The Demon Hunter (36 page)

Cristian was killing his second vampire when Devon heard the swoosh of air and knew the witches were coming.

“Be prepared,” he warned.

Devon lifted his hand, heat burning his fingertips as a fireball appeared. He focused on the witch in front, a young woman in her prime. Stupid girl. He’d have time for regrets later. He tossed the ball of fire. The orb hit her chest, catching her long green robes and black hair on fire. She cried out, tumbling to the ground, disappearing into the darkness.

The remaining four witches split, two going left and two right, so fast, he could barely decipher their features. Determined to end this once and for all, Devon searched for the ring leader.

“Devon, duck!” Cristian snapped.

Devon hunched low as Cristian’s sword swiped overhead, hitting the neck of a vampire about to attack. The beast didn’t even have time to cry out. His head lopped to the side and fell to the ground with a thud, rolling to Devon’s feet.

Devon surged upright and kicked the head into the darkness. He had to find Rose. “Show yourself!” he yelled, his voice echoing across the room and bouncing against the stone walls.

A witch separated herself from the rest, darting toward the shadows where the light from the fire didn’t reach. Devon narrowed his gaze. Rose. With a growl, he tossed a fireball straight at her. She darted left, avoiding the flame. The ball hit the wall and exploded like fireworks.

“Damn it all!” Devon jumped over the headless body of a vampire and threw another fireball, hitting two witches coming his way. They burst into flames, tumbling over and over until they hit the ground.

“Devon!” Ashley warned.

He spun around, sword raised as a vampire headed straight toward him. With a war cry, he swung the blade. It hit the vampire’s neck and sliced clean through, its head falling to the ground and rolling into the shadows. Devon didn’t have time to celebrate.

Cristian was grappling with two vampires while Ashley tossed holy water on the remaining four. Coming to their assistance, Devon swung his sword wide, hitting the neck of one beast.

“I need to find Rose, she knows his plan,” he said.

“There!” Ashley pointed toward the ceiling where two witches hovered.

She was close enough to the light that he could see her face. A weathered, ancient face full of knowledge, full of revenge. She would not relent, she was too far gone into madness. Devon closed his eyes and breathed deeply, centering himself, finding his aura and soul.

“
Fulgur,
” he whispered, dredging up his energy and pushing it outward.

Thunder rumbled through the stone room, the floor trembling.

“Devon, what are you doing?” Ashley panted, stumbling to his side.

Her hair had fallen from the ponytail and hung around her pale face. A smudge of dirt marred her left cheek, giving her an innocent look. She didn’t deserve this, nor did Ellie. But they’d been forced into a world of death and destruction.

“I’m ending this now.”

Devon lifted his right hand. Heat burst from his fingertips and branched across the empty space. Brilliant white light that branched and crackled across the room. Rose didn’t have time to avoid the lightning bolt.

Her body jerked. She screamed as she fell to the ground. Devon prayed she wasn’t dead, not because he cared, but because he needed answers. He leapt over a fallen vampire and rushed toward the witch. He fell to his knees beside her. Her skin was black, burnt. Her normally gray hair shockingly white. Her eyes were open, her body still. Her aura gone.

“No!” Devon grabbed Rose by her round shoulders and shook the body. “Where is he?”

“Devon, she’s dead,” Cristian said, kneeling before him.

A chill whisper rushed over his skin, a familiar feeling. She may be dead, but she wasn’t gone. He released his hold and looked toward Ashley. The woman stood still, her gaze pinned to the shadows beyond them. An area where the air shimmered.

Slowly, Devon stood. “She’s still here.”

Ashley nodded.

“Ask her, damn it all. Where is the demon?”

Ashley’s wide eyes found him, worry, fear, shimmering in her glowing gaze. “He’s with Ellie.”

****

“Ellie, there you are. We’ve been looking for you.”

Ellie paused in the middle of the kitchen, cursing her bad luck. Could a woman not have a few moments alone to sneak and spy? Pasting a smile upon her face she turned toward Miranda and Camile. Only five minutes had gone by since Devon had left for the dungeon. Anything could have happened to him by now.

