Rise From Darkness (24 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

Demons surrounded Alexander.

“Stop!” Gaby screamed.

Forras
’ distinctive scent of rancid rotting fruit and bile intensified the drive to free herself. Coarse rope fibers scratched and cut into her skin as she tried to pull free. The more she scraped against the prickly tree bark, the more they loosened.

Her skin itched and burned, rubbed raw from the ropes. Blood trickled from small cuts. But it wouldn’t stop her. Nothing would. She used her blood to lubricate her hands.

The only chance any of them had was if she freed herself and reached the gun lodged in the back of
Forras
’ pants.

Feverishly, she worked against the rope. Droplets of water dripped down her back and face. Sweat stung her eyes. She raised her shoulder and attempted to mop her face only to fail. She winced in pain.

“Boon, Grace. If you’re out there you need to hurry before—” Her whispers were cut short as the demons closed in around Alexander.

Forras
led the pack. His four horns and large frame were something from nightmares.
Gremory
swished his long tail, extending it into the air like a whip. He forced Alexander back as he lassoed it in the air and snapped it down next to Alexander’s feet. The rattlesnake-like end hissed each time it hit the ground.

Bile rose in her throat as bones cracked and skin stretched. Before her horrified tear-filled eyes, the rest of the pack transformed from human form to demonic creatures.

Carson changed from a varsity jock to a monster with deadly, razor sharp spikes running down his spine and across his knuckles.

Donn
stalked around the other side. His two horns curved like a ram peaking from behind tree trunks.

Still secured by the ropes, she was forced to watch from the sidelines. She heard
Forras
refer to the two demons she didn’t know as
Berith
and
Nybis
.
Berith’s
scarlet flesh and burgundy eyes flickered with orange light as if his skin was fire.
Nybis
, his dark slits that passed as eyes shone yellow, as he moved like a cat from tree to tree overhead, preventing Alexander from soaring to freedom.

Nybis
jumped to the tree directly over Alexander. Claws snapped from his hands ready to strike.

Gaby searched for something, anything to help Alexander. She licked her dry lips, trying to think of a way to draw attention from Alexander to herself. “Why? Why do you want to torture and kill us?”

Forras
turned on her. “Did you enjoy the ride? I heard some of my blood seeped in. How does it feel to be half demon?”

Gaby choked as the terror of the nightmare tried to resurge. “There’s nothing demon about me.”

“You can lie to yourself, but I know you feel my blood in your veins, begging you to come to me. It lives off your fear and anger. Give yourself to it. Become powerful and control your own destiny. I’ve already marked you as mine.”

Her skin crawled but there was something more. Different.

Every sound and smell in the woods amplified. Scents of oranges from an orchard a mile away, pine and even the musty smell of old dead tree limbs mixed with bitter body odor and foul demon breath. A scratching noise caught her attention. She looked down to find a palmetto bug scurrying across a leaf. Distant bird squawks and dog barks startled her. Were these demon senses? Her demon senses?

No. It couldn’t be. Her mother was an angel, father a hunter.

“I’ll never join you. Never. So if that’s your plan you can untie me and let my father go.”

“Sorry. He’s already dead.”

Intense burning blanketed her skin. Something was changing. The smell of burned rope fibers filled the air. Looking down, she watched the ropes fall to the ground. She grasped a nearby tree and stumbled forward.

Forras
stood glaring at her in disbelief.

She shuffled a few more feet, toward Alexander.

Forras
landed in front of her and grabbed her by the jaw.

Hot blood pulsed through her body. Eyes closed, she visualized a warm turquoise light twinkle, then flicker near her heart. It expanded and twisted through her body until it burst forth, filling her with comfort. Eyes opened, the warm turquoise light shone bright, blinding her.

Scared, yet exhilarated, her body shook. The light faded for a moment then surged forward again. Staring into
Forras
’ eyes, she released the light. Bolts of turquoise fire sprung from the center of her body escaping through her eyes and hands.

Forras
flew back, crashing into a gravestone.

Alexander ran to her side.

“
Ahhhh
! No!”
Forras
cried out holding his hand tight against him. “What have you done?”

Smoke lingered carrying the scent of burned rubber and ash.

He held up his transformed hand. Crusty dried up holes existed where three claws use to be. “I don’t know how you did it. But I’m going to tear you apart.”

Alexander pushed her behind him.

She spotted the gun a few feet away and dove for it.

Lifting it, she shot
Berith
. He erupted into a fiery inferno then disintegrated into a puff of ash. Pulling the hammer back, she squeezed the trigger again.
Nybis
collapsed to the ground, screeching like a dying cat but still alive.

Forras
charged her, knocking Alexander to the side. She fired again. A clear shot to his heart. Nothing happened. She fired again. Still
Forras
remained upright, his clawless hands outstretched.

