The demon didn’t hesitate. Bael, in her sister’s body, struck Ryma in the back with such a strong force that it had to be magical. Ryma flew across the floor, as if dragged by an invisible rope. His body smeared the pentagram.
The power surrounding Becca fled. Screams erupted. It looked as if Jeremiah’s supposed Soultorn just attacked the coven leader. Gratefully, no one noticed Becca leave the circle.
Adrenaline pumped through Becca from her connection to Bael. Her fingers tingled with the magic coursing through her body.
“I’m not weak,” she whispered.
CHAPTER 37
Darion collapsed to the floor as Ryma’s curse finally lifted. Blood raced through his veins, his hands hot and ready to fight. His defenses were up, but where to begin?
What was happening? Magicians turned on one another without a second thought as cries and curses filled the air. Jeremiah and Ryma had just stood before the whole coven proclaiming unity. Ryma just awarded Jeremiah his own coven. Was it all a pretense for Jeremiah to usurp authority?
There was no time to think. Magicians quickly chose sides, fighting against one another. Jeremiah had more allies than Darion imagined. It was going to be a bloody fight, and Becca was in the middle of it.
Darion raced toward Becca, who was focused on her sister. Elizabeth’s body took on an inhuman strength as it tore apart a young magician.
“Becca.” Darion grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the side of the room, placing a protective spell around both of them. A power stronger than he imagined, emanated from Becca’s skin and jolted him back.
“How?” His mind shuffled through possibilities. She now held more power in her touch then she previously had in her whole body. The only way that could be possible would be—a demon.
Bael fought with an inhuman strength, tearing into the men closest to Jeremiah. Bael, now inside Elizabeth, wanted to kill Jeremiah to be free. The Soultorn snapped a magician’s neck quickly, and an intense look of gratification crossed its face. Then Elizabeth’s pristine features turned ghastly as those black eyes turned on the next victim.
Becca drew his attention back. “Don’t know how. I’m connected to Bael, but not in control.”
Jeremiah hollered orders over the crowd and charged at the group of men surrounding Ryma.
“We have to go.” Darion grabbed her hand again, but now absorbed the current off her skin. The magic was somehow consuming her. She didn’t know how to control the power. If he didn’t stop this soon, she would die.
He focused his energy on combining their power. Her magic contained a different, deep flavor—overwhelming almost. This wasn’t just Becca anymore. He pulled on her arm, about to pick her up and drag her out of here.
In a flash, the Soultorn Bael was in front of Darion. “No hurting this one. She’s mine.”
This demon needed to protect Becca for the moment. If she died first, then it would be bound only to Jeremiah, who had the power to control it. And with an inexperienced master, the demon could kill everyone in the room, then save Becca for dessert.
Becca tried to step in front of Darion. “No, no.” She gave the command for the demon to halt, but she was too slow.
The Soultorn punched Darion in the stomach. Darion’s breath rushed out of him and pain spotted his vision. He stumbled back against a wall. Thankfully, he kept a tight hold on Becca, and pulled her into him.
He concentrated his power on controlling the demon. Hopefully, his magic combined with Becca’s would be enough. The Soultorn stopped in front of them, anger creasing Elizabeth’s face. Bael paused for a moment, halted by Darion’s spell.
“Are you okay?” Becca asked Darion.
Even though they were surrounded by flying spells, warring wizards, and Soultorns, now that Becca was truly by his side, he was okay. He nodded, not trusting his control over this demon.
Before they moved, a blast of magic came their way, hitting Becca’s sister in the back. The Soultorn fell into them. Darion strained against the demon’s power. He had to control it before it took over Becca. The demon stilled. Elizabeth’s features were angry and strained, but Bael was no longer in control.
Jeremiah approached them, striking out at their shield over and over. He wasn’t going to let them go.
Darion held onto her arm. “We have to keep this bond between us. All right?”
Becca nodded and briefly closed her eyes. He could feel her pushing her power into him. It was something magicians never did in a battle. Love and trust had little place in politics.
