Mate to the Demon Kings by Lacey Carter Andersen
3
Sharen climbeddown the fire escape on the side of the building, watching the skies, even though she’d seen no sign of the angels for over an hour. When she hit the ground, she started running once more. Not looking back.
No matter how much she wanted to.
She raced down the sidewalk, the city a blur of colors around her. Marval was dead. The angels were searching for her, and she had no idea where her demons were. She had to… she had to do something, but what?
Take a deep breath. Think. Don’t just run blindly.
She froze. A car honked. Turning slowly, she realized she was standing in the middle of a street. She moved without feeling her feet. When she reached the sidewalk, she stared numbly.
I have to save my demons. I have to save my people. But how? What can I do?
Closing her eyes, she willed her terrified thoughts to calm. And it hit her. The first thing she needed to do was get weapons. Without weapons, she was far too vulnerable. After that she could figure out her next move.
I need help. And I know just who to call.
Pulling her phone out of her pocket, it took her three tries with shaky fingers to dial Lily’s phone number.
“Yello.”
“Lily.” Sharen couldn’t seem to find the words.
The teasing note immediately left her ex-student’s voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Someone… someone attacked headquarters while I was in the portal.”
Her words were met with silence for a brief moment. “How bad is it?”
She swallowed around the lump in her throat. “Everyone was gone. And there was blood.”
“Fuck. Any idea who did it?”
Sharen shook her head until she remembered the woman couldn’t see her. “Maybe the angels.”
“Where are you?”
“A street. I don’t know. The angels attacked. They killed Marval.”
“Shit. Okay. Can you get to your place?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Go there and wait for me. Do you understand? You’re in shock. We’re going to take care of this together, but we can’t be stupid.”
“Okay.” She felt the smallest stirring of hope within her.
“Whoever took them is going to pay. I promise you that.”
“Thanks, Lily.” Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
“Get to your place. I’ll see you soon.”
The phone grew quiet. Slowly, Sharen stuffed her phone back into her pocket. Blinking, the world came into focus. The street was busy. And loud.
Her gaze moved to the street names. Damn it. She was halfway across town from her apartment. She flagged down a cab, and when he pulled over, she got in. She muttered her address and sat back in the seat.
She couldn’t stop from shaking. And she hated how much of a mess she was. How was it that even after all she’d been through, she still couldn’t handle death?
Her parent’s faces flashed in her mind, and she shuddered. Did it ever get easier?
Why the hell couldn’t she be the kind of person who just told the world to fuck off and faced things like a bad ass? Because you’re only human.
She laughed.
The cabby looked back at her, raising one brow.
Better be careful, or he’s going to think I’m nuts. Hiding her smile, she felt a sense of resolve come over her. She could do this. She may not know what she was, but she knew that she wasn’t human. And even though she wasn’t good at handling death, she’d handle it too, because she had to do. Her people were counting on her.
And because if I stop fighting for one second, I’ll lose my demons forever.
Her heart constricted as she thought of Kade, Alec, and Ryder. She felt like such a fool. Like this was karma for not appreciating them more. They’d done everything in their power to support her and her cause, even when it came at the price of their own happiness. Had she showered them with gratitude? No. At times she might have even acted like an ungrateful bitch.
But I’ll make it up to them. The second I find them.
“We’re here,” the driver said.
She looked up and handed him a bill from her pocket.
He took it, frowning. “You got blood on the seat.”
Glancing beside her, she saw that her bloody arm had soaked the seat on one side. How had she forgotten about the wound?
“Sorry,” she murmured. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the entire wad and shoved it toward him.
His look of annoyance vanished. “No problem at all!”
She nodded and opened the door.
“Are you okay?”
Meeting his gaze, she forced a smile. “I’ve had worse.”
She slammed the door and hurried to their penthouse suite. Now not only did she need to suit up with weapons, she needed to wrap her damn wound. Her sporadic powers might help her heal, but even they had their limits.
As the elevator opened onto their private floor, she froze. Someone was lying on the ground at her door.
Heart racing, she ran to the man and knelt down, pulling him back to see his face.
Gasping, she fell backwards. Shit! The man was beaten so severely that there was no chance he still lived. Blood coated his shirt, his pants, and the carpet beneath his body.
And there was something stapled to the bare skin beneath his ripped shirt. Hand shaking, she reached for the blood soaked note and opened it.
Running from the angels was a mistake. We’re going to get you. How many dead bodies will it take? Tick Tock.
Bile rosein the back of her throat. And then, she saw the slightest movement. Reaching forward, she touched the man’s chest. There, so slow she almost missed it, was the lightest rise and fall of his chest. She felt for a pulse and found it, weak and slow. She didn’t know who the hell he was, but he was still alive!
Typing in the code on her door, she dragged the man inside of her apartment, leaving behind a smearing path of blood. Unsure what else to do, she dragged him all the way to their shower and put him inside. Turning it on, she watched as the blood washed from his flesh and turned the water to a dark red.
In seconds she had another shock. “Alderon?”
The fae Hunter said nothing. His eyes remained closed. Kneeling down, she pushed back his blood-stained pale hair, overwhelmed by the sight of his many, many wounds.
What should I do?Could she bring a fae being to a human hospital? Did he just need time to let his own body heal? Or should she try to stitch his wounds closed?
She felt… lost.
And then, her doorbell rang.
Jerking to her feet, she looked between the Hunter and her bedroom. God, she hoped that was Lily, but what if it was yet another enemy?
Moving through her room, she felt steel run through her blood. Taking a sword from off their dresser, she drew it from its sheath. She walked with sure steps toward her door with determination rising within her.
No matter what waited on the other side of the door, she would handle it. One way or another.
