September Moon (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8)

Willow was up ahead, near the unseen door to Lilah’s kingdom. He was engaged in combat with another demon, one I recognized from Shya’s evil party.

Lungs heaving, I threw myself forward, refusing to let anything stop me. When I reached the place where Lilah’s key had been forged the demon orb inside me pressed against its mortal cage, seeking a way out.

I threw a circle up around me, hoping it was strong enough to buy me a few precious seconds.

It wasn’t.

Shya was suddenly there on the other side. Blood stained the side of his face though his mangled eye had already healed. With no effort at all, he dissolved my circle. Panicked, I drew the Dragon Claw and instead of going for a wimpy wrist cut, I pressed the tip of the blade to my sternum.

“Bit of a one hit wonder, aren’t you, Alexa?” Shya sneered. “You’ve already played the suicide card.”

“Whatever works.”

It was a desperate move, one I never got the chance to follow through on. With a snap of his fingers Shya ripped the dagger out of my grasp. It skittered across the ground, landing in a thick chunk of yellowed grass.

“Don’t make me begin killing your companions. I’ll start with Kale.”

His threat made me glance around frantically for Kale. He was watching Jez’s back as she brazenly continued her attack on Brook. The demon was weakening with every silver blow she dealt him.

Arys and Jenner joined me, one of them on each side as we faced off against Shya. The asshole grinned, and his characteristic amusement was back.

“You can’t take me, Alexa. Even as one of the great and rare Hounds, you’re no match for me. Not with all of that vampire power in your system. It comes from demons, you know.” He seemed quite satisfied with himself, certain he had me now. “Give up now and save those you love. Otherwise, I’ll kill every last one of you.”

“You’ll kill us anyway,” I declared, my wolf shining in my eyes. The beast saw him for the evil he was, and she’d had enough of his shit. “There’s no way I’m going to let you take over Lilah’s kingdom. She was right. You’re not worthy.”

Pissing him off further wasn’t my intent, not really. However, I was pretty pissed myself. The demon had been playing puppet master for far too long.

Shya’s expression didn’t change, but the atmosphere around him did. It grew hotter, tight, like something was about to snap.

“You know I think I will keep you alive after all,” he mused. “Just you. It’s been a while since I’ve had a vampire slave. You’ll make a good one. I’ll let my demons have their way with you, and you will spend the rest of your days begging for mercy.”

It was a sick thing to say, but I wouldn’t have expected less from Shya. Although it most definitely encouraged my need to end his reign of horror.

“Like hell you will,” Arys snapped, slamming Shya with a blast so strong I felt it in my core.

Much to my surprise the hit seemed to have an effect. Shya’s body jerked and smoke rose from his middle. He peered down at the point of impact and chuckled.

“You are a tough one, aren’t you? I knew I was right to choose you to sire Gabriel.” Before I saw it coming, Shya retaliated with a writhing mass of black energy that brought Arys to his knees. “Too bad you’re so damn headstrong. You’d have made a great servant in my kingdom.”

He took down Jenner next while I stood helplessly by. I braced for the blow that I knew was coming. Before it could hit, Willow threw himself in front of me and took the impact.

Willow and Shya struggled, engaged in a combat so violent thunder rumbled overhead. Willow drove him away from us, trying to give us some much needed space. But they were not evenly matched and soon my dear guardian friend began to get his ass kicked.

“That motherfucker needs to go down,” Arys swore as he got to his feet.

“You have to do it now, Arys. You have to kill me.”

Commotion was all around us. Jez and Kale had driven Brook off. He’d disappeared to the other side, or wherever it was that demons went to lick their wounds. The demon Willow had fought had vanished as well. Shaz lingered nearby, watching the perimeter for anything amiss.

Arys stared at me as if I’d spoken the words from his nightmares. I probably had.

Shaking his head, he stepped back. “I can’t do this.”

“You have to,” I cried, my gaze darting fearfully to where the fallen angel and demon slammed one another against the building. “We don’t have much time.”

Jenner grabbed Arys and gave him a shake. “Get your shit together, man. You knew this was coming. If you don’t do it, I will.”

That was not what Arys wanted to hear. He backhanded Jenner with a metaphysical hit to go along with it. I gave a small shriek as Jenner slammed into one of the trees that lined us on either side. He hit the ground and lay there stunned.

“Arys! How could you do that? We need him.”