Page 69 of Hunted By Darkness

I still wasn’t sure how he healed from damage as a demon. Not much was mentioned in the journal, but if we did enough, we might buy ourselves more time.

Ryker cleared his throat and left my line of sight. Tometi watched him with a curious brow before the wolf was back, and the two shared a smile.

“How convenient,” Ryker said, laughing. I waited, and as if realizing I couldn’t see what they had, the wolf elaborated. “I spy with my little eye…a pair of unbreakable handcuffs. Pretty sure he brought them as an extra measure to keep you compliant, but they’ll look better on him. No offense, pretty girl. I just think you look better strung up by magic.”

Leave it to Ryker to chatter as if we weren’t in a life and death, end of the world situation. But I was grateful he was his loosey-goosey self. It eased the feeling in my gut.

Tometi scowled. “Your eye is hardly little.”

Ryker sighed and rolled his eyes. “And…he’s back.”

“They aren’t likely to hold him long, but with her magic, it’d give one of us time to reach out to the others. You’ll need to be quick when you grab them. She’ll need help overpowering him.”Tometi peered around, his muscles shifting in frustration. “He’s kept his weapons out of reach. I don’t see any left out.”

Cackling, Ryker eyed the bear. “Um, hate to admit this, but aren’t you sort of a weapon all on your own? Didn’t you essentially break Sally’s face the other day?”

“I don’t know if physical attacks will be effective against a demon,” Tometi rebuked.

Shrugging, Ryker didn’t seem worried. “Maybe. Maybe not. Still fun to try. I’ll bet he has at least one or two weapons on him. These sneaky hands are bound to find them before he realizes.” He lifted his hands with a snarky grin.

“It’s settled then. As fast as we can, break the necklace, bind him, and do as much damage as possible.” Tometi caught my gaze. “The minute he’s subdued, Nika, you’ll call Silas.”

I blinked twice.

Ryker and Tometi disappeared, and I heard something off in the distance. I could’ve sworn time crawled to a stop. My pulse thundered in my ears. Had he gotten his abilities back? No, it was only because the fear of getting it wrong made everything excruciatingly slow. If he anticipated anything, he could turn the tables on us. We had one shot at this.

Tometi and Ryker peered down at me, waiting. Neither dared to speak in case he could hear them. It was smart. Salvator couldn’t see them, but he could hear them. It wasn’t worth the risk. We had a plan and the parts we played in it. Now it was just a matter of finding the perfect moment to act.

I waited for what felt like hours, heart thundering every second it took for whoever had come back to return to the room. And then I heard him.

Rilas was on the phone with someone, whispering into the receiver. It was too low for me to make out, but he didn’t sound happy. I got the distinct impression something he needed for the ritual was missing, or what he’d gotten wasn’t right. I detectedthe rage in his tone despite his voice being too soft to make out the words.

At least the phone would be within reach. It’d be important to make sure it wasn’t broken in the fight.

I let the fear take me because Rilas would expect it. If I found any calm at all, it’d set off alarms, so I embraced the worry and potential loss if we didn’t do this right.

Ryker caught my eye, smirking. Then he did something I hadn’t been aware he could do. He signed at me using the same code as the one my father and I used. Had he learned how to do it with my memories and use of it with the boys alone?

Plans disrupted, he signed.He’s lost a blood sacrifice needed. Move forward with the plan.

Tometi nodded, and we all waited on bated breath for Rilas to come closer to the table. He shuffled at the door’s threshold, arguing with whoever was on the other side of the call. Finally, after minutes of waiting, he walked over. His red eyes dropped to mine, and the side of his lip was lifted, completely oblivious to the two phantoms glaring at him.

“Not long now, Fated One. I’ll sever this bond—”

The two men didn’t wait for another self-righteous speech. Both touched me at the same time. Their bodies solidified, and they wasted no time acting on the plan we’d made only moments before.

29

Nika

The topography of Rilas’s face twisted in on itself as Ryker stole the necklace. The chain broke with a hard tug, and the blonde didn’t waste time tossing it across the table. The dark-haired giant who towered over everyone had already caught it and crushed the glowing gem under his boot before the demon had a chance to react.

The hold on my body fell away, and I called on the power inside of me. Pink magic swirled and rushed out, hitting the demon straight in the chest. Rilas was thrown into the wall, but he was quick to recover.

“That’s a new bloody trick you have there, love.” Black smoke twisted around his body, his vibrant red eyes on me from across the room.

Tometi glanced at me, no longer visible. I slid across the table, avoiding a jet of black power that sprung out, and the giant caught me and spun. His foot landed on the demon with powerful force, knocking him nearly through the wall. It wasn’t a hit most could recover from, but Rilas was already on his feet.

The demon went for his weapons and enchanted items, but found them gone. Ryker showed off his now phantom daggers and pouch of trinkets with a happy laugh. I didn’t think they’d become a part of him like his clothes if he grabbed them in the other form.

---