Demons Prefer Blondes

by Sidney Ayers

  With a sardonic chuckle, Belial ripped the arrow from his shoulder, the almost-black blood dripping steadily down his arm. In all the excitement, she’d failed to notice that blood no longer scared her. Maybe it was because he deserved to bleed.

  “Jacoba, dear. Kill him.”

  Lucy’s heart stopped and her stomach lurched. Screw the blood. He deserved more. He deserved to go back to Hell.

  Jacoba reached behind her back and grabbed her dagger, aimed at her brother and ready to strike.

  Rafe stood there, grief creased his face. His jaw locked. He clenched the crossbow tight, any tighter and the thing would split in half. “Coby, it’s me. Rafael.” Despite the thick tension in the air, his voice remained calm and clear. “Your brother.”

  Jacoba narrowed her gaze, her nose scrunched. Silvery strands of hair whipped with the wind. Dagger poised and ready to fly, she took a long breath of air. “Some brother,” she muttered. With sheer fluidity, she traced her finger along the blade, like she was admiring its shiny surface.

  That walking sack of demon excrement had pulled a number on her. Lucy had to act quickly or Coby would do something she’d regret. She took cautious steps forward, holding her hand out like she was approaching an injured doe. “Your brother loves you. He’s done nothing but support you.”

  “Support me? Where was his support when I sat in the dungeons of Hell?” She clenched the hilt of the dagger, her gaze slicing.

  “The Fore-Demons sent him here instead. Believe me, he would’ve rather been there rescuing you had he the choice.” She inched closer to Rafe, ready to defend.

  Belial growled, his claws digging into Lucy’s arm. “Kill him now, Jacoba.”

  Lucy pleaded through her pain, “Your brother loves you. He’s told me all about you. Don’t do it. You’re his sister, his flesh and blood. That’s got to mean something.”

  A flicker of remorse flashed in her eyes. She bit her lip as a glisten of a tear formed in the corner of her eye. “Rafe,” she murmured. The dagger dropped to the ground, the snow enveloping it in a frozen cocoon. Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. There was hope for Coby after all.

  “Lucy! Coby! Watch out!” Rafe’s voice, full of urgency, reeled her back in.

  She swiveled around.

  With a loud, garbled roar, Belial ripped out a long, serrated blade, the tips sparking against the ice and snow. “You worthless bitch! You failed me. Now you die.”

  “So be it,” Coby mumbled.

  In a literal flash, the blade sailed through the air. Lucy’s breath caught in her throat. She just stood in place, her head hanging low, ready to accept her fate.

  Fortunately for Coby, Lucy wasn’t ready to accept that fate. And she had news for Coby: neither was Rafe. She sailed in the air, toward Rafe’s sister.

  “Lucy! No!”

  Rafe’s new phrase of choice. Regardless, she wouldn’t turn back now. There was too much at stake. She did this for him. She loved him. She couldn’t let Belial take his sister away from him.

  Wind whizzing through her hair as she flipped through the air, Lucy smiled. She wouldn’t fail. With a not-so-graceful somersault, she dove for Coby. In a flutter of her heavy priestess robes, they tumbled to the ground, snow and ice flying.

  “Aren’t you big and brave,” Belial seethed. Armed with a long, simple dagger, he flew at them. His golden eyes sparked like violent flames. Long gnarly horns ripped from his head. Anger and rage contorted his face, his tawny mane whipping around his head. A roar, deep and primal, ripped from his mouth as he continued his grotesque metamorphosis.

  She could add shape-shifting to Belial’s long list of demonic feats. And it was only appropriate he’d shift into a lion. Then again, lions didn’t usually have horns.

  In the distance, a bell tolled. Belial stopped in his tracks. Did someone invite Hemingway to this little foray? For her fear of old men and seas, she hoped not.

  “Belial! You’re too late.” Rafe stood tall, the crossbow poised and ready.

  “Your silly arrows won’t keep me detained more than a few weeks at the most.”

  “How about an archangel’s arrow?” he asked, his finger poised on the trigger.

  An archangel had blessed Rafe’s weapon? Lucy’s heart soared. She scanned his expression, stony and severe. Not a lick of emotion spread on his face. Perhaps it was only a bluff. Even if he were bluffing, she knew he could do it.

