Mysteria Nights

others. His commands rang in her mind. Take off your pants and beg me to fuck you in front of him.

Gasping in shame, she shook her head even as her fingers tangled with the top button on her jeans. Fight it, she told herself.

You desire me above all others. You can’t help it.

No! The compulsion to please Nevin warred with her drive not to give in. Crying out, she rolled her fingers into fists.

Nevin howled with irritation. “How do you defy my commands? You are human, weak.” He blinked, sending another wave of persuasion. Undress.

“No.” Her voice sounded guttural and surprisingly strong. How? Residual power? Sheer will?

This crazy town?

Nevin grabbed her wrist, spinning her around. He lifted his hand as if to rip off her blouse but recoiled at the sight of the cross. A shot rang out. The demon staggered backward, roaring in fury as he centered the forgotten Quel in his sights, his eyes glowing fiercely. Although obviously hurting, Quel had staggered to his feet, a pistol in each hand. The weapons and his eyes appeared preternaturally bright against the backdrop of the fountain. Did the demon hunter have powers of his own?

If so, they were not enough to go up against Nevin. The demon hurled another pulse of energy, and Quel staggered backward. Quel uttered a harsh sob and pressed a fist to his forehead. His struggle to fight off the nightmares the demon had implanted in his head tore at her heart. The emotional turmoil a demon could inflict was truly horrible. Another attack of Nevin’s sent Quel plunging to his knees.

“Stop it!” she shouted at the demon.

Nevin sneered, turning back to her. Remove the cross.

“No.”

I will take you, and you will like it. You will cry out in pleasure for him to hear.

“Fuck you, Nevin.”

“Actually, I was hoping you would do that. You were always so good at it.” His arm slid over her shoulders. He kept his chest away from the cross, she noticed. “Down in Hell, you were the butt of all the jokes. The demon who dreamed of being human.” His laugh rang out in the square. “It’s why Master never gave you the rank of high demon lord. He knew he couldn’t trust you. He was right, of course. Look at you: weak, powerless. Pitiful. It seems you finally got your wish.”

She took the cross and plunged it into his chest. It glanced off his ribs but sank deep enough. An unearthly shriek filled her ears. He hurled her to the ground, his hand pressed against the bubbling, ruined flesh.

“Mistake,” he hissed, leveling an arm at Quel. Wave after wave of persuasion and dark energy flew in Quel’s direction until the demon hunter writhed in agony.

“Stop it, Nevin!” Quel was suffering, and she was weeping. She couldn’t bear to watch. Then again, Nevin knew that. He was torturing Quel for her benefit. He’d kill Quel, then her, but before he did, he intended to thoroughly enjoy the moment. With feline delight, he’d toy with his prey.

“Nevin, please.” Choking on a sob, Shay reached for the hem of her blouse and lifted it. “I’ll do it.”

“Pretty water!” From across the square, a little figure in Transformers pajamas appeared. Dread pierced Shay at the sight of Damon Junior toddling toward the fountain, dragging his beloved “binkie” blanket behind him.

Nine

Little Damon stumbled once, landing on his padded bottom before righting himself. The town square looked like a battleground. The babe gave the remains of the subdemons little more than a passing glance. “Bad doggies,” he muttered.

Nevin followed her horrified gaze. His lips slid back over his perfect teeth. It wasn’t a smile as much as it was a snarl. “What is this?”

Pure, cold terror plunged down Shay’s spine and slowed down her racing thoughts. Slowed down everything. Protect the boy. As if she were under water, she was flinging off her heels, tossing the pumps over her head. She was glancing in Quel’s direction, seeing him pushing to his feet with shaking hands, his face pain-ridden but determined. Turning, she ran as Nevin lifted his arm to fire.

“No . . . !” Her voice was deep, drawn-out, as was each long stride that carried her ever so slowly away from Nevin and toward the approaching child.

Her focus had narrowed to one goal: reach the babe before Nevin attacked. “No matter where you run, no matter where you hide, I will find you, and end you. You will never escape your fate.” Even as Lucifer’s awful threat echoed in her mind, she focused outside herself, shoved aside her qualms. She did in fact no longer matter; what happened to her was irrelevant. Instead of the idea being frightening and terrible, it was freeing and wonderful. This was bigger than her, far bigger. Bigger than any of them. This little boy would save the world, and she would save him.

One last straining leap brought her to the boy. Sweeping him off the ground, she whirled, dancing on bare feet as she came face-to-face with Nevin. The demon’s glowing eyes had narrowed, both of his arms rising, weapons to be used on her and the babe.

“Shay,” the child said calmly, patting her arm. “Shay, good.”

She’d already turned away from the imminent threat of Nevin, intending to flee across the square. Caught in the odd time warp of slow motion, she knew what she had to do. Save the boy. At all cost, save him.

“Bad man.” Little Damon peered over her shoulder. His cherub mouth had screwed up into a frown. He pointed a chubby finger in Nevin’s direction. “Bad man!”

Energy crackled, lifting her hair and blowing it in front of her eyes. It gathered strength and released in a resounding boom. Then a shout of outrage and pain came from Nevin’s direction.

Shay turned to see what had happened, shoving tangled curls out of her eyes. Nevin clutched his chest with one hand, his other arm coming back up. Quel had risen to his feet behind him, raising his rifle as if it weighed hundreds of pounds.

Giggling, Little Damon clapped his hands together. “More!” Another pulse of energy lit up the night.

“More!” Lightning arced out from the babe’s outstretched hand. Nevin lurched backward. Quel took aim and fired. The demon’s eyes dimmed and grew bright again, like dying coals.

“Bad man!” Again and again the babe attacked, until Nevin’s last cry drowned in a resounding splash. Then, it was silent, utterly silent.

Shay let out a startled sob. “Good Shay,” she heard the boy soothe as he stroked her cheek. Everything seemed to speed up, the world returning to normal. Nevin was in the fountain, his feet hanging over the edge. Limping, Quel and now the town sheriff ran toward him.

Shouts sounded all around them. Drawn by the commotion, what looked like the entire town converged on the square.

Quel vaulted into the fountain and yanked the demon out of the water. With Quel’s arm locked around Nevin’s elegant neck, he wrenched him backward as Jeanie secured his hands behind his back with handcuffs.

“Damon Junior!”

“Mama!” Little Damon twisted in Shay’s arms, straining to reach Harmony.

Shay was drawn into the family embrace, submitting to the hugs and kisses as the child was lifted from her arms. “He is an amazing boy,” Shay said, breathless. “He saved my life, and Quel’s. He defeated a demon lord. He’s more powerful than we ever imagined.” The estimations of her former master, Lucifer, included.

A familiar, foul odor filled the air. Harmony wrinkled her nose at the dirty diaper. “A shame my heroic son’s superpowers don’t extend any . . . lower.”

They shared a teary laugh. “There’s a lot more to tell you, Harmony,” Shay confessed.

“I know.” The woman’s eyes revealed that she did indeed know. “For now, you belong somewhere