Levi rolled down the passenger’s window of Cary’s SUV and listened for any sounds that resembled the flatulent pig grunt of a motorbike, but heard none.

Without a word, Cary turned the key in the ignition and the engine purred to life. She edged the truck along the facade of the warehouse.

Streetlights threw shadows across their surroundings.

She cranked the steering left, making the vehicle swing, not saying a word. Sure, it bugged him that she shut him out, but it wasn’t a surprise.

Back in the garage, he’d seen the torment in her eyes, heard the shakiness in her voice, but he couldn’t bring himself to do anything about it. His insides were torn. Part of him yearned to accept Cary for what she was, but he knew what demons were capable of: the death of Marcos, the hole in Levi’s heart that refused to heal.

Then there was that goddamn dream of Cary in a pirate outfit turning into a demon. His skin crawled.

His head still ached from face-planting the concrete floor, but to his relief, the blinding sting in his arm had vanished. Whatever painkillers Cary had given him hadn’t worked as his headache lingered. Though, his cut didn’t appear as deep as he first thought.

“How are you feeling?” She spared him half a glance while driving fast.

“Better,” he admitted. He noticed her rigid arms and how tight she gripped the wheel, but she didn’t seem to see him looking.

“Good.”

Levi stared out the window. Warm wind blew his hair across his face.

Inside the SUV, it was silent. Levi tried to pinpoint the hellhound’s whereabouts. No breaths, or growing, or licking to give him away. “Blinkie’s being awfully quiet.”

“If you could hear him snoring, you’d wouldn’t think so. Count yourself lucky.”

Dark clouds sprawled across the night sky from the west, promising a storm. She signaled and took the freeway exit, then headed down the side roads where there were fewer houses and widening woodland.

He shifted, trying to find a comfortable position in the tiny passenger’s seat, and turned toward the road and watched the scenery in the darkness, knowing they’d exchange few words tonight.

With sunrise hours away, the oaks flanking the two-lane road appeared somehow larger. Around the SUV was bumper to bumper traffic on both sides. Trailers, cars towing boats and cars with canoes strapped on their roofs were going at a snail’s pace.

He raised the seat backrest, unable to get comfortable, and kept scanning every car that drove past, expecting to see a silvery aura. God, how much farther until they reached this place?

“Tell me about this guy we’re visiting?” he asked. “Is he like you?”

She yawned. “No, he’s not like me.”

“How well do you know him?” Levi ran his hand through his hair, sliding the loose strands off this face.

“I don’t remember much. I was young. He was Dad’s friend.”

“As in your father the demon? You’re taking us to a guy who voluntarily pals around with demons.”

“Cambion.” She tensed her hands on the steering wheel. “My father’s a cambion.”

“And what about cousins who might have demon blood?”

“Do you really want to go into the whole demonic family tree right now? Can’t it wait?”

He exhaled loudly. “A few days ago, I thought demons simply possessed people or objects, breaking into our world to wreak havoc. But how does someone become a cambion in the first place?”

Her father had no answer to that question either, and she’d asked him hundreds of times. “Don’t know. I’m in the dark. Hopefully we’ll find a way to unmark you soon, and then you can return to your blissfully ignorant life.”

A twinge curled in his gut. “I won’t leave until you’re unmarked, too.”

“I can look after myself.” Her words were swift and piercing.

“Cary, I made a promise. I’ll get us both unmarked.” After that, he’d—

“Stop, Levi.” She kept her attention on the road and stuck an open palm between them.

His protest stuck to the roof of his mouth like tar, but this wasn’t the time or place for emotions or continuing their fight. Their lives were on the line. That meant keeping his head clear and his tongue in check. At least for now.

They passed lofty trees with branches heavy with broad leaves. A blue Mustang, driving in the opposite direction, grabbed his attention. The two guys in the car stared open-mouthed at Cary for a second, then swerved off the road.

“Fuck! Two hunters from Argos just passed us.”

“What…” Cary glanced behind her.

He looked back and spotted them doing a U-turn, forcing their car back into the traffic. Up ahead at a major intersection, the majority of cars swung right. They needed a quick getaway.

Cary’s posture stiffened, and her gaze shot to the mirror. “I hear bikes.”

The beat of his heart filled his ears. He scanned the road in the side mirror. “Clear… No, wait.” He turned around to stare out the back window. Behind the long line of cars, two bikes were burning up the road’s shoulder, the riders peering into every car they passed. The demon gang must have split up in their search.

“Fuckin’ hell. Demon bikers are closing in, and hunters are six cars back.” He scanned the GPS and studied the roads nearby. “Go now, Cary. Straight through the lights. Floor it.”

She swerved onto the shoulder and zoomed forward, despite protesting honks.

“What’s the plan?” she asked.

“We take the demons to a secluded location and beat the crap out of them.”

Cary’s face paled, and she constantly checked the mirror. SUVs weren’t made for racing, but Cary wasn’t easing up on the gas, no matter how much her car shook along the narrow road.

The snorting motorbikes closed in, followed by the Mustang. Sweat pooled down Levi’s spine.

