Demon Hunters 1: Blood Sacrifice (Stand Alone Series) (Demon Hunters.) (15 page)

Alyssa let him draw her to her feet. He held her hand longer than needed before he let it go to roll up the swag. Alyssa followed him to the vehicle. She took out her knife and prayer card. Blake handed her a jar of salt and a vial of holy water then slung his sword on his back.

“Blake, how do you manage to carry that sword everywhere? I mean, haven’t you ever had police question you or one of the family for carrying a sword around?”

“I carry a card saying I’m a member of a living history group. If the police ever query us, we tell them we’re on the way to a training session.”

“I thought you were against lying.”

“We make sure it isn’t a lie. Come on, Allie Cat. He’s nearly here.”

Alyssa walked with Blake to the fire. She quickly made a circle around herself with salt and the holy water. She checked the prayer card was in the back pocket of her jeans then looked at each of the demon hunters in turn. Their faces were solemn as they bowed their heads in prayer.

Alyssa waited until they crossed themselves and drew their swords before she spoke. “I need you all to promise me something.” When they remained silent, she continued. “None of you are to offer yourselves in exchange for my life.”

“Fair enough.” Riley glanced towards Alex. “I certainly don’t have a hero complex.”

“I want the words, Riley. They start with I promise.”

Riley grinned. “I promise not to offer myself as a sacrifice in exchange for the demon to leave you live out your natural life without any demonic interference.”

“Please tell me you weren’t thinking of it. Those words sounded extremely well planned.”

Riley shook his head. “Just part of the training. Learning how to word things when talking to demons. Although we do try and avoid talking to demons whenever possible.”

Alyssa turned to Scarlett.

“I promise the same as Riley.”

“We’re running out of time, Allie Cat.”

“Alex. You have to promise or I’m stepping out of this circle.”

“Allie Cat-”

“Stay out of this, Blake.”

“Alyssa, I promised you-”

Alyssa cut Alex off. “Now.”

“I promise the same as Riley.”

“Thank you.” Alyssa relaxed. She watched as they turned their backs to her. Each one faced a different direction. The wind picked up and they spread their feet to maintain their balance.

“Pray, Allie Cat,” Blake ordered as the demon appeared before them.

Alyssa began the Lord’s Prayer, her eyes drawn to the demon that paced outside the circle of swords. She turned so she could continue to face him. There was no way she could have her back to him and wondered how the demon hunters could bring themselves to stay in position when he walked to the other side of the circle.

“Come out and play, little rabbit. What are you doing hiding in there?” Retribution called.

Alyssa continued to pray, staring at the demon while avoiding his eyes. She tried to hold the fear back, but she couldn’t stop wondering how they’d make it through the night.

“I can feel Nathan call me, little rabbit. He wants to know where you are. He’s willing to offer blood for what he wants. Why aren’t you?”

Alyssa couldn’t think what came next in the prayer. All she could focus on was the demon bringing Nathan to them. “I thought you were more powerful than that.”

Retribution continued to stare at her. “Better than you have tried to play word games with me, rabbit, cat, or whatever name they call you by. You can’t beat me.”

“Pray, Allie Cat. Don’t talk to him.”

“Listen to the human, Allie. You can’t win against me.”

Alyssa’s chin rose. “When you go running at the call of a mere human, what can I think?”

“That is where you’re wrong. I am here while he’s called me a dozen times at least.”

“He’s only here because of his tie to you, Allie,” Scarlett said. “Otherwise, in this realm, he’s at the mercy of the one who’s called him. But he chose to answer the first call.”

“Why? If you’re so powerful, why place yourself under the control of another?” Alyssa asked.

“When someone sends me an invite to dine, I sometimes join the party. But it’s my choice. They do not coerce me. Do you know how many living sacrifices are offered these days? Not as many as there used to be. Too many offer an animal. Only the minor ones are desperate enough to fall for that.”

“It looks like you didn’t do too well in your choice of dinner invites,” Alyssa said.

“Allie Cat! What are you trying to do? Stop talking to him.”

