantly. The sound of shattered glass pierced my ear as they crashed through the window of the semen shop behind us. The broken shards weren’t even on the ground before they faded. One second, two—Kitty reappeared midair above the figure, sword held over her head. Beside her, Joy was in the same position above Fake Maureen. Swinging their blades down, the swords bounced off a gold barrier that appeared suddenly. Pong! Their weapons seemed to jar their hands. Right as they tried flying back, they hit the ground stomach first. Boom. I grabbed my chest and winced as the pavement cracked underneath them. Then an unseen magic lifted them back up and slammed them down again. Blood covered Kitty’s face and Joy’s entire body. Joy hung limp each time they lifted her. The ground cracked some more. Then it happened again. And again. Both were relentlessly hammered to the ground. My panic grew. Why weren’t they fading? Fake Maureen was cackling but his friend wasn’t moving an inch. Craters were forming in the ground.

  “Joy! Kitty!” Yanking off the gloves, I raised my hands and let Wrath’s destruction fly. Large red orbs shot out from my palm creating explosions on everything it touched. Chunks of the ground flew up and debris smacked against my arms. My power was causing a smoke screen and my ears were ringing from the loud booms. But I kept throwing out the orbs until there was nothing left of wrath. Coughing, I waited for the smoke to clear. Nothing was left of the shops and concrete around them, it was a crumbled mess, yet they stood unharmed. I glanced at the cloaked figure beside Fake Maureen. Just what kind of magic did she have?

  Unwilling to give up, I raised my hand and lifted large broken bricks in the air behind him. Then I made them fly toward them. They bounced off the golden barrier around them.

  Who were these people? They were nothing like the demons the Reapers had slain that night.

  Suddenly, I was sailing backward in the air. Arms flaying, I tried to grab onto the broken windowsill Joy and Kitty had shattered earlier when the figure had sent them through it. I was moving too quickly though and missed the opportunity to slow myself. With a thump, my back slammed against the wall and my ass fell to the ground. I tried to inhale, but pain shot up my chest. Oh, my God! Can’t breathe! Agony sliced up my back and burned my lungs. After several seconds of holding it off, I finally exhaled, and it was like a knife cut into my ribs when I did.

  “Shit!” I cried out and rubbed my chest. Each breath got easier after that. As my pain dulled, I heard the whimpers all around me. Opening my eyes, I took in all of humans scattered across the room. They were hunkered down in small groups.

  With a grimace, I pushed to my feet and ran outside. The figure’s hand was already raised toward me the second I stepped out, so I faded toward Joy first, pulling her from whatever magical influence kept slamming her into the ground. I grabbed her as her body was raising, then jerked her arm. Her head collided with mine as she fell on top of me. Ow! Metallic filled my mouth. Blood dripped from my jaw, but Joy was bleeding everywhere. Grabbing her waist, I materialized my pistol, aimed it at the ground, and fired.

  Wind whipped past us as the force of the magic sphere swept us up like I wanted. Pain coursed through me as my shoulder ripped free of its socket, but I didn’t dare let go of Joy. Once we were in the air, I faded to Kitty. Thankfully, Kitty was no longer being pummeled anymore, so I dropped to the ground with Joy and whimpered, unable to bear the agony tearing into my shoulder.

  That was when the witch attacked again. With my good arm, I wrapped a barrier around us. Her yellowish magic thumped against it. When she did it again, my hand jerked from the impact.

  That was when I stopped trying to do it alone.

  I conjured Barron.

  Chapter 36

  Barron

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Mini explosions ripped through the City of the Dead. At a distance, I saw a weird, foggy vapor filtering through the air. Suddenly, pressure hit my stomach. I recognized that power because it was mine. “That’s where Gwendolyn…”

  “A typical demon isn’t doing that,” Payne's voice was low. “Feel that? That’s a witch.”

