Fading Light: Shadow Born, Book 2 (16 page)

She shook her head. “Not an option.”

He screamed as she yanked the dagger free. It fell to the ground and rolled beneath a stone. Brenna placed both hands on his wound. “This is going to hurt.”

She turned her power into a cleansing fire which danced through his blood and destroyed the toxins. His screams turned shrill, but he didn’t pass out. Once Brenna was satisfied the venom was destroyed, she healed the gaping skin.

“Good as new.” She handed him the fallen dagger, then helped him to his feet. “What’s your name?” she asked as she released the spell surrounding them.

“Ryder.” He stared at her like she had three heads.

She would have said something else, but a demon attacked and they were forced apart. She slammed a fireball into the closest demon. He fell writhing to the ground, but his buddies surrounded her. With a murmured incantation, she swept the mass of demons with a freezing spell. They stopped, frozen, an inexplicable expression on their faces. A powerful roundhouse kick to their chests and they shattered. Pieces flew in every direction in an icy storm of body parts. After that the demons gave her a wide berth. “You okay?” Keegan appeared at her side. “You’re pale.”

A slew of demons converged on them. Keegan shook his head, an irritated look on his face. Wrapping his arms around his broad chest, he exploded into dragon form. The demons shrank back, clutching their weapons. The size of a large house, Keegan yawned at them. His bluish-green iridescent scales sparkled in the moonlight as he trampled the smallest demons underfoot. Those left shrank back with a terrified shriek. The dragon’s mouth closed over the closest one. Gripping it in his teeth, he shook his head. The demon stopped shrieking.

Keegan glanced back at Brenna, the creature’s legs hanging from his mouth. “Tastes like chicken,” he muttered, his voice low and gravelly. Someone really should have taught him to eat with his mouth closed. He tilted his head back and swallowed what was left.

Brenna felt sick.

The rest tried to scattered, but, before they could, Keegan sprayed them with a plume of fire. The crispy demons fell to the ground in a pile of ash.

It was the first time she had gotten a good look at Keegan’s alternate form. He was enormous. His thick neck reached far above the roof of the compound as he shifted about to roast all the demons he could find. After a few moments, his massive body shuddered. The shift to his human shape was nearly impossible to detect. One moment he was a fire-breathing monster, the next a semi-normal man.

“Nice.” Gray stepped beside them. “But there’s more on the way.”

They glanced at the front door. Wave after wave of minions streamed through the narrow space.

“These guys are collateral damage, the real threat is inside.” Once Keegan pointed it out, the enemies’ plan of attack was obvious. Someone didn’t want them to get through those doors.

“Let the others hunters handle this, I found another entrance.” Gray motioned for them to follow.

Something had carved a hole into the aluminum siding on the far end of the building. Gray kept guard as Keegan and Brenna squeezed through the small space. It was a tight fit for Keegan even in his human form, but Brenna managed to shove him through. The tunnel ended in an empty airline terminal.

Brenna didn’t trust vacant rooms, but she wasn’t strong enough to search it with her magic. “I’m betting this is a trap,” she said as Gray joined them.

“Me too.” Gray shrugged. “But we weren’t getting through the front door.”

A rustling sound came from the far corner of the room. Brenna tensed, readying herself.

“Took you long enough.” A man stepped from behind a pile of rubble. “I was beginning to think I’d have to come get you.” Moving forward, he stepped into the light.

Seraph.

Brenna released the breath she had been holding. “You scared the hell out of me.” She sank to the ground, her body screaming in pain.

Gray stepped forward. “Did everyone get out?”

“We did the best we could. The building collapsed. I left Agnes and her coven in charge. They’re searching for survivors,” Seraph replied. “Half our hunters are missing or dead.”

Brenna closed her eyes. The others would have to wait. They had a job to do. “How long have you been here?”

“Not long. When I saw what was happening, I found another way in.”

“Nice choice.” Keegan said as he moved beside Gray. “What now?”

“This room was full of grunts.” Seraph motioned to the pile of bodies now visible behind him. “I cleaned house.” Seraph paused. “All the hunters that made it inside are dead. Their bodies are lying in the hallway. Someone pushed them against the wall to make a path.”

Brenna closed her eyes. Today’s losses were in the hundreds. If they didn’t fall back soon, those numbers would continue to climb.

