Destiny Disrupted (4 page)

Trent pressed his mouth against mine in a scorching kiss that curled my toes and made me want to do all kinds of naughty things. His lips moved along the tender skin on my throat, over my collarbone and across my chest. One of his hands lowered to my stomach and inched up to touch my ribcage. My breathing stilled. His fingers leisurely explored the swell of my breasts as he lowered his mouth to the skin below my ear.

With some effort, I stopped his wandering hand. “Darrah could come back any second.”

He groaned and turned over onto his back. “It’s hard to be around you and not want to kiss you.”

“It’s hard for me, too.” I rested my head on his chest and nestled into the crook of his arm. “Goodnight,” I whispered, wrapping one arm across his chest. “I love you, Trent.”

“I love you, too. Goodnight.”

We lay in each other’s arms for a long time until his eyes drifted shut and his breathing slowed.

Feeling restless and wide-awake, I slipped out of bed and moved toward the windows. I glanced back at Trent sleeping soundly. Then I peered out into the night and spotted three shadowy demons pacing near the back gate. Leith sneered up at me.

I flipped him off and closed the blinds. I’d have to reinforce the wards with a stronger spell.

A shiver raked my body. The Evil Triad would be back. This was only round one.

I woke up to an empty bed and found a note from Trent on the nightstand:
Sorry I bailed on you this morning, but I had to go home and feed my cat. Mrs. Baylock has the weekend off and my uncle and stepfather are out of town.

I spent the day reading and cleaning up the house. Then I took a hot shower and got dressed in jeans, a pink T-shirt, and my trusty Doc Martens boots.

After checking the obituaries in the local newspaper, which informed me whenever someone died unexpectedly due to mysterious, unexplainable circumstances, I had a vague idea where to check for hot spots rockin’ any paranormal activity.

On nights when no paranormals were scheduled to be out and no new deaths had been reported, I could skip or shorten my patrol, allowing me some much-needed time off. But with the Triad vacationing in town, I had to take my witchy duties seriously.

Since my dad’s death, I’d been more determined than ever to fight unnatural evil in all its forms. Which meant I needed to figure out what those demonic freaks were doing in
my
town. And why they were looking for Trent.

I left a message on Trent’s voicemail when he didn’t answer, telling him that I was going to do a quick sweep of around Fallen Oaks. Too bad I never got Raze’s cell number. Guess I was on my own. I shoved my phone into the pocket of my jeans.

Once the sky turned a deep purple, I zipped up my hoodie and verified my supplies.

Mystical dagger?
Check.
Squirt gun loaded with holy water?
Check.
Vanquishing potion?
Check.
Candy bars.
Check.

This time I’d be more prepared in case I bumped into the Triad. But their presence wouldn’t stop me from safeguarding the town.

I stuffed everything into my pockets and went out the front door. Instead of riding around in the Jeep, I walked down the driveway. Thick, undulating fog enveloped the streets, the kind of deep haze that slinked down alleys, draped itself around houses like a suffocating blanket, and covered the ground with the semblance of cotton.

Before I got started, I had something to do. I flicked my wrist at the massive branch barricading the end of the driveway. A burst of magick jetted from my fingertips in scarlet waves. The bough lifted in the air and landed in the side-yard.

The shades materialized from the fog and bounded over to me. Three miniature bodies squatted by my legs, their faces peeking above the murkiness.

Hunting had become a lonely chore without any backup, so it was nice to see these guys. Only Daniel and Trent had any supernatural strength, but Dan had his hands full with his lycan teammates and my boyfriend seemed to be busy elsewhere. So as usual, I hunted solo.

I crouched and smiled. Kasha and Zrekam banged my hip and almost knocked me over, their crimson eyes blinking lazily. I removed the candy from my hoodie and tossed it at them. They gobbled up the chocolaty goodness, wrappers and all.

Bakaz hugged my arm, rubbing his rough cheek against my sleeve. “Bad night. Be careful, Shiloh.”

I stood. “Why is it bad? Is the Triad still lurking around?”

Kasha hesitated. “Something in the night. Had to alert you.”

“The Sheol.”

Bakaz nodded. “Yes. It lures tricky evil.”

I frowned. “Tricky?”

The shades sniffed the air, and Zrekam licked chocolate from his fingers. Topic closed. Only Kasha and Bakaz could hold a human conversation. Zrekam was either mute or an introvert.

“Time to hunt,” I said.

The demons took off like a bullet down the street. Gone in a wink. They melted into the shadows and I spotted Zrekam gnawing on the neighbor’s ceramic gnome. The shades usually insisted that I scratched their heads and rubbed their bellies, and then they’d take off and go do whatever creatures of the night did with their free time. Plot world domination?

