Fading Light: Shadow Born, Book 2 (15 page)

“You look shocked,” he began. ‘Thanks to the witches, I have a rotting body, a very high pain tolerance, and nothing to lose. At this point, damage to my body is irrelevant.” He squeezed, cutting off her oxygen. “At least until you heal me. And you will, even if I have to force you.”

Brenna choked, distracting Ga’loh as Gray moved behind him. She ripped Ga’loh’s hand from her throat as Gray grabbed him by the back of the neck.

The demon’s laughter filled the small space. It echoed off the walls and sank into the dirt. Ga’loh murmured an incantation, and Gray fell back, stunned but uninjured. Brenna closed her eyes and called her magic. It burned through her skin, forcing Ga’loh to let her go. “That body can’t hold you for much longer. What are you going do then?”

“Doesn’t matter because you’re going to swear you’ll heal me so I’ll let your vampire go.” Ga’loh stepped back, grinning. She wanted to rip the expression off his face.

“But?” She didn’t trust him. There had to be a catch.

Lightning fast, he moved the cage and grabbed Mira by the hair, pulling her against the bars. Her feet dangled in the air. “You fail me, and I’ll kill her. Then I’ll kill every human in this city while you watch.” He dropped Mira, and she landed in an unceremonious heap at his feet. “Understood?”

She wanted to fight him but it was pointless. They needed his help, and he needed theirs, so they had to come to some sort of truce.

“I’ll do it,” she said as he moved toward her. Agnes had said not to promise anything, but they’d have to do the spell after she healed him. That would make things difficult, but not impossible, and she didn’t see a way around it.

“Finally,” he said, his smile fading. “I want a blood oath that you will do everything in your power to heal me. No matter the cost. And you won’t stop until I’m whole again.” Shifting his weight to one foot, he pulled a small vial from his jacket and held it out.

“Not until we set terms. The three of us walk out of here and you swear not to maim, injure, kill or in any way interfere with any of our people, either yourself or using a middle man. And we get the cure.”

“Done.” He held the vial out again. “You’ll get what you need.”

“And,” she continued, “I want you to swear not to help Adare in any way or try to get revenge on the witches who cursed you.” The request leapt over the bounds of what was reasonable, but, if he was desperate enough, he would agree.

He didn’t speak. She prayed she hadn’t gone too far.

He sliced the skin of his forearm with his fingernail. “I agree to your terms.” Black tarry blood welled in the wound. He drained it into the vial.

“It will take me three days to get ready. I’ve never done this before. I want to be prepared,” Brenna hedged.

He glanced at her. “I already agreed. Get on with it.”

He tossed her an empty vial, and she caught it. Reopening the wound on her wrist, she let her blood flow into the glass. Once it was filled, she handed it to Ga’loh. In exchange, he gave her the vial of his blood. The terms had been set, the bargain struck.

Chapter Fifteen

By the time they arrived at headquarters, Brenna was exhausted. After dragging Mira home and healing her, she had managed to get an hour of sleep. Gray’s blood had refueled her magic, but she was still beat. It hadn’t helped Keegan had cornered her as she stumbled down the stairs to grab a cup of coffee. He had refused her access to the potent nectar until she had told him the gory details of their meeting with Ga’loh. By the time she had managed to make a pot of coffee, it had been too late to drink it. So they had arrived late, because she refused to go into battle without being fully caffeinated.

Lucy was beside her desk when they entered the compound. At first Brenna didn’t recognize her. She had swapped her usual jeans and sweater, made to fit her voluptuous gargoyle body, for a flowing orange floral dress. It trailed the ground as she waddled toward them. A bright yellow daisy was stuffed behind one ear to complete the look. Brenna couldn’t help but wonder where she had found it. The only flowers she had seen grew in greenhouses.