“We need to grab the leader and get out.” Keegan rubbed his hands together. “I’ll do the grabbing.”

“Those halls are full of manticore demons. They’re inside their hosts, but you’ll still never get through on your own. We go together,” Seraph instructed. “Gray will grab the one in charge and transport it out of here. We kill as many of the others as we can. I’ll tell Agnes to pull the hunters out.”

“Where am I going to put the demon?” Gray replied. “Headquarters is gone.” Gray helped Brenna to her feet. “And Brenna’s on her last legs.”

“Brenna can take care of herself,” she responded. “Take the creature to the boarding house. You can use the shed out back.”

Gray raised an eyebrow. “I’m not taking him home with me.”

She shrugged. “They already know where we live. It’s not like there’s anywhere else.”

“All righty then, let’s go.” Keegan threw open the door and stepped into the corridor.

The halls were littered with the fallen bodies of demon hosts and IRT hunters. The battle had been raging only an hour. It was unusual to have such staggering losses. She could hear the demons ahead. Their chirping voices sounded similar to newly hatched cicadas. As Brenna turned the corner, the others at her back, she saw four of them.

The chirping escalated in pitch as the demons flung a massive swirl of dark energy toward Brenna. She ducked, praying the others weren’t hit.

“This is new,” Gray muttered. “Since when do demons fight like mages?”

Keegan chuckled. “Keeps life interesting.” Pushing past them, he raced toward the demons as he changed form. He was like a torpedo of bluish-green scales and fire. He devoured the demon closest to him and disposed of him with one quick swallow. With a burp, he swung around to face them. “They really are tasty. Can I have another?”

The rest of the demons fled down the hall toward Brenna, Gray and Seraph. Apparently, they were the lesser threat.

Brenna turned to Gray. “There’s one for each of us, Keegan evened the odds.”

For a moment Gray studied her, probably wanting to tell her to step back. But he didn’t. “I’ll take the one on the left. He looks like the leader.” He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her hard. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

Brenna couldn’t watch his fight. She had to concentrate on her own. She hurled a mass of power at the closest demon. The icy sphere struck the beast and rendered it senseless. A front kick to its chest, and it hit the ground. Brenna plunged her athame between its eyes, chanting the spell to send it through the Veil.

She stood to take inventory of her surroundings. Seraph and Keegan stood at her side. Gray was gone and so were the demons. The sounds of the battle outside poured through the windows.

“We got what we came for. Let’s get the hell out of here.” Brenna pushed past Seraph and peered outside. “What’s the issue?”

“Agnes isn’t responding,” Seraph growled.

“Damn it.” Now back in his human form, Keegan slammed his fist into the wall. The building shuddered. “How do we get them out of here?”

Brenna closed her eyes. What she was about to suggest wasn’t going to rub anyone the right way. “I can get us out, but I’ll need to borrow some power.”

“There’s a catch, isn’t there?” Keegan grimaced. “Or you would have told us earlier.”

Brenna nodded. “You need to drink my blood.” She ignored Keegan’s eager gaze “It’ll let me open a connection with you so I can siphon your power.”

“Don’t you already have a connection with Mira? Why not draw off her?” Keegan watched her carefully. “I don’t like to share.”

“She’s a vampire. She doesn’t have a life force.” Brenna tried to be patient, but they were running out of time.

“I already have a connection with Gray. Will it interfere?” Seraph replied.

“It shouldn’t.” Brenna took a long breath. She hadn’t realized the bond between Gray and Seraph ran so deep.

“You’re not going to go all master vampire and try to control us, are you?” Keegan shook his head. “If you do, I’ll eat you.”

Brenna ignored him. There were several ways to do this, but they needed the quickest one. She motioned to Keegan. “Give me the bottle of water inside your jacket.”

Without a word, he did as she said. Brenna cleaned her athame with the liquid, wiping it dry on her shirt. In one swift movement, she sliced through the skin of her forearm. As blood welled in the wound, she let it slide across her skin to fill the bottle. When there was enough, she murmured a brief incantation and the skin healed.

She held the bottle to the light and stared at it.

Gray was going to be furious, but what else was she supposed to do?

Her hands trembled as she handed Seraph the bottle. He drank his fill then handed it to Keegan who drained it. Almost immediately, she could feel their power. Her blood flowed through their veins. Now they each carried a piece of her inside them. As long as they were alive, she could find them and use their power as her own. On the flip-side, her blood would fortify and accentuate their own powers.

