Page 85 of Queen of Darkness
Heads turned to me as the demon king slowed to a stop, muscles straining now.
“They are ready,” Fred whispered.
“So, what are we waiting for?” I said.
“They await your orders, I think,” Aaron said from the corner of his mouth.
“Oh. Um. Move out!” I called nervously, hoping that was the right order.
It was.
Horns brayed up and down the lines as the demon army dressed its ranks and headed toward the silvery-gray portal.
The foot soldiers advanced first. Most of these were the rather human-like Axotl, with their reverse-canted knees, hoofed feet, and spiked tails. Their faces were vaguely humanoid, minus the fur, flat noses, and, of course, the two upthrust fangs jutting out from their jaws. The front ranks carried shields, while those behind held long spears. Others had swords strapped to their backs.
Banners waved and fluttered in a breeze that I couldn’t feel as the army moved toward the split between realms. Orders were barked, grunted, growled, and chittered in a dozen different species equivalent of “stay together, don’t mess it up!”
Eventually, our turn came, and we started forward, tightly ensconced in the middle of the army. Our purpose was not to lend a hand in the fight but to sneak away once the battle was in action.
“Okay, everyone ready?” I asked as the first ranks neared the portal.
Weapons slid from safe to semi-automatic, while Fenrir and Drakul simply shook themselves loose, each ready to do battle in their own particular way. It was unlikely we would face resistance until we reached the palace, but we had no idea what was on the other side of the silver-gray wall.
As we got closer, formations of Djinn lifted from the ground on their tiny wings. The monkey-frogs hovered close overhead, moving with the rest of the army as it was swallowed up by the portal.
My heartbeat increased with each step as our turn approached. Soon, we were marching straight into the other realm without slowing down or taking time to see what we were getting into.
After all, ranks of demons were coming behind us. If we tried to stop, we’d be smashed flat.
“Oh, shit!” someone yelped as the noise of battle assaulted us as we crossed over.
The vampires weren’t just expecting us; they wereready. Massive formations of warriors were already slicing at the head of the emerging army of demons, swords cutting them down as more demons plowed onward, running over the attacking vampires.
Above, Djinn streaked downward with ferocious primate roars, targeting their ground-bound prey, ready to wreak havoc. However, as they got close, the vampires crouched, lifted their wrists, and let loose a hail of bolts from contraptions mounted to their forearms.
Djinn fell, screeching before being quickly silenced by the deadly bolts. Other demons were taken down by vampires carrying razor-sharp swords. However, as more demons poured through the portal by the second, the front was not only stabilizing but widening.
I watched as an array of giant catapults groaned and shook as vampires fired silver-white balls toward us. I watched as they hit the ground and cracked apart with a blistering hiss, the cold air sucking all heat from the surroundings—including the demons themselves. Whole ranks were frozen solid, only to be smashed to pieces as vampires road through them on horses, using clubs to break apart the ice statues.
A repeated croaking sound went up, and the ground trembled. I whipped my head around just in time to see a thick arrowhead formation of alligator-horses trot by. The long-snouted mouths were the sole weapons the demons possessed as the four stallion legs churned along effortlessly.
The two cavalry groups clashed, and the vampires swiftly found themselves retreating as powerful jaws tore them from the saddles and flung them to the ground, where they were quickly crushed.
“This is madness,” I whispered, overwhelmed by it all.
“This is war,” Aaron said darkly, grabbing my elbow and moving me forward, so we didn’t get in the way of “our” army.
Beyond our advancing army stood what had to be the entire assembled might of Madrigal. Vast formations of vampires stood ready and waiting to charge into the slaughterhouse. Clad all in black, they stood motionless, still, waitingto enter the violent chaos of the vortex between the groups.
More attacks from catapults and other, heavier siege equipment were set loose upon the demon lines. Chittering svipul, eel-like dogs, darted to the sides in thick lines, worrying at the flanks of the vampires and driving them back, forcing them to split their attention.
The ground trembled, and a monstrous form appeared through the portal. Walking on four legs, each the size of a school bus, the massive beetle stormed forward, its black chitinous shell glittering in the off-white light of the vampire realm.
It leaned in low over the vampires, and with a gush of air, flame spewed forward, incinerating an entire block of the bloodsuckers. I gasped as the heat bloom washed over us, even from this distance. I couldn’t imagine what it would have been like to be closer.
In response, half a dozen vampire formations split apart, revealing wooden contraptions topped with a wicked-looking metal point. Giant crossbowstwanged,and the six-foot-long bolts flew through the air, impaling the beetle-thing. It reared up high on its two legs, screeching in pain, just as another bolt took it in the stomach.
The entire carapace split apart as fire spilled from the mortally wounded demon, washing over the demons closest. The creature galloped through the formation in its dying throes, trying to rid itself of the bolt embedded.
