Chapter 205

Chapter 205: Chapter 205

Heather

I turned back to the wooden doors. The carved handles were works of art on their own. I hated that Luciana had turned such a pretty place—a sanctuary—into something evil, but the scent of demon and death, combined with the slimy feel of her wards, couldn’t be ignored.

"Can you guys just beam us in, or whatever it is you do?" I asked Van.

"That wouldn’t be wise." He narrowed his silver eyes at the door. "However we cross the line, it will release what’s being bound. Better to go through the door and fight it face-to-face."

That made sense. It sucked, but it made sense. "So, what now? We just can’t leave a demon in there waiting for someone to stumble in and let it free. And if Luciana has killed again..." It didn’t feel right leaving bodies here. The last thing we needed her to do was use them to make more demon-zombies like Daniel.

"I’ll check the perimeter, " Donovan said. "Might be there’s a window we can peek through and see what we’re really up against." He tromped through the shrubs, disappearing from view.

Van went the other way, apparently wanting to check things out on his own, and the rest of us stepped back from the wards.

I moved closer to Cosette. "You okay?"

She shrugged. "Things could be worse."

That wasn’t an answer, but at least she didn’t seem hurt or pissed. I had more questions about to bubble free.

Brent moved to my side before I could open my mouth. I don’t think it’s any of your business.

I suppose, but it’s my fault I didn’t warn her about the guy. I can’t help but feel bad.

Donovan stumbled from the other side of the chapel, ending the chance I had to ask her anything.

A stray branch caught Donovan’s cheek. "Damn it all," he said as he wiped off the blood. "There’s nothing

back there but woods. The walls are solid. Not a window or door besides this one."

"We can break through the ward," Cosette said. "But Luciana could be waiting for us to do just that."

"Maybe we should just go," I started. "I mean, is it worth—"

A soft scream echoed from inside the church.

We all froze.

"Please tell me there’s no one alive in there." Because if that was a human, then we had to go in. Screw the wards. Screw the circle and whatever was inside it.

"Help me!" The woman’s voice rasped. "Please." She was so hoarse, my throat burned in sympathy. "It’s going to kill me."

Before I could do anything, before I could even think about how to go about this without setting off any traps, Raphael was moving. Any one of the Weres could’ve stopped him, but none of us really wanted to. There was someone in there who needed our help. We couldn’t ignore that. No matter what we might face inside.

He ran up the stairs, threw open the door, and froze. "Oh, shit."

I started after him, but a wave of energy blasted me back.

Air whipped against my face as I flew through the air.

Brent screamed my name, his fear ripping through our bond.

I landed with a thud, but something soft was between the ground and me. The scent of pine told me who it was. Brent had softened my landing.

Thanks. You okay? I asked.

Yeah. I’ve taken worse hits.

The others?

We weren’t close enough to get hit by the blast. I barely had time to catch you.

Next time maybe catch me before I hit the ground. I groaned as I rolled off him. Even with him there, it still hurt to hit that hard.

His soft laugh ran through our bond. Why don’t we just try to not have a next time? Okay?

"Teeereeeessa." The way Claudia drew my name out lifted all the hairs on my arms.

I slowly turned to the doors.

Raphael was scrambling down the stairs. Beyond him, a figure moved back and forth, just out of the reach of the sun.

A major demon.

This one looked like a teenage girl dressed in skinny jeans and a black T-shirt, but the way it moved its head wasn’t natural. And the red eyes were unmistakable. My side had healed, but I’d gotten lucky the last time. I couldn’t get that close again.

"It won’t come outside while the sun’s high," Raphael said. "I don’t understand how it’s even here."

"She must’ve summoned it last night," Shane said. "It’s been trapped there all day."

"This one’s more powerful than the last." Cosette yanked off her glove and tossed it. A shining new sword appeared in her hands.

"They’re dead..." Claudia’s soft voice drew my attention to the church beyond. The pews were set at a diagonal, leaving a wide center aisle. Lumps filled that space. Some bigger. Some smaller. A foot stuck into the aisle near the back.

Bodies. She’d drained the New Mexico coven. That was why I hadn’t heard from the witch again.

The demon whirled, heading into the darkness of the sanctuary.

"Help!" The call sounded again.

It wasn’t too late to help at least one of them. "Stop!" I threw my magic at the demon, putting all my will behind the word, but it barely froze for a second.

We needed more firepower. "Everyone got your vials?"

Raphael ran back to the car, but the rest of us were ready. I grabbed a few vials from my bag and left the flap open for easy grabbing. The other brujos came to stand beside me, potions in hand.

Raphael came back with a metal bat.

"You sure about that?" I asked.

"Yeah. You guys have it handled on the potion front." He gripped the bat with both hands. "I want to try this way."

"Van." Cosette nodded toward Raphael. "Supe that up for him."

Without missing a beat, Van touched the bat, mouthing a spell. When he lifted his hand, the metal glowed.

"That’ll work," I said. The Weres had all shifted and agreed on a formation. Lucas, Donovan, and Brent were closest to the door, while the others fanned out behind. We’d talked potion strategies, but I said it aloud one more time. "I’ll take the lead, and you throw behind me. Cosette and Van will jump in when there’s an opening." Everyone nodded.

Another scream, this one of pure pain and terror.

I licked my dry lips. "Let’s do this."

"With the power of Jesus Christ, I banish you." The words activated the potions, and I tossed them through the doors. An explosion echoed inside the sanctuary, and I rushed into the doorway with the wolves at my side.

The demon lay on the ground, arms splayed wide. I almost celebrated.

Then it levitated two feet off the ground and flipped onto its feet. It hissed and lunged for me at full steam.

Oh, hell no.