Keegan plucked the flower from her ear and held it to his nose. “I like it,” he murmured, pressing his lips against it. He looked like he was going to eat it. Instead he returned it, tucking it behind Lucy’s large gray ear. He gave her a short bow and a wink. Lucy blushed bright pink.

Oh geez. The gargoyle had a crush on the dragon. That wasn’t going to end well.

“Do you know where we’re supposed to go?” Brenna asked.

Lucy turned to face her. “You’re late. Seraph took the others to the gym. You’d better haul ass. He’s pissed.”

Brenna shook her head. All of Lucy’s charm had been wasted on Keegan. “How’s the cure coming?”

The gargoyle’s face lit up. “I’ve almost got it. I managed to isolate the antidote in the shifter’s blood, but I still need to reconstruct the original toxin.” She grimaced. “I need more time.”

“Maybe this will help.” Brenna handed her the vial of Ga’loh’s blood. “This is from the demon that created the toxin. I’m sure the witches’ curse tainted his blood, so it might be useless, but I’m working on getting something better.”

Lucy grabbed the vial and held it to the light. “It’s a start.” She slipped it in her pocket. “Now get the hell out of here.

Once Keegan had blown Lucy a kiss, they made their way down the narrow hall.

“You shouldn’t tease her,” Brenna warned. “Gargoyles mate for life.”

Keegan shrugged. “It’s harmless. She’s too smart to think anything will come of it. We’re not exactly anatomically compatible.”

Gray snorted. “I didn’t realize you were particular.”

Keegan shot him a warning glare.

Brenna stepped between them. “I’m saying be careful. Lucy may not realize you prefer leggy blondes. She’s my friend. I don’t want her hurt.”

Keegan stopped. With a sigh, he turned to face her. “We were friends once, too, remember?” He glanced a Gray. “At least until he came into the picture. Try trusting me occasionally. I’m not a complete bastard.”

Brenna felt properly chastened. He was right. Had she become a bitch overnight, or had it happened gradually? Making a mental note to change her ways, she stepped into the gymnasium. She could immediately see why Seraph had chosen it. Although they referred to it as a gym, its sole purpose was to allow the hunters to practice their combat skills. This was where they beat the crap out of each other. She smiled. It was a fantastic way to work out stress.

Dark padding lined the floor to protect the hunters from injury, and a mirror stretched across one side of the room so they could watch their form. Aside from that, the room was empty. Seraph stood in the center, Agnes by his side. He was sorting the hunters who stood around him into teams. Once he finished, Agnes would send them to the far corner of the room with two of her witches. Their assembly line style seemed to be working. The teams were stacked in rows, waiting.

Brenna tensed as she moved across the soft floor. She dreaded facing Seraph. The balance of their friendship was skewed, and this time she was at fault. She had let him down far too often. His gaze met hers as she stepped closer.

“It’s about time.” He whispered something in Agnes’ ear before walking over to them. “I told you to be here an hour ago.”

“My fault.” Gray stepped forward. “I got sidetracked.”

Brenna looked at him with surprise. He never covered for her.

“Nope.” Keegan grinned. “It was my fault. I withheld coffee from Brenna.”

Seraph shook his head, smiling. “And you lived?”

And like that, they were fine.

“So what’s the plan?” Gray glanced at the rows of soldiers.

“We send them in one at a time.” Seraph said. “Then we pray. They have their orders, if they follow them to the letter they should survive if we get there in time.”

“Shouldn’t we go first?” Keegan asked. “I could take out the guards, then we could send them in.”

Seraph shook his head. “That would defeat the purpose. Our main goal is to get a lead on Adare. If whoever’s running the show sees it’s a lost cause, he’ll get the hell out of there. Then we have lots of dead demons, but no hostages.”

“It’s not going to be easy.” Gray moved closer to Brenna, his hand coming around her waist.

“If things go well, they won’t know until it’s too late.” Seraph motioned them forward. “Time’s wasting. We need to get started.”