  Oh yeah, I could sense it. The explosive pulse of power was one I encountered right after Gwendolyn was murdered. The one that helped the others escape before I could kill them all. I believe her name was Nova. Was she there for Gwendolyn’s soul again? A spike of fear followed by intense pain hit me. Gwendolyn! My sin flourished like wildfire.

  Fuck.

  Payne reached for his portal chip at the same time I started to fade, but I didn’t need to. In a blink of an eye, I was beside her. I didn’t know how Gwendolyn could fucking summon me, but I was so glad she could. I loved that she could materialize me like a weapon when she was in danger. I was her lover and her protector. I wanted to always be there when she needed me.

  I saw Maureen scooping up an unconscious Joy. Maureen draped Joy over her shoulder like she weighed nothing.

  My sister was an excellent fighter, but there was no way Maureen could have carried any adult person like that. Second problem, her essence wasn’t right. A murky shadow of black was fighting to get out.

  Gwendolyn’s candy eyes flicked to me. “That’s not Maureen. I couldn’t help your sisters,” she said frantically. “Hurry! Fake Maureen is going to take Joy and Kitty.”

  No shit that wasn’t Maureen.

  Kitty, her clothing tattered, wobbled to her feet. Then, I noticed the huge indention in the concrete. Did those bastards knock her to the ground? Blood covering her skin, Kitty wiped her lip and faded.

  Sebastian and Isabella, holding hands, appeared in front of me.

  “I told you I felt Harvest.”

  By Isabella’s words, I knew exactly who we were dealing with.

  “Ah, Isabella. How I long for the days when you’ll come back to me,” said Harvest while pretending to be Maureen.

  “You have five seconds to put Joy down,” Sebastian warned.

  “I give you two,” I said.

  Isabella tossed her hands up and her icky blackness flew out of her palms. My skin crawled as the vibrations of her magic spread and shot out toward Harvest. Stepping in front of him, the cloaked figure threw up a gold shield. Nova. Lifting her hand, Nova sent a blast of her magic at Isabella. Isabella threw up a black shield, but her feet slid backward as she held up the barrier. Sebastian grabbed her shoulders to hold her steady.

  “I wasn’t expecting that,” Isabella gasped. “So much power…let me send her some more.” Isabella’s arms spread. One kept up her armor while the other sent magic out like a beam. Nova met her halfway with her own. Black and gold clashed halfway. Nova held up one hand and barely moved while Isabella panted. Like my first impression of the witch, I sensed she wasn’t even using a tenth of her power.

  Behind Harvest, Payne kept moving closer. He ducked in back of the destroyed Witch’s Brew shop. Payne reached for his weapon. Suddenly, Kitty faded in with her sword raised. In one swoop, she sliced down and ripped into Harvest’s shoulder. Flames flickered from his
head as his body widened and lengthened revealing his true form. His hand was on Kitty’s blade before she could retreat while the other rested against Joy’s back—still refusing to drop my sister. Seconds later, his body jerked as a gunshot tore into his shoulder.

  Joy started to slip from his hold. Payne caught Joy. As he was moving to save her, Harvest materialized a sword. Harvest’s tendons and flesh were already mending together as he swung his blade at Payne. Unsheathing his sword, Payne turned his body to the side to shield Joy barely lifting his weapon in time to block Harvest’s attack.

  Suddenly, a golden wave of magic threw Payne and Joy. Harvest smirked at his companion as he jerked Kitty’s sword, forcing her closer.

  “It doesn’t bother me. Let them hurt me again.”

  Was Harvest daring Nova not to protect him?

  Sebastian and I sprang into action. My red essence wrapped around Harvest’s arm—the one that held Kitty’s blade. Sebastian took hold of Kitty’s blade, allowing her to jump away. Swinging Kitty’s weapon, Sebastian sliced into Harvest’s chest. Strange black blood oozed out, then an unseen magic threw the blade and Sebastian stumbled. Nova was intervening.

  Around me, I let my power spread. A red storm rolled out like clouds floating on the ground toward the witch. But her bright yellow magic was meeting mine in the middle. Unbelievable. Nova blocked Isabella’s attacks, shielded Harvest, and mine all at the same time. And she wasn’t even moving.

