Endure (47 page)

Drake shook his head. “Chase, please, this is the last opportunity you have to stand down. You speak of innocent lives lost, yet you bring these people here. If you do not comply with my terms and send them away, the command to attack will be given.”

“I appreciate the concern but in reality, this is
your
last chance. If you don’t stop this, I’m going to kill you and your brother. I have no other choice.”

Drake growled and clenched his fists. “Why do you insist on these threats? They are petty and weak, and most of all, unattainable. You cannot kill me, or Darius, and especially not Riley. Not anymore. And once the ritual is complete, it will be over for you. I’m not asking you to save only these people, Chase. I’m asking you to save yourself. If you oppose us, Ithreal will do what he wants with you, and then he will destroy you.”

“I’ve endured too much to back down now. I have nothing left to fear. Not death, not life, and certainly not your god.”

Rayna’s scream was shrill, cutting through the sky.

“And it begins now!” I yelled, striking toward Drake, but he was already gone. Black and golden streaks flew up and disappeared over the cliff. The Dark Brothers stood together on the edge with both arms outstretched. Their magic pulled open the sky and war was upon us.

Cannon-like explosions sounded, and black doorways opened in the air. Roars and hisses came first, followed by hoards of demons falling to the ground. With the forest gone, all I could see were monsters surrounding us. There were hundreds in each corner of the forest.

The Visceratti swarmed an entire section of land, their Queen at the head of their army. Even from a distance I could see her red eyes focused on me. Vampires stalked forward at a snail’s pace, but I knew it was just for effect.

The Kivrakai weren’t as dramatic as the vampires or as vengeful as the Visceratti. They charged forward with weapons drawn before their group was fully formed. Their half-man, half-lion bodies moved with intense speed, orange skin creating a colorful blur as they stampeded into battle. Once they were within range, streams of fire burst from the third eye in the center of their foreheads and a small trio of Vincent’s vampires disintegrated into ash. Vincent unleashed a primordial roar and his family moved out to meet the demons. Everyone on our side took this as their cue to strike, and with their own screams, roars, and battle cries, they lashed out.

More demons I didn’t recognize fell from the sky, while others I’d seen only once were already in the midst of battle. Scorpion-like demons skittered across the ground moving on four legs. Without fur, scales plated their chests, backs, and tails, leaving only their legs and necks exposed. Spots of black decorated slimy green skin, and horns curled out of their snouts and jaws. A trio of black eyes reflected the moon’s light and a hiss slipped between its fangs. At first contact, it spun a spiked tail across the ground and took out a group of hunters, only to be torn apart by Tiki as he stormed over it. The rest of the demons were vast and unique, chuffing victory cries each time one of ours fell.

With vampires approaching from the rear, and Visceratti tearing through shifters to get to me, I didn’t hold back. Streams of flames stretched out like flamethrowers, tearing into the vampires. I knew it wouldn’t hurt them, but it would slow them down. With a dagger drawn I lunged forward, sticking it in the small opening of the first demon’s throat. The demon screamed as black blood poured over his skin and my fire lit him up like a Christmas tree, sending him back to the earth in a rain of ash. More vampires screeched as they were destroyed, but our kill ratio was falling fast. Dead hunters lay on the ground, werewolves and werecats flooded the sky in ashy waves, and our vampires were slimming in numbers by the second. I searched the crowd for Vincent, a sudden concern washing over me, but there he was, tearing into the demons with visceral claws and primeval anger. A flash of orange skin caught my eye and disappointment filled me. It wasn’t just pure bloods we had to worry about.

Gladiator demons were half-demons of Earth who had sided with Riley. They came in from what was now the distant road. Thick muscles bulged from their oversized bodies, fangs dripping foamy spit. They’d released their demons and massive creatures stalked forward. Behind the Gladiators came the witches, with black magic arcs of power rolling over their hands. And in the final row was an enemy I hadn’t expected to see—hunters from the Stonewall Circle.

