We can’t keep this up forever.
I lose track of how many hellbeasts I've slaughtered, but it's clearly not enough. As soon as one falls, another takes its place.
My clothes are soaked through with sticky, metallic blood, and I'm pretty sure at least some of it is mine. I don't feel anything though. I'm too focused on defending the tour buses to care about things as trivial as pain.
A hellbeast manages to catch my shoulder with its claw before I cut it down, and warmth drips down my arm.
Great. More Blood.
I don't stop to check how bad the wound is—I barely feel the sting—before barreling into another creature and slicing its head off with a swift swing of my sword.
My eyes flash across the parking lot to check on my bandmates, and they all seem to be faring okay. The twins fight perfectly in sync, tearing a beast apart limb by limb until it crumples to the ground. Sebastian tackles one on his own, only a few feet from the tour bus, way too close for comfort, but he cuts it down a few seconds later. Emrys still isn't back…
Fucker needs to hurry up.
The split second I take assessing the situation is too much, and something slams into my back with the force of a semi truck. I hit the asphalt, skidding to a stop several feet away, and I’m barely able to flip onto my back before an enormous hellbeast lands on top of me. It roars, droplets of stinky saliva splattering my face, as its weight crushes me into the unforgiving ground.
My sword transforms into a knife, and I swing up at the beast, aiming for anything vital. Before I make contact, one of its arms pins mine to the ground. With another, it swipes at my chest, its claws shredding my shirt and skin. Pain blooms, and a feral noise is torn from my throat.
The beast opens its massive maw, roaring again as it bares its teeth, and I brace myself for a potentially-lethal blow. However, before it can strike, something large and incredibly fast slams into its side. Both forms go flying out of view, and I’m left staring at the stretch of dark sky overhead.
I breathe a little sigh of relief and pull myself to my feet, looking around for whoever just saved my ass. To my surprise, and even more relief, Emrys is standing over the hellbeast’s carcass, a mace clutched in one of his hands.
“Nice of you to join us,” I jest, wincing as I grab at my ribs. One of the hellbeasts must have got a good shot in, but I don’t have time to worry about it.
Emrys is here, and while he might not be the strongest fighter, it gives us an even bigger advantage.
“Sorry, I had to go farther than I thought to find a crowd,” he mutters, taking an offensive position as he scans the lot for another creature. One skitters nearby, its claws clicking against the asphalt.
I’m halfway tempted to go after it, but the explosion of crunching metal behind me sends a shot of panic through my system. I whip around, and my stomach sinks when I see a hellbeast on top of the tour bus, ripping at the roof with massive hands.
Oh, fuck no.
Blinding rage slams into me, red washing across my vision. I’ve been fighting carefully, strategically up until now, but seeing one of the beasts so close to the tour bus—so close to Joseline—unleashes demonic wrath like I’ve never experienced. It’s blinding, all-consuming. Primal.
I act without thinking, disappearing on the spot and reappearing on top of the bus. The beast doesn’t even register me behind it, until my boot slams into its side and it goes teetering off the edge. I dive off after it,swords poised, and run the blades through its crunchy hide as we hit the ground.
More hellbeasts scramble toward the bus, and my blind rage takes over. I blink in and out of sight, stabbing, slicing, and chopping everything in my path. I lose myself and all rational thought as my body goes numb, slaughtering without thinking.
There is no other option. There is no backup plan.
Our only way out of this mess is through every single one of these hellbeasts, and I plan to send them all back to Hell, even if they take me with them.
Chapter 31
Joseline
The tour bus jostles as things slam into it, the sounds of crunching and creaking metal making my heart lurch. There aren’t any windows in Niki’s bedroom, but I don’t need to see to know what’s going on outside.
Hellbeasts. Several, by the sound of it.
My mind races, gruesome images of what’s happening playing in my head. Each image is more horrifying than the last.
Curiosity tugs at my skin, making it itch, but all I can do is sit on the foot of the bed watching Niki and the baby. Silently, I pray to whoever might be listening that the guys are handling things easily.
Another crash has my heart jumping into my throat, and the tour bus wobbles. My hope plummets, but I tryto stay positive. I’ve seen Tobias fight—he’s a force to be reckoned with.
Surely five powerful demons can handle a few hellbeasts.
