The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers ds-2

by Angie Fox

  Oh no. I couldn’t do this by myself.

  Who was I kidding? I had to do this by myself.

  “I think it’s getting worse,” I told him. My hands took on a horrible, tingling pallor. Blue bubbles erupted from each of my fingertips. “Holy shit!”

  “What?” Dimitri demanded, smashing into the other side of the door. He ground something against it. “Pirate, go get Gertie. She’s casting wards down by the intake room.”

  Sure, they didn’t want any more demons down here, but… “Grandma’s wards won’t find me, will they?” I’d seen her weave them before—she used a trajectory that would fling the lesser evils straight back to hell. Of course it didn’t work on demons, but I had no idea what Grandma’s wards would do to me. I couldn’t get pitched into hell on the back swing, not like this.

  “Lizzie, you’re not evil.”

  I needed to hear that. Even if I wasn’t sure I believed it.

  “Stand back,” Dimitri commanded.

  Shaking, I did what he asked. The blue bubbles on my fingertips grew to the size of softballs. Okay, screw the idea of not needing help. “Hurry!”

  The entire door fell from its hinges and smacked into the floor in front of me.

  Dimitri burst into the room, bronze sword in hand. The poor man still hadn’t found time to replace his shirt. He swallowed hard when he saw me. He ripped the protective rags off of his wrists and clutched my head in his hands.

  “Steady, Lizzie,” he said, his fingers mashing into my hair and his breath warm against my face. I couldn’t look at him. My hands, they were getting worse.

  He began speaking to me in an ancient language, or maybe it was Greek. His words took on a lilting, almost hypnotic tone. I didn’t know it if it was what he was saying, or how he said it, but I felt a calm invade my body. I gasped for breath. God, it felt good to have him here.

  “That’s it,” he said, running his fingers through my hair.

  I fought it. I’m not sure if some part of me wanted the power or the anger, but I couldn’t let it go. “I think she might have taken Phil with her.”

  His breath hitched, but his stream of comfort remained unbroken. “I’m not going to lie to you. Your fairy godfather may be gone forever.”

  Tears clouded my vision.

  He made me look at him. The tiny lines around his eyes crinkled as he seemed to see me straight down to my soul. “It was his choice,” he said, tracing his thumb over my lower jaw, “he’s a fighter, Lizzie, like you. Phil made it possible for you to be standing here right now. Now it’s up to you to take what he’s given you. Ask yourself, Lizzie. What are you going to do with his gift?”

  I knew what I should say, but I didn’t want to say it. “I don’t know.”

  His eyes refused to leave mine. “Accept what I’m offering you.”

  I could barely find my voice. “What is this? Magic?”

  He guided a stray lock of hair from my forehead and tucked it behind my ear. “Some would call it that. I prefer to think of it as a reminder.”

  The tears flowed freely now. I looked into his beautiful face, so full of love and understanding. I felt his warm hands, steady on my shoulders and I knew what I had to do. I closed my eyes and in my mind’s eye, I saw my black anger, my hostility, the frustration I felt at my complete and utter failure to save the one person in my life who’d always been there for me. I took it and merged it with the blackness that was Serena’s power. But it was too heavy. And it didn’t want to leave.

  “Let me in,” Dimitri said.

  I could feel his unwavering presence in front of me and it took everything I had not to wrap myself up in it like a warm blanket.

  “Lizzie.” He folded my hands in his. •

  What? “No.” I wasn’t about to tangle him in this. It was my mistake and I’d fix it.

  “I’m part demon slayer, Lizzie. And a big believer in fate.”

  Oh my word, his things happen for a reason speech flooded my mind. I couldn’t believe how he’d actually forgiven me for tainting his pure griffin blood and now I was equally speechless that he’d take on vengeful black power with me.

  I rested my forehead on his shoulder “It’s—” I began, desperate for his help, terrified that if I let it loose, it would consume him in front of me.

  “I know.” Fingers on my chin, he guided me up to him and kissed me, warm and deep. The intimacy of that one kiss shocked me. I let it flow over me, opening myself completely for the second time that night. I shivered as some of the awful, heavy burden flowed from me into him. He took a sharp breath when it hit him. I almost panicked. I instinctively tried to pull back, but he clutched my hands and squeezed.

