The stink of sulfur penetrated the room as Krull came through the mirror. The kitten hissed and started thrashing. Sonja tossed the small bundle into the air and Krull caught it. I gasped and took a large step back when the demon opened its mouth, its lips widening farther than they should have. It devoured the poor thing in one chomp.
“Mmm,” Krull hummed, chewed several times, and swallowed. I watched, mortified, as a large ball traveled down the length of its throat and vanished. “Delicious.”
Every time a demon is summoned, a kitten dies. Please God, save the kittens.
I did not just see that.
“Seven minutes.” I sounded as petrified as I felt. The fucking thing didn’t want the kitty as a toy or pet. It wanted to fucking eat it.
Sonja went to the circle first, traced the line of the circle with salt, and hauled ass to the caged chicken. After she had a decent grip, she hauled the squirming animal out of the cage, rushed back, and cut its throat. Blood splattered as she hung the still twitching birdie upside down, infusing the salt with the gushing red liquid.
She didn’t bother placing the chicken back in the cage when she finished. Instead she tossed it aside, stepped into the circle, and started invoking the spell. Her rushed Latin was impossible to make out, so I didn’t know she was finished until she quit talking. She rotated slowly, gazing around the room. I quickly did the same.
“Do you see him?” Sonja demanded, searching for Baxter inside the space.
“He’s here,” Krull said, smacking his lips as if savoring the taste of his meal.
“Where?” Sonja stared at the demon, her face a combination of anxiousness and fear.
“I said I would tell you if the soul was here, not where he was.”
“Damn it!” she yelled. “No games! Not right now!”
“No games. Only the terms of your bargain. You should have been more specific. Blame Rhiannon Murphy for rushing you before you could clarify the terms specifically.” Krull swiped the corners of his lips, bowed in a courtly manner, and smiled. “I have fulfilled my end of the agreement. Farewell, Sonja Wheaten. Summon me again, and you’ll regret it.”
“Wait!” Sonja almost stepped out of the circle that would keep the spell in place. “Don’t do this.”
The demon walked to the mirror, started passing through to Hell, and peered over his shoulder at her. “You’ve been summoning me to do your will for two years. Consider this my way of showing you how it feels to be under the authority of another.”
The mirror distorted as he crossed, displaying a desert wall with raging tornados, and returned to normal.
“No!” There was so much anguish in the cry, so much misery. I knew she loved Baxter. Although we didn’t share much, I was aware of how important it was that she do this for him.
The time I had was dwindling away to nothing. I grasped the amulet under my sweater. Using it was becoming more and more of a habit, something I didn’t want. Like Gollum and his One Ring To Rule Them All, I’d start craving the power if I wasn’t careful. I realized as my fingers surrounded the jewel that the hold was already too strong. When anything happened, I reached for it.
Just like now.
I stopped thinking about that and did what needed to be done, drawing on the power of the stone. I had to go, time was short. I didn’t have the luxury of worrying about anything aside from what was happening right now.
“Vim corporem, potestatem praesentiamque tuam da mihil! Libere tibi me do!” Present me your force, physical strength, and presence. I freely give myself to you.
I’d only called on the full force of the amulet twice. The first time punched through my soul. The second time felt as if the power merged with my anger. This time, the feeling was unadulterated bliss. I rocked on my heels as an invisible wind swept through me, wrapping me in its embrace, erasing all my fears.
Why had I waited so long? Why had I fought this?