He immediately did so, and the disorientation was so damn bad that I went down on one knee. It probably saved my life, because a spear of dark energy cut inches above my scalp and exploded into the wall behind me, sending thick slabs of brick and grime flying through the air.
A heartbeat later, Tane grunted and fell to his knees. His face was bloody, and his stomach a smoking ruin of guts and blood and flesh; his life energy went from silver to gray between one heartbeat and another.
He was dying, and there was nothing I could do to stop that.
I scrambled upright and ran toward Monica. The man who was Lanie spun around, and a deeply unsettling smile stretched her lips. “Well, well, if it isn’t our persistent, terribly underpowered little witch. It was foolish of you to come here alone, you know.”
“That’s the thing about assumptions,” I snapped back, still running hard for the table. “They’re all too often wrong.”
With that, Atticus attacked, landing on Orion’s head and tearing into her scalp with his razor-sharp claws. Orion’s magic rose in a wave, and Atticus leapt away from it, his own magic rising to counter the spell as he disappeared into the ether. The two spells hit and exploded, sending threads of gold and red spearing through the air. I shifted direction and lunged at Orion with the knife. He must have sensed its presence at the last minute, because he leapt back and thrust out a hand, a thick ball of bloody energy erupting from his fingertips. It swept me off my feet and thrust me hard against the building’s rear wall, pinning me there even as my teeth rattled and pain flickered through me.
Atticus reappeared, flung a spell at Orion, then melted away, only to reappear behind him and slash his razor claws across Orion’s calf. He screamed in fury and spun, and the magic pinning me in place was wrenched away. I hit the ground with a grunt, my fingers sweeping the concrete to keep balance, then thrust forward again. Orion spun and cast another bloody spell my way, this one sharp enough to skewer. I leapt to one side, but it followed me, and Orion’s laugh echoed. I swore and threw the knife, aiming it into the middle of that bloody spear. The spell exploded, spraying broken threads into the air, covering me in their violence and stinging like hell.
I swore again, drew the knife back into my hand, and ran on toward Monica. More magic exploded, Atticus and Orion doing battle, neither one seeming to get the upper hand. I reached Monica’s table, slid to a stop, and pushed it to the left so that the opposite end was aimed directly at Orion.
Then I pushed it, as hard as I could, straight at Orion. The metal legs screeched as they slid across the concrete, and he spun. His magic rose again, but before he could unleash, Atticus appeared, landing on the top of his head and slashing down with his claws, cutting into skin and eyes. He screamed and Atticus leapt away, an eyeball still attached to one claw. Orion’s hand rose, magic buzzing brokenly around his fingertips, but if he was trying to stop me, he was too late. I rammed the end of the table into him with as much force as I could muster and sent him flying. As he staggered back and dropped to the ground, I raced around the table, raised the knife, and plunged it deep into his dark heart.
His life force pulsed, and my inner darkness flared to life, thick, hungry, and eager to consume. It washed over me, momentarily stealing my will, leaving me wanting nothing more than to drink from that dark well before death could snatch it away.
Hanna, you can’t.
Oh, but I could, I replied, and reached out, letting my fingers run through the river of his dying energy. It felt so very wrong and yet oh so wonderful, so dark and powerful... and it was the latter that dragged me from its thrall. It would kill me if I took it in. I wanted, so wanted, to swim in those waters, to not waste all that power, but to do so would forever change me.
But therewasanother way I could use it and, in the process, maybe save a life.
I wrapped my fingers through Orion’s dying life force, turned and gripped Monica’s hand with my other, then drew in his energy, feeding it through my body and out into Monica’s, forcing my inner darkness to become nothing more than a conduit. I’d never attempted something like this before, but I knew the theory well enough, because Owen and I had argued about the possibility many a time over the years.
What we’d never known, could never have guessed at, was the sheer toll it would take onmybody.
To be container and connection all at the same time had my strength running from my limbs as swiftly as death was now claiming Orion. I remained upright through sheer determination alone, my gaze on Monica, watching as the heat slowly crept back into her skin, watching as her life energy once again began to glimmer and dance, even if it no longer shone with the same brilliance. Orion’s energy was staining hers, though not to the same degree as it would have mine.
As the last of Orion’s energy faded away and death—and likely his demon—claimed him, I broke the connection between the three of us and dropped hard to my knees. My head felt as if it were on fire, and each breath was a harsh rasp that shuddered through my entire body, but I was alive, Monica was alive, and Orion was dead.
As is Tane, Atticus said. He appeared in front of me and touched a sheathed claw to my knee.You did good.
I feel like shit.I shifted position, then rested my head back against the table’s leg and resisted the temptation to close my eyes and just allow unconsciousness to sweep me away.
Understandable, given what you managed to do.He paused.You might want to raise those shields of yours. The Society and René enter the building.
I did so.Why is it the cavalry always arrives too late?
In this case, the cavalry did not have a location, not only because you failed to inform anyone of what you intended, but because you left your phone behind and gave Ginny your earwig.
I didn’t exactly have time to think my actions through.
Next time, please do. I do not wish to lose another witch so soon.
A smile tugged at my lips.I am not your witch.
And I am not your familiar, but here we are, stuck with each other.
I laughed, which hurt, and weakly raised my hands to rub at my temples. It was only then I noticed the blood and remembered getting clipped by the demon’s claw.
You might want to use the remaining bottle of holy water on it,Atticus commented.It’s already festering.
I dragged the still undamaged bottle from my pocket, popped the cork, and poured the water over the wound, which was longer and larger than I’d initially thought. It hit my skin and immediately bubbled with great enthusiasm, forcing a pain-filled hiss from my lips.
The bubbling means it’s doing its job, Atticus said.