  “Together, now,” he whispered against my lips before kissing me long and hard.

  I let him in. As his power surged into me, and mine into him, I let him see all of me—the good, the bad, everything. I was exhausted from hiding, from fighting, from doing everything on my own. I let go of the need to keep control, and from the one thought that had terrified me from the start—that if he saw everything, he might not want me anymore.

  He savored me, pushed me, blanketed me and comforted me in ways I’d never imagined. If we got through this, please let us survive this, I didn’t want to be alone anymore.

  “Ready?” he whispered, hot against my ear.

  Goose bumps shivered down my arms. “Yes.” As long as I had Dimitri, I’d be ready for anything.

  We used the power like an immense blowtorch. I visualized it as clear as if we stood at the edge of hell itself. We harnessed the power of Serena, countless succubi and the whole of the energy generated tonight and aimed it straight at the gates of hell, incinerating countless demons and subdemons on the surface layer. Then we did our best to seal the whole thing from the outside. Let the locusts dig their way out. I poured out my entire arsenal until I’d spent everything.

  Dimitri held back. His eyes glowed green, then orange.

  Oh no. I couldn’t handle it if he’d corrupted himself. “What are you doing?” I demanded.

  He fired backward into the dam. “I’m opening up a pathway for the ghosts,” he said, groaning with the effort.

  Dang it, he shouldn’t have tried to do that on his own. “I thought ghosts had to go to the light.”

  “That’s one way,” he said, releasing a breath that I hadn’t even realized he was holding. He blinked a few times, recovering, as his eyes went from orange to a rich chocolate brown. “It’s usually the only choice. But you had a trace of Phil’s goodness in that mass of power. I used it to open up a pathway to help them.” He gazed down at me, so warm and sure. “After all, if one of your preschoolers was afraid to take on a flight of stairs, would you wait until they found the courage, or would you carry them?”

  Like he carried me—the sheer relief of knowing I wasn’t alone was almost enough to make me want to curl up on the floor and sleep for a year. Instead, I drew even closer to the man who’d saved me in more ways than one.

  I used my thumb to swipe away a trickle of sweat on his neck, marveling that he’d stuck with me—that he’d chosen me—through everything. “How do you know so much?” I asked.

  He pulled me close. “Stick with me and you’ll find out.”

  I held him, running my hands down his back. Pain shot down my fingertips and I noticed for the first time that they throbbed. I swallowed hard and risked a glance. My hands were whole again, except for raw sores on the ends of my fingers.

  Before I could even think of what to say, Dimitri lowered his mouth to mine and I stopped trying to think. I sank into him and savored his warmth and his goodness.

  The man had saved me in more ways than one.

  He pulled back slightly, long before I was ready to let him go. “Now about that emerald,” he whispered.

  We found it under a chair near the control board. I dragged it out and glowed with relief when I felt the heat of the green stone against my fingers. It shone with life and energy.

  Dimitri t
ook it and placed it in the center of my palm. “I offer you the protection of the Helios clan, freely given, freely taken.”

  Its energy whispered to me. The familiar warmth rested against my skin where it belonged.

  A thin, bronze chain snaked from the tip of the teardrop and circled my wrist. “I accept.” My body ached from exhaustion, not to mention sheer relief. Still, I couldn’t help but grin. “Freely.”

  Something hard loosened inside of me as the chain wound up my arm and circled my chest, until the emerald hung from my neck, where it belonged.

  “What did you do to me before?” I asked him.

  He kissed me on the forehead. “I helped you find your strength. You had it all along, Lizzie. We all do. It’s just sometimes we forget.”

  “Yeah,” I said, leaning against the rock that was Dimitri, “I was a little stressed out.”

  “That’s why I’ll always be here.”

  He was right. I could always lean on Dimitri. He brought out the best in me, whether we were reclaiming my soul, or walking along a moonlit path with gargoyles circling overhead. He was mine again. And he was whole.

  I found my empty utility belt in a pile of filth that was probably a demon about twenty minutes before. My switch stars were nearby, along with the powders and crystals I kept in the pouches attached to the belt. I was in the middle of capturing an entire pile of sandy pink granules when a tiny creature screeched from under a small mountain of ash.