“It tickles.” Keegan danced back and forth. “Are we done?”

Brenna shook her head. “Keep your pants on, the fun’s just starting.”

With a deep breath, she tapped into their essence and found the heart of their magic. They groaned as she pulled it into her body to strengthen her power. Once she had gathered what she needed, she released them. Both men were breathing hard, their skin flushed. She gave them a few moments to gather themselves.

“What the hell was that?” Keegan watched her carefully.

Seraph shook his head. “She drank part of your life essence. Did you think it would feel good?”

Brenna pushed passed them until she could see hunters outside. Eyes closed, she wrapped her magic around them. The flow of magic blanketed them, pulled them from battle, and deposited them on the hillside next to their former headquarters.

Chapter Sixteen

By the time Gray materialized by the shed, he was bloody, sore, and ready to rip the demon in his arms limb from limb. The beast had no fear. Sick of his obscene threats, Gray had pistol-whipped him to keep him quiet. In retrospect, that probably hadn’t been one of his better ideas.

The shed sat behind the main structure of the boarding house. A rickety wooden storeroom with a dirt floor, it was where they stored any excess food. Gray kicked the door and it swung open with a loud creak. A single light bulb hung from a plank near the ceiling. The breeze from the door stirred it, and it began to swing.

Gray dumped the demon on the ground near several burlap sacks of flour. He had made sure to take a demon who wore Adare’s stamp of authority, a diamond-shaped brand on the side of his neck. Knowing it would be awhile before he woke, Gray left him there. Gray warded the building as he stepped outside. It would keep the demon in and any curious observers out.

The combination of the battle and transporting the demon had drained Gray to his limits. He needed blood. Thankfully, he still had a stash in his old bedroom. As he made his way up the front stairs of the boarding house, it struck him the building was too quiet. Lucy wasn’t here. She had either left or never made it. He made a mental note to check on her.

He played back the events of the day in his head as he climbed the winding staircase to the upper floor. He hoped Brenna and the others had made it out. Although he had connected with her soon after he left with the demon, she had been too distracted to communicate. He would try again once he was stronger. Right now, even the small amount of energy required to open their link was beyond him.

As he stepped inside his old room, Gray realized he had missed it. In his short time at the house, it had been his refuge. He was glad Keegan had been delegated to the smaller room so Louie could move in. The dragon was a mess. The contents of his room were already spilling into the hall. In stark comparison, Louie had left Gray’s room pristine. Clothes folded with military precision lined the walls, and the bed was made with hospital corners.

Gray shoved the bed away from the wall to uncover a series of loose wooden boards in the floor. He crouched down and pried them open to reveal a hidden cavity. Inside lay a black leather messenger bag. It was filled with flasks of potions and bottles of blood. He pulled out a small vial filled with a restorative potion. Tipping it to his lips, he drank it in one swift swallow.

The effects were immediate. His blood tingled as it began to regenerate. The wounds across his arms and chest itched as they sealed shut. Gray drew a long breath. He needed to contact Brenna. But before he could open the link, he felt a presence in the doorway.

“What are you doing?” Sam leaned against the frame, a curious look in his eyes.

Gray ignored him. Instead he replaced the empty container, zipped the messenger bag, and replaced it in its hiding place. Standing, he returned the bed to its original position.

“I asked you a question.” Sam scowled as he stepped inside the room. His magic was uncontrolled. It flitted around the room like a lightning bug.

“The answer was obvious.” Gray pushed past him into the hall.

Not one to take a hint, Sam followed. “Does Brenna know you’re hoarding potions?”

Gray turned to face him. “No. And she doesn’t need to find out.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “Are you threatening me?”

The words were so unexpected, Gray took a closer look at the incubus. There was a gray cast to his skin. Dark circles colored the spaces beneath his eyes. He had lost weight, and his clothes hung loose around his once muscular frame. “How’s the assignment going?”

Sam grinned. For a moment, his old self peeked through. “Cake walk. Humans are pliable.”

“Is that where you’ve been the past few nights? Brenna was worried.” Gray watched him carefully.

Sam shrugged. “I’ve been following some leads. Pretty sure we’re missing something.”

Gray blew out a long breath and prayed he was wrong. “
We
were. But not anymore. We know about Ga’loh.”

