The Complete Protected by the Damned Series

by Michael Todd

  You need to start looking at the world differently, he suggested. There is a huge difference between positive and negative. Though it may seem all these things are negatives in your life, they don’t have to be.

  Right. She scoffed. And how can I see differently?

  Well, from being in here I have learned that before you always felt alone and you only went to those parties and things to be surrounded by people, he explained. Now you don’t need that part, because I am here to kick your ass.

  Great. She rolled her eyes.

  You miss your parents. I’m sure that sucks, but it is what it is. You have freedom now, and that is a positive, he continued. And as far as your dreams for the future… Well, change them. Make them center around a world where you will have money, no identity, and the ability to do almost anything you want. There is no reason you can’t take a vacation and see the world. You will be a badass bitch, and from what I hear, badass bitches are in high demand. You always wanted to be someone important, so here is your chance.

  Yeah, maybe, Ella said doubtfully. Maybe you’re right. I mean, people die all the time, and instead of it being my parents it was me— at least to them. I can know they are safe and secure without going through the hell that they put me through on a regular basis.

  Yep, Melneck agreed. That is exactly right. And when all is said and done I’ll let you exorcise me, and you can do whatever you want after that. For now, just enjoy being a badass bitch for a while.

  Melneck? Ella asked.

  Yeah?

  Can I go to the store down the street? she asked. I really want to buy a bottle of water and some fruit chews.

  Yeah, sure, why the hell not? But if you beat feet I’m freezing you again, he warned.

  Yeah, yeah. She chuckled. No fucking privacy.

  Ella headed downstairs and grabbed her bag, figuring there was no one there to tell anyway. She pulled her hood up over her head and shoved her hands in her sweatshirt pockets, walking alone through the neighborhood.

  It was the Greek District so there were families everywhere, but she just didn’t feel like looking at any of them. As she turned the corner, she walked past a school. There were kids out and about, playing sports, talking, and hanging out in the parking lot.

  At first she didn’t even look over at them, remembering how torturous her high school days had been, but as she passed them she heard a kid telling someone to get off and leave him alone.

  She slowed down and watched as some bullies picked on a smaller, thinner boy. He didn’t have the most fashionable clothes or the newest shoes, his haircut was like a bowl, and his glasses were broken on one corner. Below his feet his books were strewn everywhere, pages flapping in the breeze.

  Those stupid motherfuckers, she grumbled to Melneck. I fucking hate bullies. Why can’t they find something better to do with their time?

  I don’t know why you are bitching to me, Melneck replied. You could be handling it right now. Why are you hesitating?

  I’m a girl, and I’m much smaller than those guys, she explained.

  Seriously, I wonder if you are awake half the time when you are with everyone else, he mused. You aren’t paying attention to anything the Damned are trying to tell you, are you?

  I am, but I don’t know what you mean, she replied.

  Your practicing and training is what helps me adjust to you, he explained. I can’t help you in fights and I can’t help you against demons if our bodies aren’t aligned in some way or another. We have to do things like this to get more in sync. Now, just trust me this one time and go over there…

  Chapter 23

  Ella took a deep breath and walked toward the kids. When she reached them she pushed one of the big ones off the smaller kid. “Move it, asshole!”

  They all stepped back, whistling and chuckling, Ella stood between them and the kid, fists clenched and jaw tight. She looked at the kid and then back at them.

  “Leave him alone.” She flicked her hair out of her eyes.

  “Uh oh, look at the big girl,” the leader of the boys taunted, cracking a smile to the others. “What, you just get out of school yourself? Think you are an adult and everything? I bet you are the type of girl who does everything your parents want you to. You trying to look tough with that streaked hair and goth makeup? It isn’t working!”

  Bwahahaha! Melneck laughed. Boy, this kid has it all wrong. Not only do you despise authority, but you do the complete opposite of what your parents tell you. What an idiot! No, you fool, she is much worse than you could ever imagine.

  Shut the hell up, Ella yelled at Melneck. I’m not that bad.

  You are right. He sighed, then started to laugh again. You’re worse! You are the stain on the bottom of a condom when the guy decides to watch two dogs getting it on rather than sleep with you! You are the reason there are only three people trying to console your parents. You sucked so bad as a daughter most people are congratulating them!

  I swear, if you don’t shut up… Ella warned him.

  You’ll do what? He chuckled. You are the worst example of human flesh I’ve ever been inside, and trust me—I’ve done this plenty of times. There are sloths that work at a higher level than you. In fact, I’ve met mental patients who have a better ability to function and stand up for themselves.

  “Stop,” she shouted, her temperature rising.

  Aw, am I hurting your wittle feewings? Is wittle Miss Ella gonna run home and cry? Or are you going to stand up like a true fucking demon fighter and do your goddamn DUTY?

  The soldiers watched as Damian pulled out his large glimmering cross, holding it tightly in his fingerless-gloved hand.

  They noticed that Katie’s weapons were special as well, the blades of her knives shimmering in the dim light as she ran them effortlessly across the throats of the demons just inside the door.

  When the blade touched flesh, it sizzled and crackled. Like individual tornados Damian and Katie whirled through the building, beating the shit out of everything that got in their way. While Damian blocked Katie kicked, sending demons flying backward in a ball of dust or blood.

