The Council (Darkness #5)(51)

Andris’ scream was cut short in a stomach-turning crack. I heaved, averting my eyes, but stumbling forward nonetheless.

“No, Sasha!” Charles screamed. “You can’t go in there.”

“Someone has to pull Stefan out!”

A huge being loomed in front of me, leathery hide scaly and repulsive. A massive mouth grew a row of one-inch fangs. Claws clicked as they flexed. “This circle cannot contain me.”

I curled my fingers around the back of Stefan’s chair. My right arm screamed in agony as I started to pull. The demon stood over, watching me. He found the sight of me in pain funny.

“Yes, I realize how dumb this is, but after I pull him a little more, I plan to stand in front of him, and then take control of you. Just so you know the whole gamut of my foolproof strategy.”

“You wish to control me?” Its scratchy laughter raked through my body, dizzying my mind.

I yanked again, Stefan impossibly heavy, one hand nearly useless. The chair groaned as it reached the back of the circle. Charles and Jonas pulled it to safety, and then grabbed for me. I was too quick, though. I shimmied away to the other side.

“Stay out of that circle, Sasha,” Charles begged. “That circle will contain it.”

“You did not tell him what I said.” Hollow eyes regarded me. “Why, I wonder.”

“This way, they won’t try to take me away.” My vision went foggy as it stared at me, reaching into me and squeezing.

“Control is mine. I am too powerful for you.”

I focused on Stefan. On our link. On his body pulling me closer, a chemical reaction born into us, made stronger by the blood link, but not made entirely by the blood link. Fate had chosen us for a reason.

I was his other half. I was the other part of his heart. I helped make up his soul.

I was his.

What I was not, was this filthy demon’s.

I grabbed onto our link with everything I had. Grinding my teeth, I ripped my conscious out of that thing’s grip. I stared at it, hard. I flexed my fingers. Then slapped at my wounded arm. Pain, the smelling salt of the moment, cleared the rest of my vision.

“You are mine!” I yelled at it. “You belong to me. I command you.”

Hopefully one of those phrases was the right one.

It stepped toward me. The haze resumed. I fought it off, bracing myself. I slapped my arm again and yelped. “I command you!”

It roared in my face, its putrid smell singeing my senses. But it didn’t push forward.

I slapped my arm again, pushing away those clouds. Focusing on Stefan. Focusing on my love.

“Step back!”

It roared again. But haltingly, it took one step back.

“Another one you ass-face!”

No, I didn’t need to call it names, but it helped with the bossy factor.

Another step. One more roar.

“Okay, so… now what?”

“Disentangle it!” Charles yelled. “Get rid of it. Or whatever. Kill the f**king thing, Sasha!”

“I don’t have enough energy. Get Zeke. Get them to start working on it. I’ll start—I’ll lessen it, but they’ll have to finish it off.”

“Why?”

“Because this will kill me, Charles!” I cried.

“Then don’t do it. Hold it!” Panic lanced Charles’ voice.

“Get out of there, human. We’ll kill it with swords.” Jonas braced on the edge of the circle, the fear in his voice not for a battle with a demon. Not for himself dying.

For me dying.

I blinked back tears. Swords didn’t kill demons. They hacked them up, yes, but it would just take another sacrifice and regenerate its body. No, I had to do this. It had to be me. I knew how to do it, had the power to get a good whack at it, and was the only way they’d be able to cut it down with lesser magic after.

I slapped my arm again, clearing the fuzz. “Just stop trying. I’ve got you now.”

“You will get weak, human, and then I will kill you.”

“Ugh—you sound like Jonas.”

“I take that as an insult,” Jonas growled, inching right up to the circle. “C’mon, Sasha. Get out of there.”

I focused on that spell. On the lacy quality. On its lifeline connecting it to this world. Taking a hold of it, I felt Delilah’s magic holding hands with mine. Near me. Supporting. Working with Zeke and the large link everyone else had.

“Tell Delilah not to wrap her magic around me. A link will be established and it’ll wipe you all out.”

“Just come out of there and tell her yourself,” Charles whined. “Don’t do this, Sasha. Just hold it, we’ll find another way.”

“I can’t hold this forever, Charles.” I slapped my arm and sat down heavily. Focusing on control, and that spell… I set the spell in motion to unravel it. I closed my eyes.

A roar assaulted my senses, but my control held. My spell toiled. Another roar—it knew what was happening. Its power in this world was draining, and draining my energy right along with it. My muscles sagged even as the creature did. Another roar, not as loud now.

Was that because of its power drainage, or because I was drifting away?

My body, so heavy, bent. I couldn’t hold myself up anymore. I lay down, focusing solely on the demon and Stefan. On my control, and my love.