The Council (Darkness #5)(50)

“You don’t understand. I have an endless supply of magic. It never runs out. I never have to strive to pull in more. It’d fill you up and keep looking for more.”

“Then why do you need us?”

“I need the energy. I need to link for energy.”

Zeke shook his head, frustration raiding the determination on his face. “Okay. Then let’s get to work.”

I pointed at Andris. “Work on that shield. Get me in there.”

I glanced at the demon to the right as a huge green sword swung into my vision. I didn’t even have time to open my mouth in surprise before it slashed down. Charles leaped in, faster than thought, stabbing the man in the arm and wrenching his hand. The trajectory of the sword altered at the last second, slicing across my upper arm.

I cried out, slapping my palm to the wound. Pain radiated outwards, burning my skin and searing down my arm. I pushed the pain away as I focused on the demon at large. It was small in comparison to what was coming, easy to knock out. But knocking that out would take at least half of my energy, and I’d need everything I had with my only linking partner all but unconscious.

“Shit, my magic sucks! C’mon Zeke, knock it out.” I grabbed his arm and led him forward, trusting the guys around me to keep us safe. It was a lot of trust—the enemy knew who we were. Knew that we could tear this all down. We were target number one.

A flash of white blasted to the side, smacking into a wolf. I strained behind us, looking for the source, and connected eyes with the freaking caped crusader. “Trek’s here. Damn.”

I blocked his next spell and hurled a spinning razor ball at him. Some unfortunate shmuck got in the way, though, taking the pain. I fired off another, lobbing this one over everyone’s heads. He saw it coming and threw up a shield, the blast knocking him back. Some spell got through, but not much. I was stronger, but not by all that much.

“In the air!” Charles pointed next to my face. I had to take my eyes off of Trek for a moment to look at that circle.

The air sliced in half near Stefan, slowly, the fabric of air ripping apart. It was the demon’s big entrance.

“No!” A spell blasted us. My legs went gumby and spilled me onto the ground. I couldn’t see to shoot one back, so I threw up a shield to work out how to disentangle that spell.

“Get Delilah on that spell!” I yelled at Zeke. “This is taking too long. He doesn’t have any more time.”

Jonas hoisted me up and held me. I zipped another spell off, but that coward was playing hide-and-seek behind anybody he could. It didn’t matter if it was his enemy or not, if he didn’t get hit, he was happy. What a jackass.

“She’s working on it,” Zeke muttered, his voice lost in strain. “Just… trying to keep… the link balanced.”

“Wake up, baby. We need you,” I begged Stefan.

The slice in the air got bigger. Wind whirlpooled around the gym. Another blast hit my shield, weakening it. Too many. There were just too many elements to this battle. I couldn’t do all this alone.

“C’mon, baby, wake up,” I begged, another blast from Trek hitting me. Soon I wouldn’t be able to keep the shield over everyone. “Would someone just kill that f**king idiot!”

“On it!” Harry hollered.

Oh, great. The one that couldn’t fight.

The slice in the air became a hole. My fingers dug into Zeke’s arm, begging them to work faster. “Do you need more people to link with?”

“Can barely… hold this one.” Sweat drenched Zeke’s pale face. His body flagged.

I swore under my breath as something nearly invisible stepped into the circle.

“Oh God, no. Please, please no.” I wrung my hands. My heart thumped in my chest. The dust creature, seven feet high and packing so much damn power it prickled my skin, looked down at Stefan.

Chapter 15

“We need a miracle. Right now we need a miracle. Please,” I begged, tears clouding my eyes. “Please don’t take him. Please, please don’t take him from me.”

“Got it!” Zeke panted. The shield winked out. Andris tore his eyes away from the circle. From the nearly invisible creature stepping toward Stefan.

A blast of white hit my shield, knocking me forward. I zipped a spell at the guy right behind Andris—a really nasty one. It hit the center of his chest and exploded. The force slammed into Andris’ back, knocking him forward.

I was running a second later. Arm burning but forgotten, feet tingly from Trek’s spell, I didn’t care. I stumbled and slid nearer, Charles and Jonas racing to catch up. Andris stumbled past the blood line into the circle. The reaching claws of the demon stopped. Its head snapped up.

Andris’ arms flailed, windmilling, trying to get his balance. Eyes as big as the world, he stared at the demon.

“You offer yourself?” the demon rasped.

Charles crashed into a guy reaching forward to pull Andris out. Jonas stabbed his sword through someone stepping towards us. I reached the circle a moment later and shoved Andris as hard as I could.

He was bigger, stronger, but already off-balance. The momentum carried him forward, right into the demon’s waiting hands. Claws gripped his shoulders and jerked him off the ground. With strength no human could possess, the demon lifted Andris high over his head and said, “I accept your sacrifice. I will use it well.”