  They made their way through the halls in a dance of death with knives, crosses, punches, kicks, blocks, and bullets. It was the most amazing thing any of the military team had ever seen, and at the end of the cleared hallway—or rather, at the end of a trail of demon carcasses and piles of dust—was the room where their boss resided.

  Katie and Damian stopped outside the door as the sergeant marched through their debris, with his three men shuffling clumsily behind him. When he reached the door he cleared his throat, obviously nervous but trying to hide it.

  He looked at his men, then at Katie and Damian.

  “We got this,” he told the redshirts. “Good work.”

  Katie shrugged and stepped to the side as the men ran into the room. She skipped over to a couple of wooden containers against the wall, hopping up and patting the one next to her for Damian. He smiled and climbed up, groaning as he wiped off his cross and stuck it back in the inside pocket of his coat.

  Katie smiled. “So, how is life? What do you think the new base is like? Meet any cool priests lately?”

  “Well,” Damian paused to let the sudden screams from the other room die down, “I am hoping there is a big place for a sanctuary, and a—”

  A loud roar followed by rapid gunfire and further screaming made him pause again.

  “Big room for me to relax in,” Damian finished. “How about you?”

  “I am hoping for a place I can make my own donuts,” Katie told him. “Save me a lot of money.”

  “Ha-ha. I’m—”

  They paused as one of the men came flying back through the door, landed on the ground and slid all the way to their feet. Katie looked down and shook her head in disgust, not understanding how they could possibly be screwing this one up.

  She looked at Damian and they both nodded, then jumped down and picked the military guy up by his arms and legs.

  “We
’ll just clean this up,” Katie murmured as the two of them tossed him back through the door into the fight. She yelled after the soldier, “No lying down on the job!”

  He screamed as he landed on his ass and skidded to the demon’s feet. She flinched and then smiled, dusting off her hands and walking back over to the crate. They hopped back up and continued their conversation.

  “Now, what was I saying?” Katie asked.

  “Donuts,” Damian reminded her.

  “Oh yeah.” She smiled. “So, I want to make my own donuts.”

  About two minutes into the conversation Damian paused, hearing only silence now from the other room. Katie tilted her head and waited until someone yelled from the other room.

  “COVER FIRE!”

  The three guys ran back out, carrying their fearless leader and laying him on the ground. He was out cold, but still breathing; no fatal wounds, just knocked the fuck out. Katie raised one eyebrow and looked at one of the soldiers, who was covered in dirt and breathing heavily.

  “We’re tapped out,” he told her, clutching his chest.

  “Oh, hell no!” Katie jumped down and putting up a hand. “Just because your leader is out cold, that doesn’t mean you get to leave. He told me that you guys are the specialists. That you had this.”

  She waved them toward the room. “Go ahead. We got all night.”

  They looked at her pleadingly, and just then General Brushwood and Colonel Jehovivich barreled down the hall. The soldiers stood at attention and saluted as they waited for him to approach.

  The general saluted back when he reached them.

  “At ease,” he commanded, staring at the sergeant on the floor and then at one of the soldiers. “I need a sitrep.”

  “Um, well, he,” the soldier said, pointing at the sergeant on the floor, “decided that we would take out,” he jerked his thumb back at the demon, “the boss demon there.”

  The general grunted in irritation. “Well, don’t make me wait. What happened?”

  “Well,” the soldier answered, grimacing, “we got our asses handed to us.”

  A deep laugh tumbled from the room behind them, and the soldier lifted his shoulders and scrunched his face.

  “Did all my toys leave me?” the boss demon voice bellowed. “Are none willing to play with Bokorgh?”

  Ugh, it’s Bokorgh. Pandora groaned. He is a big one but a bit of a pussy, for what it’s worth. Just watch out for his right cross. It will lay you out until next week.

  The general turned and stared at Katie and Damian, who had their hands in their pockets. They hadn’t even broken a sweat.

  “What?” Damian asked. “We already did the rest of this.”

  Damian waved his hand at the hallway behind them. The general followed his gesture and watched as another of the wounded demons burst into dust. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He couldn’t believe these two had done the whole thing.

  “You want us to take out the last one too?” Damian asked with a smirk.

  The general turned to the men, who nodded and shrugged.

  “The sergeant told Team One—those two,” the soldier confirmed, nodding to Katie and Damian, “to clean out the building so we could go in fresh.”

  “Let me get this straight,” the general said slowly. “Your sergeant allowed these two fighters to go in and clean up the warehouse so, and I quote, you could, ‘go in fresh.’ And now your sergeant is laid out here unconscious, and you want the two demon hunters to go in there?”

  The leader of the group just shrugged, not really knowing what to say. The general sighed and rubbed his face as he looked at the colonel. A loud bang shook the room behind them and the general flinched, rolling his eyes. He turned to Damian.

  “Would you please finish this?” the general requested.

  Damian and Katie nodded, stepped over the sergeant, and headed toward the door. Katie stretched her arms over her head and cracked her knuckles, then tilted her head quickly from side to side. She cleared her throat and kicked open the door, Pandora’s voice joining with hers.

