Demons in Disguise: The Divinicus Nex Chronicles: Book Three

by A and E Kirk

  It didn’t come.

  Instead, my glowing hot fist cut through the demon like he was made of pudding. His body simply liquefied against the heat on my skin and impaled itself on my arm.

  Gross, yet good news, except for the fact that the non-liquefied part of the huge creature slammed down on top of me in a crushing blow. I gasped, or tried to. Over the slumped demon’s shoulder, I saw my arm poking through his back, dripping with sloppy, slimy, stringy demon entrails. It smelled like a slaughterhouse. Cue gag reflex.

  Nausea brought on a cold sweat, and I choked down bile. Horror jigged through my bones. On the part of my arm still stuck inside the beast, I could feel things moving. Worms? Parasites? Mini-demons burrowing their way beneath my skin?

  I wheezed in a panicked breath, trying to push the monster off, the movement bringing on lots of wet sucking noises.

  The demon moaned and rose up with an ear-shattering bellow, sending hot spittle searing over my face. His disintegrating fingers wrapped around my throat with a papery, crinkling sound. I choked. Almost immediately, my vision darkened around the edges and flashed with pinpricks of light. With one hand still stuck in his torso, I used the other to grab his wrist, my hand nowhere near big enough fit around, but I poured energy in.

  I felt it sizzle and smoke, smelled burning flesh.

  But the creature didn’t flinch. In fact, he smiled. Or, let’s say his mouth opened wide and flames licked out like curled tongues.

  I brought my knee up hard, but it had no effect. I was reeling my head back, preparing to deliver a headbutt, when a hatchet sunk into the beast’s left shoulder. He laughed. Until two blades crisscrossed smoothly through his neck.

  The creature’s head wobbled. Through the light of the flames spitting from its mouth, I saw a black line appear along its neck. Liquid dribbled out and boiled off. There was a sticky sound like something glued together that had yet to dry was pulled apart, and the head tumbled off.

  It was about to bonk me in the face when one of the swords that had decapitated it, skewered into the eye and flicked it skyward. As it reached its peak and started down, a gun went off and the severed head exploded into splattering fireworks.

  Just as I geared up to shove off BBQ Bill’s corpse, he disintegrated into black mist and tornadoed down through me. Great. More Black Death, plus demon guts. I frantically wiped at myself before I realized that when the demon dissolved, he’d taken all his gore and bodily fluids with him. Awesome.

  Then I saw another ferocious creature looming above me, legs straddled over my hips, weapons glistening.

  Cristiano.

  Dress shirt and slacks shredded and splattered with blood. One sleeve was ripped off, blood dripping down the long cords of muscle and off the short sword gripped tightly in one hand. His impressive chest swelled and glistened with sweat through each gaping tear in the fabric. He had more swords strapped to each thigh. His cold eyes did a calculated sweep of the area as he tucked his gun into his waistband.

  “Thanks,” I panted. “But I totally had him.”

  “Yes,” he deadpanned. “I could see that.”

  I barely had time to prop up on my elbows before Cristiano grabbed my arm and pulled me smoothly to my feet. He might've said something. Not sure. I was busy wincing at the pain in my side. Probably cracked a rib. Or two. But at least nothing else’s innards were on my out-ards.

  “Tristan?” I put a finger to my ear.

  I didn’t get a response. Probably because I no longer had an earpiece.

  Cristiano hopped off the table, then grasped me by the hips and lifted me down to stand in front of him. He tilted my chin to meet his gaze. He wasn’t happy. Wasn’t mad. Just very serious.

  “Not bad,” he said. “But the trouble you encountered was due to relying too heavily upon your most instinctive powers rather than basic fighting techniques.” He twirled a sword. “Plus, weapons always help. We will work on that.”

  “My grades, my fighting. Everyone’s a critic.” I rolled my eyes and scoured the ground for the earpiece.

  “I only mention it to improve your ability to survive a multitude of situations, because that demon will not be the last which will possess immunities to your heat. He may have gone down eventually, but your injuries could have proven dire.” His gaze flickered anxiously behind me.

