Demons Like It Hot (46 page)

“Fuck!” Lucy shouted. “Those bastards have us locked in.”

He heard metal clanging against metal. Screams, demon and human alike, rent the air. His heart pounded. This was Salome’s plan after all.

“See if Daniel can open it.”

“He can’t!” Rafe shouted amidst the melee.

Matthias’s heart clenched. He pounded on the door, anguished sobs ripping from his mouth. He’d only wept once before. When he found his wife and child gone.

He wouldn’t be stopped. He had to get in there. He had to tell Serah he loved her. He kicked the door, not caring if he broke his foot or not. The pain would only last a second. The pain of losing Serah, though, he knew he would never be able to bear it.

“Serah, I love you!” he shouted through the door, hoping by some small miracle that she could hear him. “I can’t lose you!”

“Wow, did I hear what I think I heard,” Lucy asked. There was a whoosh. “Shit!” A loud crash echoed in his ear.

“Enjoy the cake, bitch.”

“Balthazar is here too,” Rafe said. “I thought for sure he’d want you in here.”

“He’s afraid of me. Afraid of what I’ve become. Right now, I’ve become a man who won’t lose the woman I love.

Kalli sucked in a breath. “I can summon Gerardo.”

“It’ll take too long.”

Kalli blew out an aggravated breath. “Damn Infernati!”

“They’ll get what’s coming to them.” Matthias knelt at the door, his head in his hands. What could he do? He was running out of time. He fumbled with his cargoes, his hand brushing against the grenades he had packed.

“I have an idea.” He gripped the grenade tight in his hand. “Get back, Kalli,” he ground out. With that, he pulled the pin, backed up, and tossed it at the door. Hunkering down, he covered his ears and waited for the blast.

***

“I guess my dessert failed the taste test,” Serah said. “Are you armed?”

Daniel nodded. “Rafe slipped me a knife as he passed by.”

The demons lunged in the air, grabbing their throats. They spit out the cake.

Daniel’s eyes widened, his hand gripping his blade tight. A bulbous, hairy demon dove for him. He jumped back, slicing into its hair.

“Arrrgh!” it shouted, jumping for him again. Daniel crouched and ducked. He spun around and slammed the blade into its chest. It screamed, loud and guttural, blasting into a ball of flames.

Daniel dropped the knife and stepped backward, mortification filling his face. “Holy shit!”

He couldn’t flake out now. Not when they needed all the help they could get. “Daniel, grab the knife. You need to protect yourself. Please? We need to save this town before Salome takes over.”

Daniel blinked. He reached down and gripped the knife tight, swinging and slashing his way through a crowd of demons. “I am so getting a new job after this.”

She didn’t blame him one bit.

“Bitch!” one hissed, baring blue teeth. It lunged at her. She stepped to the right, pulling out the dagger Kalli gave her earlier. With a quick slash, she sliced its blue arm off. She thrust it into its chest. It shrieked, erupting into a mound of blue ash.

She caught a glance at her friend. Lucy jumped in the air and kicked one of the demons in the head. She threw a silver star, the blade lodging in its neck. She grabbed the demon by the neck and slammed its head into a pan of tiramisu. She reached under the cart and pulled out her katana. She sliced clean through the demon’s neck. His head burst, fire and sparks shooting from its torso.

She glanced across the room. The humans just sat there, not moving, as if they were catatonic, oblivious to what was going on around them.

“Why aren’t any of the real people moving?” Serah grabbed an elderly lady’s hand and let go. It fell to her side.

“Rafe and I put a spell on the water. Any humans who drink it are entranced.”

“Cool.” Serah dodged a demoness, her blue fangs bared and ready to bite. Screaming, she flung a battle-ax right at Serah’s head. Serah ducked in time, grabbing the demoness’s feet and hauling her to the ground.

The ax connected with the mirror on the far wall, sending shards flying. “That’s seven years bad luck, you dumbass demon.” She slammed the knife into the demon’s sternum, the crack echoing in her ears.

