risk having Heaven’s top-notch SWAT team sent after me. But on the other hand, demons are mowing through lists of people who could potentially be me, ultimately killing them in their search.
“I can’t even imagine how you feel.” Kristy loops her arm through mine and rests her head on my shoulder. “Just know we love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Scarlet runs ahead, going around the house and into the clearing of the old horse pasture.
“I need to make a path,” I start, motioning to a natural parting for the trees. “To get to the Covenstead, I mean. One was worn in the dirt from all the years spent walking back and forth from my old house to the door.”
“You’ll make a new path,” she assures me, and gives my arm a gentle squeeze. All of a sudden, something feels wrong and I stop dead in my tracks. The air becomes thick and heavy around us, and the smell of sulfur is so strong it burns my nose.
“Run,” I tell Kristy, feeling my skin prickle. “Get back to the house as fast as you can.”
But it’s too late. Bael emerges from the forest, and this time there’s no mistaking it. It’s not his astral projection. It’s him, here in physical form.
Chapter 39
My heart hammers in my chest and fear prickles down along my spine. Scarlet barks, and I grab Kristy’s hand.
“Get behind me,” I whisper, lips parting as fear threatens to take over. Bael is here, in front of us, and the energy he’s putting off is heavy and oppressive, making me sick. I fight against it and step forward, putting myself in front of Kristy. I hold out my hands, magic sizzling along my fingers.
Bael’s eyes flash yellow, and he looks at the energy buzzing around me hungrily. He’s holding a jar of what has to be Carla’s heart, ready to use it against me and bind my angelic powers.
He knows who I am and is ready to use me to take over Hell.
Scarlet bounds forward, gnashing her fangs in the air. Everything happens so fast yet so slow at the same time. Bael flashes out of the way, moving just before Scarlet collides with him. She lands hard on the ground, hitting the dirt and crashing against a tree. She lets out a yelp and I raise my hands, gathering all the energy I can and send it after Bael.
He stumbles back, throwing out his hand as he falls. The sound of a whip cracking echoes through the quiet night, and pain radiates across my cheek, stinging from the invisible lashing. I counter with no hesitation, sending a blast of bright blue energy into Bael’s chest. He cradles the jar against him, more afraid of dropping it than he is of getting hurt.
Right. He needs it to perform the ritual to bind my powers. Not today, asshole.
Scarlet is back on her feet, circling Bael with her fangs bared. I need to take off her collar and give her a fighting chance. I flick my eyes to her, and Bael take the millisecond distraction to his advantage.
He forces another wave of dark energy at me, and I hold up my hands just in time to block it. Blue light loudly crashes against the dark magic, sparks raining down on the forest floor.
“You will never own me,” I say through gritted teeth, pushing as hard as I can against Bael’s hold.
“Are you sure about that?” Bael suddenly lets off the blast of magic, and I stumble forward, recovering fast. Scarlet is back on her feet and races over, putting herself between myself and Bael. He shifts his eyes from me to Scarlet and to Kristy.
“That’s right, asshole you’re outnum—fuck!”
Bael tips his head and raises his hand. The ground trembles beneath us, and a root bursts from the ground, wrapping around Kristy’s ankle.
“Callie!” she screams, and I jump for her, grabbing her hand. The root yanks her back, ripping her from my grasp and bringing her over the Bael. She’s forced to her feet, and roots wrap around her legs like vines.
“Stop!” I yell, holding up my hands. No one else is getting hurt, especially my best friend. “It’s me you want. Let her go.”
“And where’s the fun in that?” Bael’s hoarse voice reverberates through the trees.
I exhale, breath clouding around me. “Let her go. She has nothing you want.”
“She has you.” Bael twirls is fingers in the air, and the roots start to tighten around Kristy’s legs and stomach. She fights against