Awakening

Sophie stifled the urge to cry out a warning. The Demoness was gentle now, but she had to remind herself of how much havoc and grief had been caused because of Akeldama.

The blow came quick and smooth. Blood spurted from her leathery neck and sprayed across Sophie’s face.

Demetri’s blade disappeared, and Sophie felt Akeldama’s rage rush back to the surface, slaughtering the yearning as it flowed like a tsunami.

The wraith demons reacted to her mood and started to swarm from the trees to solidify.

Sophie, now! Tristan yelled into her mind. It shattered her shock and pushed her into action. She started to run for the woods when Akeldama let out a shriek of fury that the wraith demons replicated. They dove toward Sophie and Demetri.

Demetri shoved her toward the tree line. She tried not to stumble as her feet hit the grass.

Demetri’s team laid cover for them, gunfire echoing.

The wraith demons closed in on them. Their hunger enveloped her. She couldn’t concentrate enough to control even one of them. Running was her only concern now. That and getting out with her friends, alive.

That specific scenario seemed impossible with the wraith demons echoing Akeldama’s rage and hunger. They extended their talons and bared fangs. Their wings folded back for the dive.

“Run faster, Sophie!” Demetri growled into her ear. He shoved her again.

She turned her head to look behind them. Her eyes widened.

A wraith demon solidified so close to them hot, fetid breath stirred the hair around her face. She could see every detail in the leathery scales of its body as its mouth opened in a lethal yawn and she saw into the black of its throat.

Tristan’s arms reached out and yanked her into the forest.

The jaws snapped closed, and it shifted to shadow.

Sophie curled into Tristan. The touch of the demon’s incorporeal essence slid over her like cold death.

“Move!” Demetri burst through the trees behind them. Shadows weaved at his back, trying to find a place to solidify.

Allison and Casey took point and started off into the woods. Morgan, Aidan, and Jackson went next, with Sophie and Tristan behind them. Ruth, Rory, and Demetri took the rear in case any demons had a chance to solidify and attack.

Sophie sensed it the instant the demons knew they headed toward water. The rage became all encompassing. “They know,” she gasped out. “They know we’re heading toward the water!”

The trees shook from Akeldama’s fury. Emanated from the shadows. The very wind stilled in anticipation of the Demoness’ anger. It wrapped around Sophie while they ran.

“There’s a cliff ahead!” Demetri yelled up to Allison and Casey. “Head for it.”

Sophie’s heart sped up when she heard him. “A cliff?”

“Just run!” Rory nudged her from behind. “It’s our only chance.”

The forest seemed never ending. Each heartbeat in her chest felt like hours while she slapped branches back from her face and leaped over logs and holes. She felt Akeldama’s presence moving away from them. Sophie didn’t know whether to feel triumph or fear as lightning flashed across the sky.

The tree line stopped a few feet from the drop off.

“Here we go!” Casey didn’t break his stride. He took a running jump off the cliff.

As they broke the tree line, the demons immediately began to solidify.

Allison went next, with Aidan, Morgan, and Jackson right behind.

Sophie grabbed Tristan’s hand and held on tight. Behind them she heard Demetri fire a few warning shots when the demons came too close.

She and Tristan reached the edge of the cliff. He jumped, never letting go of her hand, so she couldn’t stop and think about the long drop to the water. They went off the rocky edge, and her heart froze. For a second, it was as if they were suspended in midair. She took a deep breath, her heart beating again. Air whistled past her ears as they plummeted toward the water, hand-in-hand.

The air moved behind her. The demon reached its claws toward her and its anticipation deepened.

She hit the water. The air burst from her lungs and needle pinpoints erupted over her skin. She sank, and the glacial water swallowed her.

A moment of panic intruded in her mind. She watched the water close over her head and pictured Todd being tortured. This is what he must have felt, she thought, when Akeldama was torturing him. Blind panic and fear.

Tristan tightened his grip and pulled her up. I’ve got you.

Her head broke the surface and she gasped in oxygen. The air expanded her burning lungs.

Three more splashes heralded the others landing in the water.

Tristan tugged on her hand and coaxed her to shore.

“Let’s go!” Casey pulled both of them from the water. “We’re close. The beach is just over those sand dunes.”

Tristan didn’t let go of her hand as they were pushed to keep moving. Morgan, Aidan, and Jackson already crested the dunes.

Sophie’s wet clothes plastered to her chilled skin.