  Soot flying, he burst from the wreckage, a furless hamster-type creature. I started to reach for him until I saw he had fangs and black dinosaur-type spikes along his back. “What the… ?” He shrieked and, as fast as his scrabbly legs would take him, made a beeline for the back pouch of my utility belt.

  The creature burrowed into the belt, his rear end wriggling until there was no more of him to be seen.

  “Mystery solved,” Dimitri said.

  I glanced up at him. “Hardly.” I gathered up the last few crystals. I’d tackle my powers before worrying about the mysterious creature that lived in the back of my utility belt.

  “You should call him Harry,” Dimitri said, giving me a hand and helping me up.

  “Why not?” I said, feeling the little guy settle himself in. It was better than Fang.

  I talked Dimitri into taking back his shirt before we headed up the main elevator. He carried Phil as the doors closed and the car jerked to a start. I held Phil’s soft, wide hand as the scent of cinnamon filled the small space. Through my exhaustion, I tried to memorize this moment the best that I could. It might be the last time I saw Phil. There was no telling what fairies, or half fairies, did for funerals.

  As for how I’d tell Grandma, I didn’t know. My emotions were too raw. I squeezed his hand hard and hoped I’d find the words. I could hardly believe it myself that he was gone.

  The elevator opened up into an art deco foyer that led to the outside. Finally, we could get Phil out of this place. I forced myself back into warrior mode, just in case. With a deep breath and switch stars at the ready, I pushed through a set of brass doors.

  I about fell backward as Pirate flung himself into my arms, licking everywhere he could reach, which would have been really bad had we been under attack.

  “Dang, Lizzie. I leave to get a Twinkie and you disappear on me.”

  Relief surged through me. “Are you okay, sweetie?” Hands shaking, I inspected my wriggling dog by the light of a hovering Skeep. “Meko? What’s going on out here?”

  The Hoover Dam backed up to Lake Mead and towered over the river on the other side. Witches lined the sweeping highway at its crest, their Harleys at the ready behind them.

  The Skeep dipped and glowed brighter. “Many apologies. I’m Tiko, an associate of Meko. We’ve been called here to fetch supplies for your rescue.”

  Harleys crisscrossed the bridge every which way, their supernaturally bright front lights cutting through the night in every direction.

  Grandma barreled out of the shadows, a Smucker’s jar in each hand. “God damn it, Lizzie. You scared the crap out of me! Oh good. Dimitri. We need you to fly up and—” She screeched to a halt when she saw Dimitri holding Phil’s limp body. “Oh no.”

  “Grandma, I didn’t mean—” This was not how I wanted her to find out.

  “What?” Frieda asked, seconds behind Grandma. She stopped when she saw. “Oh dang, girl. I am so sorry.”

  Grandma took Phil’s hand and for once, she had nothing to say.

  “He sacrificed himself for me,” I told her, taking comfort against a bit of unwashed dog.

  Grandma nodded, her eyes reddening. “I’d like a moment,” she said, hoarse. Frieda brought us a blanket and we laid Phil right inside the doors. My heart broke a little when the doors clicked closed behind her. I should have done more.

  Dimitri wrapped his arms around me from the back and I closed my eyes, savoring the closeness. The warm desert air scattered my bangs over my forehead. I chose to focus on that, rather than on my pounding head or wrung-out body.

  Pirate nosed the crook of my elbow. “You okay, Lizzie?”

  “I will be,” I said, ruffling his fur between my aching fingers. Keep it together, Lizzie. I couldn’t afford to fall apart now.

  Frieda’s heels clacked on the sidewalk. “I know you want to see me as much as a skunk at a lawn party, but we really do need Dimitri.”

  “Lizzie?” He ran his hands along my arms.

  “I’m fine,” I said, pulling away first. It was good to know he could fly again.

  He kissed me on the head and followed Frieda toward the edge of the dam to get what looked to be a trapped gargoyle off a clock tower. I stood with my dog, too exhausted to move, waiting for Grandma, mourning Phil, wondering how it had come to this.

