“Good night, everyone.” Noah put his arm around Iva’s waist, drawing her toward her home even as he waved goodbye. “Meeting at the mayor’s mansion next week.”
Dragos nodded his assent and turned back to Mina.
“Next week?” Iva asked as they started down the steps to her apartment. By this point all of the leaders were aware of the apartments under the Throne. There was no way to hide them with the meetings held in the safest place they could all think of. Peter was never getting his mitts on the Throne’s power.
“I’m thinking these meetings should be weekly for us. They do more good than the town hall meetings we used to have.” Noah traversed the staircase easily, leading her down to her home. “The people can speak through their representatives, and each leader can speak their concerns for them.”
“Good idea.” Iva yawned.
“Speaking of still recovering, your arm will be out of the cast soon, right?” Noah opened the door to her apartment. He must have closed it once the kids were in bed, indicating to their guests that Iva’s apartment was off-limits.
“Yeah.” She waved her arm, used to the weight of the cast now that she’d worn it for a while. “Thanks to Greer I didn’t get any time added to my confinement.”
Noah chuckled. “Thanks for helping with pack business while I napped.” They settled on the sofa, Noah’s arm resting behind her head.
Iva leaned her head on his shoulder. “That’s what alpha mates are for, right?”
He kissed the top of her head. “Damn skippy.”
She yawned. “Mm. Movie?”
“Sure.” He picked up the remote. “Murder death kill or sappy kissy face?”
She snorted out a laugh. “How about spooky run scary?”
“Horror it is.” Noah pulled up a list of movies on their favorite service. They eventually settled on a classic Vincent Price movie, House of Wax, one of Iva’s favorites.
Iva nestled against Noah, content just to be in his presence. Eventually they’d have to get up, check on the kids, turn out the lights and go to bed. Tomorrow would bring more hard work as they got ready to go after Peter Bradley.
Tonight? Tonight was just for them, and hopefully it would be just one of many.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Three days later the place had been chosen, scoped out and approved by both the witches and the ghosts. Iva sat in Selena’s living room, right across from her own apartment that she now shared with Noah and the children. The children were, in fact, in Iva’s house, being babysat by one of Noah’s wolves. Gary the intern had been more of a hit with the kids than she’d realized.
Gary was going to be their new nanny if she had anything to say about it. The kids liked him and Noah trusted him. That was good enough for her.
Noah had still been grumbling about their separation when he got into the SUV that would take him to Baltimore, but this really was the best plan. She’d kissed him goodbye then raced through the forest, unable to glance back at his departing vehicle. She had to believe he’d be safe or she’d come undone. If she gave the demon even a hint that they weren’t the main attack force the others would be goners.
Iva settled on the floor, crossing her legs one over the other in a classic yoga pose. “Now what?”
Selena, who sat across from her, winked. “Watch.” She twirled her wand, drawing a circle in the air.
Right behind where Iva’s butt rested glowing light appeared. “Oh. Cool.”
Frisco chuckled. “Definitely.”
“Man, I forgot to bring my glowsticks.” Zander pouted, poking at Frisco. “Why didn’t you remind me?”
“Children,” Ash sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I hope Gideon is having as much fun as I am.” Selena snorted out a laugh when Ash groaned. “Okay, children. Let’s get this show on the road.”
Brian audibly gulped. “Will it hurt?”
“Nah. You’ll be a little dizzy at first, but that’s about it.” Ash patted Brian’s knee. “Besides, Greg will be there with you, so you have nothing to fear.”
Brian blew out a breath. “That’s what they all say.” He closed his eyes. He had his hands in his lap, palms up. “We’re ready.”
Iva blinked, startled at the eerie, echoing quality to Brian’s voice. Brian was using himself as a conduit for Greg and the others.
“Iva?” Selena’s blind, white eyes were trained on her. The markings of the witch doctor were all over her face, the tree of life flaring to life on her forehead and nose.