Sam went white. “If I had known Ga’loh was working with Adare, I would have said something.

“When did you figure out what he was?” Gray crossed his arms, already knowing he wasn’t going to like the response.

“As soon as I met him.” Sam locked eyes with Gray. “I’m his subservient. Why would he hide his true self?”

Gray fought against his rising temper. “I was with you the first time you met Ga’loh. I introduced you. Why didn’t you mention he was a demon? Who are you loyal to, Sam?”

Sam stared at him, stricken. “Brenna. She saved me.”

There was an undercurrent of dishonesty in his words. He wasn’t telling the whole truth. “I’m taking you off this job.” Gray’s magic danced around him, playing off his temper.

“You can’t. Only Seraph can.”

“If I find out you’re helping Ga’loh, even Brenna won’t be able to save you.” Afraid he would do something he would regret, Gray reeled in his anger. He would let Seraph decide what to do about Sam. “Headquarters was destroyed. Stay here until Seraph contacts you.”

Sam didn’t react to the news, another red flag. The evidence was piling up against him. Gray hoped, for Brenna’s sake, he was wrong and Sam was innocent. Sam walked down the hall to his room, slamming the door. Gray placed a magical boundary around the room, to secure the incubus. He wasn’t going anywhere until Gray could get Hilda here to track him.

Gray’s temper was still in full flame as he stepped through the shed door. The demon was awake. Leaning against the far wall, it stared at Gray, a smirk on its face. The host was young, around late twenties, but the demon had ridden him hard. His greasy red hair lay tangled against his scalp, and his sallow skin hung loose on his bones. The human essence that had once inhabited the host was long gone. There was no way Gray could save him. The only thing keeping him alive was the parasite living in his body.

It was imperative that the demon stay inside the body for the interrogation. Lesser demons required a host. They couldn’t survive on this plane without them. The easiest way for the demon to escape Gray would be to commit suicide by leaving his host. It would be far less painful than the punishment for betraying his betters.

Gray met the demon’s red gaze. Crossing his arms, he moved into the center of the room. “How do you want to play this?” He settled on the rickety chair he had pulled from the corner of the room. It creaked with age as he leaned back and crossed his arms. “We can play nice.” He motioned to the chair across from him. “Or I can beat it out of you. Your choice.”

The host’s hands began to tremble. Gray cast a quick holding spell to keep the demon trapped inside. “Not a good way to start.”

A growl spilled from the demon’s throat as he lunged forward. Claws sprang from his fingertips. One raked across Gray’s shoulder. It stung like the devil. He slammed the demon into the chair he had vacated, securing him with a stronger spell.

The demon strained against its bonds as Gray paced the small space in front of him. “See,” Gray began. “I’ve had a bad day. And you’re going to make it better.” He strengthened the magical ropes which bound the beast. The demon hissed. Spittle gathered in the corner of its mouth then dribbled down its face. “Where is Adare?”

The demon laughed. “I’m not telling you anything.”

“Because you’re scared of Ga’loh?”

The demon’s eyes widened. “How did you—”

“He switched sides.” Gray ripped off his sleeve to bind his wound.

“Doesn’t matter.” The demon attempted to shrug, but his bindings held him fast. “Adare has what he needs, and he’s more powerful.”

“Than Ga’loh?” Gray didn’t try to hide his surprise.

The demon grinned. His dagger-like teeth gleamed in the candlelight. “Adare’s already put his plan into action. The humans will be dead within the week.”

“What did Adare do?” Gray tightened the binding until the demon’s eyes threatened to pop from his head. Thankfully, the host was long gone. He wouldn’t feel any of it.

Although the demon couldn’t lift his arm, he still managed to flip Gray off.

Gray shook his head. “Do you know what I am?”

“I don’t care.” The demon laughed. “Adare protects me. You can’t do squat. Even if you banish me, Adare will bring me back.”

Gray’s temper threatened to get the best of him. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths in an attempt to remain rational. Once his rage had dulled to a simmer, he opened them. His magic danced across his skin as he focused on the demon’s hand. Tendrils of magic wrapped around the bruised flesh dissolving it piece by piece until the hand was gone. The demon screamed in agony. Tears streamed down its face.

“What the hell did you do?” The demon stared at his hand in horror.

Gray laughed. “Try to regenerate it.”

When it didn’t work, the demon cursed. “That’s impossible.”

