Rocked by Love (Gargoyles, #4)(84)
It laughed, a sound that scraped against bone and tooth, pinging against exposed nerve. “Poor fools. Do you not see that the thing you so value is your greatest weakness?”
“Weakness?” Kees hissed, baring his fangs. “Our Wardens are standing against your precious servants and fighting the battle we all know we will win. You cannot triumph, Demon, not while the Light exists.”
“Oh, your precious Light is already growing dim,” the Demon said dismissively. “In the end we will devour it, just as we will devour this pitiful little world and every soul in it.”
It lifted its head, stretching the human neck to unnatural lengths, then closing its eyes and sniffing the air like a pig scenting truffles. “Mm, so many tasty, tasty souls, falling like a banquet before me. I must remember to thank my servants for the feast.”
Suddenly its eyes snapped open and its head whipped around to stare at Kees with a malevolent smile. “Though what was that you said about your Wardens ‘standing,’ Guardian? Because I think that if you’ll care to look, you’ll see one of them very much off her precious little feet.”
Kees looked immediately to the floor, his black eyes searching for the petite form of his mate. Dag looked as well. His gaze flitted over Fil, her pale hair easy to spot in the crowd, and he thought he saw Wynn as well, but the glimpse was fleeting. He told himself not to worry because his gaze failed to find Kyle; she was so tiny, she could easily become lost among all the taller and larger humans. And Ella might be a bit larger, but her sweet, unremarkable looks could also get lost in the chaos below.
Kees growled, and Dag turned to glare at him. “Calm yourself, brother. You know better than to listen to a filthy, lying Demon. Your mate will be well. They will all be well.”
“Such optimism, Guardian,” the Demon taunted. “Are you so certain your own little female is not one of the souls that already fills my belly?”
“I am certain,” Dag snarled. “Her power is such that it would catch in your accursed gullet and choke you, filth of Darkness.”
“Ooh, that flavorful, is she? Maybe I’ll save her for dessert, then. I could even let you watch while I suck her body dry.”
Kees thundered, “Shut your mouth, Demon scum. My brother is right. Our Wardens are too much for you or any of the loathsome pit crawlers called the Seven to deal with. In fact, if I were you, I would turn my attention away from baiting the ones who will destroy me and fix on the depletion of my forces by the little females you choose to dismiss.”
For a moment, the Demon’s smile slipped and his gaze flew to the floor of the auditorium.
Dag had heard a shift in the chaotic noise of battle, but he stood angled too far away from the floor to see what had happened. Kees had a much better view and had begun to appear grimly satisfied.
“I believe I see your little Warden, brother,” Kees said, satisfaction ringing in his voice. “And I believe she has just managed to ensure that no more demonic scum will be joining us for this morning’s festivities.”
Dag felt a surge of relief and renewed purpose. He knew his Kylie was strong and more powerful than she believed, and he couldn’t wait to rub her nose in the evidence.
For a moment rage and disbelief flashed in the Demon’s stolen eyes, but it was quickly masked behind another taunting smile. “Oh, don’t worry, Guardians. The fun isn’t over. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve, if you will. In fact, let me show you one of them.”
Lifting its fingers to its lips, the demon whistled shrilly. All at once, the chaos in the room went silent, like a television turning off. A glance showed that every remaining living human in the room had frozen like a statue where they stood. A moment later, Dag heard the sound of wings cutting through the silence. Not Guardian wings, but something smaller and faster, something that stirred the air with the scent of old blood and rotted meat. Just as the smell registered, a thump shook the stage to his right and a snarling, cursing witch appeared at the Demon’s feet. Immediately, it grabbed her by the hair and hauled her close, and a small dagger appeared in the hand pressed to her throat.
Kees immediately leaped high and dragged the winged minion out of the air, snapping its spine and tearing its heart from its chest with his bare fangs. As it dissolved into ash at his feet, he roared his displeasure into the Corruptor’s laughing face.
“Tsk-tsk,” the Demon chided. “That temper could get you into trouble one of these days, Guardian. You wouldn’t want that, now would you?” The hand at Wynn’s throat shifted and a thin line of red appeared, drops of blood welling to the surface.
“UNHAND MY MATE!”
The thunderous roar shook the stage and rattled the lights in the rigging. Knox swooped in from above like death, covering the distance from the back of the auditorium in two beats of his powerful wings. He landed on the edge of the stage in a crouch and let out another cry so loud and so fierce that even Dag felt the need to bow to his fury.
“Careful, Guardian,” the Demon said, smile tightening and eyes flashing red. Its hand pressed tighter to Wynn’s throat. “Make me nervous and I might just slip. No one wants any accidents.”
“I’m fine, big guy,” Wynn reassured her mate. Her voice shook, not with fear, but with anger. “Don’t worry about me. Just stick to the plan.”
The Demon chuckled. “Oh-ho, there’s a plan, is there? That just sounds so precious. Would anyone care to enlighten me on the details?”