Lawrence Blackwell, the head elder, led the charge of a small group of hunters. We had thought all the hunters had died, and we’d assumed Blackwell had been killed after helping Riley with the ring. His peppered hair and mustache proved otherwise, a smile plastered on his face.

Seeing the people from my past made a forgotten anger flare inside me, but it wouldn’t have a chance to be released. Eric was already there, charging into the battle with his eyes on Blackwell, but between the Gladiator demons, the witches, and the hunters, he was killed almost instantly.

Marcus cursed as he ran past me with speed I didn’t think he could manage, a group of his own hunters following his trail. They tore through a hoard of vampires, Marcus’s magic holding them motionless while the other hunters cut open their throats and ripped them to pieces.

A fist punched the side of my face but it hardly moved me. I turned back, cursing from the small vibration of pain and a single Visceratti stood before me. She hissed, reaching back and lashing out with her claws. The pain was abrupt, searing my skin like a fresh burn, but as soon as it came, it vanished and the wound healed. Surprise rippled across the demon’s face and I responded.

My fist smashed into her stomach, followed by a knee to the face. Using her shoulder as leverage with one hand, I gripped her hair with the other and pulled. The Protector’s rite had given me a new strength and speed that only a demigod could carry, and I heard the skin rip before I felt it break away from the body. The demon’s spine snapped, her head torn from her neck. Before it could turn to ash, I threw it through the air. The head spiraled, lighting up in a burst of orange and yellow, sparks trailing behind it like a falling star.

The response from the Visceratti was spine chilling, and the Queen’s anger raged across the ground. “You!” she screamed, and even with a football field between us, I felt the stink and force of her breath.

The Queen was twice the size of the other Visceratti. A thorny crown adorned with black gems stuck into her skull, streaks of dried blood staining her face. Thick jagged scars covered her chest, and massive breasts swung against her body. Even from a distance and with so many teeth missing, her serrated grin looked vicious. With a single backhand she threw everyone in her way to the side, including some of her own. She slithered toward me in a fluent curl from left to right, her scales making a wet sound as they rippled across the earth. She stopped a few feet away and used her tail to push herself up in an intimidating pose. The rattle on the end shook with vigor and the beast swayed from side to side.

“You killed my daughter and I vowed my revenge. Now is that time, boy!”

“Newsflash, you can’t kill me,” I said.

“Perhaps, but I can soften you up for father.” She lunged forward, jagged claws extended and her face scrunched with fury.

My air element rose and her body froze midair. “No, you can’t.” I pulled both daggers from their sheaths, elemental magic charging through them. Flashes of blue light illuminated the blades and flakes of ice crept over them.

Black veins rippled in her wide red eyes, and her slate gray skin paled. “
Sssstop
, hunter. I can help you!”

I laughed. “What could you possibly have to offer me?”

“I can
sssstop
my pets from compelling the summoner. Without our power, the ritual will never be completed.”

The world around me had become shades of red and black. Blood splattered the ground, weapons clashed against one another, elements scorched the plains, and monsters tore apart other monsters. Grams was in the distance with an army of witches, their magic destroying a hoard of Kivrakai. Rai soared above, her claws striking together with the sound of nails on a chalkboard, and bolts of lightning crackled down to the earth. The first flash missed, tearing a hole in the ground. The second blew a group of demons back, part of their limbs lost in the attack. Marcus was in a battle of air against Blackwell, and although the hunters that moved with him had slain most of the Gladiator demons, the hunters on Blackwell’s side were proving to be more of a challenge. The cold truth of the battle hit me—we were losing, and our other allies hadn’t shown.

“If you’re going to help me, give me a sign of good faith first. Call off your demons, pull out of the fight.”

The demon hissed, her black tongue slipping between her fangs and running over her lipless mouth.

“Do it now!” I ordered, pushing the blade against her throat.

