“It doesn’t seem like it could get much worse,” I muttered.
“Oh, but it has, girl. No doubt about it. An apollyon is a sign that the underworld is malfunctioning. The magic of the underworld is glitching—that same magic that’s responsible for creating your demons, trolls, goblins, sea monsters, what have you, along with the adorable demon imps like me, though I’m one of a kind, of course.”
Cass scanned our horrified group. “It means instead of creating your standard variety of monsters, the underworld is giving birth to an entirely different kind of beast, the kind that takes parts from the entirety of the magic of the underworld.”
“If that’s so,” Reo said, “then maybe the creatures won’t be that strong. If they don’t have balance in their design, they might not function properly.”
“Maybe,” Cass said. “But eventually one could be made that combines the most fearsome of all underworld monster traits. It’s bound to happen. The magic of the underworld strives for one sole purpose: to spread as far and as widely it can, and as powerfully as it can.”
Birds chirped into the dead silence that followed Cass’ pronouncement. Lucky birds, they didn’t understand the literal hell that was about to befall their happy little world.
“Apollyons have only happened once before in the entirety of our history as far as I know. Think of them like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, or a plague of locusts. We have to do everything in our power to stop what happens next.”
“I have to close the damn gate,” I said.
“Yes, Evie, you do,” Cass said, “and you need to do it like your ass is on fire. But first, we have to kill that thing. Because that’ll eat babies and lick its lips afterwards.”
As if the monstrous apollyon realized we were planning its demise, it turned and set hideous, bulging eyes on us that glowed like the fiery pits of the underworld.
Everyone in our group froze for a few breaths. Then Haru and Reo closed ranks around me with theshliingof drawing swords, and Brock pressed himself to my side. Molly cocked Gran’s shotgun, the sound ringing out into the forest that was about to lose its peace.
“My katana please,” I said, extending my hand to my warrior protectors. Of course, they were prepared for battle, and Reo placed the hilt of my katana in my hand.
Immediately, it sprang to life at my touch. Purple light whisked across its blade in a flash.
This time, however, I had the feeling a sword wasn’t going to be enough. I’d need every bit of my kitsune and witch magic to take down that thing.
My friends pressed in on me, forming a huddle as the creature rotated its body toward us. Shoulders off kilter but wide as a car, it bore down on us—on me.
The beast opened its crooked mouth wide, revealing several rows of warped teeth, and roared. My heart shook at the sound, missing the rhythm of its beat before settling back down. My super kitsune sense of smell recoiled at the stench of rotting ... everything.
I shook my head to clear it of the fear that tried to overcome my thoughts. “Time to kill an apollyon,” I said, grateful for the strength I was able to inject into my voice.
One thing was for sure, I was going to sleep like the dead tonight. My nap was long overdue.
Breathing deeply to steel my nerves, I charged at the beast, careful not to meet its eyes. They were the most terrifying thing of all.
15Demon Guts
“You’re pregnant!”Brock called to me as we ran at the beast.
“No shit!” I growled.
Brock started shedding his clothes while we moved, the snapping of bones echoing throughout the forest. Without a shotgun, the alpha would be more useful in his wolf form. I, however, couldn’t do shit as a fox against a monster this size, so I was remaining human with my katana.
The beast, which had begun running full speed at us before, skidded to a sudden halt at our mass advance. Molly, Tianna, Cass, and my Japanese warrior protectors continued to surround me as best they could while we ran. Brock, Sabine, and Ray contorted as their shifts ripped through their human bodies. Brock’s wolf was large, Ray’s only slightly smaller. Sabine, though significantly smaller than the alpha and his second, bared vicious teeth at the monster.
At the creature’s pause, I skidded to a stop a few feet from it, and my friends slid to a halt next to me.
“I think we scared him.” Relief poured through me. Maybe he’d retreat. “We don’t want to hurt you. Go home,” I shouted, shooing with my arms toward the gate. Of course we’d have to hurt it, but in the off chance it spoke English, I was going to be diplomatic.
A thin tendril of gray smoke started to curl its way out of his nose as the beast exhaled a huge, rancid breath.
“Evie, duck!” When Cass’ panicked voice reached me, I jumped out of the way, drawing the beast’s attention away from my friends, while making myself the smallest target I could.
From where I crouched in a ball on the ground, I watched as the giant five-armed idiot spewed fire onto the forest floor.
What. The. Holy. Hell?
