Every Which Way But Dead (48 page)

Lee dived to the side, and my gold ball of ever-after hit my circle. My eyes widened when a cascade of tingles raced through me as my bubble broke.

“Damn it all to hell!” I shouted, not having thought ahead enough to realize my aura-laced spell would break my circle. Terrified, I spun to Al, thinking if I couldn't get it back up in time I'd be fighting both of them. But the demon was still seated, staring over my shoulder with his goat-slitted eyes wide. He looked over his glasses, mouth hanging open.

I spun in time to see my spell hit a nearby building. A faint
boom
shook my feet. I put a hand to my mouth as a chunk the size of a bus flaked off and fell with an unreal slowness.

“You stupid witch,” Lee said. “It's coming right for us!”

I turned and ran, hands reaching as I scrabbled my way across the rubble, hands numb on the frost-cracked rocks. The ground shook, dust rose thick in the air. I staggered and fell.

Hacking and coughing, I got up, shaking. My fingers hurt and I couldn't move them. I turned to find Lee on the other side of the new rockfall, hatred and a touch of fear in his eyes.

Latin came from him. My eyes were fixed upon the card in his moving fingers, heart pounding as I waited, helpless. He gestured, and my card burst into flame.

It flashed like gunpowder. I cried out and turned away, hands over my eyes. The shrieks of the minor demons beat upon me. I reeled backward, balance gone. Red smears coated my vision. My eyes were open and tears streamed down my face, but I couldn't see. I couldn't see!

There was the sound of sliding rocks, and I yelped as someone cuffed me. I blindly lashed out, almost falling as the heel of my hand met nothing. Fear settled into me, debilitating. I couldn't see. He had taken my sight!

A hand shoved me over, and I fell, swinging my leg. I felt it hit him, and he went down. “Bitch,” he gasped, and I shrieked when he yanked out a handful of my hair and scrabbled away.

“More!” Al said cheerfully. “Show me your best!” he encouraged.

“Lee!” I cried. “Don't do this!” The red wasn't clearing.
Please, please let it be illusion.

Dark words came from Lee, sounding obscene. I smelled a strand of my hair burn.

My heart clenched in sudden doubt. I wasn't going to make it. He was going to all but kill me. There was no way to win this. Oh, God…what had I been thinking?

“You gave her doubt,” Al said wonderingly from the blackness. “That's a very complex charm,” he breathed. “What else? Can you divine?”

“I can look backward,” Lee said nearby, panting.

“Oh!” Al said gleefully. “I have a marvelous idea! Make her recall her father's death!”

“No…” I whispered. “Lee, if you have any compassion. Please.”

But his hated voice started whispering, and I groaned, falling into myself as a mental pain cut through the physical. My dad. My dad gasping his last. The feel of his dry hand in mine, the strength gone. I had stayed, refusing to leave for anything. I was there when his breaths stopped. I was there when his soul was freed, leaving me to fend for myself far, far too early. It had made me strong, but it had left me flawed.

“Dad,” I sobbed, my chest hurting. He had tried to stay, but couldn't. He had tried to smile, but it was broken. “Oh, Dad,” I whispered, softer as the tears welled. I had tried to keep him there with me, but I hadn't been able to.

A black depression rose from my thoughts, pulling me into myself. He had left me. I was alone. He had gone. No one had ever come close to filling the void. No one ever would.

Sobbing, the miserable memory of that awful moment when I realized he was gone filled me. It wasn't when they pulled me from him at the hospital, but two weeks later when I broke the school's eight hundred meters record and I looked into the stands for his proud smile. He was gone. And that was when I knew he was dead.

“Brilliant,”Al whispered, his cultured voice soft beside me.

I did nothing as a gloved hand curved under my jaw and tilted my head up. I couldn't see him as I blinked, but I felt the warmth of his hand. “You broke her utterly,” Al said in wonder.

Lee's breathing was harsh. Clearly it had taken a lot out of him. I couldn't stop crying, the tears dribbling down my cheeks, cold in the wind. Al let go of my jaw, and I curled into a ball in the rubble at his feet, uncaring of what might happen next.
Oh God, my dad.

“She's yours,” Lee said. “Take my mark off.”