  “As if an archangel would bless any of your weapons. I’ve seen your record.” Letting out a loud guffaw, Belial lunged for him.

  With one fluid motion, Rafe pulled the trigger, the snap of the crossbow a welcome echo in her ear. The silver tip of the arrow sparked as it sailed through the air.

  With a loud pop, the arrow hit Belial’s chest.

  Dark blood pooling from his chest, Belial let out a gurgling gasp. Blood trickled from his mouth and nose as he clutched the sliver arrow wedged deep into his black heart. His once-vibrant gold eyes faded to black. He stumbled forward and threw his hands out, ready to grab Rafe and bring him where ever he was going.

  “Rafe! Look out!”

  With a quick leap, Rafe sidestepped Belial’s grasp. Belial, with a gurgled groan, fell forward and landed in the puffy snow, blood tainting the pristine whiteness as he withered away, a coating of gray ash and dust the only thing remaining. With a biting cold blast of air, the ash blew away in a violent whip of wind.

  “Rafe!” Full of relief, she flung herself into his arms and pressed her lips to his. Wrapping her arms around his neck and latching onto his silky hair, she pulled in closer. She never wanted to let go. Her lips roamed and prodded his as her tongue swirled and pushed its way inside. Zings of warm energy rushed through every vein in her body. Not as hot as before, but still as intense. Reluctantly, she pulled her lips from his and nestled her head on his shoulder. “You did it,” she breathed.

  “We aren’t finished yet,” he stated with a quick peck to her cheek. He turned her to face the Arca Inferorum, still glowing like a giant demon beacon. Sparks and shadows swirled around it. Smoke and fog danced in eerie accompaniment.

  “The demons are loosed and ready for your control.” Rafe’s sister padded toward them, her head still cast down. “I am your humble servant.”

  Rafe sucked in a deep breath and reached for his sister’s hand, his eyes swirling with warmth. “Coby, you’re free.”

  Coby jerked her hand from his grasp and turned away. “Free? You call this free? How can I possibly be free now?” Silver eyes flashing, she snorted. “If you know what’s right, you’ll just let me be, Rafael.” With an annoyed huff, she spun away and stalked toward the road.

  The scathing use of his given name sent cringes racing through Lucy’s system. Fists clenched at her side, her blood boiled. This was the thanks she gave her brother—her own flesh and blood—for saving her life? “Now wait just a minute,” she ground out. “Your brother risked his life to save your ass. Be a sister, damn it.”

  Coby shrugged, a cryptic smile spread across her face. “No, he risked his ass to save yours. But it was worth it.” She disregarded Lucy with a toss of her spun-silver hair and turned away.

  “Hey there, aren’t you mine to command?” Lucy asked, doing her best to sound authoritative. She stood tall, her arms crossed.

  Coby strode off, her hair swaying with each move of her hips. “You already have,” she called over her shoulder as she faded into the mists.

  Turning to Rafe, she brushed a lock of stray hair from his brow. “I didn’t tell her to do that, did I?”

  Rafe shook his head. “No. It’s common for the Infernati to twist someone’s words.”

  Her stomach knotted. “She’s Infernati?”

  “Not completely, but enough to remain a threat.”

  “But she refused to kill you. You’re just going to let her walk away?”

  “Coby does what she wants and doesn’t let anyone stop her.” A small half-smile curved his lips. “At least that part of her is still intact.”r />
  “Then there’s still hope? Someone has to go to her.”

  “That, unfortunately, isn’t my mission.” Rafe gazed down at her, a bittersweet mixture of silver and gray swirling in his eyes. “You—not Coby—not even the Arca Inferorum—are my mission.”

  “What?”

  “When Michael presented himself to me, I finally understood. He also said Coby will have her time. All isn’t completely lost.”

  “What about Nic? How can she get over that? She killed him.”

  “Nic isn’t dead.” His gaze flashed a hint of somberness. “At least not his body. He loved her, you know.”

  “Oh Rafe, I’m so sorry.” she pressed close to him, allowing her warmth to mingle with his. She traced a finger through his hair, just wanting to give him comfort—to show she cared. Heck, she wanted to show him she loved him too.