“Head straight through the next intersection. On the map, it shows a dead-end. When the hunters see the demons, they’ll jump in and help. You stay low in the car. Then I’ll steer the hunters away.” He grabbed Noose from his belt and welcomed his racing adrenaline.

“Nothing like cornering ourselves.” Cary’s voice trembled. “Plus, I’m not hiding.”

“Got any better ideas?”

She shook her head. “I’m just not a fan of being cornered.”

He scanned the map again and spotted a street that seemed to loop right before joining the main road. It might work. “Okay, take the next right. It’s a detour.”

She nodded, her white knuckles working the steering wheel.

They passed fewer houses with much more greenery.

Flat land and a trail heading into a forest appeared ahead.

“Stop after the bend.” He turned around, knowing the hellhound was there. “Time for action, Blinkie.” When a fiery hot tongue swept across his cheek, he didn’t even flinch.

Levi wiped his face and grasped the door handle. Cary pulled to a sudden stop near the curb. He scrambled out, Blinkie thrust himself passed as Levi flicked Noose open. She was out of the car before he could stop her, her weapon in hand.

“Cary, get back in the car and stay low,” Levi begged.

She simply shook her head, and hell if it didn’t grate on Levi’s nerves. But when the two bikes grunted to a stop several paces away, his focus shifted in their direction. The one built like a barrel with no hair was biggest, so that guy was his.

“Blinkie, you take the smaller guy; Cary, please get in the car.” Levi targeted Baldy and sprinted forward, praying Cary listened to him for once in her life.

The fiend threw his helmet at Levi, catching him in the face. Shooting pain lanced through Levi’s nose; Noose fell from his grip. He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose as the blurry biker stomped toward him.

Across the road, a fuzzy Cary faced a demon of her own. He shook his head, but right then, the Mustang came around the corner, tires crunching asphalt.

With hands curled, he swung a fist at the biker’s head, connecting hard. Levi pounded into the guy again, finally sending him reeling back. With a final shake of his head, his vision came back, along with dancing stars.

How did Noose get behind the bike?

An unexpected crack to the face had Levi on the ground in a second flat. Baldy seized his foot. Levi rolled onto his back as the demon snarled.

Off to the side, a black hole opened up in the middle of the street as if it were a sinkhole. Flames burst out from the ditch, licking the edges. It grew wider by the second, swallowing up the curb and even a bench.

So, demons were summoning portals to Hell at the drop of hat? This was new and definitely had to be related to the hit put out on Cary. As if beasts weren’t dangerous enough, now they were armed with extra ammo. That was fucked up.

Levi’s heart pounded. With his free leg, he kicked his assailant. No effect to free his captured ankle. Levi’s shirt rode up to his armpits as he was hauled by his leg like a sack of potatoes toward the flaming crevice.

To his right, Cary recoiled from the two hunters marching toward her. The other biker lay on the ground, unconscious.

“Rick, she’s with me,” Levi called to a hunter he recognized.

Cary glanced over to Levi for a split second, enough for him to see the dread eating up her expression.

He had to get free and help her. Why hadn’t she listened to him and stayed in the car?

“Rick.”

No response. The hunters from Argos eyed Cary.

Levi yelled again, with no success. Bastards only cared about the money for the hit, nothing else.

From his belt, he grabbed the holy water vial and opened it. He splashed the contents at the beast gripping his leg. The demon hissed and arched his back, stumbling a few steps short of falling into the widening portal.

Levi scrambled backward. His head spun like a damn Ferris wheel. He looked across the road, spotting Cary swinging a fist at Rick, while the other hunter snagged her free arm from behind.

“Fuck, Rick.” Levi pushed himself up, but a kick to his ribs from the demon had him doubling over in pain. Air gushed from his lungs, a piercing ache stabbing his chest. Each breath was a struggle. Pushing past his pain, he shoved his foot into the demon’s shin, doing nothing but gaining himself a growl.

“They love fighters downstairs.” The demon’s gravelly voice grated Levi raw. “You’ll fit right in.”

With Levi’s ankle back in the demon’s grip, the beast towed him to the sinkhole.

Blistering heat enveloped Levi, and the roar and snap of the flames escalated. Ash fell around him like snow. White-hot stings dotted his legs, burning holes in his jeans. The heavy charcoal-like smoke clawed at this throat. He coughed uncontrollably as his life flashed before him. Fighting demons. His buddy’s death. His parents gone. Cary!

He thrashed and kicked against the beast.

Suddenly, the biker flew forward, his hold on Levi’s ankle ripped away. The guy stumbled toward the pit from the momentum, hands flailing outward, screaming.

He spun at the edge, catching his balance, his expression no longer resembled human. “Fucking hellhound,” he snarled. The moment he stepped forward, an invisible force drove into his stomach. His body bend over as he was flung backward, plummeting into the hole.

Levi scurried away from the portal and scrambled to his feet. Had Blinkie gone into the hole?

“Blinkie! No!” Cary bellowed from farther down the road.

Levi looked up at Cary. She was handcuffed and being shoved into the backseat of the Mustang by Rick. Levi leapt to his feet and despite the world revolving beneath him, he limped after Cary. He spat out the blood in his mouth. “Stop! Rick. Fuck.”

The hunters jumped into the Mustang and skidded off down the road, leaving Levi behind.