I felt Al's arms go around me, lifting me up. I couldn't help but press into him. I was so cold, and he smelled like Old Spice. Though I knew it was Al's twisted cruelty, I clutched at him and sobbed. I missed him. God, I missed him. “Rachel,” came my dad's voice, pulled from my memory, and I cried all the harder. “Rachel,” it came again. “Is there nothing left?”

“Nothing,” I said around my sobbing breaths.

“Are you sure?” my dad said, gentle and caring. “You tried so hard, my little witch. You really fought him with everything and failed?”

“I failed,” I said between my sobs. “I want to go home.”

“Shhhh,” he soothed, his hand cool against me in my darkness. “I'll get you home and put you to bed.”

I felt Al shift into motion. I was broken, but I wasn't done. My mind rebelled, wanting to sink deeper into nothingness, but my will survived. It was either Lee or me, and I wanted my cup of cocoa on Ivy's couch and a theme book of rationalizations.

“Al,” I whispered. “Lee should be dead.” It was easier to breathe. The memory of my father's death was slipping back into the hidden folds of my brain. They had been buried there so long that they found their places easily, one by one filed away for lonely nights by myself.

“Hush, Rachel,” Al said. “I see what you intended by letting Lee trounce you, but you can kindle demon magic fully. There has never been a witch that can do that.” He laughed, his glee chilling me. “And you're mine. Not Newt's, not anyone else's but mine.”

“What about my demon mark?” Lee protested, several steps back, and I wanted to cry for him. He was so dead, and he didn't know it yet.

“Lee can,” I whispered. I could see the sky. Blinking profusely, I saw a dark shadow of Al holding me silhouetted against the red-smeared clouds. Relief slipped into me, pushing out the last of my doubt to leave a shimmer of hope underneath. Ley line charms of illusion only worked short-term unless they were given a permanent place to reside in silver. “Taste him,” I said. “Taste his blood. Trent's father fixed him, too. He can kindle demon magic.”

Al jerked to a stop. “Bless me thrice. There are two of you?”

I shrieked as I fell, crying out as my hip hit a rock.

From behind me, I heard Lee's shout of fear and shock. Turning where Al had dropped me, I peered over the rubble and rubbed my eyes to make outAl drawing a sharp nail across Lee's arm. Blood welled, and I felt sick. “I'm sorry, Lee,” I whispered, hugging my knees to myself. “I'm so sorry.”

Al made a low sound deep in his throat of pleasure. “She's right,” he said as he brought a finger from his lips. “And you're better at ley line magic than she is. I'll take you instead.”

“No!” Lee screamed, and Al jerked him closer. “You wanted her! I gave you her!”

“You gave her to me, I took off your demon mark, and now I'm taking you. You can both kindle demon magic,” Al said. “I could spend decades fighting a scrawny, high-maintenance familiar like her and never wedge the spells you already know into her cotton-fluffed head. Ever try twisting a demon curse?”

“No!” Lee cried, fighting to get away. “I can't!”

“You will. Here,” Al said, dropping him down onto the ground. “Hold this for me.”

I covered my ears and curled into myself as Lee screamed, then screamed again. It was high and raw, scraping across my skull like a nightmare. I felt like I was going to vomit. I had given Lee to Al to save my life. That Lee tried to do the same to me didn't make me feel better.

“Lee,” I said, tears leaking out. “I'm sorry. God, I'm sorry.”

Lee's voice cut off as he passed out. Al smiled, turning on a heel to me. “Ta, love. I don't like to be on the surface when it gets dark. All the best of luck to you.”

My eyes widened. “I don't know how to get home!” I cried.

“Not my problem. 'Bye now.”

I sat up, chilled as the stones I was sitting on seemed to soak into me. Lee came to with an ugly gibbering sound. Tucking him under an arm, Al gave me a nod and vanished.

A stone slid down to roll to my feet. I blinked, wiping my eyes to only get rock dust and chips of stone in them. “The line,” I whispered, remembering. Maybe if I got into the line. Lee had jumped from outside of a line, but maybe I had to learn to walk before I could run.

A movement at the edge of my awareness caught my attention. Heart pounding, I whipped my head around, seeing nothing. Steadying myself, I wedged myself up, gasping when white-hot knives stabbed my ankle to take my breath away. I slipped back to the ground. Jaw gritted, I decided I would just crawl over there.