  “The Fore-Demons knew the only way I could defeat Belial was if I stepped from my sister’s shadow. I’ve kept myself secluded too long. It took one saucy succubus to cure me.”

  “I cured you?”

  “More than you realize.”

  “And I didn’t even need a degree in medicine to do it.” She nudged Rafe toward the circle of rocks, ready to finish the mission—together.

  She scanned the area to check on her friends. Squeaky, wearing a ragged suit coat and crumpled fedora, flexed his chimp muscles for Serah. With a snort, Serah laughed then doubled over, wincing with pain. Squeaky, ever-attentive familiar that he was, turned Dr. Ross on her and examined every bone in her body.

  Kalli, arms crossed, leaned against the side of the chapel, dreadlocks mangled and fishnets gaping with even larger holes. Cigarette poised between her lips, she took a long drag, spirals of smoke puffing into the air. With a brief flicker of amethyst eyes, she offered a cursory nod Lucy’s way and turned to stare off at the cloudy gray sky.

  She’d leave Kalli to her thoughts. She knew most of Lucy’s as it was.

  Frankie and Gerardo, on the other hand, fought and bickered. Gerardo flicked a snowy white, slightly mangled wing while Frankie ripped off the sleeve of his sweater into perfect strips. Despite the minor injuries, everyone was okay.

  “Everyone’s safe, honey,” she whispered in Rafe’s ear. “Let’s send this baby back to Limbo.” She laced her fingers with his and led him toward the damned chest. The sooner they sent it back, the sooner she could start her life—with Rafe.

  Kneeling in the snow, she peered inside. The chest’s energy washed over her, its tentacles of warmth crawling over her skin. If this was their idea of ecstasy, they never spent a night in bed with Rafael Deleon.

  Rafe’s grip tightened on her shoulder. “Be careful. Its energy is very intoxicating.”

  She soaked in the minty scent that wafted from him as he knelt beside her. Placing her hand on his chest, she smiled. “Not as much as you.”

  His heart thudded against her fingers and he drew in a deep breath of air. Inky black hair blowing against snowy white flakes, he brushed a snowflake from her cheek. Despite the biting cold wind, tender warmth swirled between them. She needed to concentrate, or she’d end up a pile of mush in the snow. Reining in her hormones, she took in a deep breath.

  “So what do we do?”

  “It’s all you, Lucy. I’m just here for moral support.”

  “And here I thought it was because you loved me.” Wow, way to drop the L word, Lucy.

  A slow smile widened his lips. “That too.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really?”

  “Yes, Lucy.” He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to him, the heat of his chiseled chest pulsing from him and filling her with sizzling energy. His silver eyes bored into her with a fervor she never knew. “I love you.”

  He didn’t wait for her response. Instead, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. His lips, firm and protective, crushed against hers. Coaxing her mouth open, his tongue swept inside, melting her against him. As quickly as the kiss started, he pulled away.

  “Why’d you stop?”

  Rafe brushed a fingertip over her kiss-swollen lips. “The Arca Inferorum, remember? We’ll continue the kiss later.”

  Nodding, she threw a dagger-like glare at the chest. She wanted to send that chest back to Limbo now… more than ever. She had purpose. She’d save the world. She’d save her friends and family. She would save her shop. She’d continue that kiss with Rafe. That, itself, made it all worthwhile. “I look forward to it.” She stood on strangely steady legs. With a wide smile, she offered Rafe a hand. Not that he needed her help, but she just needed his skin against hers. She knew she had to be the one who wrangled the demons back in the chest, but having him with her made all the difference. He was her man, and she’d definitely stand by him.

  “Thank you darling.” Rafe brushed snow from his jeans and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “Now let’s get your minions collected.”

  “My minions?” Even though she went through enough weirdness in the past couple of days to last a lifetime, it still was surreal. She could control a whole legion of demons. That was a lot of power. She shivered as the pulsing and flashing energy from the Arca Inferorum tried to weave its spell. She didn’t want that power.

  “Don’t let it seduce you.”

  “Only one person can do that. And it certainly isn’t some dusty old box.”

