Page 40 of Avenger of Sins

John turned away from Ryan’s unmoving body, grief and rage tangling together as the banshee howled along with him from just beneath his skin. Ryan had believed, wholeheartedly, that John would exorcise him again when the time came. But thanks to Harlow, he’d died with a demon inside him.

Ryan was beyond his help now, the demon freed back into the etheric plane. But John could still honor his final request the only way he knew how.

At the Center, he’d been an untrained child who couldn’t imagine doing more than exorcising the ring of friends directly around him. Leaving Megan possessed, and ultimately forgotten.

That was no longer the case. He wasn’t just an adult, but a highly trained government exorcist.

This time, he was going to exorcise the whole damned compound.

“I’ll never submit to you,” John snarled.

He reached deep inside, drawing on everything he had to give, everything the banshee had to offer. Throwing back his head, he screamed as he sent all of that energy, all of his talent, outward. Toward all of those glowing points of light that were NHEs.

It exploded out from him like the pressure wave from a bomb, tearing demons free from their hosts. Dimly, he felt it pass around two larger etheric entities—the drakul—like water around river rocks.

Then it was done, dissipating into the distance. John found himself on his knees, head aching and a coppery taste in his mouth. One of the exorcists cried out in shock—then stumbled away from Harlow, an expression of horror on her face. A moment later, she broke and ran, followed by the other.

Harlow remained, blinking, disoriented.

“Now,”whispered the banshee.“It is his turn to hurt.”

John rose to his feet. Harlow held up one hand, as if to fend him off. “Let’s not do something you’ll regret.”

John rushed him, closing his hands around Harlow’s collar and shoving him back into the wall so hard the back of his headcracked against it. Dazed, Harlow scrabbled at his hands, but John didn’t care.

“I’m not going to regret this,” he said, showing all his teeth as he grinned. “I’m going to fucking kill you with my bare hands, and enjoy every last second of it.”

The woman shoved Caleb away from her, then back-handed him. Blood arced from his mouth, both hers and his.

“You fucking psycho!” she shouted, clapping her hand to her neck. “Backup; I need backup!”

Something struck him from behind, as if he was at the beach and a wave washed unexpectedly over him. He swayed, took a step forward to keep his balance?—

And felt Gray stir within.

He didn’t know what had happened, and honestly didn’t care.Christ, there you are! They’re trying to kill us, so get out here and help!

Gray didn’t waste time with questions, simply roared to the surface. Caleb fell back, readying his TK to support Gray if need be.

“Where did the demons go?”Gray asked, confused.

The hell?

The woman cowered in front of them, but Gray was right—she didn’t smell like a succubus anymore. Above, confused men and women pulled off their headbands; even through the thick glass Caleb could hear their calls of confusion. “What happened?” “Was that an exorcism? But how?” “Oh God, it was twisting my thoughts, and I didn’t even realize.”

“They have been exorcised,” Night said, sounding disappointed. She rose to her feet in a single, inhuman motion. “There is nothing left to hunt.”

John must be behind this,Caleb told Gray.

Gray looked around them. The exorcists above were no threat, and neither was the woman on the floor. “We must find John,” Gray said. “Night, help me with the door.”

Between the two of them, they wrenched the door open. As soon as they were through, Gray broke into a run, followed by Night. Caleb tensed, expecting shouts or alarms. Some sort of resistance, at least.

Instead, the base remained eerily silent. What the fuck was going on?

John would know. They just needed to find him, then go in whatever direction he pointed them.

“There!”Gray exclaimed.

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