Becca and Darion carried Elizabeth’s body between them and hurried for the door. They ducked behind other dueling magicians, hoping to block Jeremiah’s path.
Jeremiah hit them again. But this time it barely rocked their shield. The battle with Ryma must have cost him. Jeremiah was only feet away and probably had yet to figure out what really happened to the Soultorn during the ceremony.
It was an advantage, Darion couldn’t let pass.
Jeremiah’s forces were scattered around the room, fighting off Ryma’s men. Screams and curses echoed off the walls. And though Darion was nervous about using Bael and Elizabeth, through Becca he could siphon all the power of a prince of hell. He turned around to face Jeremiah and attacked.
Jeremiah flew back several feet. Darion hit him again, before he could retaliate. He took pleasure in attacking the man who had hurt Becca in so many different ways.
Jeremiah’s body crashed into the concrete. There were no longwinded speeches or goodbyes. This dirt bag didn’t deserve any of it.
Becca put a hand on Darion. “Let me.” She gathered her magic toward her uncle and spoke the words to compel him to do her will. She held a dark hatred in her eyes Darion had never seen before. Power coursed through her body as the spell took its course.
Jeremiah slowly stood, uneasy on his legs, his eyes wide with fear as he tried to cry out, but his body didn’t listen. His armed raised and Darion noticed a small dagger in his hand. A small weapon usually carried on wizards for magic.
“Don’t do this,” Jeremiah mouthed, but the pleas fell on deaf ears. The battle raged on as he raised the knife and, in one swift motion, cut his own throat. Becca’s chest heaved as the magic poured out of her. For such a spell came at a cost.
“You did it. He’s gone.” Darion focused on controlling Bael and maintaining a protective shield.
“Yes, he is.” Her words held empty resignation in them.
Others pressed toward them, testing their shields. Darion pushed them back with what he did best, fire. Shouts filled the room as the smoke spread. With Jeremiah dead, his other Soultorn was set free. The large blond Soultorn began attacking everyone in its path. A guttural roar bounced off concrete walls.
Ryma was surrounded by Jeremiah’s allies who realized their leader had fallen. They were no longer fighting for power, but for their lives.
“Let’s go.” Darion started for the door, hoping to sneak out amid the chaos, because once Ryma had squashed his opponents, Darion and Becca were dead. Even with additional magic they wouldn’t survive the fight.
“We have to run. Don’t break contact with me.” He hoisted Elizabeth’s body over his shoulder, and Becca grabbed onto his arm.
Darion set a nearby guard on fire as they raced out of the room. Spells shot through the air, threatening to trip up Darion, but none of them broke through his shields.
Once out of the room, they didn’t stop. They avoided servants and ignored their questions. The Soultorn in his arms began to stir, but Darion forced the body back to sleep, trapping the demon inside the unconscious body. He didn’t want to attempt to control a level-five demon right now.
They turned down another corridor. Two witches. He torched the curtains to their right and turned back. They fought the flames and didn’t seem to care enough to pursue.
Finally on the main floor, they headed to the servants’ exit and found Caleb. He leaned against the wall panting. A guard lay bloody at his feet.
“You okay?” Becca asked him.
“Will be. Ready to go?” Caleb took Elizabeth from Darion and glanced at Becca’s grip on his arm. “Is Elizabeth all right?”
Caleb couldn’t see or feel the demon inside yet. “She’s—” Becca’s voice caught.
“Long story and Ryma won’t be far behind.” Darion pushed the two forward through the kitchen and servants’ exit then stopped at the back door. He’d thought about this for a while. The best way he could protect Becca would be to stay behind. Ryma didn’t know of her power and would have no reason to follow.
He avoided Becca’s gaze and spoke to Caleb. “Keep going. I’ll clear the way for you.”
Caleb nodded and started off toward the garage. Darion couldn’t help himself. He stole one more glance at Becca.
After a couple steps, Becca realized Darion wasn’t following. She paused and the deeper meaning of his words sank in. He said he’d clear a path for them to escape, he never said he’d be joining them. She turned back and caught his gentle gaze—a caress almost—which looked too much like a goodbye.
