“Daddy!” Ben screamed, tears running down his face.
I quickly looked around. My dad was fighting off a much younger demi-demon and having trouble doing it. The side of his face was bleeding and he held his side, his face distorted in pain.
I heard Benjamin scream again, a long, high-pitched wail followed by sobs. He kicked and pulled away from Edward, but a seven-year-old was no match for the much older and stronger demi-demon.
Edward bent down to hand Benjamin to the demon waiting in the opening of the pit. I jumped up, slipped, but caught myself before I fell. Running toward the hole, I grabbed at the dagger strapped to my ankle as I went. I lunged myself at the pit, sliding on my stomach across the slippery snow toward the glowing hole, the dagger in my hand.
Chay saw Edward with Benjamin and kicked Jake so hard in the gut that they both fell to the ground. Chay rolled toward the pit, his arms outstretched. Edward let go of Benjamin. The demon’s arms wrapped around him. I skidded to a stop. Chay grabbed Ben’s arms just as I stabbed the demon’s shoulder with the dagger. It howled in pain before it disappeared in a plume of black ash.
Ben dangled over the glowing, yellow pit. Another pair of sickly gray arms reached up and grabbed his feet. Chay tried to roll away from the hole, pulling Benjamin with him. But lying on his back in the slippery snow and mud, he couldn’t get any leverage. The demon yanked at Ben, causing Chay to slide closer to the pit’s opening. Ben screamed my name.
“Hurry, Milayna,” Chay said through gritted teeth.
I bent the top part of my body into the pit and stabbed the second demon in the side, killing it. Chay rolled away from the pit’s opening, taking Ben with him. They were safe. I still dangled head-first in the opening leading straight to Hell. A third demon crawled up the side of the pit, a grotesque smile on its face.
“We’ve been waiting for you, Milayna,” it hissed through its dagger-like teeth. “It’s time to come home.”
I held up the dagger, turning it in my hand so the yellow glow of Hell’s fire sparkled off the jewels. A rainbow colored the sides of the pit. The demon screamed at the sight of the dagger and backed away.
I felt someone pulling me out of the hole. Slowly, they dragged me up and away from the demon. I kept the dagger in plain sight, and it stayed frozen in place while I was pulled to safety.
A scream sounded from the pit. The earth began to shake and the dirt moved. The mounds fell like invisible hands were pushing them, filling in the pit. Little by little, the glowing, yellow depths disappeared, taking the demons with it.
The fight was over. It was meant to distract us so the demons could grab Benjamin. They failed. There was no reason to keep fighting, so the pit filled and the demi-demons and Evils melded into the black night.
Chay carried Ben into the house. My dad ran to my mother and helped her into the house. The rest of us filed inside behind them. Uncle Rory rushed to my aunt, whose face was bleeding where Edward clocked her after pushing past my mother and into the house.
“Milayna,” Ben cried and reached out to me. I took him from Chay and cradled him to me. He cried against my shoulder. For every one of his tears that fell, I grew angrier and my resolve strengthened.
Abaddon is gonna pay for what he’s doing to my family. Even if I have to fight for the rest of my life, I will kill him.
25
My Murderer
Saturday morning, we all gathered around the kitchen table at Muriel’s house. We were having our traditional family breakfast. My mom and aunt made a huge meal of omelets and fresh fruit. I’d just plopped a large omelet on my plate and sat down next to Ben—who hadn’t left my side since the fight the night before—when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” I said. Ben grabbed my hand. I bent and kissed the top of his head. “I’ll be right back, frog freckle.”
“’Kay,” he said, letting go of me.
I opened the door and froze.
What in the world is he doing here?
“You don’t look too bad this morning. I thought you’d be more banged up.” He smiled.
“You look like Hell,” I said.
He laughed. I loved that sound.
“Are you having your traditional breakfast this morning?” Chay asked.
“Yes.”
“Can I stay?”
“Why?” I blurted.
“I wanted to check on Benjamin. I thought I could play some video games with him.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Chay. It isn’t even our house.”
He hooked his thumbs through the belt loops on his faded jeans and looked down at his feet. A lock of hair fell over his forehead, and my hand automatically started to reach out to smooth it back in place. I stopped before I touched him. Fisting my fingers, I put my hand behind my back.
“You’re probably right. Will you tell him—?”
“Chay!” Ben yelled and threw himself at Chay in a huge hug. “C’mon, we’re having breakfast.” Benjamin pulled at Chay’s hand.