She reached for a glass that was drying on a rack and held it under the faucet. “Just getting a drink.”

She hoped they didn’t notice how her fingers shook as she turned on the water. The glass in hand, she faced them and sipped casually. A little too casually, she realized, as they watched her with leery curiosity in their gazes.

“What’s up?”

“You ready?” Camile asked. She had a bag of supplies, like a warrior witch prepared to battle. Yet her face was pale, and her eyes were soft with concern. The witch wasn’t fully positive this would all work. The realization furthered Ellie’s resolve.

“I guess I am,” Miranda whispered.

Camile slid her arm around Miranda’s shoulders. “It’ll be all right, you’ll see.”

Miranda might not have read the hesitation in Camile’s tone, but Ellie noted it. Her determination to fight hardened. She knew, deep down, the only way they’d be all right is if she managed to confront the demon. She had to escape them and she wasn’t about to wait for Cristian to call for her.

“You’re going to need to open a portal just long enough for all of you to escape,” Kipps explained, coming into the kitchen. He looked warily toward the basement door, knowing what was down there, and when his gaze swung back to Ellie, she wondered if maybe he could read minds and knew of her intention. “I’ll hold them off while you go through.”

“What about you?” Miranda asked.

The left corner of his mouth lifted into a gentle smile, belying the strength that lie deep within his frail body. “I’ll be all right.” He leaned against the doorframe, so at ease with the encroaching battle. He didn’t fear death.

Ellie didn’t believe that for a moment and could tell Camile and Miranda were just as uneasy about the situation. Leaving him behind just didn’t seem right. Especially if the crowd outside broke through. Kipps might be strong, but he sure as hell couldn’t battle a hundred demonic beings on his own.

Ellie sighed, raking her hands through her hair. There was no guarantee she’d survive if she left with Camile and Miranda. No, the only way they’d all live is if they killed the demon once and for all. And the only way to kill the demon was through her.

“Shall we get started?” Kipps asked, pushing away from the doorframe.

At Camile’s nod, they headed toward the foyer, a small army marching into battle, with no idea of what would come.

Ellie took in a deep breath. “Here goes nothing.” With determined steps she followed them into the entryway. “I’m not going.”

At that proclamation, they turned toward her. Even Kipps looked startled.

“You have to,” Kipps stated, as if it was that simple. “Devon asked us to see you to safety. Camile has done the spell to protect you when you leave. It’s all done.”

Safety. As if they’d ever be safe. “I can’t. Rose was here.”

Any surprise left Kipps’ face and in his gaze she saw the monster that lurked below the surface. “When?”

“Earlier.” Ellie settled on the steps. “She warned me that he was here, in this house. She also told me that I was the only person who could stop him.”

Camile sighed. “As much as I wish we could, you don’t know if you can trust her.”

Ellie surged to her feet, leaning against the bare breasted woman carved into the railing at the bottom of the steps. “I understand, but it makes sense, doesn’t it?”

They were all silent for one long moment. Odd, how they couldn’t hear anything from the basement. No clashing swords, no cries, or screams of torture. But she knew…deep down, she knew there was a war underneath her very feet.

“Whether you’ll admit it or not, you guys know I can’t leave.”

“What will you do?” Kipps finally asked.

Ellie tilted her chin, feigning a confidence she didn’t quite feel. “I plan to go into that basement.”

“You’ll get yourself killed,” Kipps said, his tone so sure that her stomach clenched.

Ellie shrugged. “Yeah, well, that will probably happen eventually anyway. I’ve escaped death one too many times.”

“Fine,” Camile said, rubbing her hands over her face. “Let’s do it, but first I need to get Miranda out of here.”

“No. I’m not leaving you.”

Camile’s eyes softened as she cupped the sides of Miranda’s face. “You must. If you want to survive. It’s going to be difficult for us to get out of here alive. Someone human, with no powers, won’t have a chance.”

