Darker (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #6)(59)

Less than an hour later, we rolled into the swanky neighborhood where Lilah was hiding. The houses were huge; some of them easily made mansion status. Most of the properties were fenced off, giving the impression that the occupants wanted little to do with outsiders.

“Why do I get the feeling we’re about to be very surprised?” Jez mused, her gaze passing over the millionaire homes.

“That’s not the plan,” I said with a soft laugh. “Lilah is the one about to be surprised.”

“Here’s hoping.”

We passed the house I’d seen in the vampire’s thoughts, and my stomach tightened. I circled the block and parked several houses away. I debated on whether or not to bring the Dragon Claw. I was hoping to have a discussion, not a fight. Packing a weapon like that might tip the scales toward violence. In the end, I left the dagger in the trunk of the car. If it came down to a fight, my best defenses were the ones I carried inside me.

Jez tucked her favorite ash wood stake into her boot and gave me a grim smile. “Ready when you are.”

Willow wanted to accompany us. I’d asked him to keep an eye on Arys instead, to make sure he didn’t do anything too worrisome.

The house was as massive as any other in the neighborhood. A twenty-foot concrete wall surrounded the perimeter, and an iron gate blocked the driveway. I made no attempt to hide my approach.

We scaled the wall with no trouble. Jez gave me a boost and climbed up after me, her lithe, cat-like grace making it appear effortless. I paused, reaching out metaphysically to feel the area. Vampires, I could feel their telltale aura easily. Nothing else registered, but some creatures had the ability to cloak their presence. I was one of them, and so were most demons.

“There could be just about anything in there,” I observed.

“This should be fun then.” Jez punched me lightly in the arm. “Let’s go make this bitch sorry she ever met us.”

We dropped down to the grass below and waited. It was too quiet. I knew it couldn’t be this simple, and I was right.

Two seconds later, a pack of dogs came barreling around the back corner of the house. Dogs was hardly the right term. Beasts, monsters, things, all of those were a better fit.

“Hellhounds,” gasped Jez. “I thought they were a myth.”

“Just tell me we can kill them.” I was both horrified and mystified by the beasts. If I was a Hound of God and they were Hounds of Hell, then this might just be fun. My wolf tensed, ready for the fight.

“I guess we’re about to find out.”

As the four ugly dogs came raging toward us, Jez and I stood side by side and braced for the attack. Each dog was huge, standing over waist high on all fours, easily weighing a few hundred pounds. Slobbering and snarling, they bared a mouthful of razor sharp fangs. Black with red eyes that glowed in the dark, they were dreadful things.

Though I was ready with fangs and claws, I didn’t plan to let the monsters close enough to use them. Sweeping a hand before me, I threw a psi ball that spread out in a haze of fire across the grass. It knocked three of the dogs back, but the fourth leapt over the flames and kept on coming.

Jez met it with a kick. The hound flew back but was up again immediately. I focused on launching him into the side of the house. Falon’s power ripped through me with force that left me shaking and my head pounding. The hound burst into flames. The high-pitched sound he made hurt my ears, but it was over quickly.

The fire I’d thrown at the other three had gone out, and they were on us before we could blink. I went down hard with one on top of me, fangs snapping dangerously close to my face. I got my arm between us and somehow managed to hold him off. Powerful hind legs kicked into my midsection, opening up a wound. Gritting my teeth, I shoved my power at the hound, and it flew backwards to land hard against the concrete wall. The crunch of breaking limbs was audible, and it didn’t get up.

The other two were on Jez, who was fighting hard. She slashed claws across the jugular of the hound fighting for her throat. Blood poured forth, bathing her in a crimson wave. I grabbed the other hound by the back legs and threw it. I followed up with another psi ball before it could recover.

When I was sure each hound was dead, I pulled Jez to her feet and looked her over. “Are you ok?”

“Not a scratch on me,” she replied with a grin. “Yours looks superficial. Damn, that was a rush. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more.”

I inspected the cut on my midsection. It was minor. I’d live.

We warily made our way up to the front door. Large white pillars stood off to either side. I expected something to leap out from behind them, but it never happened. I glanced at the doorbell.

“Do we ring the bell or just burst inside like some action movie?” I returned Jez’s grin. Nothing about this was funny, but it was impossible not to get off a little on the excitement.

“Hey, she only murdered people we care about for her own gain,” Jez said, heavy on the sarcasm. “No reason we can’t be civil.”

“Alrighty, then.” With a shrug, I leaned on the doorbell longer than necessary. I gathered my power close, ready to use it. The pressure built fast thanks to the taint of fallen angel, which would not be easily held.

“I swear,” I muttered. “If Falon opens this door I’m going to kick him in the damn-,”

The door cracked open, and I braced for whoever was on the other side. I wasn’t expecting a human. Thin and exceptionally pale, she stared at us with eyes the size of dinner plates. Stinking of fear and blood, she glanced nervously at someone out of sight before speaking.