Retribution laughed and the sound caused a shiver of fear to course through Alyssa. “Dinner might be served late, but I shall dine. And then those who’ve stood in my way will pay once my power’s been brought into this world. Step out here Allie, take my hand and come willingly and I’ll forgive your companions. Don’t they believe in that? Forgive? Turn the other cheek? Get stomped into the ground a little harder?”

“Allie Cat, please!”

Alyssa ignored Blake. “Your words are as slippery as a pit of snakes. I’d trust the words Nathan speaks before I trust yours. You’re pathetic.”

“Allie Cat! Enough! Leopard rug!”

“Looks like the big, powerful demon has his hands tied,” Alyssa said when Retribution paced outside the circle.

Blake started to turn towards Alyssa. “Allie-”

Scarlett interrupted him. “Stand your ground, Blake. Don’t you dare break formation.”

Retribution pointed at Alyssa. “You’ll soon cower when I let the other human know where you are.”

Fear exploded in her. They couldn’t face them both. She pulled her knife from its sheath and dropped the leather to the ground. She hoped the hunters were right and the demon couldn’t get past them. She held the blade against her skin and hesitated. A deep breath and she slid the sharp metal across the inside of her arm, hissing at the pain. A line of blood dotted her skin.

She raised her arm. “This what you’re waiting for? Then try and get it. It’s mine and I refuse to share.” She felt blood trickle down her arm and she hoped she hadn’t cut too deep.

Retribution roared, flinging himself forward. It was like he hit a clear wall and bounced back. He lifted his arms high and with another roar, wind poured around him and pressed against the circle. “You’ll die slow and painful. You’ll scream for mercy and I will have none. You’ve rejected your last chance.”

“I didn’t reject anything. You chose to see it that way. I threw down a challenge and you lost.” Alyssa grinned. Fear raced through her, but she wasn’t going to grovel at his feet.

“Challenge! You want to challenge me? Come out here and do it.”

“What’s wrong? Why can’t you come in here?” Alyssa ignored Blake’s groan.

Retribution roared and doubled in size to tower over them. He raised his arms and a high keening sound issued from his mouth. The wind began to tear around them. Dust swirled. They had to squint to keep the grit from their eyes. The rest of the world disappeared outside the churning, dust filled winds. An eerie red light seemed to emanate through the dust.

“Now’d be a really good time to start praying, Allie Cat.”

“Our Father, who art in heaven,” Alyssa began as the wind swirled around them and tore at their bodies with stinging hands.

Before Alyssa had reached the end of the prayer, the night was filled with images of people Alyssa cared for. She could only watch as the images were torn to pieces by the wind, the red light making everything look bloodstained. Alyssa reached out to touch Blake’s back as she saw the flesh stripped from his body in the vision on the wind. At the last second she pulled her hand back, remembering to stay in the circle. She began the prayer again. She stood straight, her voice strong.

Several hours later, Alyssa trembled from the effort of staying on her feet in the turbulent winds. Her voice grew hoarse from constantly reciting the Lord’s Prayer and her limbs stung from dirt peppering them. Her voice faltered as she watched Erin’s face being torn apart.

“Close your eyes, Allie Cat.”

“Give me a hot stick. I never want to be able to see again,” Alyssa moaned. She clapped her hands over her ears to try and block the sobbing the demon filled the air with.

“Pray, Alyssa,” Alex said.

“Pray! I can’t think of another bloody word.”

“Alyssa!” Scarlett started to turn towards her before she recalled herself and stared straight ahead.

Alyssa started to laugh. She sank to her knees, unable to stand any longer.

Without looking at her, Blake ordered. “Get on your feet, Alyssa. Now!”

Alyssa struggled to her feet. “Stop ordering me around all the time!”

“You’re the one who started this challenge. Are you going to give in now?” Blake demanded.

“What about your prayer card?” Alex asked.

“Get it out and start reading, Allie Cat. Now!”

“I hate you,” Alyssa muttered at Blake.

“No you don’t. So stop sulking.”

