Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(110)

Matthias blew out a long breath of relief.

“Thank the Almighty for Lucy’s quick reflexes.”

“You’re welcome,” Lucy whispered as she headed away from the table.

Matthias relaxed back in his chair, as Lucy and Rafe carted the remaining cake away.

“Remember to feed the crew.”

With a quick nod, Rafe pushed the cart and proceeded to hand out the extra cake.

Where in the hell was Salome? Wasn’t this her production? Or was she planning on making a grand entrance. Knowing, her past, it wouldn’t surprise him one bit.

He gritted his teeth. “Salome’s not there.”

“Do you want us to abort?” Lucy asked.

Hell no. Serah was in danger. They couldn’t pull out now. “The mission is still on. Salome will show up.”

Lucy headed to the corner of the room. “Okay. All the cake is passed out.”

“Good.”

“And as Marie Antoinette so famously said, ‘Let them eat cake!’”

“Oh, brother,” Lucy mumbled.

Kalli sneered. “Dumbass. She never actually said that.”

Matthias shrugged. “Apparently Daniel is a master of irony.”

“Whatever,” Kalli said. She watched the first person take a bite of cake. Nothing happened “Human.”

Then all hell broke loose. People coughed and sputtered. They reached for water. Spitting out the tainted liquid, the demons burst from their seats, flailing their bluish tinted arms in the air.

It was time to crash this demonic party. “Ready to kick some ass?”

“Always,” Kalli said, bursting out the door. Matthias followed, quick on her heels. The sooner they got in, the better.

Kalli reached for the door. “Bloody hell! It’s warded.”

He grabbed the handle and twisted, the pain burning into his skin. He had to get in there. Serah needed him.

“Open the doors,” Matthias roared. The sounds of shrieks and metal clashing ripped in his ear.

“Fuck!” Lucy shouted. “Those bastards have us locked in.”

He heard metal clanging against metal. Screams, demon and human alike, rent the air. His heart pounded. This was Salome’s plan after all.

“See if Daniel can open it.”

“He can’t!” Rafe shouted amidst the melee.

Matthias’s heart clenched. He pounded on the door, anguished sobs ripping from his mouth. He’d only wept once before. When he found his wife and child gone.

He wouldn’t be stopped. He had to get in there. He had to tell Serah he loved her. He kicked the door, not caring if he broke his foot or not. The pain would only last a second. The pain of losing Serah, though, he knew he would never be able to bear it.

“Serah, I love you!” he shouted through the door, hoping by some small miracle that she could hear him. “I can’t lose you!”

“Wow, did I hear what I think I heard,” Lucy asked. There was a whoosh. “Shit!” A loud crash echoed in his ear.

“Enjoy the cake, bitch.”

“Balthazar is here too,” Rafe said. “I thought for sure he’d want you in here.”

“He’s afraid of me. Afraid of what I’ve become. Right now, I’ve become a man who won’t lose the woman I love.

Kalli sucked in a breath. “I can summon Gerardo.”

“It’ll take too long.”

Kalli blew out an aggravated breath. “Damn Infernati!”

“They’ll get what’s coming to them.” Matthias knelt at the door, his head in his hands. What could he do? He was running out of time. He fumbled with his cargoes, his hand brushing against the grenades he had packed.

“I have an idea.” He gripped the grenade tight in his hand. “Get back, Kalli,” he ground out. With that, he pulled the pin, backed up, and tossed it at the door. Hunkering down, he covered his ears and waited for the blast.

***

“I guess my dessert failed the taste test,” Serah said. “Are you armed?”

Daniel nodded. “Rafe slipped me a knife as he passed by.”

The demons lunged in the air, grabbing their throats. They spit out the cake.

Daniel’s eyes widened, his hand gripping his blade tight. A bulbous, hairy demon dove for him. He jumped back, slicing into its hair.

“Arrrgh!” it shouted, jumping for him again. Daniel crouched and ducked. He spun around and slammed the blade into its chest. It screamed, loud and guttural, blasting into a ball of flames.

Daniel dropped the knife and stepped backward, mortification filling his face. “Holy shit!”

He couldn’t flake out now. Not when they needed all the help they could get. “Daniel, grab the knife. You need to protect yourself. Please? We need to save this town before Salome takes over.”

Daniel blinked. He reached down and gripped the knife tight, swinging and slashing his way through a crowd of demons. “I am so getting a new job after this.”

She didn’t blame him one bit.

“Bitch!” one hissed, baring blue teeth. It lunged at her. She stepped to the right, pulling out the dagger Kalli gave her earlier. With a quick slash, she sliced its blue arm off. She thrust it into its chest. It shrieked, erupting into a mound of blue ash.

She caught a glance at her friend. Lucy jumped in the air and kicked one of the demons in the head. She threw a silver star, the blade lodging in its neck. She grabbed the demon by the neck and slammed its head into a pan of tiramisu. She reached under the cart and pulled out her katana. She sliced clean through the demon’s neck. His head burst, fire and sparks shooting from its torso.