Divide and Conquest (Grimm's Reapers Book 4) (6 page)

Due to the slick icy conditions, the three of us were packed in like sardines on the back of the horse.  We didn’t have very long to get across the bridge, but thankfully the extra weight didn’t restrict Khloros.  Being a lot faster in his natural form than as a car, I figured we were pretty safe in terms of time.  Poor Jacar though, I think he was ready to barf a few more times.

It was a beautiful moonlit evening and as Roxanne was in front of me, I tried a few times for a little cop and feel.  She giggled rather loudly once, leading to Khloros to give me a stern admonishment.  “Are you trying to have me fall over the side of this bridge?  Keep your damn hands off her until you are no longer on my back!”

Wasn’t he just a buzz kill?  “Fine, but don’t expect me to be happy about it.”

“I do not care if you are happy or not.  Sit tight and shut up, please.”

Roxanne was no help to my cause, also adding in her two cents.  “I’ve already been appropriately violated by you.  I have no more need of your tool this evening.”

What a cold, cruel world we lived in.  At least judging by the land closing in, we were getting closer to Mother Russia.  I was ready to start walking again.

From behind us, “GRAWWWWHH!”

“What the hell was that?”

“Oh Jacar, welcome to the party!”  I thought he’d been sleeping.  “Seeing as how you’re on the end, turn around and tell us.”

I felt a shift in his body, probably looking to see what the Almighty awful noise was.  My money was the ice was starting to disappear back into the ocean.  I would be wrong.  “Master Khloros, run faster!  I do believe that’s the Kraken.”

Did he say the Kraken?  Hey, I’m the one to give orders around here.  “Khloros, listen to the drunk!  Run faster!”

Let me take a quick moment to give you the run down on the newest horror attempting to put an end to yours truly.  The Kraken is an old sea demon that looks like an enormous octopus.  We’re talking mega-octopus basically.  Its main weapons of attack are the eight tentacles it possess, each able to either bash or grab the intended victim.  It can also squirt ink and he as very sharp beak on the underside.  Funny, I thought this thing actually lived in warmer waters.

It had half climbed up on the ice bridge, three of its tentacles holding it up while two more were reaching out for us.  We still had some distance between us, but that was closing.  We needed to get to the mainland.

Khloros began picking up speed.  The three of us were holding on for dear life as the horse’s movements were becoming unstable.  The faster he went, the harder his legs jerked under us and one wrong move could send us into the freezing waters.  Between the time limit and the Kraken, we were up against a big pile of shit.

As if matters couldn’t get worse, a cloud of black fluid flew over our heads and landed on the ice in front of us.  “Watch out buddy!  Kraken ink dead ahead!”

Khloros couldn’t slow up in time and we fell off of him and he went skidding on the inky ice.  No one fell off the bridge, but the ink made it impossible to get footing.  We were in big trouble.

Gunfire cracked over the sounds of the beast.  Roxanne, from one knee, was firing away with no regard.  I wish I could say it was working, but I think the bullets only pissed it off even more.  We needed a better idea.  Then I saw it – strapped to Jacar’s back was the Grasscutter.  The blade was fabled to cut through anything.  “Jacar, cut the ice!”

He looked at me like I was nuts.  “If I do that-”

“Shut up and do it!”

He removed the old Japanese katana from its scabbard and the blade bit into the ice.  Immediately the bridge began to shake, knocking him off balance.  “Great, now what?”

The ice bridge was returning to the icy depths, probably before it was prepared to do so.  The whole thing broke apart, sending the Kraken back into the Bering Sea.  One problem, soon we would be joining it.

Khloros was back on his feet and with his teeth picked me up and put me on his back.  With each arm, I took Roxanne and Jacar, pulling them up to join me.  “Buddy, do you think you can make it?”

“Hold on.”

Khloros took off like a bat outta Hell.  The bridge crumbled from all sides, leading us only one direction.  Land was getting closer to us, but in a moment of shitty luck, the portion of the bridge in front dropped off.  We were stuck.

That is until Khloros jumped.  It was a mighty effort, one that he hadn’t done in a very long time.  The celestial horse put all four legs into the desperation leap and we glided over the frigid waters.  I closed my eyes; sure we weren’t going to make it.

Then I heard the sound I didn’t expect to hear, all four hooves hitting the hard, frozen ground of Russian soil.  He took a few more long striding gallops before coming to a halt.  I fell off of him and started kissing the ground.  “Sweet apples of Eden we made it!”

Roxanne joined me, her eyes as big as the moon in the sky.  “Tell me that actually happened.”

“We survived to fight another day.”

Jacar ran away from us and began heaving like mad.  No one wanted to go check on him, so instead Roxanne and I went over to Khloros.  Patting his head, “That was a monster jump buddy.  How did you do that?”

“I was not going to be the one to let us down.  I figured it would be wrong of me to take your job.”  And with that wisecrack, we all started laughing.  No matter we were covered in ink, freezing cold, and once again had been on the brink, everything was as it should be.