“Fine!” she screamed. Her eyes rolled back in her head and magic pressed against me. A choir of hissing filled the air and the Visceratti faded from the battle, slithering away into the distance. There was no forest for cover and our hunters and vampires chased after them until they jumped into the ground, tunneling beneath the earth.

“Now
releassssse
me,” she said. “Let
ussss
be on our way.”

Thunder boomed and the clear night had been overpowered. Dark gray billowing clouds churned above the island of land like a funnel cloud waiting to strike out with Mother Nature’s force. It was happening.

“Stop your demons first.”

“They have complied. Your friend is of her own free will as we speak.”

“We’ll see about that.” I turned toward the cliff, not releasing my elemental hold on the demon.

“You made a deal.
Releassse
me!”

I turned to face her and shook my head. “I’ve endured far too much to let you go until I’ve seen it for myself.”

The Queen growled. “You fool!”

Three Visceratti jumped out of the earth and around me. Claws cut across my face and into my stomach. The wounds were instantly hot, and they didn’t stop the attack, refusing to give my wounds a moment to heal. Strike after strike cut across my body and blood splattered my face. My focus was lost and the magic holding the Queen had long since faded. Darkness covered me as her shadow loomed above.

The demons stopped their assault as the Queen grabbed me. Her fingers coiled around my throat and she shook me violently, my mind unable to focus. She laughed, stopping long enough to look me in the eyes and smile before sinking her rigid teeth into my shoulder. I screamed as she ripped a chunk of flesh away and threw me to the ground with a freight train of force.

The world went black and bright lights flashed in my vision. Blood burst from the searing wounds and I writhed along the dirt. The Queen jabbed her claws into my back and my body arched. The pain swelled inside me and the Queen retracted her claws, her tail smashing into me and turning me onto my back. The healing process had become just as painful as the wounds themselves, my skin burning as it stitched the lacerations closed. The Queen snarled and her jagged mouth came toward me again. I tried to block it, but her serrated jaws wrapped around my arm. Wriggling back and forth, she tore it apart. When I struggled to get away, it only made things worse.

I closed my eyes, knowing she couldn’t kill me, but the pain was immense. I tried to see past the hurt to a higher level of consciousness. Streaks of red flashed in the darkness as muscles and skin were torn apart, but I gritted my teeth and focused. I unleashed the first element I found and a blade of rock came out of the ground like a javelin. It pierced through the Queen’s stomach and her toothy hold broke.

My arm fell limp to the side and I immediately charged my water element into it. It took a few long moments for the wounds to heal and I screamed as the bones and muscles re-formed. My nails dug into the earth and when the pain faded, black and white dots colored my vision.

 
The Queen lie hunched forward, a massive rock supporting her weight and sticking out of her back. Black liquid oozed over the ground, pooling in each direction. She hissed as I neared, her teeth chattering together as she whispered a foreign language. My arms were above my head and when she screamed “No!” I brought down both blades and plunged them into her. A wheeze slipped from her mouth, but I didn’t wait for her to turn to ash. I’d seen it all before and too many people had died already. There needed to be an end to this right now.

From the base, the cliff looked even more enormous than I expected. I could use my air element to fly me to the top, but I wasn’t sure how much energy I’d have left. As a hunter, using my elements came at a price—exhaustion. I hadn’t gotten to that point since I’d completed the rite, but now wasn’t the time to be experimenting. I needed to keep what I had left, just in case.

I curled both fingers in my mouth and whistled, and Rai soared toward the ground. Massive talons clutched my outstretched arms, and with a violent jerk she tore me into the sky. Rai spiraled up around the cliff, wings flapping hard and pushing cold air around.

The black stone Riley stood on had risen from the ground like a podium. His skin had grown paler and the veins beneath had thickened. Black blood moved through them, causing a rippling effect along his flesh. His shirt was gone, strange symbols painted over his body with blood, and his eyes were closed.