Lucifer deflected blows and threw smaller hits of power like a skilled ninja on TV. His skills frustrated me. Even I couldn’t move as gracefully as he could. I’d trained my whole life, but he had a few thousand years on me.

“You’ll never beat me, you pathetic half-breeds.” We were affecting him, but it didn’t stop the scorn in his tone. It could have blinded us if he had the ability to do so.

Again, his palm lit with power, but Dex deflected it, so he couldn’t pull his arm back far enough. My Incubus’ fist landed a massive hit of his own.

The move gave me the opportunity I needed. I swung my blade, piercing his flesh. Lucifer cried out in agony. Like the hungry pack of beasts, we were, the sound drove us on. The blood lust all demons could be affected by rose in us. We wouldn’t be satisfied until we ripped him to shreds.

As one, we moved and slashed, but Lucifer kept up with us all. His battle dance made him look like the angel he once was in Heaven. Yet, with each cut and stab, more of that monster form appeared again. Until all his pretty features were now a ragged mess of ugliness.

He screamed as Trigger and Alaric joined the fight. He got hit from all sides with no reprieve, making him fight back more fervently. My Fae side loved the carnage, she moaned at the menacing grin on their faces, making them appear truly demonic.

The shouts Lucifer made must have helped people pick a side because the students who originally hid from the fight joined in, fighting again him. I drank in everything as my body kept moving. My demon practically purred as Lucifer’s army got overwhelmed. Yet, no matter how glorious the moment was, it didn’t matter if we couldn’t fucking kill the Devil.

The Fae seemed to know who fought with us and who fought with Lucifer. They elegantly branded their blades and elemental magic like a well-seasoned army. The Potens Demons appeared human, but they were sluggish in comparison, but their magic matched the Fae. Most high-level demons could wield fire, so they lit up the area with it.

The monstrous forms of the Nati Demons could barely fight three against one Fae. They were too direct and relied on their hulking bodies too much, whereas the Fae moved fluidly and leapt around to stay away from their claws. The sheer number of Nati Demons was the biggest issue. It was a mass of color, fighting a much smaller monochrome mass. They mostly fought with claws and teeth, but power eventually ran out, and those didn’t.

The sounds of weapons clashing, and flesh rending was almost overwhelming for my senses. The normal brimstone stench of Hell started to get drowned out by the rancid scent of blood and gore. In spite of that, all of it only made my battle haze intensify. I could bathe in the rush of this war forever. I’d never felt so alive.

In mid-swing toward Lucifer’s face, the ground shook, making my gaze drift. The wall that surrounded the academy had collapsed to our left. More demons in colorful and human form came through, but I didn’t know whose side they were on. We couldn’t take the chance of losing the upper hand. These fuckers were like cockroaches.

In my distracted state, I didn’t see the hit coming for me until a fist slammed into my cheek, knocking me to the ground. My head spun, sending black dots into my vision. Once it faded, I growled and stood, shaking off the pain to get back into the fight. Helplessness threatened to breach the barrier of my heart again, but I forced it back down.

This isn’t working. New plan. We need to get that fucking amulet off him, even if it’s only a second. My magic will hold him long enough for a killing strike.I said to my mates, the exhaustion could clearly be heard in my voice again. My magic use wasn’t as extreme this time, but even the small elemental things drained me.

Good, because the asshat has an amulet for witch power too. Most of the shit I’m throwing at him is getting dissolved,Trigger growled out. The vigor of his tone has faded as well. Whatever Lucifer kept using to restore his energy to be so formidable sucked ass, we didn’t have that luxury. The fucker could just wait us out.

His frustration matched everyone’s. Lucifer needed to die already. But how were we going to fucking do it?

As Bones and Kain struck harder and faster, the rest of us tried to work out a plan. Ideas were thrown around, but nothing sounded like it would work. I didn’t want us to use tons of magic just in case. I already learned that approach didn’t work. It just exhausted us.

Then, a plan hit me. Bile stung the back of my throat. I didn’t like my plan.

This is going to suck, and no one is going to like it, but I have a solution.I stabbed the fucker in the neck, and it barely fazed him. Was he getting stronger? Magic had to be at work here.

No.Kain growled out refusing my plan even before I said anything. His fist moved in an ark, landing an upper cut to Lucifer’s face. Bones was hit with Lucifer’s retaliatory swing.

You don’t even know the plan.I couldn’t hide my annoyance even if I tried. We didn’t have much time. If all those fuckers pouring in were Lucifer’s backup to his backup, we’d lose this fight.

Kain met my gaze. His demon-black eyes narrowed.I can feel the guilt and disgust radiating off you. I don’t have to. I don’t want you doing it.

It’s the only way. Just listen! I’m doing this and I need you to be with me, not lock me in a room again, remember?

None of them were happy, but to my satisfaction, they agreed. I explained my plan as well as I could in the midst of battle.

I don’t fucking like this.

We should find another way.

More of their comments came in. They were reluctant or upset, both really, but they had my back. We all knew this might be our only chance. I just hoped it worked. We were out of options.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Before I could do anything, the ground shook again. This time, everyone glanced toward another falling wall. Some of us kept fighting, but it was a major distraction.

Instead of more demons greedily coming to join the fight, massive beasts stomped into the fray. I guess they weren’t using the hidden prison this time. This display was a statement. They had chosen my side.

What was even more shocking were the blue grass, purple plants, and fuchsia accents where red barren lands were supposed to be on the outside of the academy grounds. My brain pushed that tantalizing information to the side because I could only process so much at once.