Page 30 of Frosted Torment

“You can’t be serious!” I yelled above their unearthly wails.

I gripped the edge of my seat when Lex pounded the roof of the car. “It’s about to get exciting, Noa.”

He rolled down the back window and stuck out half his body. The sudden roar of what sounded like jet engines drowned out his words, and the ground heaved and buckled. Clods of dirt and grass spewed into the air around us. Jossy’s eyes narrowed to slits as he floored the accelerator one more time.

Lex spun around and perched in the open window, peering up at the inky sky. A blinding flash lit up the night, and for a split second, I saw the silhouette of a massive, bat-winged creature. An earth-shattering explosion followed, hot air buffeting us as flames erupted where the beast had been.

“Got that son of a bitch!” Lex whooped in victory, then leaned back in the car.

A bone-chilling screech assaulted our ears, like claws raking a chalkboard. I clapped my hands over my ears, shuddering and yelling through the pain. Jossy swerved and dodged through the chaos, maneuvering the car with precision and skill.

Demons swooped down from the sky, never touching theground while fireballs exploded in all directions. The wind howled around us, carrying with it the stench of sulfur and decay. Sparks exploded against a nearby tree, and I ducked my head into my knees.

“Hold on, Noa!” Jossy shouted over the deafening racket of demonic squeals.

He swerved around a crumbling tree, avoiding a molten burst that erupted beside us.

Lex found his way back into the car, his breath heavy. “Why are the wards going down?”

Jossy’s voice was tight with concentration as he fought to keep us on the road. “I don’t know, but we’re almost there.”

As we sped down the road, I sat up and stole a glance at Jossy. His calm demeanor had transformed into a focused intensity. He seemed to be in his element amidst the anarchy.

I, on the other hand, wanted to puke again and again as I fought through the growing pain behind my eyes. I braced myself with one hand on the dashboard as Ivy materialized in front of us. Two other massive angels stood next to her, taking up the road with their size.

Ivy’s eyes sparked with intensity as she raised her hands, summoning a powerful gust of wind and then a flash of light. The demonic creatures shrieked in frustration and retreated into the night.

As I closed my eyes again to rub my temples, Jossy slammed to a stop in front of a cabin at the end of the road. My chest collided with the dashboard, and Lex clamored out of the backseat to open my door.

He bent down in front of me, concern etched in his eyes. “Are you all right, Noa?”

I pounded on my chest, gasping for breath. “Water!” I wheezed.

Jossy grunted as he threw a bottle across the top of the car, and Lex reached up with one arm to catch it. Unscrewing the cap, he made me drink. He rubbed my back until I took steady breaths, and when I looked around, all signs of an attack had disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared.

Jossy turned to Ivy with a grateful wave. “I appreciate the assist back there, sister.”

Ivy gave a casual shrug as she placed her hands on her hips. “A few demons won’t be enough to take us down.”

Jossy nodded, and his eyes flickered as he assessed our surroundings. “We can’t stay out here for long. More will come.”

“They’re toying with us.” Lex shook his head, his dark eyes glinting with frustration, the muscles in his jaw tightening as he spoke. “We should get inside and talk to Nevaeh.”

Jossy shifted, his face flushed with anger. “Where’s Vincent?” he asked, scanning the perimeter.

“He bolted to check the wards and make sure they don’t fail again.” Ivy glanced at me, and her eyes sparked with unspoken fear. “Noa, are you sure you’re up for this?”

I took a deep breath, feeling the sharp ache radiate from my chest where the impact had struck me. My heart pounded with doubt threatening to engulf me, but this was more than survival. I had to claim this power in me to stay safe.

“I have to do this, Ivy,” I confirmed. “Hiding me won’t keep any of this from happening.”

Lex placed a hand on my shoulder, offering silent support. When I turned to look at him, he raised one finger to his lips.

CHAPTER 12

Iraised an eyebrow, then whirled around, checking each side of me. “What is it?”

Rocks bounced along the ground as something trotted up behind me, and I felt a nudge in the middle of my spine that pushed me forward. I fell knees-first into the dirt. Hot breath seeped through my jeans, and a yelp escaped my throat. A low growl positioned at the nape of my neck provided a warning if I moved.

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