I jump to my feet, not questioning why I can move freely all of a sudden. My father is standing in front of me in flesh and blood.
I shake my head, disbelieving. “No. I killed you.”
“Did you?” He raises an eyebrow. “Then why am I here talking to you?”
I stagger back, even when my vision is already tinged in red and my desire to avenge Kari all over again is bordering on bloodlust.
“You want to kill me, don’t you? Go ahead, I want to see you try. You failed once, and you will fail again.”
“No. This isn’t happening. You’re a trick, a figment of my imagination.”
His face contorts in rage. He gets into my face in a split second. “Kill me now, Saxon. Prove to everyone you’re nothing like me.”
My hand holds the katana pummel tighter. I’m on the verge of snapping, of obeying the order to kill that’s pounding in my brain, but deep down, I know what I’m seeing is not true. Ashmedai got into my head.
Instead of striking him with my katana, I cut his arm with the athame. It’s only a superficial wound, but the demon steps back, letting out a roar. The image of my father morphs into Niko. She’s clutching her arm while staring at me with her demonic eyes.
“Where did you get that weapon?” she hisses.
“I thought you knew everything.” I smirk.
“It doesn’t matter. The only way you can kill me with that is if you kill the host.”
I freeze even though I knew all along that would be the case. It’s probably the reason the demon decided to possess Aurora’s little sister. But why would he try to trick me into killing her? It doesn’t make any sense.
“Now, you interrupted me at the best part.” She turns toward the mirror, which is once again showing hell. “Oh, I almost forgot. I do need to borrow something from you.” She raises her arm, and my katana flies from my hand into hers.
“You see, as much as I like this host, I’d much rather have my own body back.” She holds my sword with both hands, pointing it toward her stomach.
I fly like the wind, knocking the katana from her hand as I body-slam her into the mirror. Instead of crashing against the glass, I go through it. The most excruciating pain imaginable flares up everywhere as I roll over a rocky surface. My lungs immediately protest when I inhale toxic smoke.
It doesn’t take long to realize where I am. I crossed into hell, and I brought the real Ashmedai with me.
41
Aurora
“Okay, I think I figured out what spell those bastards used on us.” Solomon pulls a small twig from his pocket and flicks the object in the air as if it were a magical wand.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Warlock magic is not bound to the four elements like yours. I have to break it the old-fashioned way.”
“Which is?” My mother raises an eyebrow.
“Using Nightingale magic, naturally.”
“I didn’t know you had that,” I say.
He rolls his eyes. “Girl, where did you think my powers came from?”
“If those warlocks hurt Niko in any way, I’m going to make them pay, even if it’s the last thing I do,” Mom grits out.
“Nice to see that you care about someone in our family.”
She flinches, which I didn’t expect. “I care about you and Miranda too. You’re my daughters.”
“Oh, am I your daughter now? Didn’t you disown me only a few hours earlier? What made you change your mind?”
She glances away. “I … You wouldn’t understand.”
“Almost there,” Solomon chimes in. “But do carry on. Pretend I’m not here or that there’s a demon in the next room.”
“No, Mother, I can’t understand how you could turn your back on me. I told you Elena was evil, but you didn’t believe me. You were too hung up on the fact I’m in love with a vampire.”
“Got it!” Solomon interrupts again. “Thank fuck. I definitely didn’t sign up to be in a Dr. Phil special.”
Ignoring his jab, I sprint ahead, holding the crystal in my hand tight. Getting stuck thanks to the warlocks’ hex served to give me time to restore my strength, and I need every bit of juice I can get. My heart is stuck in my throat when I burst into Elena’s study just in time to see Saxon body-slam Niko and crash through the mirror, disappearing from view in a great explosion of bright orange light.
“No!”
I jump over the bodies of Ryker and Declan, not caring