  “Welcome to the jungle, BITCHES! We got fun and games coming your way!” she screamed.

  That was when all hell broke loose.

  The general stood next to the colonel and the other soldiers as Katie and Damian disappeared into the room. They could hear Katie and Damian fighting hard and taking blows, then the high-pitched screaming of the demon. The general looked at the colonel with furrowed brows, and she just shrugged. Suddenly Katie crashed through the wall and rolled across the ground toward the soldiers. They backed up as she jumped to her feet, not even noticing them as she talked to herself.

  “Oh, you did NOT just throw my ass through a wall, you motherfucking irredeemable barrel-jacker!” she growled, clenching her fists.

  The soldiers took another step back, looking at each other in wonder. This woman had just been thrown through a cinderblock wall, and she had gotten back up for more.

  They had never seen anything like it. They were blown away and scared at the same time, so they just watched the action like birds watching a cat that was stalking something else.

  Katie dusted off her pants and ran back inside, and they all stood there waiting for whatever would happen next. Sure enough, only a moment passed before the demon screamed again and there was a giant crash.

  Before they could even blink the demon smashed through the wall, destroying part of the building. The soldiers and the officers ran for cover, leaving the sergeant where he was. They watched from behind the crates as Damian and Katie stalked out of the room, their eyes on fire as they grabbed the demon by his legs and pulled him back into the other room.

  The demon was gibbering in fear and clawing at the ground as they dragged him over the debris. The soldiers’ eyes grew wide when Katie kicked him hard in the leg.

  “Stop it,” she yelled. “You’re embarrassing the whole demon race! You could at least die with a little dignity. Damn, she was right when she said you were a pussy. You need to get it the fuck together. You did this to yourself.”

  A few minutes later another scream rang out, only this was worse than any of the others. It shook the walls, and forced the soldiers to put their hands over their ears.

  After a few seconds it stopped, and perfect silence ensued. The military people crouched in the quiet, waiting for what was next.

  To the right of them a piece of the ceiling crashed to the ground, startling them.

  The general stood up straight and dusted off his uniform, then slowly inched forward and stared into the dust cloud ahead of him. He was pretty sure that the demon was dead. He looked down when he felt someone pulling on his pantleg. It was the sergeant, who had just woken up from his unconscious state.

  “Did we take him out?” he asked, then closed his eyes again.

  I would fucking kill for a donut right now, Pandora snarled.

  I thought you were off donuts, Katie remarked, brushing the dust off her pants.

  Donuts are a lover that you get into fights with, Pandora explained. All so that you can have great makeup sex, but then you feel bad about yourself when you’re done.

  Katie was confused. So, are you telling me that you’re giving up donuts?

  Which part of “you’re talking crazy” don’t you understand?

  Chapter 24

  You really can’t see it? Melneck laughed. You can’t see how pathetic you really are?

  Stop it, Ella growled.

  I mean, I thought I was blind to reality sometimes. He chuckled. But this? I mean, I saw it before I even entered your body. There you were, standing on those stairs, holding onto that little bag of trash, angry at the world. Poor Ella! She has to work a real job, and her parents give her a hard time. Boo hoo. Why don’t we just run off and get high, because that solves everything? Please! Get it together here and face the cold hard truth. If you ever want to be anything in this world, you are going to have to install a new fucking brain.

  “I said SHUT THE FU
CK UP,” she screamed out loud, and the boys stepped back and looked at each other in confusion.

  Yes, yes! That is it, right there, Melneck told her. Now you are ready! Tap it, feel the rage, BE the bitch you were meant to be. These boys are everything in the world you hate. They are your parent’s nagging mouths, they are the demons around you, they are society’s hold on you. This is your moment, now GIVE IN TO IT!

  Ella lost it. She lunged forward and grabbed the leader by his shirt with one hand and punched him repeatedly in the face with her other hand. When she finally let go, he fell into a pile at her feet.

  The next kid’s fist hit her face, but there was no pain.

  “That all you got, prick?”

  She growled and grabbed him by the shoulders, ramming her knee into his gut before punching him hard in the side of the head and sending him spiraling to the ground.

  She turned, thrusting her leg out to the side and kicking an oncoming guy in the chest. He doubled over and fell backward, wheezing as he landed on the asphalt.

  “Behind you,” the nerdy kid yelled, and she turned right into a punch in the mouth.

  Ella spat and chopped the fourth guy in the side of the neck, then punched him in the stomach. Not content, she grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him to the ground. The leader had gotten back up and came toward her, screaming at the top of his lungs. She bent down and punched him square in the nuts, then stood up quickly and elbowed him in the neck. The fifth guy ran toward her as well, but she stepped to the side and stuck out her arm, catching him in the throat. He bounced backward and hit the ground, not getting up again.

  “I…uh…I think you got them all,” the kid told her, clutching his notebook to his chest as he looked around. He pushed up his glasses a moment later.

  Ella stood up straight and glanced over as one of the guys tried to get up.

  She walked over and tilted her head to peer at him, then pulled her leg back and kicked him hard in the stomach like she was punting a football. He collapsed again, out cold.