“We’re good from behind,” Steve called up. “Much as I hate to admit it.”
Flame blossomed into the sky, like an explosion. The fire spread across the ground, crawling toward the pack. Charity stirred against Devon, her eyes wide as she looked ahead of them. Reagan swore before plunging her sword into the center of the demon that was the source of the fire.
“My bad,” Reagan called. The flames died. “Didn’t see that one coming. Nearly got my eyebrows, the bastard.”
The portal loomed just ahead, a shimmering, glowing white line visible only to those with the magic to see it. Power throbbed from around it, pulling at Devon’s energy.
Charity’s arms jerked tighter around Devon’s neck, her eyes rooted to that line. Her body trembled, and Devon wondered if she was losing her nerve. She had to recognize how weak she was—how low on energy—and wonder if she’d make it. A person needed power to make it through the portal, and plenty of it, but that wasn’t the only requirement. There was a certain mental component to it. A strong mind could overcome a weak body.
“You were unconscious the first time we brought you through,” Devon said, latching on to facts. “You’d worn yourself out by using your magic for the first time, but you still made it through.”
A sob bubbled up. “Devon, I was lying before. I’m not fine. It feels like something is…draining me. I can’t explain it. I was good for that last battle. I felt in control and powerful. But then the adrenaline died away, and when it was gone, it was like…it just kept sucking energy from me. I keep getting weaker, and I feel like I can barely lift my head.”
“I know,” he said, dodging a reaching, fiery limb. The body kept coming, though, right for them.
Steve pushed forward, into harm’s way. He swung the pack in his hand, hitting the demon across the face, before ripping into the demon’s chest with a bare hand. He growled out a curse but didn’t relent, dragging his hand through burned, gooey flesh.
An enormous clawed mitt batted the demon’s head, ripping it off in a fast, hard strike. Cole flung the body aside with a ferocious growl before turning back to the fray.
“Little late on that one, mate,” Steve said with annoyance. He fell back a little.
“In the past, you’ve always been able to sleep it off,” Devon said into Charity’s ear. A disembodied demon arm flew overhead. A jet of cold washed up over Devon’s face, nearly punching him. He shook his head, confused, but the feeling cleared. Reagan, probably. He’d learned that all unexplained magic generally originated from her. “You just need that nap, like Andy said. We’ll get through, and then you can rest for a second.”
“What’s magical poisoning?” she asked in a tiny voice.
Devon gritted his teeth and squeezed her closer. “It’s so rare that I don’t even know. You don’t have that. You just need sleep.”
She blew out a breath and burrowed her face into his neck.
“You’re a terrible liar,” she said.Chapter Twelve“Let’s go, let’s go!” Devon kicked a falling demon out of his way. Another came out of nowhere, stepping on its comrade to roar fire at Devon’s face. He spun so his back would take the hit, but he needn’t have bothered. Dale rammed into the creature from the side and knocked it away. The fire blasting from its maw did nothing more than splash heat across Devon’s shoulder.
“Order them back,” Reagan yelled, her voice rising above the din. Rod jumped, grabbing a smaller demon around the neck and ripping its head from side to side before he’d even hit the ground. The demon didn’t have a chance with the weight and strength tearing at it. “Order them back!”
A strange, wet sort of cackle filled the air. “Order who back?”
The raspy voice belonged to a demon standing in front of the portal, massive and grotesque, its burned limbs covered in sores oozing pus or slime.
Cole finished with a demon and roared his victory. Macy and Yasmine ended one together before falling in beside Devon. The field slowed of activity. Reagan stood in front of the last demon standing.
“Hello, gorgeous,” she said, acid dripping from her voice. She cocked her head. “You know I’m being ironic, right? You’re one of the ugliest I’ve seen to date, and that’s saying something.”
“What?” The demon cocked its head to match her.
“Get it out of the way. We need to get through,” Devon commanded.
“I don’t think that’s wise,” Charity said. Reagan glanced back, her brow lowered, and determination flared in her eyes that Devon felt down to his core. He didn’t know why she would have a vested interest in helping them—maybe she was just the sort of person who devoted herself to whatever cause she’d chosen—but whatever her motivation, he was grateful she was on their team.