Page 74 of Malice
With a movement so fast I almost couldn’t register what I was seeing, Mal’s hands penetrated the creature’s sternum, splitting the bones with a sickening crack.
“Open wide,” he growled. “Show me that demented heart.”
The demon sputtered and screamed but couldn’t move as Malice spread open its chest and exposed the beating black organ. He was a doctor performing surgery. If the doctor was a vengeful god and the surgery was extermination. Maybe he was more of a mortician.
With a cruel smile, Malice tapped a single finger against the creature’s heart. The organ visibly stuttered, like a runner losing its rhythm and stumbling before reaching the finish line. Before I could blink, the organ started to bubble and melt. The effect was immediate, and frankly, terrifying. That would have been enough to get the job done, but Malice was nothing if not thorough. His infection spread, moving from the heart to the rest of the vital organs, and it didn’t stop until the once alien-like beauty was a pool of bubbling black liquid.
“Well... that should do it,” I said, hands in my pockets as I rocked back on my heels.
Malice’s eyes slid to mine, and for a moment, I thought he might punch me. Instead, he placed his goo-covered hand on my shoulder and said, “Thank you.”
To my credit, I didn’t flinch. This shirt was a goner, anyway.
“Yeah, man. No problem.”
It went without saying I wasn’t about to mention what I’d seen. It would go in the vault. If I had one. Which I didn’t. But, you know, bro code.
Chaos and Grim joined us, both of them spattered with blood and other things. The demons were nothing more than stains on the earth.
“Fuck yeah, we are such a badass team,” I said.
“Always were,” Grim said. “Where is she?”
“Safe with Christian. She even promised me she wouldn’t leave.”
Grim let out a disbelieving chuckle. “And you took her at her word?”
“For once, she seemed to be on board. Probably because she saw what we were up against and realized she would be more of a hindrance,” I said.
We exchanged loaded looks, all of us thinking back to Merri’s insane takedown of the humans. I’d seen Sabine take down plenty of mortals, had done the same myself even, but never more than one at a time. Merri was something else, powerful in a way none of us fully understood.
“What the fuck just happened?” Chaos asked.
“Well...” I started. “As you know, those were lust demons. And we fought them and just won.”
Chaos glared at me. “Buthow?”
I opened my mouth, and he stopped me with a dirty palm over the bottom half of my face. “Not you. You,” he clarified, pointing to Malice.
Malice looked from the gate and then back toward the house, shaking his head. “Demons should never have been able to pass the barrier.”
“So how did they, then?” Grim asked, echoing the original question.
A breeze set the tree limbs rustling, and Malice frowned. “Not here. Let’s get back. We need to talk to Christian.”
I, for one couldn’t wait to get back to Merri. Everything had changed after this fight. I was pretty confident that it wasn't just in relation to me. Everything had changed... for all of us.
Chapter
Twenty-One
MALICE
My mind was an absolute shitshow, to borrow one of Sin’s favorite expressions. I hadn’t known I was susceptible to a lust demon, but then, they’d never had reason to set their sights on me before. I’d had no defense. None. All my bluff and bluster about Merri needing to work on her mental barriers, and here I was, the weakest link in our chain.
Shameful. I’d never live it down.
“Christian!” I bellowed, forcing myself to push down the distracting emotions trying to control me. “Christian!”