“Please, Miranda,” Ellie added, heading toward them. “I don’t—”

A tingle of awareness swept through Ellie’s body, raising the fine hairs on her neck. She knew in that moment they weren’t alone. At the sudden sound of clapping, Ellie spun around. There, at the top of the stairs, stood a man dressed in gray slacks and a button up black shirt. He looked like a professional, as if he’d stepped in from Wall Street, but she knew where he’d really come from… hell.

“Bravo, Bravo,” he cried out, pressing his right hand to his heart. “So beautifully done. Truly, it was lovely.”

Kipps crouched low, like an animal about to attack. His lips lifted, showing sharp canines as a hiss slipped from his throat. Any bit of humanity within the vampire was gone. He was an animal reacting to pure evil.

“Oh God,” Camile whispered, clutching onto Miranda and shoving her behind her.

Ellie jerked her gaze back toward the top of the steps, but the man was gone. She didn’t need to ask, she knew who he was. “The demon,” Ellie whispered, for it could be no other. The man’s dark hair and broad shoulders resembled his son’s. She hadn’t expected this…she hadn’t expected him to look so damn
human.

Camile nodded, fumbling with the bag at her hip. “How did he escape?”

“It was a trap, leading them into the basement,” Kipps hissed.

“Indeed.” The demon appeared not ten feet from them, a wicked grin upon his handsome face. It was then that she noticed the sword strapped to his back.

Revulsion fought with fear, but Ellie wouldn’t cower before this monster. Even though his gaze immediately found her, burned into her soul, she would not quiver. If she could keep him busy, perhaps Devon and the others would have time to return. If something hadn’t already happened to them.

“Black?” Ellie stated, taking in his outfit. “Isn’t that a little cliche?”

He smoothed down the front of his shirt. “I like the color. It’s slimming.”

“Enough,” Kipps snapped.

“Very well.” The demon started toward them, his hands clasped behind his back in a casual manner. Where were the horns? The wrinkled, rotting flesh? The putrid smell?

“So,” His gaze moved down her form, back to her face. “Yer the empath. So lovely to meet ye.”

“Wish I could say the same.” Ellie’s fingers curled as she resisted the urge to reach for her necklace and pull the piece free. How could anyone so beautiful, and he was beautiful with his dark hair and pale skin, be so damn evil?

“Tis unfortunate my son isn’t here. What a lovely family reunion that would be, but what can ye do?”

“Yeah, I’m sure you miss him,” Ellie muttered.

He didn’t pause, but continued toward her, that eerie smirk upon his lips. “Oh how the underworld has been talking about ye.”

Kipps hunched low, his fingers curling as if preparing to attack.

“Annoying beast,” the demon muttered. With a wave of his right arm, he sent Kipps flying through the air. The vampire hit the wall with a thud that made the house tremble. Slowly, he slid to the floor, his face a mask of surprise and pain. Ellie’s determination wavered. Would she be able to take him on without Kipps?

The demon focused his steel gaze on Camile. “And ye, we’ve met before, haven’t we?”

Despite the witch’s bravado, Ellie noticed her shiver. “Curse you to hell!” Camile tossed a handful of crystals toward the demon. They hit his chest and fell harmlessly to the floor.

The demon brushed at his shirt, sighing. “Ye’ve tried that before my dear. Really, I’d have thought ye’d come up with something new by now.”

He waved his arm through the air. One moment Camile was next to her, the next she flew across the room and slammed against the wall not far from where Kipps had landed. Her head hit the plaster, bouncing.

“Camile!” Ellie cried out, but didn’t dare move.

Her eyes closed and unconscious, she slumped to the ground. Miranda cried out and rushed to Camile’s side. The demon’s grin grew as he focused on her human friend.

“Don’t touch her!” Ellie demanded, stepping in front of the couple. He’d have to kill her to get to them and he’d probably love that.

“What is she?” He nodded toward Miranda. “A human?”