Page 64 of Demons of Eden

They really found me.

“Eli helped,” Daion explains as he assists Ash, both men concentrating on whatever prison-breaking spell they’re performing. I’m surprised to see how well they appear to work together.

The magic holding me in place snaps suddenly. I fall forward from my egg-shaped prison with a gasp, right into Rio’s waiting arms. He catches me easily, careful with my larger stomach.

“We have to hurry!” Torrin snaps at the others as he reaches my side. “Are you okay?” he then asks, far more gently than he’dspoken to them, while frowning at the blood painted on my face and my exposed belly.

I nod at Torrin, about to ask how bad it looks, but Rio’s already tearing off a part of his own shirt. He then uses the newly scrapped piece of fabric to wipe my face off the best he can. As he does it, I find myself clutching his shoulders tightly, holding on for dear life like he might disappear if I so much as blink. I absolutely do not want to be left alone here again.

“I think that’s as much as you’re going to get off. The rest of it is pretty dried in. She can finish cleaning up when we get back. The sooner we get out of here, the better. Eli can only hold Paimon back for so long,” Torrin says as he grabs Rio’s hand and stops his attempt to wipe away the blood.

Rio freezes for a second before nodding, and then the two of them silently work together at either side of me to keep me upright as we move. Each step feels ridiculously challenging considering all of the help I’m getting.

“How are we getting out of here—how did you even get in? The warding in here looks insane,” I question, feeling so confused that I make them pause for a second.

“A present from Eligos,” Ash informs me, gesturing to an odd gold circle hovering in the air I hadn’t noticed before. He looks like he wants to steal me right out of Torrin and Rio’s helping hands. “It’s a stable tunnel. The device was made specifically to break into places warded by Paimon.”

They lead me over to the glowing circle, and everyone links in some way. A hand on a shoulder, or Torrin’s and Rio’s arms wrapped around me. Then Ash, at the end of our odd little chain, puts his hand into the circle. The world suddenly spins and stretches, and then we’re somewhere familiar. Standing in the middle of the hunters’ living room.

There’s a loud clatter as a strange cylinder falls to the ground.

I should be happy to be here, and I am. I’m so fucking relieved to be alive and free, with my baby still safely inside of me. However, realising how much Eli has assisted in my rescue, I suddenly feel an awful sense of dread about the fact Torrin mentioned him holding Paimon back. He’d seemed so fucking terrified of the other demon, so why would he do this for me?

“We need to go to Eli. He needs help,” I beg, giving my best pleading eyes when they all look at me like I’m crazy.

Ash sighs and glances between me and the other three, and then nods. “Fine, but let me be clear: if it looks like she’s in danger, I will be teleporting her out of there. Whether or not you three are in time to come with us.”

He grabs Daion’s shoulder with one hand and settles the other on mine gently, then we’re spinning again. The falling sensation feels worse this time, and I have just a second to wonder if it’s the difference between a stable tunnel and brute-forcing your way through spacetime.

Oh fuck.

I fall to my knees as we reappear into the physical world, even with the hands on my body trying to keep me upright. I hear them all scrambling to help me back up while I blink to clear the blurry haze from my vision.

“I’m fine. Please, just go help Eli!” I gasp as I clumsily climb to my feet, spinning around to face the store I recognise as Eli’s. The doom in my chest chokes me up as I watch Torrin and Daion rush inside.

Rio refuses to leave my side, though, no matter how much I try to whisper to him that I’m okay. Neither of them will let me go inside; that much is obvious, so I try to be patient as we wait. Ash is on high alert the whole time they’re inside, looking around as he keeps me, and consequently Rio, within arm’s reach.

“Wait.” Ash raises his hand, pushing me back behind him as the shop door opens again after a few minutes. Rio closes the small space between us, death and murder in his eyes as he glances between me and the building.

I swallow thickly, peering around Ash’s shoulder to see Torrin walk back out of the store. The devastation in his eyes as he shakes his head makes my heart ache. Before I know it, I’m pushing past Ash and the hunters, heading in through the door on shaking legs.

I have to know…

Ash follows, stopping me after just a few steps inside by wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me into him. “You don’t need to see this, Eden.”

“He’s dead?” I whisper,hoping, even though deep down I already know the answer.

“Yes, Eden. Eli is dead,” Torrin answers from behind me.

I spin around in Ash’s grip to see the demon hunter standing back in the doorway with red-rimmed eyes.

“Oh, Torrin…” I tug free from Ash, and Torrin accepts me easily into his arms. I bury my face against his chest as I wrap my arms around him in return. “I’m so sorry.”

“Fuck. I shouldn’t have left him alone. I thought?—”

“Stop,” I demand, holding him tighter as I feel my eyes prickling with tears. “You can’t blame yourself.”

“Who else can I blame?” he croaks, sounding so damn guilty it hurts.

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