By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel(64)

The whole time we bantered the demon threw itself over and over against the pentagram, its eyes fixed on Nyx, harsh shrieks tearing from its throat each time the pentagram held. Nyx had definitely made a powerful enemy. Not that I could blame the demon. I wanted to tear Nyx limb from limb, too.

Quinn started muttering behind me and energy raised the hairs on my nape. He was about to go all badass wizard on Nyx.

Unfortunately, Nyx seemed to know it, too. He snapped his fingers and glowing bars shot up around us, caging us. If they were made of fire, they’d never hold me. I reached out, but Quinn yanked my hand back.

“Don’t, Twig,” he hissed. “They’re bars of vampiric malady. It will drain the life force from you if you touch them.” I steadied him as he swayed on his feet, his face pale. “It’s already draining my magic.”

I concentrated. Yeah, it was draining my fairy magic. Since my other side was dominant it didn’t seem to affect me to the same extent as Quinn.

“Your little human is smarter than I expected. I wouldn’t think you’d care about brains in a bed slave.” Nyx eyed Quinn up and down like he was a tasty piece of pie.

I growled. “He’s a wizard and you know it.”

Nyx smirked. “Yes, and you brought him right to me. I’ve always wanted a pet wizard. I bet he’s good in bed, too.”

I forced myself to laugh. “Okay, short stuff, since you hardly come up to his ankle, I don’t think that’s likely to happen.”

Nyx hated to be reminded he was little. He was average sized for a fairy, but ever since I showed up on my father’s doorstep he’d been incensed about his diminutive stature. I guess he hated not being able to look down upon me in a very physical way.

His face turned bright red—not a pretty color on him. “Father managed with your mother”—the way he said it dripped with venom—“so I’m sure I’ll have fun trying.”

“I never pictured you as an ankle humper. No, I’m lying. I did.”

“You shut up!” Nyx stomped his foot like a petulant child. It probably didn’t help that the demon stopped throwing itself at the pentagram and started guffawing. Who knew demons had a sense of humor? “You think you’re so superior—”

“Because I am.” I held my arms out so he could get a good look.

“—but you’ll be sorry. You’ll all be sorry.”

“Quinn, if there’s one thing my half-brother excels at, it’s monologuing.” I pitched my voice high. “I’ll get you all. You’ll all pay. Blah, blah, blah.” I dropped the voice and refocused on Nyx. “Don’t you ever get tired of listening to yourself? I know I do.”

Quinn panted in my arms, leaning heavily against me now. “Maybe you shouldn’t bait the crazy fairy when he’s in the process of draining our magic? Just a thought.”

I tightened my grip on him, held him close. “Don’t worry, he should get to the point soon. I hope. So how about it, Nyx? What evil plan are you cooking up this time? You planning on impaling yourself on the unicorn’s horn? I gotta say, I think that would be a fantastic idea.”

“Ha, you wish, brother dearest. No, you’ve never appreciated my genius—”

“If you want Quinn to appreciate it, you should probably get a move on with your story before he passes out.”

Nyx sneered. “Fine, fine.” He wrapped his tiny arms around the unicorn horn. It was almost twice his height. Dragging it across the floor until it was between our cell and the pentagram, Nyx smiled. “Let me demonstrate.”

Quinn sagged against me, unable to hold his own weight anymore.

“Demon,” Nyx intoned, pointing the horn toward the pentagram. It hissed and drew as far away as the pentagram would allow. We were both caged and neither one was happy about it. I don’t know who wanted to kill Nyx more. The demon gnashed its razor sharp rows of teeth—it had three—and crouched in a defensive position, its enormous black claws extended in a threatening manner. It wouldn’t hesitate to kill Nyx and I couldn’t blame it.

“What’s your name?” Nyx held the horn steady as it began to glow. The demon fell over and writhed on the floor as though something was attacking it, a red foamy substance bubbling from its throat.

“Dust and ashes, Twig!” Quinn gasped, his fist gripping my tunic. “He’s planning to control it with its name.”

My eyes widened. Son of a banshee. That’s why the demon fought so hard—the unicorn’s horn forced creatures to tell the truth.

Nyx grumbled. “Come on, come on. I haven’t all day. You’ve already given me the first part. But I need it all.”

The demon’s frantic gaze locked with mine, a grimace of pain as it thrashed on the floor. It was losing the battle. That much was clear.

“Hey, short stuff,” I called, trying to draw Nyx’s attention from the demon. If he got control of a Red Fury we were all screwed. Red Furies were the berserkers of the demon world. Ugly, stupid, and aggressive, they enjoyed tearing whole towns to pieces. My mother once told me about the now-extinct Bindog Clan who’d foolishly tangled with a Red Fury. No way even a dragon had a chance against so fierce a fighter.

Nyx’s face screwed up in concentration as he kept the horn pointed at the demon. I needed to up the ante. I whistled, and Nyx glared at me over his shoulder.