As I patrolled the neighborhoods, it seemed like a typical night in Fallen Oaks, lacking any tricky evil. Clouds drifted like barges across the darkening sky and a bracing wind whipped across rooftops. Yawning silence filled every shadow, pressing against every cold window.

The sky released a soft rain and I yanked my hood over my head. I treaded through the fog while I searched for any sign of malevolence. Nothing.

Two hours after leaving the house—two hours spent walking the streets in the drizzle and stopping for a quick visit to my dad’s grave—I found myself near an alleyway between Luna Pizza and a bakery. Both were closed for the evening. The fog had dissipated and the air had grown sharp. My scar burned. I blinked rain from my eyelashes and paused at the opening.

The disgusting odor of sulfur filled the night. Scrunching up my nose, I stamped in the direction of the offending stench. When I stepped into the dark alleyway, I halted in my tracks.

A sense of pervading menace assaulted my senses. The alleyway was giving off a creeptastic vibe. Most people would call the police. But I wasn’t most people. I was the lone girl who’d stopped an evil warlord from unlocking the Sheol and releasing his demon counterparts. And guns and bullets didn’t stop demons, anyway.

I examined the shadowy passage and mentally slapped myself upside the head for forgetting to bring a flashlight. But I was fairly new to this demon-hunting gig.

“Thirteenth Daughter,” said a silver-tongued voice, warm as a stroke of liquid fire.

What the hell? Was there a billboard somewhere in town that publicized my moniker?

From within the shadows of the alley, I glimpsed a tall figure, its cloak gleaming like dark water. My mouth dried. My heart thundered. Caym? Or one of his thugs?

Slowly, I took the dagger out of my back pocket and held it out in front of me. I couldn’t tell if it was a demon or any number of deadly creatures. Only that it was male. Female demons were rare.

I moved forward with purpose. The paranormal stayed hidden.

“Come on out. I don’t believe you’ve been introduced to my dagger,” I said.

He stepped out of the patch of darkness and stood under the sour light of the streetlamp at the far end of the narrow walkway. He looked almost human, wearing a glamour enchantment to conceal his true form. But I’d always been able to see past their disguises. Definitely a demon of some sort, with an aura like a tornado, hissing shadows and spitting thunder. His mouth was stained with dried blood like he’d been drinking fruit punch.

All demons were evil, no matter how normal they might appear when wearing human masks.

I just didn’t know what category Trent fell into.

The demon’s shiny black eyes wandered over me. “Ahhh, dessert.”

I forced myself to keep walking forward with slow, steady steps, my heart beating hard and fast. I was still smart enough to fear paranormals, although my confidence in my abilities to combat darker forces was getting stronger. Or maybe, after everything I’d been though and the people I’d lost, I just didn’t care anymore. Not that I had a death wish.

Usually, the shades, who fed off strong human emotions, slurped up my terror or anxiety, but those little creeps were a big no show. Were the heck had they run off to?

As I passed a dumpster, the stink of rotting garbage and decaying food wafted from inside, and my stomach churned. Trickling water in the gutters splashed up on my jeans.

“Lemme guess, you know who I am and you want me dead?”

“We could have some fun first,” he breathed, eyes gleaming.

The demon was only a Lower Level fiend. He cocked his head to the side, his gaze narrowing on my weapon.

I waved the dagger in the air. “You like my shiny toy? Why don’t you come take a closer look,” I goaded.

My boot stepped in something wet and sticky. I lifted my foot. Blood soaked the sole of my shoe. A knot formed in my stomach. My nerves snapped. My tough-girl performance was never going to win me an Oscar.

Keep it together, Shiloh.

Lifting my head, I spotted a body. A woman sprawled on the oil-stained concrete near his feet. My heart was pulsing in my throat so hard, it felt like it wanted to escape. I pushed past the terror to peer at her waxen face. Blood pooled beneath her from a gash on her forehead. Her skin was bruised and swollen, her clothes torn and dirty.

I sucked in a breath and took several steps back. I didn’t know the woman, but I instantly recognized her when the lady turned her head. A witch from one of the founding families and a member of the Blood Rose Circle.

She moaned and sat up. On her temple, the demon had carved a strange, occult symbol into her flesh like an upside down Y. The witch took one look at us, scrambled to her feet, and ran in the opposite direction. The demon’s eyes followed her movements, but he did not give chase. Not when he had
moi
, which meant he had fresh meat to devour.

I could’ve used the backup, but at least I’d saved her life. Gotten here in time. I briefly closed my eyes and let out a long sigh.