“Agreed.” Agnes stepped forward to join them. “My sisters have given the soldiers amulets. They need to wear them at all times, so we can find them and transport them home.”

“Good. That should help their confidence.” Seraph walked to the first set of soldiers and clasped the shoulder of the one in front. “You’re in command of the first strike. Wait until at least three teams arrive, then take down the guards. The next three groups will penetrate the building while you distract the demons.” He glanced at Brenna. “Just hold on until we get there to back you up.” Nodding to the witches, he stepped back.

A wave of magic enveloped the warriors and they disappeared from sight. Seraph went from group to group, repeating the process. Once all his men had joined the battle, he turned back to them. “I don’t have time to prep you, so follow my lead.”

They circled him and waited for the witches to do their magic.

“Are you coming?” Brenna asked Agnes.

She shook her head. “I’ll wait here to make sure everyone gets back.”

The witches began to chant. Magic thickened the air around them, warming their skin and loosening their bodies. Brenna closed her eyes and waited for the initial burn of the transport to recede. Taking long deep breaths, she tried to relax. Her skin tingled with power.

Then the magic disappeared.

Brenna opened her eyes. There were no sounds of battle. The screams of the soldiers were strangely absent. The spell hadn’t worked. “What happened?” she asked, looking around.

The witches were ashen. Several of them had fallen to the ground, blood dripping from their ears. Something had interfered with their magic. Brenna would bet money it was Adare, but how had he found out about the attack? They had been careful to keep the operation under wraps.

“Damn it,” Seraph cursed. “We have to get to the battle. Those men are sitting ducks.”

Agnes looked up from where she was caring for one of her own. “That’s the least of your worries. Something’s coming. I can feel it.”

“What do you mean?” As Gray stepped toward her, a rumble came from the earth beneath them, and the room began to shake.

Unable to retain her balance, Brenna hit the floor just as the mirrored wall shattered, spraying shards of glass across the room. Several slivers embedded in her forearm. “Was it Adare?” she yelled at Agnes.

The witch didn’t respond. She was crawling across the floor toward the other witches. A spasm wracked her body and she collapsed, tears streaming down her face. A jagged piece of glass had sliced her open. Blood streamed from her stomach as Seraph lifted her in his arms. Her sister witches surrounded her as she lay, barely breathing, in Seraph’s lap. Healing magic filled the air.

One of the fluorescent overhead lights hit the ground beside them and shattered. The witches continued without pause as the room around them fell apart. Thankfully, after a few moments, Agnes stirred. She was fully healed.

“Are you okay?” Gray grabbed Brenna by the waist. He moved his hands across her body to search for injuries.

“It’s only a flesh wound.” She held out her forearms. Blood trailed across them to pool on the floor.

“We have to get out of here. It’s caving in.” Keegan shouted. He pushed through the debris to the doorway.

Seraph met them halfway, flanked by the witches. “Go get Lucy and get out of here,” he ordered. “We’ll get everyone else.”

“We’ll help you.” Gray replied.

“No.” Seraph shook his head. “I need you to get to the battle. The hunters we sent aren’t strong enough. They’ll die if you wait too long. Get Lucy, get topside, and teleport out. That’s an order.” He pushed passed them into the hall. The ceiling groaned, falling a few more inches.

Brenna’s heart raced. Being buried alive was not her idea of a good time. Aside from that, Seraph was right. The battle had begun. If they didn’t get there soon, those hunters were demon fodder.

Ignoring the shaking walls, Brenna stumbled through the hallway to the main entrance. As she stepped into the room, her heart fell. Part of the ceiling had fallen on Lucy’s booth. The glass had shattered, and what remained of the wooden desk was in splinters.

There was no sign of the gargoyle.

“Lucy?” Brenna pushed through the debris to the desk. “Where are you?”

Keegan and Gray sorted through the rubble as Brenna called Lucy’s name. A stray tear trickled down her cheek. Her heart hurt. Over the years, Lucy had become a constant in her life. She loved the little monster.