  With that, Lucy spun around and glared down at the chest. The one thing that had turned her life upside down, sideways and inside out. The only good thing that came from it was Rafe. That’s what made this whole ordeal worthwhile.

  Lucy took a deep breath. Did she have to say anything special? It couldn’t be as easy as just saying “Get back in.” She closed her eyes. Soaking in the energy around her, she allowed it to spur her on.

  She opened her mouth to speak, the Latin flowing from her tongue like butter. “All my loosed minions, I command you return to the Arca Inferorum.”

  Angry screeches intermingling with tormented moans rent the air. A bitter cold blast of air whipped around them. The chest glowed brighter, a beacon for the lost souls. Violent gusts of air spiraled, sending their hair flying in every direction. Even as the icy winds flicked at their faces, they stood proud and remained calm. The wind intensified, spinning and whirling from the center of the chest. She snapped her head up. The eerie gray vortex flung itself around, the echo of the winds hissing in her ears. Screeches and groans, squeals and moans cried out in a terrifying cacophony as the greenish gray clouds rotated and intensified, sucking in her demonic minions with each brutal twist. But she and Rafe stood tall. She could do anything, as long as he was by her side.

  Reaching out through the tornadic wind, she took Rafe’s hand in hers. His grip, strong and sure, sent waves of determination coursing through her. Hands still clasped, they stood together as the chest sucked the remaining Infernati back to whence they came.

  “Please!” a haunting voice whined. Fingers, thin and long, clawed at her legs, latching on. “Don’t send us back.” The demoness’s claws dug into her jean-clad legs, her icy grip weakening with each cyclonic gust.

  It was a test. No matter how sweet and innocent the woman sounded, she’d been put in the Arca Inferorum for a reason. And it wasn’t because she won the Nobel Peace Prize. Despite the evil that she eradicated, Lucy still felt a little guilty. She closed her eyes, her heart constricting in her chest. She pursed her lips together and bit back the tears. A trickle traced down her cheek and over her lip, the odor of iron wafting to her nose. Blood. These weren’t her tears.

  “I’m sorry. It’s the only way.” Lucy shook her leg and the demoness’s claws loosened. The blood tears faded and her sorrow lifted, only to be replaced with anger and rage. Bloody Infernati. With a swift kick, she sent the demoness flying backward, her screech fading into the violent spin of the wind. The cyclone fizzled and the glowing energy faded away.

  She took a deep breath and slammed the lid of the chest down, the loud snap of the lock reverberating against the
buildings. Reclaiming Rafe’s hand, she let him draw her close and envelop her in his warmth. There was no other place she wanted to be. Maybe one other place… her bedroom.

  With a quick review of the area, she saw her friends, all together, smiles and cheers bursting from their lips. Squeaky’s chimp form jumped down with enthusiasm as he clapped and hollered. Kalli offered a sly smile yet remained strangely aloof. Frankie and Gerardo hugged and high-fived each other like they’d just watched their favorite football team win the Super Bowl. Weird. But right now, she didn’t care. They just saved the world.

  “You did it,” Rafe’s breath teased along her ear, sending delightful shivers racing through her body.

  She snuggled closer. “No, we did it.”

  “Indeed.” He wrapped his arm tighter around her. She never wanted him to let go. Relief washed over her as his heart thrummed in her ear. She smiled. Rafe couldn’t call himself a failure anymore. He’d helped rid the world of a legion of demons. His mission was a success.

  Lucy turned to him, longing to say those words that had tickled her tongue for so long. “I love you, Rafe. Ever since the day you walked into my shop. I’ve never felt so strongly for anyone. It’s fiercely hot yet warm and tender.” Great. She was on the verge of turning into a Shakespearean sonnet. “I know this sounds cliché, but it’s magical.”

  Rafe chuckled, deep and throaty. “It’s not magic, it’s love, and it’s how I felt when I first met you.”

  He pulled her close and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “I would do anything for you. I can’t say it enough, I love you.”

  Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his, warmth and love filling her every pore. “Magical indeed.”

  Rafe traced a finger across her lips. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Lucy placed tender kisses along his fingertips. Neither would she.

  Acknowledgments