Hunt the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #11)(71)
Author: Alexandra Ivy

Dammit. She should never have allowed Roke or Levet to come with her.

She’d known this was dangerous.

She’d even known that there was a good chance the demon would be hunting her.

But she’d never dreamed he could locate her so swiftly. She’d somehow assumed she’d be able to reach her father before he could track her down.

Now she deeply regretted not waiting until Roke was distracted and she could have slipped away alone.

“Roke,” she breathed, her voice raw.

“I know.”

He captured her face in his hands, kissing her with a fierce intensity that made her knees tremble. It was far too short, as he lifted his head to study her with eyes that glowed a brilliant silver in the moonlight.

“Do I get a kiss?” Levet intruded into the moment. “A hug?”

Roke snorted, dropping his hands so he could move back and prepare for the coming attack.

“Just be ready, gargoyle,” he growled.

It was a warning that shook Sally out of her lingering stupor and with a muttered curse she reached into her pocket to pull out the tiny amulet she’d prepared before leaving Styx’s lair.

She’d come up with a crazy idea for how to hurt the demon. It was nothing more than a theory that was as likely to get her killed as to actually help, but it seemed an appropriate time to give it a try.

It wasn’t like she had any actual spells that could hurt the creature.

There was a strange hum in the air seconds before the Nebule made his dramatic return. Immediately, he lunged toward the box that Sally had left on the side of the road.

At the same time, Roke lunged forward, knocking into the demon with enough force to send them both tumbling to the ground.

There was a high-pitched scream from Brandel as Roke sank his fangs deep into his throat, ripping through the flesh with a savage fury.

Sally scurried forward, kicking the box toward Levet who scooped it up and took off with a flap of his delicate wings.

The demon could obviously track the box, but Sally hoped to keep him from disappearing with it long enough to do some damage.

She was forced to skip backward as the demon threw Roke off him and tried to surge back to his feet. Roke growled, using his claws to rip through Brandel’s spongy flesh.

The demon cursed and the eyes flashed with a black and crimson fire as he gained his feet. At the same time, the air began to fill with the vibrations that threatened to destroy them.

Roke grunted as the wave hit him first, but refusing to concede defeat, he flowed upward, managing to slice a gaping wound through the creature’s chest. There was another wave of vibrations and, hissing in frustration, Roke managed to wrap his arms around Brandel’s waist as he was being forced to his knees by the pain.

Sally held the amulet in her hand, hurrying toward the back of the demon while he was distracted by Roke. Then with a muttered prayer, she leaped forward, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pressed the amulet against his oddly elastic skin.

Brandel jolted in shock as the magic flowed over him, trying desperately to dislodge Roke’s ruthless hold so he could turn and attack Sally.

“Oh no you don’t, witch,” Brandel snarled, lifting his hands to grab Sally’s wrists. “Not this time.”

Debilitating pain jolted down her arms, aiming straight for her heart. She groaned, desperately breathing the spell that would lock the demon into his current form.

“Dammit, Sally, what are you doing?” Roke growled, staggering to his feet.

“His physical form can be hurt,” she gasped, not sure how long she could last. “We can’t let him turn to mist. The amulet will hold him and you kill him.”

Comprehension flared in the silver eyes and with a roar that sent the nearby wildlife stampeding in terror, he attacked with a flurry of fangs and claws.

Brandel jerked, clearly able to feel physical pain as he was being ripped open by an infuriated vampire. Even the hideous jolts he was sending through her began to lessen, as if he were losing strength.

Still, he refused to die.

Yanking a dagger from the top of his moccasin, Roke stuck it deep into the demon’s chest, carving it open as he searched for a heart.

Sally shuddered, beginning to feel her amulet running out of juice. There was only so much magic that could be contained in the small medallion and it was being swiftly drained.

Crap. This wasn’t working.

Cyn had been right.

They needed the magic of a Chatri.

Magic that flowed in her blood, a voice whispered in the back of her mind.

Was it possible she had the power to kill the Nebule?

Sariel claimed her humanity had been scoured away to leave her a pure-blooded Chatri.

Now seemed as good a time as any to discover if he’d been telling the truth.

The sooner the better, she abruptly realized, sensing Brandel’s body was beginning to melt beneath her fingers.

“He’s turning,” she warned through gritted teeth.

“Then let go of him and run,” Roke growled.

She shook her head, trying to block out the pain and panic and Roke’s furious commands to leave.

She could do this.

It was her birthright.

Her legacy.

Searching deep inside herself, Sally reached for the magic she unconsciously kept locked away.

It was the same magic that had allowed her to enchant Roke. And to create a portal.

The warm, brilliantly colored strands of magic that flowed through her like music.

“Sally, what the hell?” she heard Roke mutter, his voice edged with something that might have been shock.

“I can do this,” she murmured. “Trust me.”

The world seemed to fade away as the warmth burst past her barriers and filled her entire body. Distantly she could feel Brandel shuddering as she held him tight against her body, and hear Roke calling her name. She was even aware of Levet returning to land on top of the Land Rover.

But she was drowning in the heat and magic that was swelling up until it threatened to burst out of her.

“Roke, get back,” she hissed, unable to stem the tide.

“No, I won’t leave you,” he snapped, typically determined to play the hero.

“I can’t contain it.” She held his wary gaze, willing him to obey her command. “Get back.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Roke stumbled backward, blinded by the light that surrounded his mate. Dammit. He didn’t know what was going on, but he had to get Sally away from the damned demon.

Regaining his balance, he narrowed his gaze and forced himself to stare into the painful glow.

It took a second to realize that the light wasn’t just shimmering around Sally. It was actually spilling out of her, as if the sun was captured inside her and couldn’t entirely be contained.