Voices rose to them as they joined the others at the top of the dunes. Sophie gasped when she saw the reinforcements guarding the beach. At least fifty men and women faced them, holding enough weapons to hold off the wraith demons.

Behind the small army, floating on the water just past the shore, were rows of skiffs. Beyond those was the ship.

“Oh, my God.” Morgan whispered. “Are we getting on that?”

The large ship had three masts, each holding sails that glowed in the flashes of lightning. Pictured on the enormous squares of white cloth were the same symbols that covered the door in the basement of the church. The entire thing looked big enough to hold thousands of people.

“Go!” Allison hoisted her med pack onto her shoulder. “Whatever you do, don’t stop. Run to the skiffs, and they’ll take you to the ship. Once you’re on the water, you’re safe.”

“What about you?” Sophie heard Demetri and his team start firing at the wraith demons swooping from the tree line.

“We’ll be fine,” Allison answered. “Our objective is to get you si—” She shot a glance at Jackson. “You five to safety.”

Jackson frowned. “We have to get Lilli back.”

“We will. I promise. But to do that you have to get to that boat.”

“Come on. If we stay here, we’ll die. We’re no good to Lilli that way.” Morgan made Jackson look her in the eyes. “We all want to save her.”

Sophie bit her lip. Akeldama’s presence lingered in the back of her mind. The Demoness was somewhere close, but not in a hurry to catch them. Something had changed. “Akeldama is close, but she’s not rushing after us.”

“It’s like she knows something we don’t.” Aidan warded off the cold by letting the fire glow underneath his skin.

“Go!” Demetri shouted as hundreds of wraith demons formed.

His voice kicked them into action.

They scrambled down the sand dune.

The army fired shots as the Guardians ran toward the water. Sophie heard the demons’ wings flap in the air. Their hungry cries reverberated in her chest. She copied Tristan’s movements while he weaved through the people. She watched the confident way he ran forward even as he checked to make sure she was still behind him.

Sophie’s internal radar pinged relentlessly as demons solidified all around the Guardians. The soldiers fired as soon as one would appear only to miss when the target shifted back to shadow. She heard the shrieking calls of the demons mixed with the shouts of the army and blasts of gunfire. Her heart thundered in her chest. Jackson reached the water.

“Morgan!” Smoke billowed off Aidan. He slid to a stop just at the water’s edge.

Demon scales became visible just above Morgan. The talons formed so close to her that her curls brushed the sharp points.

Sophie knew Morgan wouldn’t have enough time to disappear. The demon was too close. With that thought came another—Akeldama could still win. She could kidnap another girl and break the Guardians’ will. Not to mention leave them with only four members, making it harder for them to beat her.

The rest of the demon became visible. Black scales inked into existence. Its jaws opened, and it reached out with its talons.

Aidan jumped forward. Fire blazed up and down his arms.

The desperation and anger on his face shocked Sophie.

Before the demon could snatch Morgan, it cried out in pain. An arrow sliced through the tough skin of its neck, narrowly missing Morgan’s temple. Hot blood peppered her face.

The demon fell to the sand, and Aidan darted to Morgan. After a quick check to make sure she was okay, he scorched the demon. The black scales turned to ash and mixed with the sand.

Morgan breathed heavily and turned to Aidan. She opened her mouth to thank him, but he cut her off.

“Stay close to me, and we’ll get out of this.” He held out his hand.

Morgan placed her hand in his. Sophie felt their essences begin to combine.

Aidan’s fingers jerked from Morgan’s and the essences ripped apart.

Morgan screamed in frustration. Another demon lifted Aidan away from her.

Sophie started forward. Her limbs felt like jelly, but she moved anyway. Tristan kept up with her and they rushed to where Morgan stood.

Aidan struggled in the demon’s grasp. The leathery wings lifted them higher.

Burn him, Aidan. Jackson jumped from the skiff back to the beach. I’ll make sure you don’t hit the ground.

Morgan’s face paled as Aidan rose higher. She kept her gaze pinned on him.

Heat emanated from Aidan. His hands turned bright red and flames spread down his arms.

The demon shrieked and slung Aidan back and forth rapidly. The fire on his arms died as his body shook.

Do it, Aidan. Morgan took a few steps forward. Do it or I’ll make you wish that demon kills you.

Sophie heard enough venom in that one sentence to scare a rattlesnake.

You got it, princess.

