With a bad cut on his forehead, Styxx looked sick to his stomach. “Thorn took her and vanished. I’m sorry. I tried to get to her and failed.”
Ash could feel his blood rush through his veins. More than that, he felt his horns rise from his head and knew his eyes must be glowing. “He did what?”
Styxx winced before he answered. “Took her. I would assume to Azmodea.”
One of the few places Ash dared not go. Unmitigated fury tore through him. “Shadow!” he roared.
Shadow appeared instantly, then froze when he looked at Acheron in his full demonic form. “Whoa … you look like a blue Charonte. What’s up, boss man?”
Styxx answered for him. “Thorn took Simi.”
“Okay, let’s define some terms. I know Thorn. I know Simi. What do you mean he ‘took’ Simi?”
“He flew off with her while we were in battle.” Acheron enunciated each word slowly so that Shadow would understand them and the amount of anger he was holding back.
Shadow nodded. “’Kay. We’re still mad at Thorn. Got it. He did something profoundly stupid.”
“I’m thinking they flew to Azmodea,” Styxx said.
“Good bet. And I now see why I’m here. You”—Shadow looked at Acheron—“want me to go retrieve her.”
“Or take me in.”
“Yeah … no. Not a good idea. The blue lady and major asshole don’t need to get their hands on you in their Private Idaho. That would be worse than this Strip littered with bodies.”
“You know what would be worse?” Acheron asked.
“Me wasting any more time. I’m going to retrieve your demon.” Shadow vanished.
Styxx looked up at him. “You doing all right?”
“Am I still blue?”
“Yeah and fully horned.”
“Then why did you ask?”
“Stupidity.” Styxx pointed to his bleeding forehead. “Pretty sure I took one too many hits to my head and it knocked loose my last remaining brain cell.”
“I thought you said I knocked that out centuries ago.”
Styxx laughed until Bethany appeared by his side.
“You’re hurt? What did they do to you?”
Styxx dodged her hands. “I’m fine. Simi’s the one we need to worry about.”
Bethany froze. “Simi?”
“Thorn has her.” Just saying those words made Acheron want to choke the demon with his own entrails. When he got to them …
He would make Thorn regret ever being born.
“Yo! Thorn? My demon … where are you?”
Thorn froze as he heard Shadow’s voice calling out through his castle.
Simi’s eyes widened. “He sounds pissed,” she whispered to Thorn.
