Right, now we were on the sexual insult part of the programme. “By the power invested in me by God, give me your name!”
“Never, whore,”the demon responded.“I’ll eat you alive, starting with your liver.”
“I’ll send you back to hell,” I replied.
“Fuckin’ cunt.”
“Try to come up with some new insults. You demons are so repetitive,” I murmured and began praying again.
Something rattled in the corner, and a paint can flew toward me. I barely moved out of the way. Phil grunted as it grazed his hip, and he moved out of the way.
“Spread the salt, trap it down here,” I said.
“Already done that,” Hugo replied.
“Do it again, please; he’s up to something,” I responded as I glanced around.
I was shoved hard in the back, and Jack caught me. I rolled up my sleeves and prepared to fight.
???
Eight hours later, I was reconsidering my decision to bring Callum in. Connor and Hugo were napping, and Jack regarded me grimly. This was no lesser demon, but he was weakening. It was now a case of who weakened first—me or the demon. Phil had managed to get the door open and wedged it so the demon couldn’t lock us in. We’d all stripped down to tees and jeans as the demon turned the heat up. I was soaked in sweat and needed a shower, a change of clothes, and a good night’s sleep. None of that looked likely.
“Give me your name!” I demanded once more. I felt like I should have that phrase recorded; I’d said it so often.
“Fuck you!”
“You’ll be so lucky,” I quipped.
A shadow moved, and I struck out with the crucifix. A pained squeal assaulted my ears, and I stared in disbelief. The cross had stabbed the demon. It formed in front of me, my crucifix forcing it to materialise. This was my chance.
“Your name! In the name of God, I command your name, foul creature!”
“Chax!”it screeched, and I blinked.
Finally!
“Chax?” Phil asked as he and Jack gazed over.
Hugo rose and approached the demon, who remained imprisoned by the cross. He quickly sprinkled a circle and stepped away.
“Chax is a male demon, a Marquis of Hell. No wonder it’s been so difficult to fight,” I replied. Relief swept over me; withhis name, I could now banish him back to the pits of hell he’d spawned from. Chax flung himself at the salt barrier and howled as it trapped him.
“Bitch. I’ll tear your innards out!”
“You will find that hard to do from hell,” I stated. With a surge of fresh energy running through me, I began the binding and banishment prayers. Chax threw himself constantly at his prison walls, trying to smudge the lines, but Hugo doubled up on them. It took another hour, and everyone chanting prayers, but Chax finally disappeared.
“Is he banished?” Jack demanded.
“Yes. But I don’t believe he got here accidentally. Higher demons rarely leave their homes; they like commanding their armies too much. Chax was probably summoned. Once we’ve cleaned this place, we need to search the house for any books around summoning demons,” I said.
“Was Chax behind the murders?” Connor asked.
“No. Chax would have opened a portal to hell by now if he’d been here since then. I think he’s a recent summon, and we caught him just in time,” I replied. “Let’s finish this, and then sleep is in order!”
“Sounds good to me,” Phil yawned. He wasn’t wrong.
Epilogue.