  She was a proxy.

  Fucking Hades.

  August was right. Harvest had proxies in his little group. The one attacking us had reached maturation. What were the limitations of her powers? And how many more proxies worked for Harvest?

  Wrath rose steadily, but I wasn’t close to raging yet.

  Soon, Nova’s magic was pushing mine back, so I morphed my power into a giant wall. Her magic slammed against it, jarring the ground slightly. It held her attacks back, but it wouldn’t last long.

  “Does Nova have you distracted?” Harvest lips tipped up, revealing teeth.

  I grabbed his neck the same time he did mine. Pain flamed up my throat as he squeezed and pierced my flesh with his nails. I tightened my hold until veins protruded on his face.

  “How does it feel to know that another minute too late and you would have lost Gwendolyn the same way you’re about to lose a sister?” Harvest laughed.

  Rage burned bright. He dared to bring up his harvesters trying to kill Gwendolyn.

  “How about you tell us how this feels?” Sebastian gritted out just as he swung Kitty’s blade again.

  While Harvest and Nova focused on the sword, I materialized a dagger and severed Harvest’s wrist. His grip on my neck loosened before his hand dropped at my boots. Black blood spewed against my chest and face as Harvest raised his missing limb. Sebastian’s blade made it an inch from Harvest’s neck before Nova stopped it. The weapon shook and Sebastian’s neck bulged as he tried to push through her invincible magic.

  Why only block Sebastian’s attack? With Nova’s power, I had a hunch she could have blocked my attack as well.

  “You’re cutting it close tonight, aren’t you?” Harvest said to Nova.

  She never spoke a word. Joy faded beside Nova. Covered in blood, Joy materialized her blade and slammed it against Nova’s barrier. Even then, Nova was eerily still. Joy’s weapon bounced off the gold shield, but Joy tried again. And again. Each time Joy hit the magic, green markers appeared before fading back to yellow. Then Payne was firing his shotgun at the barrier. After several blows, a small hole formed from Joy’s attacks. Payne saw the opening and shot through it. The bullet whizzed past Nova and bounced against the backside of her barrier. It exploded against her back. A soft cry escaped her lips before it cut off. She gripped her shoulder and hunched down. With a good portion of Nova’s cloak destroyed, her essence shined around her. The yellow essence spilled out as if it could hardly be contained. Unease slammed into me. Fuck. It was familiar—recognizable.

  Kitty’s battle cry caught my attention. She was beside Sebastian helping him push the sword forward. Nova’s hidden barrier was still around Harvest despite her being injured. Together, they thrust the blade forward, and it began to move again. It wasn’t surprising considering the insane strength Kitty had.

  Harvest retreated. Before he could get away, I faded and reappeared behind him. I push kicked him forward, aiming for the sword. Rather than fall on the blade, Harvest ported.

  Fucker.

  He reappeared beside Kitty. His hand closed around her cloak as he yanked her to him. Sebastian tossed Kitty’s blade into the air. She caught it and slammed it into Harvest’s stomach. Black blood flowered from the wound.

  He smiled. “Nova get the other one. I’m afraid they mean business.”

  No!

  Joy!

  I faded toward her. Payne shoved her behind him.

  “Hey!” Isabella yelled at Nova. The proxy whipped her head around. “You’re not taking them.”

  Isabella’s black magic rushed out, laced with Sloth’s turquoise essence. Nova’s gold magic met hers halfway. They slammed together like two waves meeting, but Nova’s was pushing Isabella’s back seamlessly.

  Even Isabella’s deadly magic was no match against the proxy.

  Out of nowhere, haunting shrieks filled the city. It reminded me of the way a banshee screamed, but eerier. Everyone stopped and cupped their ears—including Harvest and Nova. Blood trickled from my ear. The shrieks brought blood that soon ran through the streets like a river. It oozed down the buildings. Everything was red.

  What the fuck was going on?