“Hmph.” Alyssa pulled the card from her pocket and started to read from it, the red light bright enough to see the words. She read until her hoarse voice was little more than a whisper. She kept her eyes on the card, unable to watch any more horrors in the winds. It was bad enough listening to them. She swayed on her feet and staggered a few times. She managed to catch herself before she fell. The wind continued to pull, tug and sting. She could no longer think. It was all she could do to read the words on the card. Words that no longer made sense. She was so focused on the card she barely noticed the light illuminating the card had become the first rays of sunlight. Her body swayed so much from exhaustion it took her minutes to realise the winds had died down.

Blake sheathed his sword and wrapped his arms around her. “That’s enough, Allie Cat. It’s over for now.”

She buried her head against his shoulder. Her arms went around his waist, the fingers of her right hand locked on the card. “I can’t go through that again.”

“Shh.”

“I-”

“Hush, my Allie Cat. We’ll worry about it later.”

“I have to sit down.” When Blake tried to tug her towards the vehicle, she shook her head. “Here. In the dirt.”

Blake sat with her. Her head rested on his chest, his chin on her head. Both closed their eyes. Fatigue dragged at their limbs. Scarlett dropped to the ground close to them and leaned against Blake, back to back. Riley lay flat on the ground, his arm shielding his eyes from the light that rapidly filled the sky. Alex forced his shaky legs to carry him to the vehicle. When he staggered back to his companions he carried two bottles of water.

Alex dropped to the ground awkwardly. “Alyssa. Water.” He offered one of the bottles to her.

Alyssa turned enough to take the bottle, the card falling from her fingers. She tried to open the lid and failed. Instead, she put the lid in her mouth and clamped it with her teeth so she could use both hands to turn the bottle. She dropped the lid and drank before she handed the bottle to Blake.

“Please tell me we don’t have to move from here,” Alyssa whispered.

“As soon as we can, we should move closer to the vehicle. We’ll need the shade as the sun rises higher,” Blake said.

Alyssa groaned. “Can’t.” She looked at the prayer card sitting in the dirt and picked it up. She didn’t bother to dust it before she slipped it in her pocket. She was covered in dirt. A little more wouldn’t matter.

“Help me up, Alex.” Scarlett handed the water bottle to Riley and held her hand out to her brother.

Alex laughed weakly. “You’re going to have to crawl. I couldn’t help a flea.”

Scarlett got to her knees and crawled to her brother, using him to push herself up. Once she was standing, she held out her hand to him. He gripped her hand and staggered to his feet.

Riley held up his hand, stretched out on the ground, his sword beside him. “Me.”

Scarlett and Alex leaned against each other and stared at him. “He’s an awful long way from us,” Scarlett said.

“He looks pretty comfortable to me,” Alex agreed.

“When I find my strength again, you two will pay,” Riley warned.

“You need to learn to forgive, Riley,” Alex said.

“Yep, I will. Right after I finish paying you two back.”

Alyssa smiled. She pulled back far enough so she could meet Blake’s eyes. “We survived.”

“Barely.”

“And it’s morning.”

“Allie Cat, my brain leaked out my ears some time during the night. If you’re trying to make a point, be a little less cryptic.”

“I got through the night. I’ll believe you said something about showing me your best.”

Blake grinned. “Allie Cat. Don’t change, sweetheart.” He brushed her hair back from her face.

Alyssa’s eyes widened as she saw his demon mark. The tattoo barbs were now crimson. “Blake-”

“Shh, Allie Cat. Everything’ll be fine.”

“No! You didn’t want to fight demons any more. And I forced you into it.”

Blake shook his head. “No, you didn’t. You made me face personal demons. It was way past time I stopped hiding from them. Thank you.”

“But-”

“Come on, Allie Cat. Let’s find somewhere more comfortable to collapse.” Blake got to his knees. He saw her knife and sheath on the ground in front of them. He picked them up and handed them back to her. He continued to hold them as she tried to take them. Their eyes met and held. “Try not to jump head first into danger all the time.”

“I couldn’t think of anything else to do. I had to stop him from bringing Nathan.”

“Tonight we’ll be in sanctuary,” Blake said firmly.

