Revealed in Fire (Demon Days & Vampire Nights)

So there were doubters. I honestly didn’t care, but had the feeling he’d keep pushing for this.

I glanced behind him at the crowd again, not because I felt pressured to perform for them, but because it was a good showing. Fighting the boss would probably bring out a few more, thus emptying out the village and giving Darius ample room to skulk around.

“Yeah, sure, why not.” I pointed at Roger. “This is postponed. I will make you do doggy tricks before we leave this place, just you wait.”

He backed away slowly and then turned toward Cole, who was still lying in the grass. Baby.

Penny had left him and sidled closer to the practice field, picking at her nail, watching me. If I could find a way to get her involved, I would, but Romulus was talking about hellfire, and that was one sandbox she couldn’t play in.

It was a sandbox Romulus shouldn’t be playing in either. Not with me, anyway. Some of my reactions were built in from years and years of practice. If he triggered one, I would fire back. And I didn’t think he could withstand hellfire like I could. I really didn’t want to kill the Second Arcana.

Sixteen

“As far as weapons”—Romulus glanced at everything I’d set aside already—“I see you did not plan to use them.”

“I was going to fight my magic against his. He doesn’t use weapons.”

“I do, however.”

“Right. Well, go for it. I can’t really stick you full of throwing knives, anyway. Right? That might kill you?”

“I do heal quickly, but that might kill me, yes. Would it not kill you?” He kinda…slunk down a little, and a shiver rolled across my skin. He was preparing to fight. It made me feel like hovering for some reason, though it would have been pretty pointless to try. I couldn’t go very fast in the air. I didn’t even know why Lucifer had that sort of magic. What was it good for, besides negating a ladder?

“They wouldn’t reach me. Unless they did, and then…probably. I also heal quickly.”

“Then no throwing knives. But I assume—”

“Oh my God, just use whatever you want and I’ll make it work. I miss Cahal. He rarely spoke. And he certainly wasn’t polite when he did.”

“Fantastic.”

“That was a put-down, and still you sound so nice. I really hate that,” I grumbled.

He unslung something from his back, and I realized it was a bow, of all things.

“Wait…”

He held it out in front of him and reached back with the other hand, pulling out an arrow. He nocked an arrow, pulled back, and paused for a moment.

“Dude, what the fuck—since when do you people use—”

He released. The arrow flew right for my heart. I should have thrown up a shield of air, but in that split second, only one idea came to mind—sword!

I had an air sword in my hand immediately and swung, clanging against the wood arrow and knocking it away. Another came, and another. Romulus nocked an arrow, released. Nocked an arrow, released. So fast his arm became a blur. But he was only shooting center mass. He didn’t vary the shots.

He definitely didn’t have the type of battle knowledge I did. His skills were the kind you learned from practice, not from evading a mark intent on killing you. He’d gained some experience in the field, but clearly he hadn’t been pushed to the limits. Not like I had. Not like Roger.

Intending to give Darius as much time as I could, I swung my air blade, cutting down or deflecting the arrows, one after the other, almost bored with it. Out of arrows, he dropped the bow. His hands came together, and I knew what would happen next.

I released the air sword as a jet of hellfire spewed toward me, blistering in heat, half the size of my wrist. It would get the job done with most creatures, including most demons. I covered my hair and clothes with ice, so they wouldn’t burn away, and let it wash over me. The heat felt like a comforting caress.

My turn.

“Stay put or this will kill you,” I yelled.

I sent jets of hellfire out of my palms, each bigger than his, although the heat was the same. They sped toward him, and I noticed his assistant start off across the grass, afraid for his boss.

“Halvor would’ve been too late.” I bent the fire at the last moment and wrapped it around him, cocooning him with air so the heat wouldn’t harm him. I rose a sheet of regular fire in front of Halvor. He came out the other side hairless but determined to get to his master. “Jesus. That guy is intense. I hope Callie brought enough hair stuff.”

The hellfire wore away, and Romulus just stood there for a moment, his face slack and his eyes wide, breathing heavily. The guy had thought I was going to kill him.