  “It’s true. One of them is the Devil’s weakness.” Harvest cackled like a lunatic even through the wailing. He sneered at Joy first then did the same to Kitty. “Which one though? That’s the mystery. Let’s go, Nova.” Harvest eyes were still on Joy when he said, “Until next time Reapers.”

  “We can’t let him go!” Sebastian roared.

  “Boom.” At Nova’s words, a blinding light engulfed her and Harvest. Then it expanded like a balloon and burst. The wind and debris sent me and everyone else flying. A huge chunk of brick smacked into my chest before I fell to my ass. With a groan, I stood.

  But by the time the smoke faded they were gone. The screams, the blood. Gone too.

  Shit. We needed to go after them.

  The second I spotted Gwendolyn stumbling to her feet, all thoughts of pursuing an enemy fled. Kitty and Joy were safe. That was all that mattered. Besides, Gwendolyn was running to me and my chaotic mind stilled in her presence.

  “Are you okay?” She touched my neck tenderly.

  I just wanted to finish up there and take her home. I wanted to forget the troubles of the world and savor every second I could with her.

  I took a deep breath. “I love you,” I said.

  Her mouth parted, and her cheeks dimpled. “I love you too.”

  “It’s not about what you do for me, dimples. I liked you when you were making me go berserk.”

  “I know.”

  “But for taking my wrath without hesitation, I’m grateful that I get to fuck you for eons to come.”

  Covering her face, she peeked between her fingers at Joy and Payne close by. “I think you should make these confessions for when we’re alone…”

  “Not matter what, I’m going to protect you from the end,” I swore to her. I noticed the odd way her arm was dangling. “What happened?”

  Gwendolyn shrugged. “Can you pop it back into place for me?”

  You were being brave, weren’t you, dimples? I smiled as I wiped some dirt off her face.

  “We’re all going to get out of this alive,” Sebastian piped in as he wrapped his arm around Isabella.

  “What the—” The real Maureen faded in a little too late. “What happened here?”

  ______

  It took a day and a half before the City of the Dead was clean again. We returned the humans to their homes. Every demon that took part in the human
festival was dead, and their souls descended to Satan himself. The demons not involved in the chaos reopened their shops. Just because there were a lot of bad demons, didn’t make them all bad.

  On the third night, Sebastian and I finally gave our family the full details of our encounter with Harvest and the proxy. Grim then delivered the news to every Reaper. It was clear Harvest was after our sisters that night. Why remained to be seen. We knew he’d try again.

  “It’s time to face the facts,” Grim began. Mom gave him a reassuring nod. “We’ve been looking. We’ve opened every book and searched every corner of the Underworld. There’s no way around preventing the end from coming. Instead of finding a way to stop it, it’s time to look into what we will do when it arrives.”

  “How long will we last when that happens?” Joy asked.

  “We’re unsure,” Mom admitted.

  “Our one and only shot will be in the beginning,” August said looking out the window. “That is if we don’t fade away first.”

  Sebastian's stared at the floor as he spoke. “That will be our only opportunity.”

  “You’re referring to the moment the Devil ascends, right?” Kitty asked.

  “Exactly,” I answered. “He won’t be the only one trying to exit through the hole or whatever fuckery that’s supposed to form.”

  “Melinda told me something about that. The Devil has a time limit before everything becomes permanent,” Isabella mentioned.

  “Or, Harvest?” Prudence offered.

  “Sadly, yes. Either of them could accomplish it,” Isabella agreed.

  “Then we stop either from getting close,” I added.

  “Another thing that’s in our favor is that the Devil and Harvest will fight each other for this glory moment,” August said.

  “Will it even be a fight?” Maureen scoffed. “This is the Devil’s moment—his destiny. I feel like he’s the one we’ll have to worry about.”

  Silence fell around us. None of us were ready to acknowledge the truth of her words. We didn’t stand a chance of defeating the dark lord, but we had the power to delay him and Harvest. If we gave it everything we had, we could hold them back. We had to do it until their window closed.