Alyssa groaned. “I hope so. I don’t think I can do that again. I didn’t realise it’d be so difficult.”

Blake staggered to his feet and pulled Alyssa up. He reached over and helped Riley and the three of them walked back to the vehicle, Blake in the middle, an arm around Riley and Alyssa’s shoulders. They had an arm around his waist to help support each other. Alex and Scarlett followed in similar fashion.

Alyssa opened her eyes, her mouth so dry her lips were starting to crack. She tried to roll over, but couldn’t move. She started to panic as her eyes tried to focus, then realised it was Blake’s arm around her waist that held her captive. She turned to face him.

“You awake, Blake?”

“Trying not to be.” Blake didn’t open his eyes.

Alyssa smiled slightly. “I’ve got to get up.”

“Hmmm.” Blake pulled her close and his hand lazily glided across her back.

“Any other time and I’d encourage this, but I’ve really got to get up.”

“Huh?” Blake opened an eye slightly.

“Are you awake now?” Alyssa sighed when Blake’s hand stilled. “I guess so.”

“What’s wrong, Allie Cat?”

“I’m trying to get up and you won’t let me.”

Blake stretched and groaned. Alyssa stood up and stumbled as she tried to keep her balance.

Riley rolled to his side and raised himself up on one arm. “As hard as the ground is to sleep on, I’d like some peace so I can have at least another hour.”

Alex yawned, sat up and glanced at his watch. “Can’t. Midday. Need to get on the road soon. The alarm would have gone off shortly anyway.”

Scarlett rubbed her eyes and sat up. “Wait for me, Allie. Better yet, give me a hand.”

Alyssa, who’d started to turn in the direction of the restroom, walked over to Scarlett and held out her hand. “I’m just as likely to fall on top of you.”

“I’ll take my chances.” Scarlett clasped Alyssa’s hand and was soon on her feet. “I feel like every inch of my body’s coated in dirt.”

“Tell me about it,” Alyssa muttered.

They were back on the road by two o’clock. Alex had hung blankets in the trees to make a shower room and Riley had heated water while the other three prepared lunch. The wash was basic at best and their first stop when they reached the next town was a motel room where they could shower. The second stop was a Laundromat followed by a drive out to the old cemetery that was no longer in use. The town had grown away from the cemetery, leaving open bushland around it.

Alyssa closed her book as they arrived. She had no need for a bookmark. She stared at the cover, her eyes thoughtful, a frown marring her forehead. She tapped the book on her knee.

Blake held the door open. “Are you getting out, Allie Cat?” His eyes were drawn to the book in her hand. “No.”

“You don’t even know what I’m thinking about.”

Blake smiled wryly. “Final chapter?”

Alyssa sighed.

Blake chuckled. “Come here, Allie Cat.”

Alyssa slid across the seat and turned to face him. He rested his hands on her shoulders. “We can’t keep this up, Blake.”

He drew Alyssa forward so he could wrap his arms around her. “I know. But there’s no guarantee you’ll survive that option.”

“Life doesn’t come with guarantees. And the longer we wait, the less chance there is it’ll work.”

“Allie Cat-”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Besides, you haven’t shown me your best. I’m beginning to think you’re all talk.”

“Really?”

Alyssa’s lips curved slightly. “You wouldn’t be trying to wriggle out now, would you?”

“I’m sure you’d never let me.”

“Well? I’m waiting. I must say that so far I’d have to rate you pretty low on a scale of one to ten.”

Blake pulled her forward until she slid off the seat to stand in front of him. He left one hand at her waist, the other travelled up her back to rest at the nape of her neck. Their eyes met and held. Blake slowly lowered his face closer to hers and stopped millimetres away. “How low, Allie Cat?”

Alyssa’s smile had vanished, her lips were parted and she stared up at him. “Really low,” she whispered.

“Lying is a sin, Allie Cat.”

“You sure I’m lying?”

“Definitely. Your heart rate is faster, your breathing shallow and your pulse erratic. So I’d have to say that really low, should be at least an eight.”

“Hmmm. I’ve been told pride is a sin.”