When the Pride demon was done emptying his guts, “Any chance we can find lodging?  I’d like to clean myself up a bit.”

I looked out onto the harsh Siberian tundra.  “Stopping and getting a bit refreshed isn’t a bad idea.  There has to be a port town or something close by.”

There was, a small place called Provideniya.  Sitting up on a fjord, the place seemed to be the major hub way out here.  We didn’t blend in at all, but the local hotel was sure glad to take our money.  I almost forgot what it was like to travel before the introduction of the credit card.

Even though we rented the room for the following day too, we left as quickly as we could. We took shifts showering and during the last shift, Roxanne went out and got us some better traveling clothes for the upcoming venture into the tundra.  A few of the locals wanted her to hire them as guides, but the journey we were taking would ensure they all be dead.

When we left the town, I was glad to be back on the move.  “Honestly I’m surprised Sabrina didn’t have a regiment of demons sitting here waiting for us.”

“Maybe my bitch daughter expected the Kraken to take care of us.”

Roxanne was probably right.  If that monstrosity had attacked us sooner, we’d probably be fish food.  As it was, we were very fortunate to make it to land and avoid the worst of its attacks.  “Hopefully the weather holds up and we can make good time.”

Khloros needed a rest still, so we all hoofed it for a bit.  The weather didn’t seem as cold as it had been in Alaska, or maybe it was just the stuff Roxanne bought us was good quality.  The walk had been surprisingly pleasant and we were dealing well on time.

Jacar seemed to be getting unnerved though as midday approached.  Concerned, “What’s wrong man?  Something’s got you riled up.”

“He’s close.”

That really didn’t narrow it down for us.  “Who’s close?”

Then he pointed to the horizon.  A group of armor clad knights appeared; it looked as if they were waiting for us.  Then they parted and allowed a rather large figure to take the lead.  Even at this distance I knew who this was.  An Arch-Demon with large bat-like wings and death (not me, the actual act) in his eyes.  “Baal.”

“What’s he doing here?  I thought you signed a treaty with the legions of Hell?”

Roxanne was right on as always.  “I don’t know, but it looks as if he’s brought some of those weird knight guys with him.”

She gasped.  “He couldn’t be working with Sabrina, could he?”

Well there was only one way to find out.  “Let’s go ask him.”

When the four of us got within an acceptable distance (where I could see Baal’s ugly mug clearly, but still far enough away in case of sneak attack), I stepped forward as the spokesperson.  Jacar didn’t like it, but seeing as him and Baal had a lot of history, there was no need to antagonize the Arch-Demon, yet.

Seeing his pleased reaction, “So whoring yourself out to the highest bidder?”

“If you mean the Hell witch, I am here against my will.”  That didn’t seem all that lucky.  “But, I won’t mind killing a traitor in the process.”

Jacar didn’t take that lightly.  “For a very long time I carried out your bidding.  You do not get to call me a traitor, especially after everything you’ve done.”

I knew there was history here, but I don’t think I would ever hear the whole story.  Behind Baal were ten knights, by the looks of it the same sort of dorks who attacked the coven.  Wouldn’t these morons learn from their mistakes?  Each of them pulled out their sword, ready to run to their doom and gloom.

Baal straightened up.  “Because she deemed it so, I must impart some of my power into each of you.  Take it and complete your task.”  Red brimstoney essence left his hand and went to each of the knights.  Wonderful, a boost of demon power.  Nothing’s ever easy, is it?

“Death, you guys take the humans.  Baal is mine.”  The Grasscutter was humming with excitement at the challenge before it.  “My liege needs to remember why I was feared by all.”

Like a demon samurai, he raised the katana and charged his former employer.  Baal seemed just as eager to attack, slamming his fists into the ground and unleashing a battle cry that probably was heard all the way back to Nome.  As much as I wanted to watch these two titans clash, I had my own concerns.  The knights were surrounding Roxanne and me.

The humans underneath were being warped by the Arch-Demon’s power.  Black splotches showed up on their visible skin and fangs sprouted from their mouths.  “This might be a tad trickier, no?”

Khloros huffed.  “If you can’t take care of a few dead weight humans, I feel bad for you.”

He was right, plus there was no reason to get him involved.  “You sit this one out; you’ve earned your rest this trip so far.”

Roxanne also didn’t seem all that worried.  She reloaded her gun with a new clip and cocked it.  “As he said, they’re still just human, so bullets and sharp objects should hurt like fuck.”

Almighty bless her, she was amazing.  Leviathan appeared in my hand and for dramatic effect; I swiped it around the air, causing them to back up.  Plus it felt good to stretch out.  Remember everyone, it’s important to take time and loosen your muscles before going on deadly rampages.

With the theatrics over, there was one question left – would they approach dumb ninja style or gang rush us?  The one in the lead put his arm up and pointed.  They gang rushed us.

