Sunday, who was dressed in nothing but a robe with her hair still damp, looked around, obviously trying to get her bearings, just as I was. “Is this some kind of trick?”
“What do you think that is?” Merri asked, pointing to a basketball-sized orb set atop a fairly ornate stand a fair distance away. Before any of us could answer, a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and struck the orb, illuminating it from within and making the deep burgundy smoke and flickers of neon violet brightly flare.
“Nothing good,” I ventured, my gut telling me the orb’s presence was tied to ours.
“I’m less worried about that orb and more concerned about them.” Dahlia pointed behind me, her brows nearly to her hairline.
“Oh, shit,” Asher muttered.
Turning, I followed their stares, and my gut twisted at the sight of a horde of demons ascending the hill toward us, the four horsewomen striding confidently behind them.
As I said. Cunts, the lot of them.
“Is that my mother?” Dahlia whispered.
“And mine,” Sunday added.
“And ours,” Pan said.
Merri didn’t speak; she simply gripped my hand and squeezed. This was the first time she would come face-to-face with her mother, and there was nothing happy about the reunion.
The demons stopped between us and the orb, their twisted features looking more gruesome with every flash of lightning.They snarled and snapped, but didn’t move to attack. Waiting for instructions from their mistresses, no doubt.
Instinctively, I grasped her hand tighter and ordered, “Everyone, join hands.”
As if she had plucked my intention out of my mind, Hel cackled with wild abandon. “How adorably predictable you are, Grimsby. But it won’t work. Feel free to try, though, I do love watching you fail.”
I knew before even attempting to escape that it wouldn’t be possible. But still, I tried. Nothing happened. Not even a spark of my teleportation power ignited.
“What did you do?” I snarled.
“Magic, dear. The trap had to be set. And while we certainly didn’t anticipate you taking a joyride with your mate, the six of you are no match for our army.” Her smile stretched, and she turned her chin just slightly, speaking to her sister, War. “Do you mind if I give the command this time?”
“Ugh, go ahead.”
Squealing, she jumped up and down and clapped her hands. “Oh, goody!” Then she attempted to school her features. “Okay, okay.” Adopting an imperious pose, she shouted, “Attack!”
“Oh fuck,” Dahlia said.
“We’ve got to do something about that fucking orb. It has to be what’s keeping us here,” Asher shouted.
“I’m a little more concerned about the horde of demons heading our way,” Sunday said, fear underscoring her usual confidence. “We don’t have any weapons.”
“Forgetting about me?” Asher asked, his hands lighting up with power.
“You can’t take them all out,” Pan said.
“I can try.”
While they bickered amongst themselves, a different plan unfolded in my mind, panic for Merri causing me to contemplate something I hadn’t in literal centuries.
“I have a better idea. Everyone, stay back. Don’t you fucking dare move. I won’t be held responsible for what happens if you disobey me.” I pushed Merri behind me as well and said over my shoulder, “You too, wildflower. Whatever you do, don’t look at my face.”
“Okay. I promise.”
Trusting her to keep her word, I unleashed my full power. The glamour that made me appear human dropped, and my true face was revealed. As Death, I’d only used this form a handful of times when a point needed to be made. It was far too dangerous to use lightly, as there was no way to control who would fall victim. There was also nothing kind or gentle about claiming souls this way. Just pure and utter annihilation.
Screams ripped from the throats of the demons who looked upon me, their bodies immediately withering until the entire demon horde was reduced to nothing but ash. As I burned them out of existence with my visage, a violet glow filtered into my peripheral vision. I couldn’t look for the source, not without risking the others, but I knew it was Asher, disobeying me.
