Demons (Darkness #4)(50)

“Yes?”

“I’m Zeke. Chief magical user, specializing in linking. I’ll be leading the magical unit to protect you.”

“Oh. Thanks.” What else was I supposed to say? Yes, I should’ve remembered you of all people. Sorry about that. Also, thanks for putting your life on the line for someone that completely forgot your duty.

I really needed to start doing flashcards with faces and names!

As if on cue, a cluster of men and women pushed in behind him, ready to follow me to the front line and battle with magic. And somehow, it felt way different than battling the Eastern Territory. For one, we weren’t squaring off against people with the same caliber of fighting—we were squaring off against an otherworldly creature. Second, everyone was scared shitless. I could see it in the tiny movements and the shifty eyes.

For them to be afraid—a warrior race who thrived on battles—meant this was a very bad situation.

“Suck it up, child. There is a job to be done.” Birdie patted me on the back, the last touch being a small shove.

Summoning my courage, I marched out beyond the cars, magical people at my back. Jonas and Charles waited for me, falling in beside me as I passed.

“Ready for this, Sasha?” Charles asked quietly.

I nodded. I didn’t trust my voice.

A line of huge warriors spread out before me, standing firm on scarred and burnt grasses. Swords glowed at sides and tattoos peeked out of battered and stressed leather. Off to the left was a group of trees holding some sort of cloth hanging within its branches. The wind, slight but present, billowed the material, catching on leaves. A flickering glow from within half silhouetted a large figure, still for the moment.

That had to be the guy who summoned the demon.

“Why don’t we go and rip that loser out of the trees?” I asked the cluster around me.

“He is within the confines of his spell. If we cross his barrier, it will release the demon.” Toa drifted up, sparing only a quick glance for the magic people behind me. “We have two objectives here tonight. One, take down the demon. Obviously, this is first. Two, capture whoever is calling them. He will be tied here while the demon is in existence—a stronger demon has a stronger hold on the caster. One of this magnitude will bind him, I am sure. If he loses hold for even one moment, he will be in a fight for his life, just as we are. When we banish the creation, we will hope to have enough manpower alive to go after the creator.”

“Always with the sugar-and-flower delivery, Toa,” I commented, my arms shaking so bad I had to clasp my hands together. “A real encourager, you are.”

“You sound like Yoda. Come on.” Charles put his hand on my back to steer me, something he did when he knew my courage was dicey. The warmth of his hand seeped into my skin, comforting me a little. Worst came to worst, he wouldn’t leave me.

As I neared the cluster of warriors, a hole formed in their wall of muscle. For the first time, I could see across the field. The rays of the nearly full moon fell across a huge, winged creation, looking surprisingly like…

“Is that an angel?” I asked in a wispy voice.

“A weeping angel,” Stefan answered in a growl. “It’s merely the form it took.”

“But…it looks sweet and innocent.”

Standing within the confines of a large circle drawn in the ground by what looked like oil, but was most assuredly blood, stood a slender woman-figure in billowing robes. A band or wreath of some kind circled her head, trapping short blondish curls to her scalp. A serene expression stared out of a porcelain face. Large, feathery black wings curled up behind it.

“That’s just not right,” I reflected.

Beyond the circle, standing twenty yards away on what must be their territory, was a half-circle of fur. Animals of all varieties had lined up and spread out with a huge bear in the middle, staring across at us. Tim and his crew were ready to fight, waiting on my signal.

“Okay, let’s get this party underway.” Stefan glanced to his right and left, his warriors taking his signal and immediately falling into formation. A line stretched out along the circle on our half of the territory line, swords hanging low and ready, the colors of red through burnished gold.

“But if we just cover one side, and the Shifters run,” I commented softly, “which they won’t, but if they did, the demon would just run that way and escape. I thought you would try to double-cover…”

“Andris is controlling this demon,” Stefan informed me in a tight voice. “It will come for me. After it kills me, it will try to take you, most likely. Trek didn’t know much, but he was under the impression Andris could bend you to his will if I were out of the picture.”

“Well, Trek has always been a little delusional. The cape should’ve told you that.”

“And we don’t have enough people to double-cover,” Stefan went on. “We have to focus on what’s important. You.”

The fabric within the tree saw movement and pushed to the side. The angel in the center of the circle looked slowly to her right. And out walked Andris, cool and calm, sporting a small smile on his relaxed face.

His eyes found, and then stuck to, Stefan. His smile grew. “We meet again.”

“Which was your intention,” Stefan returned. “You’ve been practicing.”