What were we going to do? The wolves had no advantage against this kind of enemy and my potions were only pissing it off.
Instead of attacking, the wolves hung back, containing the demon in their circle, dodging and lunging to keep it corralled. But they couldn’t hold that for long.
Cosette slipped around the wolves to get to me. “How many vials can you throw at once?”
I reached into my messenger bag and grabbed as many as I could. “Six. What are you thinking?”
“Blast it with everything you’ve got. If that’s not enough, step aside and let it charge me.”
“What? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“Why? You think my life is in danger?” She asked like we were at a freaking tea party.
“Are you insane? If we don’t fight back we’re both dying here.”
“That’s what I thought.” Now she grinned and the expression had more than a little bloodlust. She might be having a moment, but I didn’t have time play games.
The Weres were circling. The demon hissed and tried to dart between them, but the wolves closed ranks, slashing at it.
“Will that work?”
“I’ve never fought a demon before, but I’m perfectly able to defend my life.” She shrugged. “Plus your potions might fry the thing. Either way, it’ll come after the magic.”
It was worth a try. Killing this bastard without getting blood on us was going to be hard. Especially for the wolves. They used their teeth and claws. Not exactly from-a-distance type weapons. Plus, I’d seen Cosette fight.
“On three,” she said. “One. Two. Three.”
I threw six vials, and invoked them. As they activated, the blast knocked me back. Heat licked along my skin, but the demon kept on screeching. When the smoke cleared it was lunging for us.
“Move!” Cosette ordered the wolves, and they parted.
There was a cracking noise like a falling snow globe and then Cosette was holding a sword that came from nowhere.
The demon thrashed around, moving too fast for her to strike. She kept pace, dodging and lunging, but the effects of the potions were wearing off. The liquid boiled off its skin in a cloud of steam. Cosette either had to kill the thing or get away before she got hit.
It moved too fast. If we could just slow it down—
I sucked in a breath. Maybe I could do better than slowing it down.
I could freeze it.
I focused on my magic. I’d learned that believing the spell would work was half the battle, so I put all my will and faith in to one word. “Stop!” The demon froze. Not for long, but a split second was all Cosette needed. She swung her sword in one smooth motion, and the demon’s head separated from its body.
It unfroze as the head fell. Its mouth opened, and let out an ear-burning cry. The thing was still yelling as a hole opened in the dirt. A ray of black and gold light exploded from the ground, wrapping the demon and sucking it down. Its scream didn’t end until the earth snapped closed again.
It was so quiet I could hear my heart pounding in my ears.
“Holy shit. What was that?” It had happened so fast, I almost thought I was dreaming.
“That was hell.” Cosette poked the scorched ground with her toe. “Somewhere I hope none of us visit.” Her sword was had disappeared, but a faint glow still lingered under her skin.
I staggered back from where the demon had fallen. Only the burned ground and persisting scent of sulfur said anything had happened.
A car honked, and we all jumped.
Fuck. Officer Johnson was still in the cop car. I could smell his panic and fear from here.
“What do we do now?” I said. “We’ve got a compound full of dead bodies, five of them cops.” I had zero clue how to handle this situation.