Reaper (Dark in You 8)

Obstructed by her wings, Knox struggled to accurately launch more lethal orbs of hellfire.

Vin and Mason situated themselves in front of Levi and Piper, blindly hurling energy balls and hellfire orbs.

People screamed and ran for safety. Machinery stuttered to a stop. Music abruptly cut off.

Wanting to motherfucking kill someone, Levi carefully lowered Piper to the ground and curved his body over hers. His demon’s roar of fury rattled around his head. A fury Levi could goddamn relate to. The psychic blow she’d received to the head had not only knocked her out, it meant she was utterly defenseless right now.

Before anger could take him over, Levi ground his teeth as he boxed up his every emotion. He couldn’t afford to feel or lose his cool. He had to fight and defend. And he had to do it from that very spot on the ground, because there was no fucking way he was leaving Piper’s side.

Stuck behind the guards, he couldn’t emit a telekinetic wave—he’d knock Vin and Mason down like skittles. Just the same, he couldn’t toss out waves of despair or else they’d collide with the guards.

His blood bubbling with adrenaline, Levi telepathically reached out to Keenan. You and the others taking cover?

Yes, the incubus replied. But Harper and Khloë aren’t happy about sitting out the fight, even though they’d never think of abandoning the kids.

An orb rammed into Levi’s upper arm, jolting his body hard. Hissing at the prickling burn, he was tempted to shoulder his way past the others and try to thrash the invisible bastard with hard blasts of telekinesis. But that could be what the asshole wanted—to draw Levi away from Piper so she’d be vulnerable. He wasn’t taking that chance.

More and more orbs sailed through the air, coming at them from different angles … as if the assailant was darting around unnaturally fast, no doubt taking cover behind various rides. If he meant to find an opening that would give him a direct shot at Piper, he’d fail for sure.

Vin staggered as an orb punched his chest, almost making him topple backwards over Levi and Piper. It galled Levi’s demon that they were being shielded by others. It growled and snarled, conflicted—

Heat blazed along Levi’s ear as an orb narrowly missed his head. Another came at him and slammed into his shoulder. Son of a fucker. Unlike the others, he couldn’t duck or weave—he needed to stay in position to protect Piper. Being stationary made him an easier target than the others. Hence why hellfire was currently blistering and consuming patches of his skin.

Another succession of orbs came at them. Larkin flapped her wings, sending out a gust of wind that extinguished the orbs and hopefully swept their foe off his fucking feet.

Larkin’s mind touched Levi’s as she sent out more chips of hell-ice. He should have given up by now—going against so many of us is stupid, and he’s been hit several times.

He had indeed. They might not be able to see him, but they noticed each time an orb crashed into what appeared to be thin air. They’d heard grunts and curses of pain.

Why hasn’t he tucked tail and run? asked Larkin.

That was a very good question. The man was having to dodge all kinds of shit. He was also outnumbered, and he had no way of getting to Piper. Even his ability to remain unseen couldn’t protect him forever. It made sense to quit and go lick his wounds. Yet, he hadn’t made a run for it.

He could be playing with us, said Levi. But I don’t see why he would. An orb whacked his injured shoulder and fuck that hurt.

“Lower your wings, Larkin!” Knox yelled.

The harpy hesitated for a moment before dropping them.

A stream of hellfire poured out of Knox’s palm and swept outwards in an arc. An agonized male cry rang through the air. Knox appeared to home in on that sound as he struck out again.

Hearing footsteps thundering away, Levi ground his teeth. He wanted to give chase, but he wouldn’t leave Piper. Couldn’t. So he signaled for Vin and Mason to go in his stead.

Levi looked down at her … and his stomach dropped. Blood was trickling out of her ears, nose, and mouth. That wasn’t a normal result of a psychic blow to the head.

He put his fingers to her pulse. It was weak and thready. “No. No, no, no, no, no.”

Without even thinking about it, he telepathically called out to Raini’s mate, Maddox, I need a healer.

Where are you? asked Maddox.

Levi gave him his location. Mere moments later, two male demons materialized at his side—Maddox and his sentinel, Hector. Maddox took in the scene and then, without a word to anyone, teleported Levi and Piper away.

Finding himself on his living room floor, Levi got to his knees so he was no longer curved over her. “Do something,” he said, a sense of urgency beating at him.