“You’re dazed. You hit your head.”
“Yup, but I’m fine,” Sunny replied.
Callie cupped his cheek. “Honey, we have to finish this exorcism. I need to leave you to help Callum.”
“Go, get rid of that fuck, but stay near Celt,” Sunny muttered as he rubbed his forehead.
The demon turned to Callie and focused on her stomach.“New life,”it growled out.
I immediately drew her into my protective circle and placed my personal cross around her neck. The high priest had blessed it in my order, and the protection was strong. Callie leaned over my arm and began reading the prayers at my side.
The demon recoiled and morphed into the Horseman. It was now hiding its true shape, which meant it was weakening.
“Your name!” I roared. “In the name of God, I command you to give me your name!”
The demon writhed and tried to flee into the mausoleum, but Chey threw an entire bottle of Holy Water over it. The demon flinched back and swept an arm out. It was trying to launch us into the air again, but the salt protected us.
“Gonna rip into the soft flesh of your belly and eat that babe inside you alive,” it threatened Callie. Callie ignored it and kept chanting, holding up her own cross and grasping the one around her neck.
The demon tried to escape our prayers as its body twisted and flickered between forms.
“Your name!” I bellowed as the sun started to rise.
“Furcas!” it shouted.
Finally! After nearly ten hours of work, we had him.
“Who?” Callie asked.
“Furcas is a knight of Hell. He is often depicted as an old man with long white hair and beard, riding a horse while holding a sharp weapon. The Headless Horseman suits him,” I explained.
“Let’s get shot of his ass,” Callie muttered.
I nodded.
Reverently, I began reciting the binding and deliverance prayers even as Furcas continued to fight. But he was no match for faith and my God. Furcas disappeared with a loud pop half an hour later. The sun was high as I sank to the ground.
“That wasn’t as bad as I thought,” I lied and closed my eyes.
“Come on, Callum, let’s get some rest. You’ve earned it,” Celt said, helping me back to my feet.
“The job’s not over yet,” I replied and braced myself.
“What? Furcas is gone.” Chey yawned.
“I need to bless this area and ensure he can’t return. And please don’t say his name, Chey, it gives him power. The demon is banished but not dead,” I explained.
Chey snapped her mouth shut and nodded. I offered her a smile because she hadn’t known and then got back to work.
Michelle
Thirty hours—that’s how long we’d been here, battling. Hugo had taken over for a few hours, letting me rest, but the demon was so damn strong. Maybe the strongest I’d ever encountered. This had to be one of the higher demons; there was no doubt in my mind. It had let loose in the kitchen with a fury we’d not experienced before. Sharp knives had been a major concern and worry as they flew through the air at us.
Luckily, they hit the salt circle, which protected us, and Merrick snatched several objects out of the air, or we might all have been skewered. The kitchen had taken five hours to seal, and the living room a further six. The sunroom had been a quick job, a mere four hours.
Now, as I wiped sweat from my brow, I battled for control of the foyer. I’d already guessed the demon had its power base in the basement. Slowly, we were trapping it. The demon was putting up a solid fight and showed no signs of weakening. For five hours, I’d been trying to force its presence from here, but it met me at every turn. I was tired, while it seemed to have limitless energy.
“Michelle,” Hugo said. “It’s time to rest.”