Brenna threw aside piece after piece of glass to reach the counter. Her arms were bleeding profusely. Then the room shuddered. She threw herself backwards as a large chunk of the cement ceiling hit the ground where she had been. The disturbance shifted the rubble, and a bright orange spot appeared.

She sank to her knees, frantically digging as she yelled for Keegan and Gray. Within moments they uncovered Lucy’s still figure. Brenna settled herself on the ground and pulled the gargoyle onto her lap, her pulse thready and her breathing shallow. Lucy wheezed and jerked, but Brenna held her still. She closed her eyes and let her magic flow. It erected a fiery barrier around them to purify the air and prevent infection. Sparks flew from Brenna’s palm, caressing the open wounds on Lucy’s abdomen and neck. It took several minutes to knit the gashes together. When she was finished, Brenna helped Lucy sit.

“I picked a hell of a day to wear a dress.” Lucy glanced at the now tattered garment. With Keegan’s help, she managed to get to her feet. Brushing her hands off on her skirt, she glanced at Brenna “We’re even. No more moon pies.”

Brenna laughed, nodding. She tried to stand, but her legs wouldn’t hold her weight. Gray wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. She had to lean on him to keep from falling.

“We need to go.” Keegan glanced around. “I don’t think this is going to hold much longer.”

Pieces of concrete rained from the ceiling. The structure wouldn’t last long. If the ceiling went, the tunnels would soon follow. They were already filling with a steady stream of dirt.

Brenna leaned her head against Gray’s shoulder. She didn’t have the strength to teleport them. For him to move all four of them would be a significant drain, but it was their only option.

Keegan followed her gaze. Walking to the glass doors, he peered into the passageways. “They’re filling fast. We’ll never make it out.”

Brenna fought back panic as the room jerked to one side and began to shake. They were running out of time.

“Get next to me. I’ll get us out.” Gray motioned them closer.

His magic wrapped around them, a thick cloak against the raining concrete and swirling dust. It was different than the witches’ magic. Warm and comforting, it covered Brenna’s body and forced her to relax. When she opened her eyes, they were standing in the road beside the entrance to the tunnels.

“Nifty trick.” Lucy brushed the dirt from her dress. “But where are Seraph and the others?”

There was no sign of life anywhere near them, but that didn’t mean anything. They could be at the other entrance.

“They’ll be okay. Seraph’s tough.” Keegan helped Lucy into their SUV. “Give Lucy your keys so she can get to the boarding house. We need to get to the airport.”

“Agreed.” Gray tossed Lucy the keys. Gathering his magic once again, he shifted them into battle.

The compound that had once housed the Denver International Airport sat abandoned on a desolate plane of scorched earth. There were no trees, no vegetation of any kind. This left them with zero options if they wanted to pull off a covert attack. Seraph’s plan to teleport in the soldiers had been a good one. Under normal circumstances, it should have worked.

Gray put them down in the midst of the battle. There was no time to think, only do. At first glance, it seemed the hunters had stood their ground. Although they were grossly outnumbered, there were more hunters than demons standing on the outskirts of the building.

Brenna pushed away from Gray. She found the lead hunter near the edge of the fight, surrounded by demons. There was a dagger deep in his thigh, and blood poured from his leg. One of the demons had him by the neck and was pounding him against a rock wall.

With a twitch of her wrist, Brenna’s athame sailed through the air. It hit the demon square between the eyes. The wound killed him instantly. When he fell to the ground, the hunter still in his grasp, the other demons glanced around, unsure where the assault had come from. Brenna lobbed fireballs at them. One struck gold, killing two demons at once. The rest scattered.

“Are you okay?” She crouched beside the hunter and wove a spell of protection around them. The dagger wound was already oozing with infection. The blade had been poisoned and the vile substance was spreading through his blood.

“Leave me.” Blood trickled from his lips. “Help the others.”