“It’s my home too, no matter how fucked up that is,” I yelled. “I’m not asking for hand holding, but what the fuck does she expect, me to sacrifice myself for them?!”
“I don’t fucking know either, Harlow!” he said, throwing his hands up in frustration.
“Okay, take a breath,” Crew said as he stepped between us.
“Where are we?” Hiro asked.
“Um, so something threw open a portal to Helheim, demons have taken over Dark Haven, and we’re safe here... for now,” I summarized.
“Hiro, I need you,” Drake said. “Show it to him, Harlow.”
“This was a gift from Hel,” I said as I held up the dagger. Hiro’s eyes widened in awe.
“Is that a piece of her sword?” he asked. Despite being terrified, it was like he was grasping onto something familiar to hold his sanity together. “If so, it produces hellfire and is the only material that can successfully kill a demon.”
“That’s what I thought. I can’t touch it, but now she can keep the demons at bay, especially if we’re going to the roof.”
“What’s on the roof?” Hiro asked.
“Gargoyles, and apparently, I’m the only one who can wield this and wake them. Though heaven fucking forbid someone tell me how.”
“Do you even know how to fight?” Hiro asked with a wince.
“With daggers? Definitely not.” I laughed. “Aim for the heart and stab?”
“It’ll likely do most of the work for you,” Drake offered. “We should go before sundown.”
“So now,” I deadpanned, pointing to the windows where the sun was already falling behind the horizon.
“Yes,” he said. “Get ready, Harlow. It’s your time to shine. Pretend they’re your bitch of a grandmother.” In his own twisted way, Drake knew just what to say to get through my panic.
“Done,” I said, clutching the dagger in my hand as I walked to the door. Drake let his human facade fade and his demon took over.
“Hiro, you should stay here,” Drake warned. The poor guy just nodded as he gaped up at Drake’s horns and demon form. He’d likely read about it from Roman who’d witnessed it, but this was clearly his first time coming face to face with him.
“Holy shit, is it wrong to call you Daddy Drake now?” he breathed out. He’d lost his filter in the shock of it all.
Drake walked over and leaned down, brushing his lips over Hiro’s. “Stay safe here and you can call me whatever you want.” It was a bold move considering how they’d been with each other and I made a mental note to ask just what happened in that basement.
Fuck, they were hot together. And to my surprise, I didn’t even feel a hint of jealousy at the sight. What they were building didn’t take anything away from what we were. And I definitely hoped to fuck them both together from time to time.
“Snap out of it, you’re drooling,” Layne called out before she threw her arms around me. “Don’t die.”
“I’ll try not to,” I promised as Drake pulled me from the room.
Outside of our makeshift bunker, energy buzzed in the air. It felt similar to the other times I’d encountered the stone gargoyles but more intense, as if they were fighting to break free from their cement prisons. It was mixed with that cold heaviness that surrounded the demons. It was an unnerving mix and had every hair on my body standing on end.
“Harlow.” My name blew through the hall on a breeze and Drake looked at me uneasily, hearing it as well.
“We should hurry. The stairs are to the left. Stab anything that gets in your way.” I swallowed hard and nodded, knowing it would be nearly impossible to do when the time came.
The moment we stepped out of the closet, we were met with a wall of demons. Panic froze me to the spot, but Drake wasn’t so hesitant.
“Fight!” he ordered me as he shoved his hands out, the shadows surging from them, knocking them back a few feet. It wasn’t until one got up and lunged for me that I finally moved on instinct, the dagger meeting his chest and sliding in almost too easily. Blue flames flared to life and consumed him in a raging inferno until all that was left was ash.
“Who else wants to fuck with her?” Drake demanded as the crowd backed off some. One more demon decided he was brave, doing the same. This time, it was easier, and I felt in control for once in my fucking life. Maybe I was meant for this life all along, as a vanquisher of demons and champion for Hel herself.
The dagger slammed into this demon’s face, and in moments, he was nothing but ash on the dingy floors.