The pain in her chest wasn’t sadness, it was anger. “I’m not leaving you.”
“I’ll catch up.”
“You promised to never lie to me again.”
The cold night they broke up was fresh in her mind. He promised to never lie again, but she couldn’t forgive his lies at the time. Now she understood. He lied to protect her from this world, and he was trying to do it again.
But she still remembered the pain of that night. It took days, weeks, no longer—she never got over that hurt of losing him. She couldn’t let that happen again.
He opened his mouth then shut it.
Caleb sifted restlessly behind them. “Becca, we need to go.”
“Go ahead. I’m not leaving without Darion,” she told Caleb, though she never took her eyes off Darion.
“It may be everyone’s only chance out,” Darion said.
“I’ve lost too many people in my past, including you,” she said.
He tried to interrupt, but she continued talking over him. “I can’t handle the emptiness, the longing when you’re not there. So it doesn’t matter if I’m walking to my grave. We do it together, or not at all.”
Remembering Caleb, she turned to him. “You can go ahead.” Her sister was lost at this point, but maybe he’d still take her with him.
Caleb shook his head and looked at the both of them. “We’re in this together.”
Turning back to Darion, she tightened her jaw. He’d called her stubborn before. Well, she’d show him stubborn.
Shaking his head he stepped toward her. “Okay. Let’s hurry.”
She grasped his hand, the familiar twinge of magic sparking between their palms. “Glad we can agree on something.”
This was her family now, and she’d fight to the death for all of them.
Caleb hurried down the path, his arms burning from holding Elizabeth, Rebecca and Darion right behind him. He tried to push out the pain from the scene he’d just seen between Becca and Darion. He’d think about it later when they were safe.
The cool night provided them some coverage, but not enough. A guard appeared ahead. Caleb grabbed at the last knife. But the guard collapsed on the ground, before he got within range.
“Just keep going,” Darion huffed behind him.
They made it to the garage. The two guards lay bound unconscious on the ground. Darion had been right. The guards were little more than chauffeurs and had been easy enough for Caleb to take out. Unfortunately, that probably meant driving out of here wouldn’t be as easy as it sounded.
Glad the guards were still passed out, Caleb stepped over them.
“The big black one there.” He pointed to an old Humvee. It’d likely have the guts to get them out of here.
He placed Elizabeth in the back seat, noticing blood on her arm also, but no other visible injuries. Sometimes the worse kinds of wounds were those not seen. He had already tucked Grace’s body gently into the back of the large vehicle. He couldn’t think of that now. He had to get them all out of here.
He threw open the garage doors. Guards exited the mansion, heading their way.
“Move it,” Darion said as he slid in the front beside Becca.
Starting the car, Caleb noticed the glazed over look on Rebecca’s face. Shock maybe? He put the vehicle in gear, peeling out of the garage.
Darion pointed. “This way.”
Caleb sped around fruit trees, wheels skidding across the loose gravel and over the paved path. Straightening out, he picked up speed.
“Ummm, Darion, do you see those massive iron gates ahead?” he asked, not seeing another road to take. “And the two guards standing in front of them with large guns?”
“I feel them.” Darion focused ahead, one hand reaching forward.
Before Caleb could understand what he meant, the small office near the gates exploded. Flames raged on the road. The two men, unloaded on the Humvee, rapid shots filling the air.
Caleb ducked down as the windshield splintered in front of them.
Darion stayed upright and spoke in a foreign language, concentrating on the road ahead. Did that mean they were bulletproof now?
Caleb let his foot up on the gas only to have Darion slam his knee back down.
“Don’t stop.”
“But the flames—” Caleb didn’t know everything about magic, but that fire raged with an unnatural hunger. And however expensive this car was, he doubted it was fireproof.
Something hit them from behind, the wheels lifting up in the air. It fell down hard. The back of the Humvee swerved a couple times before finding traction. Caleb tightened his grip on the wheel. There was no going back.
