“Then why would you bring up my wolf?”
Joshua moved closer, taking her hands in his. “Physical strength is something to consider in fighting demons. That doesn’t mean I think you’re weak. You’re the strongest, bravest person I know. You’ve walked through your life with grace, despite everything that has been stacked up against you. You’ve been through more than you should have, and you keep going.”
Kira searched his gaze, doubtful.
He cupped her face and stroked his thumb along her jaw. His wolf hummed with pleasure as her gaze darkened with lust. Even for as upset and at odds as they were, she was still so responsive to his touch. If there wasn’t so much hanging over her head, ready to crush her and take her away, he might have allowed himself to get distracted.
“If I don’t protect you, I’ll lose you,” he murmured, moving his thumb to her lower lip. “Not wanting you to come fight demons has nothing to do with who you are. It’s everything to do with your lack of training. Look at them again,” he added, jerking his head back toward the special ops team. Her gaze slidover his shoulder to focus on the dozen wolves that waited for his orders. “Do you see Michael or Rafael?”
Kira licked her lips and shook her head. “No.”
“That’s because they don’t have the training.”
Her stance loosened, her body opening toward him. “They’re not witches, either. I’ve put protective runes all over my clothes. And I have dozens of potions that I spent all night working on that will repel demons and strengthen my magic. And there are other potions that can be used to heal otherwise-fatal injuries, but they need a blast of magic as soon as they’re applied. You need me.”
Joshua’s stomach clenched. She gave a good argument. It would be useful to have a witch; all the previous night, it had been going around in his mind, how the first demon they’d come into contact with hadn’t been defeated until Lianne used magic against it. They might be able to fight the demons, but could they kill them?
“I understand your point, but it’s still dangerous. And if anything happened to you…” His hand ran down her arm and traced over her stomach—where she carried a ticking time bomb.
His heart clenched. No. Not a ticking time bomb. She carried the baby that she wanted. The baby she wanted to protect, too.
“If the demons know you’re pregnant, they might try to make you miscarry,” he murmured.
“I know. So you have to understand that this isn’t a decision I made lightly. I’m scared to go hunt demons. But if we don’t take care of them, and soon, we’ll lose everything. I know we will.”
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against him. “I want to protect you, but it’s not just the demons that are the threat. I can’t protect you against my own curse.”
Kira nodded slowly. “I understand. But you know what I think? I think if we can kick some demon ass together, we’ll find a way to kick the curse’s ass, too.” She grinned at him, but her eyes glittered with a hardness he’d not seen before. She pressed her face into his shoulder. “I’m afraid, too. I’m afraid that I’ll have to choose between my life and my baby’s. I’m afraid that the risks will be too high. But I want the freedom to choose for myself, and I can’t do that while there are still demons on Nightfall.”
Joshua pressed his lips to the crown of her head, a heaviness sinking down on him. The decision was made, and it wasn’t one that he liked.
“You can come with us. But you stay on the road, and if I tell you to run, you get back here as fast as that bike will take you. Do you understand?” He cupped her face again and held her fast until she agreed. He kissed her, once, wishing there wasn’t this deep certainty in his bones that she was right.
He would much rather she stay here, in town.
“Alright,” Joshua said as he turned back to the team, who were deliberately not watching them. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
***
The first day, they kept close to town. Joshua was worried that Kira’s presence would lure the demons in to attack right away. They stayed on high alert, but nothing happened. On the second day, they ventured further. The demons tried to ambush them, but Kira sensed the demon before it could attack, and sheused her magic to blast it to pieces. On the third day, Joshua and Kira both sensed a demonic energy, and between the two of them, they tracked down a nest of the snake-like demons and destroyed them all.
And at night, they ate dinner together at her house, discussing plans for the next day, and read through the materials that Alpha Bael had given them. Joshua always went back to his house, but he didn’t feel quite so alone anymore.
On the fourth day, all hell broke loose.
They were moving through the forest, along a popular trail. The team trotted in formation, with Kira on her bike in the midst of them. Joshua’s ears twitched as he searched for any signs of demons.
A faint hum was all the warning they got before the demons attacked. There were so many of them that they blotted out the sun. A spray of blood shot through the air, and a howl of pain was suddenly cut off. The special ops leapt into action, making a protective circle. The demons poured in from every side.
The special ops team moved on instinct, claws digging into the ground as they whirled, snapping and clawing at the demons. So many of them, all twisting and writhing like snakes. An oppressive dark energy tore at the edges of his mind, but he shoved it away. It was the same dark energy as he’d felt ever since the demon on the beach. Several of the snakes converged on him. They twisted around his ankles and tried to yank his feet from under him. With a snarl, he tore into them. High-pitched wails pierced his ears, but he didn’t stop.
Joshua whipped around, snatching a demon from the air. As the howls filled the air, he caught sight of Kira’s bike. The front wheel had been torn off. She lay on the ground, her handsupright, magic spilling from her palms as the demons crowded in around her. The demons surged together and were blasted back by her magic, then they reformed into a giant snake and sped at her.
One of the special ops threw himself into its path. He was thrown aside, bones shattering as he slammed into a tree. Joshua howled as he fought through the demons that kept pouring in. No, not demons—only one. A chill stole down his spine at the realization. There was only one demon there, able to splinter itself into all of these shapes.
That was why there were so many, and why they kept coming.
Kira screamed as one of the snakes bit her thigh. Joshua surged forward, trying to get to her. Then, without warning, Kira’s form shifted. Fur sprouted along her skin. She transformed into a thin, scruffy wolf. What? Why had she done that? Her wolf was weak! How could she fight in that form?