  Biker witches scattered along the roadway over the dam. The cars that usually traveled Ala Meda Boulevard were conspicuously absent.

  “Well, look who decided to join the fight after all,” a deep voice rumbled.

  I about fell over as the angelic blond hunter strolled into the light. He looked like he’d been run over by a truck. “Max,” I gaped. I couldn’t believe he was here. “How?”

  He crossed his arms in front of his chest and scowled down at me. “My job wasn’t done.”

  My body surged into high alert mode. I was tempted to touch him and make sure he was real. But it had to be Max. I didn’t sense any demonic imposters. Besides, we’d fried or captured every demon within a three-thousand-mile radius.

  “Is she dead?” Max asked.

  Oh yes. Definitely Max. “Serena’s a demonic grease stain on the floor. Now, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?”

  “Did you think I’d stand by and watch Serena take you?”

  Frankly, I didn’t think the man did a day of standing in his life.

  Max delivered a biting stare. “Killing demons on my own wouldn’t have solved anything if you screwed up. I told you we needed a slayer to beat her.”

  This coming from the person who had encouraged me to keep the dark mark. “I’m glad you made it out,” I told him. And I was.

  Dimitri crunched up the road. I’d been so focused on Max I hadn’t even heard him coming. He reached out for Max and I prepared for the fight.

  Instead, Dimitri clapped the hunter on the shoulder like an old friend. “Good to see you, buddy.”

  Buddy? What on earth had happened since I’d been captured?

  Dimitri noticed my confusion and grinned. “We needed Max to get inside the dam. You should have seen the barriers the demons set up.”

  I couldn’t believe it. I stared at Dimitri, then Max, the tension draining out of me. “You two actually worked together?”

  “I helped,” Pirate said, squirming in my arms. “Joe got Ezra, who got Sid, who got Dimitri. But then nobody understood the message.”

  “Ghosts are horrible at getting facts right,” said Max. “That’s why I don’t trust any of them.”

  “But I underst
ood,” Pirate said, his tail thwumping my arm. “Ezra and I’ve been playing lots of Scrabble. I know how he thinks. See that’s the trick. You study your opponent like a hunting dog. Sniff out their weaknesses and—whammo!—thirty-six-point word.”

  I kissed Pirate on the head. “Ghosts and dogs. I never would have guessed.”

  Bob wheeled up, his antidemonic quilt bits flapping in his spokes. “Hey, Lizzie. Glad to see you’re not dead.”

  “Me too,” I said. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but what are you guys doing here?”

  Bob huffed. “Saving you. What else?”

  Max nodded. “Your witches have a gift for focusing power.”

  “Red Skulls have always been that way,” said Bob. “We get into trouble and it’s trouble times ten. Frieda works a water spell and it’s the Vegas flood of ‘99.” He grimaced. “Talk about a mess. But you need to intensify a power like Max’s, we can do that too.” He chuckled at the look on my face, which must have reflected my pure and utter astonishment. “And, Ms. Lizzie, when we felt your power grow, we helped you aim your magic.”

  I leaned my back against the concrete wall of the dam. Here I thought I had to do everything on my own. I was the Demon Slayer of Dalea, for goodness sake. I’d just assumed that power came with complete and utter responsibility. First Dimitri helped save me, and now the witches had my back. And Max. I didn’t know what to say. This whole time, I’d imagined the Red Skulls as a liability, and Max as someone not to be trusted. Come to think of it, I still wasn’t sure if I trusted Max.

  “I really did need you guys as much as you needed me,” I said. It felt strange to even say it out loud.

  “Ding, ding, ding! Finally!” Grandma clapped me on the back, forcing humor through reddened eyes. “You don’t have to know everything, sport. Nobody does. Not even me.”

  “I never thought you’d be the type to go all After School Special on me,” I said.

  She wrapped an arm around my shoulder and gave a long sigh. “Shut up. And next time, remember to trust yourself and your friends.”

  I nodded, knowing she was right. Trust my friends, the Red Skulls, the witches who tempted the demons themselves to help me. It felt good to be a part of something bigger than myself. I straightened out my bustier and, despite the rigors of the night, walked a little taller in my pink zipper pants. I was a Red Skull and proud of it.