Pan's Salvation (Dueling Devils 5)

“Come on, we need to go. Listen to me, Lark. You need to go inside and tell Demon

Natasha is here…immediately.”

“Why don’t you come with me?” Lark asked.

The woman’s clothing hung off her. Her eyes were dead and her hair looked ragged and

unkempt. She knew an addict when she saw one. The large, dark circles underneath her eyes and the glazed expression said she was still high.

“Because I’m going to stall,” Chase whispered.

“No,” Lark hissed. “You come with me or we both stay.”

Chase glared at her.

“I know addicts and this one, is high off her mind and entirely capable of anything. Please come inside with me?”

Chase sighed. “Fine.”

They ran for the door and stumbled inside.

“Demon.” The blood-curdling scream just outside the doors made them flinch.

“Lock it!” Lark urged.

Chase complied.

The crowd parted like the red sea as Demon strode up the center barking orders. The

children were shepherded to another room. Bullets flew through the door. Chase cried out and fell to the floor. Her blood splashed Larks shirt. She gasped at the sticky heat seeping through her shirt. She stared down at Chase, relieved to see the bullet had only gone through her leg. Two more shots fired, knocking out the lock. The door was thrown open and Lark was knocked to the ground.

“You ruined my life. I want my kids!” Natasha wailed as she swung the gun around.

Lark watched in slow motion as Demon pulled a gun from the small of his back, aimed and shot her point blank in the head.

Her head popped like an overripe melon.

The squish of brain matter, fluid and blood would be something she’d never forget. Bits of gray sponge plopped onto her shirt. A series of screams went up in the air.

Pan knelt in front of her and cupped her face. “You’re okay, Lark. You’re fine.”

At that moment, she realized the screams came from her.

“How’s she doing?” Demon asked.

Pan shook his head. “Hard to say, Doc says she’s still in shock. It would be better if I could get her out of those clothes.” He shuddered thinking about what the smudges on her shirt actually were.

“You think she’ll keep it together?” Demon rubbed the back of his neck.

“She won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I’m sorry as hell about the way all this went down. I knew I hadn’t seen that last of that bitch.” Demon growled.

“Hey, no one could’ve seen this coming.”

“How did she know we would be here, though?”

“All she had to do was watch, man.” Pan suggested. “Who knows how long she was out