Standing, she wiped the dark demon blood from her face. She wished Matthias were there, standing next to her like Rafe had been there for Lucy. But that damn bitch Salome was too smart. She wouldn’t give up. She’d find a way, even if she had to blast through that door herself.

“Serah, I love you!” She turned toward the bolted door. Had she heard him? Her heart soared.

She had an idea. She closed her eyes and concentrated on channeling her energy. The warmth filled her body. She pulled the energy into the locket.

She had to break through. She needed him there. She loved him too. She kept her eyes closed and visualized the door bursting open and him rushing to her side.

A loud explosion shook the room. She flew backward, landing against a table. She grabbed ahold of a man’s leg. The entranced man just sat there, unknowing, while hell erupted around him.

“Serah!”

She’d recognize his voice anywhere. She spun around. Matthias burst into the room through the hole she’d just made with her necklace. Kalli followed, an AK-47 on her shoulder.

“Matthias!” She wanted to run to him and let him know she didn’t care about baggage. She wanted the entire package, baggage included.

All of a sudden, Barry Holland appeared right behind him, an evil gleam in his translucent eyes. Without warning, he grew taller, his fangs gleaming. Talons extended, he swung out his arm, ready to slice.
Balthazar!
Her stomach wrenched. This would kill Matthias inside.

“Watch out! Balthazar!”

Matthias dodged to the left and swung around, pulling out his handgun, aiming it at his old mentor. Balthazar threw his head back, crazed laughter bursting from his mouth. “You picked the wrong time to play hero, Matthias.”

“It’s never too late.” He stood in front of Serah, his sword drawn, protecting her. Lucy and Rafe joined Matthias, their weapons glistening. Kalli trained her machine gun on Balthazar’s head.

“I beg to differ.” The saccharin sweet voice did nothing but rankle her nerves. “How dare you turn my minion against me.”

Salome stood there, her soulless, turquoise gaze penetrating. She vanished in a cloud of smoke and rematerialized right behind Daniel.

“Daniel,” Serah shouted. “Behind you.”

But she was too late. Salome vanished in another swirl of smoke and appeared where she had previously stood.

“A pity now that he needs to die.”

Balthazar came to stand next to Salome, his fanged grin sardonic. “As does your descendant.”

“Show me this descendant.” Matthias said through gritted teeth. “I still don’t believe you.”

“They’re in this room,” Balthazar challenged. “But who?” Balthazar shrugged, examining one of his talons. “Is it her?” He asked, tracing a finger along a young twenty-something woman’s auburn hair. “Or maybe him?” Bal traced another talon down a middle-aged man’s cheek. “Or maybe, just maybe, it’s her.” He laughed loudly as he sliced the cheek of a young blonde.

Matthias shrugged. “Maybe it’s none of them.”

“Do you dare challenge me? I taught you everything you know.”

“Enough theatrics, Bal.” Salome swung out her hand, sending Balthazar crashing into the wall.

“Here’s your last remaining descendant,” Salome said, thrusting Daniel out at them, then flinging him in the air and back in her clutches.

Salome scratched her chin. “I forgot one teeny-weeny detail. He’s not your descendant.”

“Then what is he?” Matthias gritted out.

“He’s your son.”

Son? How? The world spun. His heart clenched. He’d seen Daniel’s eyes before. His wife’s eyes, blue as a placid lake. Daniel had her hair too, the color of wheat. He clenched his fists.

“I’m his son?” Daniel asked, bewilderment flashing in his eyes. “Wouldn’t that make him like two when I was born?”

“Silence, you ignorant fool,” She yanked him against her, her gaze maniacal.

“How?”

“I’ve discovered I have a truly fortuitous talent. Who needs
Peragrans
when you can travel through time.”

“Time travel?” Serah murmured. “Oh God, even I am baffled.”

