Page 95 of The Darkest Night

Nikolai ducked beneath a spell bomb,cast his magic at the Dark Council witch to his left, and swiped the legs out from under theOniksgang member to his right. He stabbed the man in the chest and kicked the gun in his hand under a boiler before looking up, his pulse pounding.

He could feel Mae’s magic on the uppermost level of the factory, where she fought Oscar and Barquiel’s forces.

Vlad had engaged the Sorcerer King’s heir at the other end of the first floor, his crimson-tinged diamond swords clashing repeatedly against Oscar’s blade. The incubus was an equal match for Nikolai’s half-brother and seemed to be enjoying himself, his familiar batting away at theOniksmembers trying to attack him while his men engaged the rest of the mobsters spread out across the building.

“Is it bad that I find that incredibly sexy?!” Violet said to Nikolai’s right. She was eyeballing Vlad’s fierce smile.

Nikolai’s lips curled. “It’s probably the power of his incubus blood.”

Alastair squawked in agreement.

“Still, I like a man who isn’t afraid to face danger head on.”

“Is that why you dumped Erik?” Miles asked as he blocked an attack and drove a witch into the far wall with a spell bomb.

Violet narrowed her eyes at her cousin. Trixie’s pupils flashed purple.

“Who’s Erik?” Nikolai said blankly.

“Erik Nox,” Miles supplied, heedless of Violet’s murderous glare. “He’s Regina Nox’s son, the High Priestess of the Vegas coven.”

“Oh. Isn’t he that elite sorcerer every coven is after?”

“Yeah. He’s a nice guy. More of a pacifist than a warrior.” Miles glanced at Vlad before meeting Violet’s hot gaze. “So, you like them rough, huh?”

“No, I donot!” Violet snarled. The witch blasted two gang members and a sorcerer with her purple magic. “The reason we broke up is because he—” she paused and flushed, “Erik didn’t want to have sex until after we got married, okay?!”

Nikolai almost tripped as he deflected an attack.

Miles’s eyes rounded, as did his familiar’s. “Hang on. Does that mean you’re still a vir—?”

“Don’t say it!” Violet growled. She punched a guy in the face and kneed another one viciously in the balls. “A woman has needs. And I swear that asshole wears a chastity belt!”

The air inside the factory grew heavy. Nikolai’s ears popped. He stiffened, startled.

“We have company!” Miles warned behind them.

Nikolai and Violet turned.

A group of demons who looked like copies of Sobol were walking out of a giant, crimson-tinged portal. Nikolai clenched his fists, gaze searching for the fiend who had unleashed them. He caught a glimpse of monstrous horns on the second-floor gallery.

Nikolai bolted for the stairs, Alastair hanging on grimly to his shoulder.

“Hey, where are you going?!” Violet shouted.

“I have to stop Barquiel!”

“Are you nuts?!” Miles yelled. “You’re no match for him!”

The shadow of a modified demon fell upon the sorcerer. He jumped and narrowly missed the monster’s swinging fist. Colorful spell bombs crashed down on the creature, halting his charge.

Nikolai paused, a foot on the first step. He looked up and clocked the figures hovering above. The New York coven witches and sorcerers had arrived, Abraham leading them with his owl familiar.

“We told you guys to wait for us!” Bryony’s aide snapped.

“Yeah, yeah,” Miles grumbled. “How about you stop bitching and help us kill some demons?”

Abraham scowled.

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