I reached out, seeing Mrs. Aver's business suit coated in the dust and frost it had scraped from the surrounding rocks. Gripping an outcrop, I pulled myself forward, managing a halfway upright position. My body was shaking with cold and fading adrenaline. The sun was almost down. A sliding of rocks urged me on. They were getting closer.

A soft pop pulled my head up. A tumble of pebbles and rocks came from everywhere as the lesser demons scrambled into hiding. My breath slipped from me as, from around my hair, I saw a small figure in dark purple sitting cross-legged before me, a narrow staff as long as I was tall laying across its lap. A robe draped it. Not a bathrobe, but a classy mix of a kimono and something a desert sheik would wear, all billowy with the suppleness of linen. A round hat with straight sides and a flat top was perched on its head. Squinting in the fading light, I decided there was an inch or so of air between the gold trim and the ground.
Now what?

“Who in hell are you?” I said, pulling myself forward another step, “and will you be taking me home instead of Al?”

“Who in hell are you?” it echoed, its voice a mix of rough lightness. “Yes. That fits.”

It wasn't hitting me with that carved black stick, or putting a charm on me, or even making ugly faces, so I ignored it and dragged myself forward another foot. There was a crackle of paper, and wondering, I tucked David's trifolded paper into my waistband.
Yeah, he'd probably want this back.

“I'm Newt,” it said, seemingly disappointed I was ignoring it. There was a rich accent that I couldn't place, an odd way of saying the vowels. “And no, I'm not taking you home. I already have a demon familiar. Algaliarept is right; you're almost worthless right now.”

A demon for a familiar? Ooooh, that had to be good.
Grunting, I pulled myself forward. My ribs hurt, and I pressed a hand into them. Panting, I looked up. A smooth face, not young, not old—sort of…nothing—met me. “Ceri is afraid of you,” I said.

“I know. She's very perceptive. Is she well?”

Fear slid through me. “Leave her alone,” I said, jerking back as it pushed my hair out of my eyes. Its touch seemed to sink into me though I felt fingertips firm on my forehead. I stared at its black eyes as it peered at me, unruffled and curious.

“Your hair ought to be red,” it said, smelling of crushed dandelions. “And your eyes are green like my sisters', not brown.”

“Sisters?” I wheezed, considering I might give it my soul if it would give me a pain amulet. God, I hurt all over, inside and out. I sat back on my heels out of its reach. Newt had an eerie grace, its outfit giving no hint to gender. There was a necklace of black gold about its neck—again, the design neither masculine nor feminine. My gaze dropped to its bare feet, hovering above the rubble. They were narrow and slim, somewhat ugly. Masculine? “Are you a boy or a girl?” I finally asked, not sure.

Newt's brow furrowed. “It makes a difference?”

Muscles trembling, I pulled my hand to my mouth and sucked at a spot where the rock had pinched me.
It did to me.
“Don't get me wrong, but why are you just sitting there?”

The demon smiled, making me think the reason couldn't be good. “There are a few side bets as to whether you will learn how to use the lines before sunset. I'm here so no one cheats.”

A stab of adrenaline cleared my head. “What happens when the sun goes down?”

“Anyone can have you.”

A rock slid from a nearby pile, and I pushed into motion. “But you don't want me.”

It shook its head, drifting back. “Maybe if you told me why Al took the other witch instead of you, I might. I…don't remember.”

Newt's voice sounded worried, making me wonder. Too much ever-after in the brainpan perhaps? I didn't have time to deal with a crazy demon, no matter how powerful it was. “Read the papers. I'm busy,” I said, pulling myself forward.

I jerked when a boulder the size of a car fell two feet in front of me. The ground shook and bits of rock chips stung my face. I stared at it, then Newt, who was smiling as it adjusted its grip on its staff to look pleasant and innocuous. My head hurt.
Okay, maybe I had a little time.
“Ah, Lee can kindle demon magic,” I said, not seeing any reason to tell it I could too.

Newt's black eyes widened. “Already?” it said, then its face clouded, not angry with me, but at itself. I waited for it to move the rock. It didn't. Taking a deep breath, I started to go around Newt, as it seemed the demon had forgotten I was there. The sense of danger flowing from the slight figure was growing, building on itself to tighten my gut and make my skin crawl. I was getting the distinct impression that I was still alive because a very powerful demon was curious, nothing more.