“Ready.” She took a deep breath and settled into her body as she did when she meditated.
“Then let’s do this.” Selena muttered some words under her breath, and Iva immediately felt dizzy as the world around her spun. It spun so fast, so out of control that for a moment she thought she might throw up all over Ash’s floor. The colors began to change, going from bright and vibrant to duller, more muted. Items of furniture moved around or disappeared altogether. A mist appeared over everything, blocking her view of Selena who sat just across from her. The room blurred, the furniture becoming almost opaque. She thought she could detect the fireplace, but it too was dulled, the mantel more like jagged teeth around a gaping maw.
Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore everything cleared. The mist was still there, the furniture fuzzy around the edges, but the swirling sensation was gone.
They were in the otherworld, the space between the living and the dead.
Selena began to chant, her expression stern as she spoke. “Obiagos, I conjure thee. Obiagos, I command thee. Obiagos, by your true name I call to thee. Come before me and face my wrath.”
Holy shit. Iva had had no idea that Selena planned on trying to actually conjure the demon.
In the center of the circle a small, dark flame appeared. It wavered as if blown about in an unseen wind, slowly growing until it stood taller than Ash, taller even than Noah. It broadened, growing limbs of fire until there stood before them a man-shaped being. Glowing red eyes appeared where the face should be. “Who calls upon Obiagos?”
Selena stood. “I do.”
The demon solidified, smiling at Selena. The demon was tall and thin, with a pointed chin, high cheekbones and gray, slick skin. Dark, wet hair hung over its face and down its back in thick clumps, and its pointed teeth were yellow and stained dark. Its fingers were long and spindly, ending in wickedly sharp claws. “Ah, the witch doctor.” Obiagos tilted his head at an inhuman angle, making Iva shiver. “So good to see you again, my dear.” He licked his lips. “Your pain tasted delicious.”
“The pleasure was all yours, I assure you.” Selena stood, and Iva followed. All the others did so as well. “We’re here to put an end to you once and for all.”
“Is that so?” The demon turned to Iva, its burning eyes boring into her soul. “Come, my child. Show them what you can do.”
Iva blinked, the sensation of having her soul seared disappearing as her tree made itself known. The rustling of its needles calmed her, reminded her that she wasn’t alone. The demon couldn’t command her, simply because he didn’t own her. “You have no power over me,” she replied, smiling at as she quoted one of her favorite movie lines of all time.
The demon screamed, the sound so loud, so high pitched she was forced to cover her ears. It rushed toward her, claws extended, ready to rip and tear through her flesh.
Iva was ready. She summoned her silver sword and willed it into its new, clawed form.
She swiped at the demon, blocking his claws from touching her. He leapt, high over the circle Selena had drawn, and landed not far from Frisco.
Frisco moved his hands in a swooping motion, bringing them together palms up, cupped as if catching raindrops. But instead of rain he summoned the fire hose, forcing the demon to back away from the sheer pressure being applied to him.
A
sh rushed forward, slashing at the demon with his silver blade, the rainbow runes glowing as he got a hit on the creature. It howled and turned to face him. “Fucking dryad.”
“I don’t think you’re his type.” Greer planted one of his fiery blades in its back, causing it to arch and let out another screeching howl. “Could you stop that, please? It’s giving me a headache.”
The demon began to twitch, vibrating so quickly that Iva could no longer distinguish whether or not it still had limbs. She gasped, jumping back as a shadow appeared in front of her, slashing at her face.
The demon had shed numerous shadows, enough to fight each of the members of her group plus a couple to spare.
The claw gauntlets were remarkably light, lighter than her sword, throwing her off a bit. She missed a parry and the claws of the demon dug into her side, ripping into her and leaving behind jagged agony. The shadow grinned and licked the blood off its hand. “Delicious.”
Don’t worry. He’s dead, the voice in her head whispered.
The demon’s eyes went wide, the flame flaring for a moment before the demon snuffed out of existence.
