Mentored in Fire (Demon Days & Vampire Nights)

Archion wasted no time, his wings beating mightily.

“I have sworn—oh, have I sworn. But I have to regain some sort of decorum and hope Darius doesn’t tell you what else I have done.”

My smile was wicked, and then laughter boomed out of me as I shoved her off the dragon. Saphira was there in an instant, sliding under Penny, who grabbed on and repositioned herself as though they’d practiced that move a million times. I felt Archion’s surprise.

Yeah, right? I thought as he turned toward the guys, waiting for us with weapons out. I mean, I knew she would be a good dragon for Penny, but that was almost a smoother move than with us.

Beginner’s luck, he thought.

I laughed again as he reached the others and turned, blasting out billowing flames at a group of less-than-smart demon holdouts. Saphira and Coppelia joined, clearing a big space to give us time. Cahal leapt up onto Coppelia immediately, and Emery and Darius stared up at us for a moment.

“Emery with Penny and Darius with me, obviously. Let’s go!” I waved them on.

Emery paused, his eyes going distant. Crap, he was having another vision.

“Go, go, go!” I hollered.

Emery started running, looking at the sky. Darius was beside Archion in a moment as Cahal and Coppelia lifted into the air.

I have no clothes, he said, looking at Archion’s scales. He was worried about skidding his bells and tackle against rough scales. It was a fair assessment.

I had a sort of sports bra on, a strip around my breasts and upper back, as close as the demons could get to what I’d wanted, so I ripped off my shirt and laid it behind me before I lifted him up. Not like my chest being nude would have stopped me. Glancing back, seeing Emery had already climbed up behind Penny, I told Archion, We’re ready.

Darius’s arms came around me, his skin sliding against my bare sides and stomach. A delicious shiver coursed through me, but Archion lifted into the sky with brawn and power, regaining my focus.

Like we planned? Archion asked.

Yes. Same path out as we practiced, but continue on this time.

We led the way, overtaking Coppelia, as I looked behind us. My heart stopped in my throat.

It was absolutely a black blob in the sky. A big black blob in the hazy shape of a dragon heading our way. Near it, flying on its own, was another winged creature. Lucifer.

Just like in Emery’s vision.

Not to pressure you, but hurry! I thought.

Darius turned, looking behind us, and then back. We have time.

If the barrier Lucifer had laid blocking off the entrance/exit to the Edges wasn’t a doozy, then sure, we had time. If Lucifer stopped at the violence sect to see what was what, sure, we had time.

I doubted we had time.

Give it all you have, bud. I patted Archion’s side.

Saphira kept up with us, Penny leaning forward like she was racing a horse. Coppelia wasn’t keeping up as well, though. Smaller and not as strong, she didn’t have the power of the other two. Instead of trying, though, she veered a little to the right and dipped lower. Cahal’s magic enveloped them both, and it was hard to see them against the ground far below.

I nodded, turning straight, leaning forward like Penny was doing, hoping to hell we’d have enough time to break that spell.

And, if we managed, that Lucifer didn’t follow us out.

Twenty-Two

“There it is,” I said, squinting through the air at the river passing below us.

It wasn’t a fog bank this time. On the other side of the river, beyond the boats but before the Edges, stood a solid black wall. Power pounded from it, even from this distance. I knew the magic would be complex and dangerous, making it so no mages or demons could break it. Lucifer was the master of this world for a reason, and I knew he’d poured his everything into that wall.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it…” I leaned back on Archion, and he slowed as we glided forward.

Climb to the top of that thing where it connects with the ceiling, I thought, and give me a look from there to the ground. I want to take its measure.

Archion did so, and I motioned for Saphira to follow. Penny and Emery needed to see this.

It stretched on for miles. Miles and miles. But that was just an illusion, of course. All of this was an illusion, and this wall was bedrocked into it.

I looked back the way we’d come. That spot of black had slowed at the sect, perhaps touching down, perhaps not, but it didn’t matter. Lucifer was on our tail again.

Thankfully, we only had one dragon to contend with. He hadn’t called in any backup. Not yet, anyway.

Land, I thought, having seen my fill. I needed to talk with Penny and Emery.