“You stupid bastard.” Gray shook his head. “When I get done with you, there won’t be anything left for Adare to resurrect.” He flipped the empty chair around and straddled it. “Last chance. Where is Adare?”

The demon was still staring at the space where his hand had been. “I don’t know. He only talks to us through messengers.”

“What did Adare do? How are the humans going to die?” Gray could feel power building in the room, so he strengthened his wards. He wasn’t taking any chances.

“Piss off.” The demon leaned back and closed his eyes. “Adare will rip me apart.”

Gray sighed. Demons weren’t usually this slow on the uptake. He wrapped his magic around the rest of the demon’s arm and dissolved the flesh. But this time he made sure to destroy a piece of the demon’s essence as well.

Eventually, the demon stopped screaming, but his power continued to build. Before Gray could act, the binding spell shattered. The host’s head hit the back of the wooden chair, his eyes empty. Wisps of greenish smoke danced around the body for several seconds before disappearing with a loud pop.

The demon was gone.

For a few moments Gray could only stare, stunned. The demon shouldn’t have been able to break the spell. It wasn’t powerful enough. Something, or someone, had helped him.

If the demon had been telling the truth, Adare had found a way to expose the masses to the disease. They had to move quickly, or it would be too late. The war would be over before it began.

Gray released his remaining spells, and the host’s body fell to the ground with a loud thud. He would give the man a decent burial. He deserved at least that.

Brenna spit the dirt from her mouth as she rolled onto her back. She had managed to transport them to a field near headquarters, but it hadn’t been pretty. Her legs quivered as she stumbled to her feet. Keegan had landed a few feet away. He stared at her with wide, slightly glazed eyes.

“I think you broke my back,” he complained as he rolled to his side. “Did you have to slam us down in a field of rocks?” Some of the other hunters murmured their agreement.

“Maybe I should have left you there,” she snapped.

A sharp pain shot through her thigh. A jagged rock had embedded itself in her leg. Blood flowed from the wound. With a quick movement, she pulled it free and threw it on the ground. She didn’t have the strength to heal it, so she let it bleed and did her best to ignore it.

Despite the power she had borrowed from the others, her magical reserves were depleted beyond repair. The only fix was fresh blood, and her only source was playing fight club with a demon. He’d better win.

“Did everyone survive?” Seraph moved to her side, limping. He gazed across the field. “Warn us next time. I didn’t realize you were that rusty.”

Brenna growled. “I’m not rusty. I told you I was weak. All of you are alive thanks to me. Show some freakin’ gratitude.”

“She has a point.” Agnes appeared on the dirt path beside them. She looked horrible. Her long black hair was filled with dust and debris. Her leather pants were in tatters, the gaping holes revealing blood stained flesh. Her corset was askew, her heavy breasts nearly tumbling from their minimal casings. Blood streamed down her face and shoulders from a multitude of cuts and scrapes. The magical hum that always accompanied her was gone. Igor lay panting at her feet. Even the familiar looked exhausted.

“Where are the others?” Brenna stumbled toward her.

“Dead or injured.” Agnes sat on the ground as if her legs could no longer support her. “My sisters went underground to free survivors. The earth started to shift, and I lost almost all of them.” She shook her head. A stray tear slid down her cheek.

“How many hunters did we lose?” Seraph settled on the ground in front of her. Brenna followed while Igor eyed them cautiously.

“We only got about thirty. The rest are gone.” Agnes grimaced. “Nature didn’t do this. Magic did. It was a carefully crafted attack.”

“Adare?” Brenna leaned forward.

Agnes shrugged. “I don’t recognize the magic. But whoever did this knew the perfect time to pull it off. All of your hunters were vulnerable. The ones on the battleground would have died if you had stayed around to help the others.”

“I know.” Brenna shut her eyes. “Did the hybrid survive?”

Agnes glanced up. “One of our healers was with him when it happened. She got him out.”

“Thank her for me.” Brenna closed her eyes, relieved. “What about Lucy’s lab? Were you able to recover anything?”

“Some of the equipment made it out. It’ll be taken to the boarding house so she can keep working. She needs to find that cure.”

Brenna nodded. “If anyone can, it’s Lucy.”

“Regardless, we need to up our timeline.” Seraph helped Agnes to her feet.

“If Adare did this,” he motioned to the collapsed tunnels, “he wants us out of commission.”