Page 62 of Demon Sworn
I have a gobsmacked moment before I find my feet and hurry after them.
Katrina?
Shaking the building.
What the bloody hell has this world come to?
“How?” The question is off my lips before I can think it through.
Lucy just shakes her head as we reach the outer gym door before pausing. I rush forward to open it for her, debating whether or not I should offer to go in first to protect the two of them like a gentleman or if that would be an insult.
Lucillania laughs. “Your thoughts are quite amusing, Zolroth. You should come with Katrina next week when she brings me muffins and coffee.”
What? Coffee? How is she being so casual? Isn’t there a fight going on?
“Whoa! It’sfucked upin here,” Adam says, staring around the gym.
I agree. There’s a black spot on the ceiling and a tile hangs loose, part of the bleachers are burnt, and there’s a massive hole in the middle of the basketball court. There are signs of battle but no demons.
My hand flies to my heart, and dread dances with black spots along the edges of my vision. Where the fuck is everyone?
A sound erupts from the hole, an evil cackle. One I think that I recognize.
“Akor?” I call out uncertainly.
My demon brother appears in a whoosh, flying up out of the hole. He’s completely covered in blood. It’s soaked into his clothes, matting his hair, dripping down his face and neck.
“Whoa! Is that fingerpaint?” Adam asks.
“Well, you can paint with it,” Akor responds with a giggle before doing a backflip in midair. “I haven’t had this much fun in forever.”
“Where’s Katrina?” I ask, trying not to let desperation tinge my voice. But she’s not here. Neither is Raz, Van, or Kastros.
Is Akor the only survivor? Is that their blood? Is that why he’s laughing…? So he won’t cry or fall apart or kill all of us where we stand, sparing only Adam because he’s the last piece of Katrina in this world.
“I take it back. You’re uninvited from coffee,” Lucillania tells me. “Your thoughts are morose. Hell, do you have that little confidence in your murder?”
My jaw drops, and I try to think of something I could say to defend myself to the Queen of Hell, but just then, the door to the gym bursts open and Katrina walks inside. The guys trail behind her, Kastros coming in last, a body draped over his shoulder. Blood drips down his side, plastering his shirt to his ribs and dripping down his pants, but he ignores it.
“Adam?” Of course, my Center spots her little brother immediately and rushes forward, scooping him up into her arms. “What are you doing here?” She pulls back in order to examine him eagerly, and just as her eyes trace over him, mine trace over her.
“Zolly was worried.”
“Yes, Zolly wasveryworried,” Lucillania adds.
I was just mocked by the Queen of Hell. I swallow hard. Does that mean I’m in her inner circle?
“No,” Lucillania snaps. “Stop thinking such stupid things.”
Okay then. I turn my focus to Katrina, running my eyes once more up and down my precious mate just in case I missed anything the first time. “You’re okay?” It looks like the guys got here fast enough and kept her safe. Thank hellfire.
“Oh my fucking hell!” Lucillania exclaims as the rest of my murder walks up. “Do you not know anything about anything?” She tilts her head and stares at me as if I’m a crooked neck giraffe.
“What?” I ask, wondering what she’s going on about.
Lucillania turns towards Raz and then slowly to each of the rest of the guys. “None of you fools realize that a Center absorbs your powers and manifests them into something stronger?”
Every single one of the members of my murder freezes. Even Kastros, who was about to lay a very dead William Washington on the gym floor.