“Okay, so my blood is poisonous. Great. Guess I’m safe from the vamps, then.” Iva glanced around, hoping her friends were faring as well as she was.
Greer was fighting two shadows at once, Selena was using her magic to blast another, and Ash was dashing between Frisco and Zander, trying to keep the elementals safe. Frisco was using his water abilities to blast apart the shadows, but for each one he hit two more appeared. Zander appeared to be having similar luck if his cursing was anything to go by.
But what surprised her was the vision of a huge black man with salt-and-pepper dreadlocks viciously guarding Brian, who still sat in his kneeling position. The man was showering the shadows with magical blasts whenever they came near.
That must be Greg. Other people, people she’d never met before, battled near Brian, the spirits of Maggie’s Grove keeping their promise to fight in the in-between place they feared.
One of the shadows has to be the real demon. Iva glanced around, trying to figure out which shadow stood out, which one wasn’t like the others in whatever small way.
His eyes, the voice whispered once more.
When she found the real demon she shouted, “Look at the eyes! The main demon, the one all of the shadows came from, has burning, blood-red eyes.” The others’ eyes were also burning, but the flames were lighter, as if it didn’t burn as brightly inside them as it did in Obiagos.
Ash was the first to pick up on it. “Got it!” He ran past several of the shadows, dodging claws and fangs, to engage with Obiagos one-on-one. “Keep the shadows off me!”
Iva began fighting, using her claws to her best advantage. “Let’s go, assholes.”
Dodging left and right, swinging over and over, the never-ending battle wound on and on until Iva wanted to scream in frustration. One after another the shadows disrupted, only to be replaced by another. “Fuck!” Iva ducked, aware she’d almost lost half her face. “Ash, kill that fucker!”
“Trying!”
She didn’t have time now to check on her brother. It only took one strike from her claws to disrupt the shadows, but as thick as they were, it was like trying to cut through fog with a butter knife. Nothing she did seemed to clear them out any faster. And unlike Ash she didn’t have a weapon specifically designed to cut down spirits.
Iva started to feel faint. The wounds she’d taken were still bleeding, unable to clot, either because they were in the spirit world or because she kept moving, fighting off all of the shadows that came her way. Soon she wouldn’t be able to continue and she’d be shadow food.
Of course, they’d get food poisoning, but that would hardly matter. She’d still be dead, and her mate would be left to pine away for her if he didn’t die immediately. The bond was complete on his side, but on the dryad side...
Hell. She’d take care of that little detail as soon as this demon business was dealt with once and for all. She should have done it before. She’d have Noah’s strength to draw on right now if she had. Shit, why hadn’t she? Stupid, stupid, stupid. She’d been so focused on everything else that she’d started the mating but hadn’t completed it. Sometimes she got too caught up in her own mind to remember the important things.
She was the Mind, but she wasn’t omniscient.
Yew was quick to reassure her that they’d deal with mating Noah once they lived through the fight. But first, they had to take care of the shadows surrounding her.
“It’s taking too long!” She swung, her claws quickly clearing the demon shadows before her.
“Hold on, I’m here.” A sharp, brisk wind blew, taking the shadows away. Zander stood before her, covered in sweat and panting like he’d run a marathon. “Hey, Iva.”
“Zander.” She glanced around and realized the only ones left fighting were Obiagos and Ash. “We need to help him.”
“Give it a minute. Let Greer work on you.” Zander waved over to where Greer stood, checking out Selena. “Greer, Iva’s wounded.”
“I’ll be there in a sec.” Greer hummed, the sound barely audible above the clash of sword against claw. It wasn’t like the sound of sword on sword, instead more like metal hitting plastic, but not quite.
Ash was still dancing with the demon, his sword a shining light, but he was losing. It was easy to grasp in his faltering steps and the blood dotting his clothing. The normally graceful swing of his blade was slowed, clumsier than usual. The precision of his strikes was off.