He pulled a long branch from a nearby tree and slammed it against her side. She slid sideways along the ground. Blood filled her mouth and she spit it out.

“I hoped you wouldn’t accept my offer. I have big plans for you.”
Forras
bent down, his nose almost touching hers, his foul breath polluted the air as he flashed his festering incisors.

“When I go to Hell, you and your lover will be a special gift.” He gestured to Alexander struggling to his feet. Only to be held back by Carson and
Gremory
.

“There’s no way they can deny my demands when I deliver not only an earthbound hunter, a fallen angel, but also a girl with a favored destiny. That’s right. I know Heaven is using you for some twisted purpose,”
Forras
spat as he said Heaven.

“What are you talking about? You’ve gone mad.” Gaby struggled to stand.

“Don’t even try.”
Forras
’ maimed hand clutched the branch tighter. “When I deliver you the prince will reward me with power. I just hope old Alex boy over here stays in Hell long enough to see you die before he’s jerked topside again.”

Forras
lifted the branch higher and swung with vengeance. She closed her eyes and held up her arm in a last ditch effort to defend herself. Nothing struck her. Opening her eyes she discovered
Forras
had disappeared. Boon stood in front of her. His body reflecting the moonlight, as his wings merged with the dark shadows. A giant raven with a smile of hope.

“Time for a fair fight,” Boon said, his tone filled with contempt.

Forras
jumped to his feet and lunged forward at Boon. Boon slammed a fist into
Forras
’ gut sending him flying back fifty feet to the ground.
Forras
spun around in surprise.

“You? You would dare defy me?”
Forras
’ face morphed from stunned to enraged. “I will curse you for this. You will rot on this planet forever.”

“Never.” Boon grabbed
Forras
.

Alexander used the distraction to send
Gremory
and Carson flying back into the woods. He raced for Gaby until
Forras
broke free and slammed into his side.

Forras
signaled to Carson,
Gremory
and
Donn
hovering in the shadows. They burst forth and restrained Alexander again.

Gremory
snapped his tail hitting Alexander in the face. The snake’s slivering tongue sounded as if it slithered in her head.

Donn
rammed his horns into Alexander’s side as Carson struck Alexander’s face with his spiked knuckles, sending the fallen angel to the ground.

They lifted Alexander off the ground and slammed him into a tree, splintering it into pieces.

Boon tossed
Forras
into the air. The demon crashed onto a rock, smashing it to dust. Boon jumped on him only to be thrown to the other side of the graveyard. The more they fought the more strength
Forras
seemed to gain.

Echoes of trees ripped from their roots to be used as weapons, or rocks smashing against one another filled the air.

Gaby shut her eyes trying to force a vision of the immediate future. Nothing came. At a loud roar, her eyes opened. Boon was gone. He had disappeared.

Forras
’ grasped Alexander’s neck with his left hand, and raised the missing sword at Alexander’s throat.

“When I run you through with the angel killer, your love will perish. Finally, justice will be done.”
Forras
smiled with sick pleasure.

Gaby tried to harvest the light within her, to fire at
Forras
, but she had no idea how she’d accomplished it initially. Instead she ran and jumped on
Forras
’ back. He cried out as each touch of her hands burned his flesh.

Carson and
Donn
grabbed her from behind and jerked her off him. Turning in their grasps, she placed her hands on their faces but nothing happened. Some of
Forras
’ ashen skin still stuck to her fingers. A fresh scent of rotting corpse wafted from her hands.

She struggled for freedom but they held her tight.

Forras
turned and hit her in the side with the butt of the sword, knocking her free of her captors. Doubled over she coughed and tried to move against the burning pain in her ribs.
Forras
reached back with the sword ready to thrust deep into Alexander. Stumbling forward she fought to stop
Forras
.

“No!” Gaby cried out falling to the ground, whimpering in defeat. The salty tears rolled into her mouth as she sobbed.

She heard the blade slice through the skin and break bones. Alexander’s screams followed as it crunched more bone. She vomited. The strong taste of bile lingered in her mouth.

She looked up to discover Boon on the ground, not Alexander. The sword pierced through his right shoulder. Violet blood trickled from his wound. A peaceful smile rested on his lips. He tried to lift his left hand to press his palm to the wound.

Alexander stood with
Forras
’ neck in his hands, pressing him against a tree, choking him.

Red fury radiated from Alexander’s eyes. For several seconds he held tight squeezing his neck.
Forras
’ breath staggered. Gasps escaped his lips.

Alexander’s eyes changed to orange, pale yellow, and back to green. He winced then released
Forras
. He reached down and pulled the sword from Boon’s body. Holding a hand to the wound he looked back at
Forras
.