Sophie thought she saw Aidan wink down at Morgan. She tried to ignore the battle going on around her. The soldiers were doing a good job of keeping the other wraith demons away from them. Morgan’s body tensed when flames climbed Aidan’s arms again. You have to do better than that.

The demon growled at Aidan. It turned in the direction of the woods.

Jackson! Don’t let it escape! Sophie cried into his mind.

He stood taller than the soldiers, and with the backdrop of the rumbling clouds and seething ocean, he looked more like the archangel Michael than ever before. His outstretched arms reached toward the demons. The demon shrieked when it struck the invisible barrier Jackson created.

Now, Aidan, Morgan said

Aidan shut his eyes.

Sophie felt his emotions calm. His aura flared glaringly bright a second before his body erupted into flames. The demon shrieked again. Its talons released the ball of fire.

Morgan gasped as the fire plummeted toward them.

The fire evaporated, leaving Aidan behind, and Jackson slowed his descent to let him land gently in the sand.

Aidan knelt, shivering, and flinched when Morgan touched him.

She frowned. “Don’t back away from me.”

“I thought I was going to burn you.” His head lifted and his gaze met Morgan’s glare. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“It’s coming back!” Tristan’s eyes shone yellow.

I’ve got this. Jackson amplified his power. Sand swarmed around him.

This time Sophie couldn’t block the heartbreak steaming off Jackson, feeding his power. It grew and grew until Jackson was surrounded by a tornado of sand. It swirled around him faster and faster.

The demon folded its wings back.

Jackson opened his mouth. The agony of loosing Lilli poured out.

Sophie closed her eyes and tried to block out his emotions, but it was no use. It hit her like a tidal wave as Jackson finally let himself feel Lilli’s loss.

The sand flew at the demon and intercepted its dive.

They watched it roll through the air and crash into the ocean. A flash of light flared when scales reached blessed saltwater.

“Go,” one of the soldiers told them. “Reach the water.”

Aidan and Morgan reached the skiffs first. Water splashed around their ankles as the waiting army members hauled them in. Jackson ignored the hand outstretched to him and vaulted in over the left side.

“Run, Sophie!” Morgan screamed out. Her eyes widened with panic.

Sophie felt the hunger closing in on her. She made an attempt to join her mind with the demon’s, but was too tired to control the creature.

Tristan tackled her as the demon dove at them, sending them sliding through the sand. Over his head she watched a few of the men aim at the demon. The shots sounded like firecrackers.

The demon wheeled through the air before it careened into the water. Immediately, smoke and flames erupted over the surface of the ocean.

Tristan pulled her up and pushed her toward the skiffs. He kept a hand on the small of her back to propel her forward.

The frigid water embraced them as they tread through the water. One of the men reached a hand down. She took it without thought and let him drag her into the small boat.

She made her way to the back and slumped down on the bench in front of Morgan, Aidan, and Jackson. The cold and exhaustion settled in as Tristan sat beside her.

He pulled her against his chest. She focused on his rapid heartbeat as the skiff captain commanded the soldiers to start rowing.

After a moment, she turned to see the rest of the soldiers running to the skiffs. She searched and then found Demetri and his team already in one not far behind them. In another she saw Allison and Seline bent over a body. By the relief coming off Seline, Sophie assumed it was Nolan.

The storm continued to rumble in thunderous tones. The wraith demons stopped just short of the shoreline. They cried out in dismay and watched the skiffs row to the ship.

Sophie tensed when she saw the lone woman standing underneath the raging demons. Akeldama was back in her blonde-girl disguise, her hair whipped around by the wind. Even though the distance was great, Sophie felt Akeldama’s stare. Her emotions intruded on Sophie’s mind.

Akeldama was calm and triumphant even as the Guardians slipped through her grasp again. Feeling that made Sophie uneasy. The Demoness had no rage, which meant she knew something Sophie didn’t. That she had the upper hand.

Tristan ran a hand up her arm and broke the connection. Sophie turned her attention back to her friends. Morgan’s hair was a wet, curly mess that was plastered to her face. She had dark circles under her eyes and dried demon blood on her skin. Aidan had an arm around her shoulders, and his own eyes were glassy from shock. His clothes hung in burnt tatters.

Jackson peered into the dark, not really seeing the skiffs rowing with them. Sophie could tell he was a million miles away, and what Akeldama had said about Lilli had gotten under his skin.

She leaned over and squeezed Jackson’s hand. I promise, Jackson, we’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.

He turned his head toward her and nodded. I know.