Page 85 of Midnight Witch

Mae’s belly throbbed when she drew on her core. She pressed her hands to the ground, rose shakily onto her knees, and lifted bloodied fingers toward Brimstone and Hellreaver.

“Negate!”

Her heart thundered against her ribs as she watched the spell eat away atMoon FireandHell Flarewhere they’d almost overwhelmed the fox and the weapon.

Nikolai cursed and rolled onto his feet. He picked up his spear, closed the distance to her, and drove the weapon into her right thigh with a savage snarl.

Mae screamed as it smashed her bone.

Hellreaver screeched. A feral howl tore out of Brimstone and rattled the building.

Vlad’s roar of rage echoed in her ears. “MAE!”

The incubus appeared in the chancel.

“Stop!” Mae mumbled. “You can’t!” Her voice rose. “He’s too strong!”

Nikolai ripped the spear out of her flesh, blocked Vlad’s swords, and kneed him viciously in the gut. The incubus grunted as he skidded backward, fingers raking the ground to steady himself and a murderous light blazing in his pupils.

Tarang snarled and leapt over a pew to take a bite out of Nikolai’s arm. The sorcerer castMoon Spearat the tiger, his face a cold, tight mask.

“Shield!” Mae ground out.

His attack smashed into her barrier and missed the tiger by inches.

Tarang landed on his feet with a thud, bared his fangs at Nikolai, and retreated to Vlad’s side.

Mae staggered as she pushed herself up onto her feet, one hand pressed to the wound in her belly. Brimstone and Hellreaver broke free of Nikolai’s spells and rushed to her side.

The power of three hummed within her as they reinforced her magic. Crimson bloomed around her body.

The lightning that tore across the sky through the gaping holes in the roof highlighted Nikolai’s frosty stare. A cold rain accompanied the peal of thunder that followed. The drops sizzled when they struck the air above her skin.

Cruel laughter drew Mae’s gaze to the back of the church. Oscar had reappeared with Drabek. Barquiel stood beside them in Rose’s form.

The remaining demons and hellbeasts were disappearing through a portal.

Mae didn’t need to analyze Oscar and Barquiel’s expressions to know that she’d fully fallen into their trap. All she had to do was look at the hatred in Nikolai’s eyes to know they had won this battle. She swallowed.

“You’re not thinking clearly right now.” Her voice trembled despite her best efforts. Mae clenched her jaw and hardened her tone. “There was another spell hidden in the altar. You triggered it when you touched it.” She took a step toward Nikolai, her pulse racing with dread. “Let me help—”

A maniacal bark rooted her legs to the ground.

“Not thinking clearly?!” the sorcerer scoffed. His next words doused any hope she clung to. “That’s rich coming from the woman who killed my mother. I’ll tell you something now, demon. My mind has never been as clear as it is in this very moment!”

Mae’s world tilted sideways.

“What?!” she mumbled. She looked jerkily to Oscar and Rose. Rage tightened her throat when she registered the grim truth in their eyes. “You bastards!”

“Have you lost your fucking mind?!” Vlad shouted at Nikolai. He pointed at Oscar. “The one who killed your mother is right there!”

A vicious expression distorted Nikolai’s features. “Keep my brother out of this, you incubus scum!”

Mae’s stomach dropped when she read his intent. “SHIELD!”

Her magic bloomed around Vlad and Tarang just as Nikolai castHell Flareat them.

The sorcerer clenched his jaw and glared at her. He closed the distance to her in the blink of an eye. Mae froze.

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