I lost track of how many places and demons I’d devoured as Prudence and I roamed the Underworld.
“What is it?” I kicked a carcass with my boot. Before Prudence cut him down, his feathered arms extended into massive wings that dwarfed his scrawny frame. He had beady eyes and a beak for a mouth.
“Bird demon,” Prudence said, closing the dark passage after descending the evil soul.
I only flinched a little as the overwhelming mass of evil and fear manifested within. “Bird demon?” My forehead creased. “That’s it?”
Prudence placed a hand on her hip. “A lot of creatures are given names not easily pronounced, so we call them for what they look like.” She pointed at the creature’s beak. “Obviously, this one’s a bird.”
“Hmm, well, I’m eating the next one,” I said before shimmering back to my reaping form.
She waved her sword. “Hold it right there.” I froze. “I want to kill some too.”
“Prudence.” I groused.
Patting my shoulder, she winked. “I won’t descend their souls. You can eat them. Happy?”
The flapping of wings sounded overhead. Glancing up, I saw a horde of the demon birds hovering. “Reaper!” One of them squawked. “Your days are numbered!”
Prudence’s sword morphed into a chain, and her vibrant pink essence swirled around it. Letting it glide around her, she eyed the fiends. “Oh, brother. We’ve made them mad.”
“Spread out!” another screeched as Prudence’s chain shot up. Airborne, the cable stretched like a snake slithering through grass.
The fact that Reapers could materialize anything at will and transform their scythes into anything they wanted amazed me.
Prudence gave a crooked smile as she crossed her arms. The woman was clearly in her element. Her weapon zigzagged between the demons. Bones cracked as the chain pierced its first victim. The link burst through a chest, spewing blood everywhere. The demon stretched, eyes widening, and a feminine wail rang out as the body fell to the ground.
Prudence sighed as she glared at the bird woman. “Your people have done good for centuries before listening to Harvest. Killing innocents won’t be ignored.”
“Kill us.” She hissed and then laughed. “I don’t regret sinking my teeth into that banshee’s babe.”
Anger flared in my chest. Snarling, I shouted, “Kill them, or I will!”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Prudence shouted.
A black-winged male swooped down toward her. I rippled and moved, but she cut through him before I could do anything. Blood poured from the demon’s mouth, and his body flew through the air as Prudence flung him off the chain.
Two more descended. The essence around Prudence’s weapon faded before her chain dissolved. Not knowing what she planned to do, I looked at her for a clue. Prudence’s face paled as she glanced down at her hands.
“Prudence!” I yelled.What was she doing?The demons were still coming.
Her head lifted. Bracing her feet, she gritted her teeth and raised her arms.Where was her scythe?I rushed through a demon, inhaling the evil soul quickly. The second one collided with Prudence, and she grabbed the woman’s forearms.
“What’s this?” The female bird purred, licking her lips at Prudence. “I smellmortal.”
“Get off of her!” I lunged for them.
Too late!
Prudence’s feet left the ground. I could hardly see Prudence because of the demon’s wings. Before I could get to them, the bird squawked and fell. A few droplets of blood splattered the ground as their feet touched the pavement once more.
My heart sank.Was Prudence injured?
No! My mate tackled the demon to the ground.
Thank God.
The last three birdlike creatures swooped to intervene, and I ended them quickly. Peeking back at Prudence, I saw her pummel the female demon’s beak. Prudence’s fists bled with every blow.