“I was going to raise your son as my own.” She turned to Kalli and sneered. “But Kalli showed up and ruined my plans. I transported myself to the first place I could. I tried to bring your son back in time but I’m only allowed to move a person once. I left him with one of my minions. I knew I’d meet up with you one day. Now we can raise our son together.”

“He’s a grown man. Wouldn’t that be weird? He’s already been raised.” Serah rolled her eyes.

“I would take Matthias back in time with me to the day Daniel was born.”

“To 1228?”

Salome nodded. “You could have your life back.”

His life back? He’d never get his life back. He’d never see Serah again. He’d never be able to protect her—love her like she deserved.

“That’s the past. You might give me my old life back, but it will never be the same. I wouldn’t have the woman I love.”

He angled a sidelong glance at Serah. Her breath caught and her lips twitched. God, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and calm her fears.

“Even when I hold you by the proverbial balls, you defy me?” Her turquoise eyes glinted.

“I’ll always defy you, you evil bitch.”

Matthias gritted his teeth. He had to act. He had to save his son. He unsheathed his sword and lunged for Salome. “I won’t let you take either of them.”

He swept the blade up, slicing through Salome’s shirt. She threw Daniel down and lunged to the right.

Balthazar growled. “I thought we were going to kill Daniel.”

“Belial wanted to kill him. My intentions are different.”

Matthias clenched the hilt of his sword. He had to put an end to this. He’d rather languish in limbo than give up Serah for Salome.

“You duped me!” Balthazar howled, lunging for Salome.

She dodged to the right and kicked Balthazar in the head. Ripping a large machete from its scabbard, she swung the blade.

Balthazar gasped, his head rolling from his body, flames bursting from his neck. He fell back into a pile of blue ash and blew away with the breeze.

“You’re right, I did.” With that, she wiped the blood from her blade with one of Serah’s elegant tablecloths and sheathed the blade.

“That tablecloth was expensive,
Salami
,” Serah ground out, a hint of defiance flashing in her eyes.

Salome’s gaze narrowed. She let out a primal roar through gritted teeth. “You have no respect for your elders. You will pay.”

Matthias reached out and grabbed her arm. “Serah, no. Not like this.”

“I won’t have her torture the man I love.”

His heart soared at those words. He would end this—now. “Don’t worry, my love. I know what I have to do.”

“You sure?”

Matthias nodded.

“Okay.”

With that, he sprung in the air and lunged for Salome. He unsheathed his sword and angled the blade, slamming it into Salome’s gut. She pushed Daniel to the side and swung, slicing into Matthias’s chest.

“Always so brave,” she said, pulling Matthias’s blade from her stomach and dropping it to her side. Her laughter came with deep roars of thunder. “Look where that got you.” She held her machete high, ready to deal the final blow.

So be it. At least he had protected Serah to the best of his abilities. He closed his eyes, ready for whatever death she gave him.

Instead, she stumbled forward, her gasp echoing through the hall. Matthias opened his eyes. Salome slumped to the ground, thick dark blood pooling from her mouth. Standing above her was Daniel, his face sullen, gripping Matthias’s blade tight.

With that, Salome’s body burst into flames and an eerie pop sent her exploding into a million fiery pieces.

“Matthias!” Serah rushed to his side, and knelt down by him. Peeling his shirt back, shuddered. Blood poured from his chest and down his stomach. She had to do something.

“Kalli!” she shouted. “Do something!”

Kalli came to stand next to her and peered down, taking in a sharp breath. She drew her hands across his wound and shook her head. “There’s too much damage.”

Matthias gasped, reaching out to grab Serah’s hand. She took it, her grip gentle, caressing.

“I… I…” He winced, blood trickling from his mouth.

“Shh,” she whispered in his ear. “I know.” She knew, she really did. She didn’t need to hear him say it. She’d seen how he’d defended her. She loved him too, and that’s all that mattered.

And she could save him. She had to. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands on his wound. She pooled all her energy into her hands.

“Holy shit, you scar is glowing,” Daniel mumbled.