Page 63 of Tamed By Air (The Nature Hunters Academy 4)

“Sometimes a little psycho is necessary,” Rory said.

“Yep, she’s a keeper.” Shelly and the other girls nodded.

“Royals,” Sepheron called out. “Please get back to your prospective territories and prepare your people for the demon invasion. Soul bonded”—he glanced at each of them—”you will come into our realm for protection and to learn. Be ready. It will not be easy, and you must learn quickly.” He looked back at the royals. “Please pass on word that we need all the soul bonded to come. It is time to restore the balance of power.”

He turned, and a large portal opened.

“Stay with your friends, Rory,” Kimba said. “I will come check on you and assist with your training. But now I must deal with Osiris.”

“Why do you need to deal with him?” Rory asked.

“It’s a long story, but one I promise to share.”

Rory gave her a thumbs-up. “If he hurts you, I will feed him to the wilder dragons among you.”

“Still so bloodthirsty.” Kimba shook her head and then turned and paced toward the man who had recently been lord of the underworld.

“Bloodthirsty is good,” Shelly said. “Keeps you from hesitating in the face of your enemy.”

“Had many enemies?” Rory asked.

Shelly snorted. “Are you kidding me? My high school was the worst. It was a breeding ground for enemies that would make these demons look like little kittens.”

“Here she goes,” Tara muttered. She let Elias tug her toward the portal. The rest followed, including Aston, pulling Rory along with him.

“What?” Shelly glanced over Ra’s shoulder from where he had an arm wrapped around her. “You can’t tell me hormonal, mean girls aren’t the worst.”

“You’ve got to let it go, Shells,” Tara said.

“Like you let your impenetrable hymen go?”

“Bloody hell.” Elias groaned. “Not this again.”

“This sounds interesting.” Rory sped up so she walked next to Ra and Shelly. “What about her hymen?”

“Mery.” Ra’s voice was filled with warning.

“I’m not sure how long I was trapped in hell, but, to me, it felt like a month. I was imprisoned with that … devil-not-devil lord of the underworld. So, I think I should get to talk about what I want to talk about.”

“All those in favor of the hymen exploration conversation?” Gabby asked.

“I’m in,” Liam called before anyone else could speak.

“Not you.” Gabby quickly shot him down. “Only those with ovaries are allowed in on this conversation.”

“No one is talking about anyone’s hymens, least of all Tara’s.” Elias growled.

Shelly mouthed at Rory. “We’ll talk later.”

Rory covered her laugh with a cough and gave Shelly a thumbs-up. As they crossed through the portal, she felt a violent shudder. She looked back into the Devil’s Heart and saw trees fall as a ferocious wind swept through them. The sky had grown dark with ominous clouds, and thunder boomed.

“What’s happening?” Rory asked.

“Lucifer no longer slumbers,” Sepheron answered. “If we fail to banish the demons to hell, the hate and chaos they will bring to the earth will feed his own evil. He will grow more powerful, and the chains that bind him to the underworld will break. He will, quite literally, bring hell on earth.”

Epilogue

“Everything I believed to be true is a lie. I am not sure if I am relieved or horrified. If I am not who I thought I was, then my transgressions are more than I can bear. If I am what I’ve believed I was, then the guilt that is beginning to gnaw at me will not take root.” ~Osiris

---