The ward Aurora had set should have stopped the stranger from coming into her house. It hadn’t even slowed him.
As she sprinted toward the front door, another scream of terror and pain lodged in her throat. Blood dripped to her hardwood floor from the stab wound in her arm. She shouldn’t have investigated the noise in her bedroom. She should have trusted her instincts and run out of the house. Instead, she’d found the bastard climbing through her bedroom window.
Silver fire hadn’t even slowed him.
Suddenly, there was a flash, and a dark-haired guy with a scythe popped into the living room, putting himself between her and the stranger.
“Not today, fucker,” he snarled.
Her guardian? Had to be. He resembled Hawkyn too closely to be anything else.
And damn, but he had good timing.
Another flash, and Hawkyn was there, menace rolling off him in a tangible wave, both hands gripping swords. He cast her a reassuring smile, and then he was shoulder to shoulder with his brother, forming a wall she knew nothing would get through.
The air around them went icy and still, and she swore she could feel their desire to fight. This was what they’d been bred to do, and anticipation wrapped around them like armor.
The stranger attacked, and within seconds it was apparent that the man who looked like a skinhead was not entirely human. Sharp, needle-like teeth replaced the tame human grille, fingers morphed into wicked, raptor-like claws, and its screech threatened to shatter her eardrums.
“Maddox!” Hawkyn shouted. “Flank him!”
Hawkyn moved like a dancer, a deadly, lightning-fast dancer. His blades whirled as if they were in a blender, cutting and slicing as Maddox carved chunks out of the stranger with his scythe and with some sort of electrical ability that left thin, smoking gashes all over the demon’s body.
The angels fought well together, completely in tandem, as if they’d practiced beforehand. But when the stranger got a powerful blow in, knocking Maddox into her corner table and lamp, the momentum took a nosedive, and suddenly Hawkyn launched into a wild battle that was going to destroy what remained of her living room.
Not that she cared. Right now her only fear was for Hawkyn and Maddox, and for the tiny life growing inside her.
She held her breath, waiting for the demon do go down, but it wasn’t even slowing. Even when Maddox sent a dizzying volley of lightning, fireballs, and ice needles at him, the demon in a Nazi-tatted skin suit kept fighting. If anything, it seemed to gain strength from the weapons.
She was going to have a hell of a time explaining this to the insurance company.
Wait... It gained strength from weapons. Could a weapon drain it too?
“Hawkyn!” she yelled. “Over here!” She dove under her kitchen table, an ancient aluminum-legged thing that wouldn’t protect her from jack shit, but would provide a little cover. Hopefully just enough.
Spinning, Hawkyn moved toward her, bringing the creature closer. When Maddox finally gave up trying to use his powers on the thing, he jumped back into the fray with his scythe and together, he and Hawkyn forced the demon to her.
Praying this worked, she grabbed the thing’s foot and drew on his negative energy. Never before had she taken power from a demon, and the oily, ugly thread of current running through her made her want to puke.
It screeched in anger and tried to jerk away from her, but she held on with both hands, riding the thing like a rodeo bull as it kicked her around the room while trying to fend off Hawkyn and Maddox.
She hit the wall, furniture, and even Hawkyn once, but she refused to let go. The thing was slowing down now, growing sluggish, and the angels were doing more damage with each blow.
“We got it,” Hawkyn yelled. “It’s going down! Aurora, let go!”
Gladly. She released the thing and rolled against the wall, barely avoiding a vicious kick as the demon tried to get one more blow in before it collapsed, teeth gnashing.
Hawkyn lunged, bringing his sword down in a powerful arc that sliced the thing’s head from its body in a single, powerful blow.
Then he was there, cradling her in his arms. “Aurora, honey? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she assured him. “I’m just going to be sore for a little while.” She glanced over at the body Maddox was poking with his boot, presumably to make sure it was dead. “What is that thing? And why did it attack me?”
“It’s Drayger.”
Her gut clenched and she couldn’t stop the shudder that wracked her body. And just kept wracking it. “W-what?”
“I’ve got you,” he murmured, holding her tighter. “He can’t hurt you now.”
She knew that. If nothing else, she knew Hawkyn had her back, and gradually, surrounded by safety, she stopped shaking. “How…how is that Drayger?”
Hawkyn stroked her hair as he held her, his touch soothing and so gentle she wanted to cry. This big warrior was going to be so beautiful with an infant in those strong hands.
“When I got to his house,” he said softly, “Drayger was dead. Someone killed him just before I got there. But that’s when I figured out that he’s a bludgolem. He was able to possess that human and use him as a vehicle to take revenge on you.” He shook his head. “It was a suicide mission. When bludgolems infect someone that quickly, it burns them out. He was just hoping he could take you out with him.”
She blew out a long, relieved breath, thankful that he and Maddox had shown up when they had. “Who killed him? The original Drayger, I mean.”
“One of his victims. She wanted revenge.”
“Someone else got away from him?”
“Long story,” he said with a teasing smile. “I’ll tell you after.”
“After what?”
“After we get you a thorough exam at Underworld General.”
Tilting her head up, she kissed him. “And after that?”
“After that, I give you my own thorough exam.”
“Gag.” Maddox shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but Hawk, you know the rules about Primori and Memitim, right?” He cursed. “Whatever.” Turning to her, he waved. “Hey, I’m Maddox, by the way. You’re not supposed to know about me, but apparently, according to Hawkyn, anyway, the rules are just rough guidelines.” He shot Hawkyn a look that said they’d talk later. “I’m out of here.”
In the blink of an eye, he was gone, but suddenly, in his place was a blinding white light, streaming into her house from nowhere, like an alien ship in a movie.
“Uh, Hawkyn?”
His expression was stony, hard, and a fresh wave of anxiety shivered through her. Couldn’t they go more than five minutes without a crisis?
“I have to go.” He stood, bringing her with him, and then he set her down carefully. “But I’ll be back.”
For some reason, she wasn’t reassured. “Go where?”
“Heaven.” He stared at the light, but it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. “The Memitim Council wants to see me.”
No. Oh, no. “I don’t want you to go.” She gripped his forearm in desperation, as if she could hold him there forever. “I have a bad feeling...”
Shaking his head, he framed her face in his big hands and met her gaze. “This is kind of a non-optional thing. We can’t run from the light. I’ll come back. But listen to me, if, for some reason, I don’t return, Maddox will take care of you.”
“You said you’re coming back!”
“That’s the plan. I can’t think of a reason I won’t be back. But the Council has a way of getting creative with its punishments, so we’ll see what happens. But know this, Aurora. You’re Primori for a reason.” He smiled, and pride thickened his voice. “The child you’re carrying is special. I can feel it. No matter what, the world is going to be a better place because of us. Because of you. Everything will turn out the way it’s supposed to.”
She wanted to believe him. She could tell that he wanted to believe it too. But when he kissed her goodbye, too much doubt filled her mind. And when he stepped into the light, she couldn’t help but fear that she’d seen him for the last time.