“Don’t stop or we’re dead,” Darion shouted.
“If we don’t make it, don’t let them get us.” The chill in
Becca’s voice told of horrors unspoken.
It took a minute before Darion replied. “I understand.”
Caleb pushed the pedal all the way to the floor, knowing any hesitation might kill them, if the fire didn’t. As they approached the flames, he struggled to keep his eyes open against the scorching light.
Then he took a deep breath and drove straight through.
CHAPTER 38
Becca stood at the cliff’s edge, the salty air pulling her hair. Morning light rose slowly over the horizon as the waves crashed against the shore with a fierceness she’d never imagined. They pounded the rocky mountain face over and over, slowly pulling at it grain by grain.
She’d never seen the ocean before. She always assumed it was peaceful and calming. This water had a powerful spirit no one could contain. She imagined jumping in, salt water tearing at her clothes. She might find peace in that destruction, for there was no peace to find here on land.
Darion grabbed her hand, pulling her back from the edge. “Ready?”
She didn’t answer. She never would be ready to bury someone. They both turned to where Caleb stood by Grace’s grave. Darion had already burned a molten layer out of rocks on top of the grave to keep out grave robbers or animals. Caleb planted a wildflower on top.
Did he love this girl? Becca didn’t have the heart to be jealous. It hurt her to see him lose another person he cared for. There had been too much loss.
“I’ve never been to an official funeral.” Caleb dusted his hands on his pants. “Not sure what to say.”
“Whatever you want,” Darion offered. “I hated all the funerals I’ve been too. And Grace wouldn’t have liked them either.”
Caleb cleared his voice. Red rimmed his eyes, his face tired and sad. “Grace was an actress. She performed a role she was forced into for years. But getting to know the real her, she had a beautiful spirit, strong enough to save many. I’ll miss her.”
“Amen,” Darion said.
Becca bit her lip, not trusting her emotions. Grace didn’t deserve to be dead. Becca couldn’t avoid the guilt of her role in Grace’s de
ath. If she didn’t steal this girl from the market, would she be safe? Maybe a maid for a rich lady? Becca would never know.
How many deaths was Becca responsible for? She felt a buzzing in the back her mind. It was Bael. Probably enjoying her sorrow. But it wasn’t all Bael. Somehow, she still felt connected to her sister. It was the same feeling Becca would get when she dreamed of Elizabeth.
“Is it still there?” Darion asked. He must have seen her confusion on her face.
“Yeah. I feel them both. I know you told me, we can’t get her back, that she won’t be the same.” Becca’s voice broke slightly. “But I can’t help but still feel like she’s there, part of her, somewhere.”
“People don’t always want to accept it when they lose someone.” The resignation in his voice crushed her hope.
“What if she’s right?” Caleb asked. “You say she can’t save Elizabeth, but from what you told me about what happened in that room, with Becca taking over Bael, that couldn’t have happened either.”
Becca looked at Darion, searched his face for any sign that these words might be true. Caleb was right. No one expected what happened at Ryma’s to happen. Darion called it old magic. The grimoire didn’t mention removing a demon, but magicians were trying and maybe they’d succeeded.
Darion’s wind-blown hair stood on end, his face hesitant. “I don’t know, Becca. Caleb’s right. I’ve never seen or would have expected what happened in there. I’m not sure why or how you’re connected to Bael. So, I don’t know what the future holds.”
“Maybe it means, we don’t have to say goodbye to Elizabeth just yet?” Caleb proposed.
“Or maybe we’re just prolonging the inevitable.” She loathed the idea of keeping Bael trapped in Elizabeth longer than necessary. And what if they chanced removing the demon and found her sister dead. Becca could feel vague impressions from her sister, but not enough to know if Elizabeth was in pain. This wasn’t a decision she was ready to make.
“We can search for an answer,” Darion said. “Maybe ask around down south, out of Ryma’s way. It will take a while.”
Demon Rising (Dark Rising Trilogy Book 1) Page 26