  I felt a cold wave riptiding through my belly. There were guttural pants from inhuman throats, the scrape of talons, rustle of scales, and a soft whoosh of feathers.

  But that wasn’t the worst part. Dubois was back in the control room, hunched over the panels, her hair hanging in pieces, ripped from her formerly pristine bun. The fabric of her jacket and shirt were burned through at her shoulder, the skin a wretched red mess underneath. She quickly pressed buttons and switches, then looked up.

  “Time to die,” she said with a smile.

  Cristiano pulled out his gun and got off three shots which made a tight triangle of holes in her forehead.

  Actually, because the stupid glass was bulletproof, the shots just frosted the window in a splattering cluster in front of her face. But wow, he was a heck of a shot.

  A series of clicking sounds echoed from the prison doors. Cristiano centered me behind him, pointing his gun in different directions and pulling a sword from its sheath with a metallic hiss.

  The barred doors had yet to open, but around us, a million eerily colored eyes glowed bright with a wicked cruelty and violent anticipation.

  CHAPTER 114

  Something banged behind us. Cristiano and I spun as the door at the end of the corridor exploded inward. It shattered into bits of wood and metal, sending a plume of dust and debris hurtling down the narrow walkway and spilling into the room. I squinted and shielded my face with my arms.

  Cristiano trained his gun on the new threat.

  Shadows darkened the murky air, and out from the gloom came the Hex Boys. Five of them, anyway, Tristan was still stuck in the security room with Sophina.

  The Boys stood side-by-side, battle worn, dirty, clothing ripped. Logan’s tie was missing, his jacket pocket hung by a thread, the matching handkerchief long gone. Ayden’s leather jacket had several new battle scars. The sleeve on Matthias’s wounded arm was stiff with dried blood. They were all covered in God knows what, but looked determined and ready for more. Their eyes swirled and powers revved up. Fire, shadow whips, ice knives, bow and arrow, and double-blade axes sprung to life.

  “Wow, guys,” I said, coughing on dust. “Way to make an entrance.”

  “I know, right?” Blake turned slightly sideways, put a hand on one hip and twirled an ax in the other. He jutted out his chin and looked off into the distance. “I’ve been practicing this for months!”

  I didn’t doubt it.

  Ayden saw me and his body slumped. “Oh, thank God.”

  “Please,” Matthias said. “I told you she’s too hard to kill.”

  “Aww,” I said. “Thank you.”

  Matthias offered me a sweet smile. “Just like a cockroach.”

  And he said I ruined everything.

  The clicking of cell doors increased. The Boys looked around and saw the multitude of demons in the locked chambers. Some of the hellions began grabbing the bars, trying to push their way through the slightest openings.

  “Follow me,” Cristiano ordered.

  We started running.

  “We need Dubois!” I said.

  “Yes,” Cristiano replied. “I know.”

  Jayden saw the control room. “This is Flint’s construction?”

  “Cool, right?” I said.

  When we passed a metal electrical box, Jayden stopped and opened it. “Since I am infinitely familiar with Flint’s apparatus, having studied his manuals and actual machinery, perhaps I can reconfigure the wires to reinstitute the prison’s locking mechanism which—”

  “No time!” Ayden grabbed him by the back of the shirt and dragged him along, but then I stopped. Ayden doubled-back and looked exasperated. “Real
ly?” He started to grab me too.

  “No, look!” I pointed to a double-spiral next to the electrical panel and shoved my hand over it. The stone beneath cracked vertically. Two small doors swung open to reveal a hollowed out copper box. “It’s just like in the Treasure Room!”

  Sure enough, there was a red button which was lit up, a green one which wasn’t, and next to it, a bronze lever. I yanked the lever. The dull green button burst into vibrant light as the red one died. Shrieks rose behind us as the jail doors closed again, and demons were either secured back inside or crushed by the closing doors.

  Well, not all of them.

  CHAPTER 115

  Cristiano kicked open the door that led to the catacombs and we all rushed through. Blake used his powers to put the wooden door back together and sealed it over with stone, but not before several demons followed us in.

  “Take them down!” Matthias ordered.

  As the Boys fought the hellions behind us in the light of Ayden’s fire, a vision flashed. Dubois was running through the catacombs, two demons by her side.