The demon smiled. Yellow jagged teeth. “I am Gnarl. And lucky for you, Thirteenth Daughter, Gnarl’s still hungry.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, I’m trembling in my boots. By the way, my name’s Shiloh—not
Thirteenth Daughter
.”

“Did Gnarl strike a nerve?”

Clenching my jaw, I said, “Before this gets ugly, I want to ask you a few questions.”

He tilted his head, and a flutter of scarlet crossed his aura. “Gnarl will probably do the whole listening thing. If you’re real lucky, Gnarl may even nod knowingly, but he may not know the answers.”

“Well, if Gnarl knows what’s good for him, he’ll start talking. And now I’m also wondering why you keep referring to yourself in the third person.”

He folded his arms. “You insult Gnarl.”

“Well, get over it.” I forced myself to take a deep breath. “Why were you hurting that woman?”

He grunted and lifted his chin.

“Answer me,” I demanded. “Why were you trying to kill that lady?”

He shrugged. “Gnarl take jobs that interest him.”

I frowned. “Jobs? As in, someone paid you to kill her?”

“Not in money…”

“I don’t even want to know.” I shook my head. “Was it the Evil Triad who hired you? Do you know where they’re hiding out?”

He stared, unblinking. “Gnarl doesn’t understand.”

Squaring my shoulders, I tried to look tough, while inside my stomach roiled. “Three lizard-faced demons wearing monk robes. Have you seen them or not?”

Gnarl hesitated, perspiration dotting his forehead. “Not recently.”

“If you tell me where I can find ‘em, I’ll let you live,” I lied.

“If you offer Gnarl a token, he might be willing to help.”

“Token? I don’t think so. We’re not gonna become besties and braid each other’s hair, so answer my questions and stop wasting my time.”

“You are a very impatient girl. These demons you seek are very old and powerful. If they don’t want to be found, they’ll use black magicks to conceal their whereabouts.”

Fantastic. How was I supposed to track them down now?

“Gee, you’re a lot of help,” I muttered.

The demon studied me with sudden clarity traversing his expression. “Gnarl has heard of you, you’re that human witch in love with the cambion,” he said, licking the blood from his lips. “You strike Gnarl as a smart girl. So you must know that your union is forbidden.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard.” I crossed my arms. “But why all the drama? It’s not like were out kicking puppies together or conjuring powerful all-consuming evils. So why the big fuss?”

He shrugged. “Because demons are not capable of real love. It’s very uncommon. Otherwise, there’d be a Hallmark card section. Understand?”

“Yeah, your sarcasm came across loud and clear.”

The demon took a step closer and stopped. “Gnarl thinks you have bigger problems than the Triad.”

I nodded. “More demons trying to unlock the Sheol?”

He waved a hand dismissively in the air. “Not that Gnarl is aware of. But meant your boyfriend. He’s the one you should be worrying about.”

“Why should I listen to you?” I bristled. “All I’m worried about is finding the demonic trio and vanquishing their ugly, reptile butts!”

He gestured at the dagger. “Gnarl wonders if you do this professionally. Hunt demons?”

“Only in my free time. I don’t get paid or anything. It’s more of a calling.”

“Which means we are going to have to fight to the death, correct?”

“That’s usually how these things go down. You try to kill me and I vanquish you. It’s nothing personal.”

He clucked his tongue. “Gnarl believes you have a superiority complex.”

“Thanks for the intel, but now I’m gonna have to kill you.”

I stood my ground, waiting. He did the same. A car rolled past the alley, music booming from a cracked window and vibrating with a heavy bass off the brick walls.

My skin tingled and flushed with a prickle of
Darkness
. The demonic essence exploded in my chest, shooting sparks of black magick through my limbs. All it took was a moment for that dark force to rush through me. I lurched forward, one hand resting on the cold metal of the dumpster. I breathed in deep and exhaled.

In...one...two...three...

Out...one...two...three...

Once that demonic power had retreated beneath my ribcage, I slipped the dagger back into my pocket and pulled out the vanquishing potion. I had no desire to get close enough to Gnarl for a knife fight.

“Gnarl loves it when they put up a struggle.” As he slowly walked toward me, his human form flickered and revealed a short, fat demon with six beady eyes and slimy, green skin.

“Stop right there!” I tossed the vial at his feet. The glass shattered and a purple vapor rose like smoke around his body.
“By the power of the five elements, I banish you from this realm. I cast this spell with all my might and vanquish you from my sight!”

The demon screamed and caught fire, melting within seconds into a greenish puddle on the pavement.

One good thing about demons: they disintegrated. No messy cleanup required. The bad thing: no theme music when you vanquished them.

I hurried out of the side street. I really didn’t want to explain to anyone passing by what I was doing out on a school night in a dark alley. The woman would live and that was all that mattered.