“Statement of fact, Allie Cat.”

“And that’s all I’ve heard. Statements. You’re all talk, Blake.”

“And you’ve no patience.” He brushed his lips across hers and her eyes closed as her pulse leapt and sped up. Blake deepened the kiss before he gradually pulled back.

Alyssa’s eyes slowly opened and her lips curved into a smile. “Maybe an eight. I’d have to do more research to be certain.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

Alyssa grinned. “And your ego’s already inflated too much to give you a better rating.”

“I’m sure I could change your mind.”

“That’d entail action rather than talk. I’m not sure you can manage that.”

“You’re probably right. You’re far too tempting.” Blake gave her a swift kiss before he stepped away from her. “And you’re not to even think about the final chapter.”

Alyssa watched as Blake strode to Alex’s side. She guessed he was telling Alex about her plans. She looked around and spotted Riley and Scarlett together. She walked towards them, determined to gain support for her plan.

Blake was the hardest one to convince her plan was the only sensible one. Even Alex agreed it was best to try now while she had the strength to win. And when it was time for him to leave her at the edge of the sanctuary to face Retribution alone, Alyssa thought he might change his mind again.

“You only have to call and I’ll be there. Make sure you call if you need me, Allie Cat. Sometimes you have to let go of your independence and let others help you.”

Alyssa reached up to run her hand over his jaw. Her thumb brushed across his lips when she reached his chin. “I can do this.”

He pressed a kiss against her thumb. “I know you can. You’re strong in here where it counts.” Blake rested his hand over her heart. “But sometimes you need extra strength. I’m here, waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” Allie said softly.

“Just make sure you remember you have to mingle both your blood and the demon’s to bind him to you so you can make him vulnerable. It’s not enough just to draw blood from each of you.”

Alyssa nodded. “I know.” She swallowed hard as she thought of what that would involve.

Blake stared at her a moment longer before he turned and started to walk away.

“Blake.” He turned at her call. She stared at him, the words harder than she thought it possible for them to be. “I… wait for me.”

“Always.”

She frowned as she watched him walk away and wished she could’ve spoken the three words that were caught in her throat. Instead, she turned to face the night and waited, hands behind her back. She knew the wait wouldn’t be long. In fact, they’d expected Retribution twenty minutes ago. But she could feel him coming closer now.

Then he was before her. Barely an arm’s length away. But she didn’t reach out to touch him. She wasn’t crazy. Not yet, anyway.

“You waiting for me, human?”

“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to face me.”

“Don’t waste my time. Your days are numbered. Why draw the process out?”

“Because I know you can’t win.”

“I can win against a mere human any day.”

Alyssa’s lips slowly curved into a smile. “I think I recall a similar boast yesterday. You didn’t do too well in our last encounter.”

“Set the terms, human. We’ll see who wins before the next day dawns.”

“Come closer, Retribution. Come stand on the boundary with me.”

“Step over the boundary and we’ll see who wins.”

Retribution moved to stand in front of her and she felt the heat pour off him. The smell of bushfires, metal and rotten eggs seared the back of her throat. She looked into his eyes, determined to win. She held up her left hand, palm out so he could see her demon mark.

“You’re mine, Retribution. You claimed the name, now I invoke it. Through our tie.”

“You can invoke it all you want, you have no claim over it.”

Alyssa’s right hand remained behind her back. She pulled out the knife she’d tucked into the waist of her jeans and grasped the blade until she felt it cut into her hand. She barely held back a hiss of pain. Blood coated the blade. She saw the flare in his eyes as he caught the scent. She loosened her grip and let the blade slip down until she held the handle.

“The battle ground’s my body. Winner remains in this world.” She took a step forward. One foot in sanctuary, the other out. Her right hand plunged the knife into the demon, her left arm wrapped around him. She gritted her teeth against the searing pain of his heat and the scalding blood that poured over her. She screamed out, “Retribution! I claim you. You’re mine.” He seemed to melt into her and the searing fire filled her body.

She dropped the knife as she fell to her knees, her head thrown back with a scream. Then she collapsed on the ground.