  “I’ve got her!” I ran forward, but stumbled in the dark.

  “Use your illumination stone,” Cristiano said.

  “My what?”

  He put his fingers on the chain at my neck and pulled out the umbra stone. “The light!”

  I hit the latch on the setting and beams of light shot out in all directions, bouncing bright colors up and down the corridor. Cristiano sucked in a breath, but said nothing.

  “Aurora!” Ayden yelled.

  “I’m okay!” Although I wasn’t exactly sure that was true, but at least I could see.

  I focused my connection on the demons with Dubois and raced through the catacombs, Cristiano and the Boys in my wake. We passed the acres of skulls and bones, large stone crosses, statues, what looked like mini-tombs and altars, scenic art carved into the limestone, and one wall even had a beautiful painted mural.

  We came to a corridor lit with oil lanterns hanging on hooks in the stone. I heard soft music and peeked in an alcove. It was a long room with a banquet table where several men and women in tuxes and evening gowns enjoyed an incredible feast amid candelabras, fine china, and silver. They saw us, raised their wine-filled crystal goblets, and offered to let us join them.

  “Sorry, no,” Cristiano said and flashed a badge. “And now I must ask you to leave immediately.”

  There were plenty of boos and complaints, but the crowd dissipated quickly after he took several of their pictures with his phone and threatened future legal action.

  Feeling the demons close, I bounded forward. Ahead, lights flickered from an arched alcove. Another dinner party? I was almost to the opening when a minotaur came around the corner, a wet, noxious green mist snorting from its nostrils. It charged, the giant horns curled so wide they raked huge furrows through the walls. I lunged toward the opening.

  But the demon’s horns caught my legs, and with a violent flick of its head, sent me flying through the archway and up into the air of a large room with a high-domed ceiling. I jettisoned through light and shadow. Below me, shouts of surprise spewed from the crowd of people who were watching a movie projected on the walls of this cave-like chamber. So crazy.

  What goes up, must come down, and now I was, dropping fast.

  I winced, closed my eyes for impact, but my shoulders hit something soft, and a moment later, instead of being a brainy mess on the ground, I was safely cradled in someone’s arms.

  Cristiano smiled down. “Do not go off without me again.”

  “Or me,” Ayden said from a few feet away. “And just so you know, I was going to catch her.”

  “I do not doubt it. Here.” Cristiano gently passed me into Ayden’s arms.

  “Uh, thanks?” Ayden shifted me closer against his chest.

  “You are welcome.” Cristiano took a step back, pulled a gun from his waistband, and trained it on Ayden’s forehead.

  CHAPTER 116

  The moviegoers ran out screaming.

  “Whoa, dude!”

  Blake had the minotaur wrestled to the ground by its horns, holding the mighty beast pinned as Logan shot an arrow into its gut to make it disappear.

  Then Logan nocked five fresh arrows in his bow and aimed at Cristiano. “Back off, Cacciatori. You can’t dodge them all.”

  “Easy.” Blake stood slowly, hands up, palms out. “Everybody calm down. No need for violence. We’re all friends here.”

  “He’s not our friend,” Logan ground out, keeping his bead on Cristiano.

  Cristiano raised his brows at Ayden and flicked the barrel of the gun in short motions to the side. “Do you mind?”

  Ayden swallowed hard, then slowly stepped sideways. We all turned. Cristiano had his gun trained on Dubois who was far down the corridor, past several tunnel intersections and behind one of those locked, heavy duty metal gates. I eased out of Ayden’s arms and stood.

  “Aurora,” Dubois said. “Thank you for making this so easy. I took the demons knowing you would follow me. And we led you right here. Heather was correct. So predictable. So boring.”

  Again with the boring. I was really sick and tired of the insults. Especially since I’d actually shut down her demon throw down.

  Cristiano’s hand tightened on the gun. “Cate, for all the pain you have caused, this will be a pleasure.”

  “Pain?” Dubois shrugged. “Perhaps I have caused some, but she will be the death of you.”

  A vision came through, fast and hard, and sliced like a knife into my brain. The second demon with Dubois, which I’d so “predictably” followed, lurked outside this room. It had something in its hand—

  Oh, no, no, no!