Two went down right away from bullets to the head courtesy of the super fine gun lady to my right.  Using my scythe in more a crowd control style, I spun it around just hoping to clip and main whoever got into range.  As they fell to the ground, the idea was Roxanne could pick them off with the gun.

Three more went down rather easily, brain matter combusting from their heads as the bullets entered.  Two more were more unfortunate to get clipped harder than their pals by the scythe.  The first one took the blade right between the eyes.  In an effort to remove my weapon from the dead man’s gourd, it came out rather quickly and split another in the gut.  Intestines flowed freely plus other humany gunk.

One more dropped dead, another sharp shot from Hell in Heels over there.  The only two that remained were the captain looking guy and a knight who seemed to take the demon brimstone better than the rest.  The captain halted the two of them and he pulled off his visor.  “We finally meet with no hoods over our identity Death.”

“Billy Jenkins?  What the fuck man?”

“That dweeby little human is in league with the Order of Ruin?”

He didn’t take kindly to Roxanne’s slight.  “Silence whore, my business is with the father of my liege.  Master Ruin will reward me greatly if I remove you from the game.”

When I met up with my stray kid, I really needed to talk to him about his choice in friends.  “Listen here buckwheat, do yourself a favor and hightail it back to Alaska.”  I was about to ask how he made it here before us, but then I realized I didn’t rightfully care.  “You stay here, you’re dead.”

He gave me that classic villain victory laugh.  “I was careful not to touch you so you don’t know when my end will be fool.”

Well I warned him.  Roxanne fired two more shots, each penetrating the heads of them stupid humans in front of us.  They popped like a water balloon, spraying blood on to the tundra.  “I did try to tell him.”

Roxanne very sexily blew the smoke from the gun and put it back into her leg holster.  With our problem vanquished, our attention returned to main event happening on the other side of the frozen field.  Baal, who towered over Jacar, couldn’t keep up with the smaller Pride demon.  Unfortunately, it seemed as if Jacar’s blows did little to deter him.

“Should we interfere?”  My horse was still sitting down, watching intently.

The thought had crossed my mind too, but, “This isn’t our battle.  All we can do is be prepared in case he falls.”

So the three of us stayed there, watching.  The two of them were like black steaks in the afternoon light.  This was history in the making, an Arch-Demon fighting a Pride demon.  Not just any Pride demon mind you, but one that had ascended to the rank of highest general in his lord’s demon army.  Jacar showed the skill and swordsmanship to back that up.

Two more swipes of the Grasscutter came close to taking a leg from Baal, but the Arch-Demon used his wings to double jump over.  Each time he landed, the ground shook like a small earthquake.  I’m sure the locals back in the town we rested at were freaking out.  No worries everyone, it’s not the Ring of Fire, just demons battling!

A hammer fist from Baal landed in front of Jacar, knocking him off balance.  But the former general rolled out of the way and used his momentum for a follow up attack.  The katana cut through the air, whistling as it tried to dig into the meat of the Arch-Demon.  Just when we thought a game changing blow would land, Baal spun around and landed a mammoth left hook to the side of Jacar’s body.  Our friend crumpled to the ground, basically being hit by a freight train.

Consequences be screwed, I wasn’t about to let the one who took care of Astrid be killed in such a manner.  I hopped on Khloros, spurning him to get up.  “Come on, we’ve got to save the guy!”

Ready to help at a moment’s notice, Khloros got those four legs moving.  We blitzed across the frozen ground towards Jacar who was taking heavy blows from Baal.  When we were in range, I reached in and grabbed his hand, pulling him away from more punishment.  The large Arch-Demon wasn’t nearly quick enough to do anything about Khloros and our fast retreat back to Roxanne.

I hopped off the horse and pulled Jacar down.  He’d taken quite the beating from his former boss.  “Stay here man, you’ve done enough.”

“This is,” his proclamation interrupted by coughing.”

“Roxanne, keep him here.  It’s my turn to deal with big and ugly over there.”

My girl was already breaking out the field kit we picked up in town to tend to his wounds.  With that situation currently okay, I hopped back on Khloros and the two of us trotted out to meet the enraged Baal.  “You didn’t know?  This is a tag team match.”

“How dare you interfere with Hell business Horseman?  You’re arrogance knows no bounds!”

Oh he was good and angry.  “That maybe the case, but I generally have the skills to back it up.  Remember, I’ve taken down Beelzebub and Abaddon.  You sure you want to mess with this?”

He was sure.  Slamming his fists into the ground in a rage, “You impudent fool.  You have no one else here to save you.  I know how those battles truly went.”

Well damn, he wasn’t supposed to have read my memoirs.  “Either way man, you’re just a roadblock to getting to my son.  If killing you’s the only way, then so be it.”

“I will feast of your flesh before the sun goes down!”

Damnit, I hate it when I let them get the last word and it’s actually a really good one liner…