Page 96 of Bite of Passage
“Quiet.”Cade gritted out in a harsh whisper.“I knew you’d lose your shit over her situation.Prove me wrong.All we’ve got on our side is the element of surprise.We’re outnumbered and about to face a demon if we’re lucky.A demon army if we’re not.”
Skarde fought to alleviate the weight against his chest.
Cade slammed him against the wall once more.“You’re drawing attention.I need your head in this right now.I don’t need irrational possessiveness over her.Tell me how we stop this.”
He stilled.Reason returned.“We have to get Gemma out of there… Shit, we’re too late.”
“Come forth, my loves.”Petra slammed a staff that contained all the crystals on the floor.Her voice had risen high above the nervous murmurs as red and yellow light lit up the room like a lightning storm.She held up her hands and the staff, which revealed a bracelet with many charms.On of those had to house VanFliet’s heart.
A huge demon stepped through the portal, its skin a mixture of red and blue with raised markings all over the exposed skin of its shoulders and neck.It wore standard tooled battle leathers, which Skarde had unfortunately discovered last year were impenetrable to every weapon he used.
The demon paused to glare at Petra, an unexpected moment of intelligence.In Skarde’s experience, demons struck first and thought about it later.
“I bring you forth,” the witch queen proclaimed in an imperious voice, “to do my bidding.I offer you this vessel.”She waved at Gemma.
Skarde held his breath, waiting for the demon to dispatch her.Petra couldn’t control this being that was ten times more powerful than her, and—based on its incredulous scowl—wasn’t that interested in her offer.
Skarde whispered, “This is how all demons end up in our world.A power hungry dunderhead summons one.Few summoners survive the attempt.”
The demon continued to glower its distrust at Petra.
“Do my bidding and I’ll bring forth your cohort,” Petra proclaimed.
“There are too many here for both of us to deal with.Some of the beings in the crowd are black magic assassins,” Skarde whispered.“We have to get the manticore up here.With it on our side we could do this.That means we need VanFliet free from Petra’s control.Here’s how this will work.I’m going to deal with the demons.On my count, you’re going to steal Petra’s charm bracelet.Do it so fast she doesn’t notice.Find VanFliet.He can tell you which of those dangly miniature urns on the bracelet is his so you can return his heart.”
“What?”Cade frowned.
“It’s magic.She has his heart on her bracelet.”
“I don’t get it.His heart?As in his literal heart, not some metaphorical bullshit?”
“You could’ve asked about this when we were in the dungeon.Yes, the actual beating organ.It’s how she controls him.Return his heart to him in order for him to be in control of himself.If you open the container near him, it’ll return to his chest.He has to redirect his people.Let’s hope the manticore didn’t lie about his goals.If so, we’re on our own.I’ll handle the demons and what’s coming out of that portal next.”
Cade opened his mouth.
“Now,” Skarde said.“Go!”
All hell broke loose.
Petra screamed and grabbed her wrist the moment she realized her bracelet was gone.All the humans panicked at once.
Skarde dove for the demon as it dissolved into mist, missing and landed on the hard floor.The fact it dissolved meant it accepted the offered vessel.
Fuck.
There was no time to think.He had to get that thing out of Gemma before it was too late.Before she lost her mind.
A second demon appeared at the edge of the portal.Deal with the demon in front of you first.Then Gemma.
Skarde leaped on the second creature the moment it came though, taking it down to the ground and rolling it over before it could get its bearings.But the bastard was smart, and strong, and in survival mode when Skarde stabbed at its heart.It managed to sink all ten of its claws into Skarde’s shoulders simultaneously.
His vision went in and out with the agony of the burn.Clamping a hand on the demon’s throat, he saw a flash of the creature’s sharp, triangular teeth, the tattooed lettering across both its cheeks and forehead, and the shaggy hair in mats that might have been an attempt at dreadlocks.
He fisted his dagger, the demon killer blade forged by the dwarves long ago, and stabbed it right through its ribs, between the fastenings of its leathers, and deep into the pumping six-chambered organ to the left of center.
Gasping, blood pouring out of its mouth, the demon crumpled to the floor.Its blood created an acidic hiss as it eroded through the stone floor.Hence why Skarde hadn’t shoved his fist through the demon’s chest to take its heart that way.
Skarde jumped away to avoid inhaling the toxic gas rising from the burning blood.