  I fought back from the vision, fought for control. Ayden reached for me. Cristiano was shouting my name. I ducked them both and raced out of the room. Just out the door, I cut a hard left, shoved off the startled demon, grabbed the grenade out of his hand, and pitched that sucker like all our lives depended on it.

  Because it did.

  I didn’t know how long I had, but I did know the demon had already pulled the pin. “Get down!” I yelled and kept running.

  Toward Dubois and the grenade.

  Certain that I had a brilliant plan.

  The grenade hit the gate dead center and exploded in a hail of pounding noise and screaming metal. The blast came at me. I dove into an intersection and out of the way. The edge of the concussion gave me an extra push as I rolled into a ball, slammed up against the wall, and stayed there while the world shuddered and shook with a ferocious cacophony of noise.

  As the racket and rubble died down, I was yanked up and my back shoved against the wall. Cristiano’s eyes glittered with more metal than greens.

  “What were you thinking!” he roared.

  “That I was saving our lives!” I shouted back. I think I shouted. I’d covered my ears, but my hearing was barely there. “Are the guys okay?” I realized I had to shout to even hear myself.

  He just stared at me, furious.

  Maybe his hearing was bad too, so I figured I’d better speak up. “Are the guys—”

  “Yes!” he said, so loud I felt it more than heard it. He was trembling. The fury in his eyes didn’t go away, but he did. He released me and stalked off. “Now I will get answers. Or she will die.”

  I followed him out. The gate was shrapnel, ripped apart like a shredded tin can. Further down the corridor, Dubois was limping away, holding her side. Good God, talk about hard to kill.

  “Cate!” Cristiano called.

  She stopped and turned, her face bleeding from a mass of cuts, her blonde hair completely free of the bun, a wild, tangled mess, streaks of black scorched throughout. Her white pants? Yeah, they were toast. I mean literally the color of toast. Maybe burnt toast.

  “How could you do this?” Cristiano said.

  “You, the coldest of killers, are asking me?” she laughed. “Our reasons are the same, Cristiano. It is for the good of the Mandatum. For
the good of the world.”

  The floor rumbled beneath our feet. Then the whole place shook, sending pieces of dust and stone dribbling down from the ceiling. There was one great jolt, and past the gate, the ceiling crumbled. A little, then a lot, then it rolled into a continuing thunder and all came crashing down.

  Dubois looked up horrified as the ceiling continued to collapse. Rubble flowed like a raging flood coming down upon her. She managed to get past her pains and started to run, but we lost sight of her as the tunnel kept collapsing and began flowing toward us too. Cristiano grabbed my arm, and we booked it back.

  As the Hex Boys ran up, Blake pushed his way to the front and raised his arms, the rumbling behind us settled to a low hum, then it stopped altogether. I looked back. The tunnel had stopped disintegrating and was simply a pile of rock, dirt, skulls, and bones.

  “Thanks, Blake,” I said.

  Ayden rushed to my side. “A grenade? Are you crazy? I thought you were—”

  “Save it, dude. And babe, don’t thank me yet,” he said grimly. “We’ve got a bigger problem. Cristiano, get us the fastest way out of here. And I mean now!”

  Cristiano started running. We followed. I stumbled as the floor shuddered. Ayden grabbed my hand and gripped it tight.

  “Why are we running, Blake?” I said. “You already stopped it.”

  “No,” Blake said. “I stopped one tiny part of it. The blast started a massive collapse of the catacombs. It’s like dominos falling, one causing the other then another.”

  “Can’t you just stop them all?”

  “Only if I’d mapped the entire network beforehand, knew every tunnel.” Blake made an angry, frustrated noise. “And then I’m not even sure I could do it. This place is huge, and it’s all happening at once. I’m— Run faster!”

  We put on a burst of speed and spurted through an intersection just as a tide of dirt and rubble barreled down from both sides, slammed together, and rushed towards us like a roaring river, chomping at our heels and ready to swallow us whole. Skulls and bones careened past our heads. We ducked and dodged as best as we could, but still got pelted with painful hits.