The demon, however, seemed at full power, his claws raking across Ash’s chest when her brother didn’t dodge fast enough. But Frisco was suddenly there, blasting the demon with water and throwing him off balance.
Ash tried to take advantage of the opening that Frisco had given him, but he just couldn’t connect. Like Iva he was tiring, unable to correct his overswing.
What she hadn’t counted on was the ghosts converging all at once on the demon.
Each and every one, except for Greg, pounced on the demon and dragged him to the ground. The demon struggled, but as strong as he was the spirits seemed just as strong. Greg, who’d remained behind obviously to guard Brian, called out to Ash. “Now!”
Ash brought his blade down into the heart of the demon, striking through his chest so hard his blade bounced off the rock floor of their home.
The demon laughed. “You think this is what it takes to kill me?” He actually seemed relaxed in the hold of the ghosts. “Was this your grand plan all along?”
Ash shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” He twisted the sword, causing smoke to rise from the demon below him.
“I’m only a shadow myself, or had you forgotten?” The demon hissed as smoke came out of him again.
Perhaps he wasn’t as nonchalant about Ash’s sword as he appeared to be.
Iva stepped forward and shoved her claws deep into the demon’s abdomen. “Yes, but taking you out will weaken your counterpart.”
“You don’t have the power to...” The demon’s eyes widened. “You.” He stared at Ash, suddenly terrified. “Where are your friends?”
Ash tilted his head as if confused. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He twisted the blade the other way, smiling when the demon cried out in pain.
“You...” The demon tried to pull Ash’s blade from his chest, leaving black, smoking blood behind on the blade. “You tricked me!”
“Hurry, we don’t have much time. The poison from his claws is hard to dismiss,” Greer grunted. He started humming again, this time taking care of a sweaty, bleeding Frisco.
“Poison?” Iva stared at her own dripping wounds. “How come I’m not getting sick?”
“Because you’re poisonous too.” Selena wiped her brow. “Thanks, Greer.”
“You’re welcome.” Greer continued to wor
k on Frisco, who appeared better by the second.
Iva stared at the demon shadow, trying to think of what he’d meant when he’d questioned Ash about his friends. Could it be? Could that be the key to destroying Peter Bradley once and for all? “Zander?”
“Hmm?” Zander was watching Ash twist the blade in the demon shadow.
“Give me your hand and do what I say.” Iva was going to give Ash the ability to destroy Obiagos once and for all.
Zander nodded and took her hand. “Now what?”
Iva tugged his head down until she could whisper in his ear. “Remember how you bound everyone together to give Ash what he needed to fight the shadow last time?” Zander’s eyes closed as he gathered his power. A circular wind began to blow, catching each of them in its grasp. Suddenly, Iva could hear the others in her mind as each realized exactly what Zander was doing.
Ash grinned down at his opponent as their combined power slammed into him. A rainbow of energy surrounded him in a swirling pattern that almost made Iva dizzy. It was like Ash was submerged in a rainbow-colored waterspout, blurring his image. She could detect some sort of symbols in the spout, but they went by so fast she couldn’t quite catch them.
“Concentrate,” Zander gritted out between clenched teeth. This was harder on him than she’d thought it would be.
Iva concentrated on lending Ash her strength. It flowed from her like wind through her fingers, pushing against her even as it disappeared into the Guardian.
Ash lifted his sword, the blade began to glow with a light so bright it was nearly blinding, filling the star-spangled darkness with the Goddess’s light. The shadow man shrieked as Ash’s blade flew, severing its head from its body. The smoke collapsed and ran along the ground, dissipating with a barely perceptible howl of rage.
Ash lowered the blade and Zander let go, allowing their power to flow back into them.
Selena sighed, weariness etching lines into her face. “The rest is up to Gideon and the others.”
Iva only hoped that they’d done enough to give Noah and his group an advantage.
Hour of the Wolf Page 27
