chosen to conjure a demon. He tossed the amulet to the ground.
“Thrice around the circle’s bound
Sink all evil to the ground!”
He drew three circles around the amulet with his Athame and began pouring his power into it, hoping it would be enough to hold whatever would come through the slowly building gate.
Lana couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. “He’s summoning a fucking demon.” She turned to the Becketts. “Is that fucking legal?”
“No.” Edward Beckett stood, glaring at the Arbiter. “Open the damn shield.”
The Arbiter grimaced, his hands waving. “I can’t. I’m being blocked.”
A low growl sounded from behind her. She turned to see Daniel, eyes glowing eerily, staring at the Godwin family across the barrier. Next to him his father, Edward Beckett, was beginning to remove his clothing. “Oh boy.” She couldn’t even appreciate the view of the male Becketts disrobing. Chris was in danger, and it was all she could focus on.
When Zach pulled her away from the Becketts she went willingly, especially since he was dragging her towards the barrier.
Cole grinned at Christopher. He pricked his finger with his burning Athame and allowed three drops to land in the dirt inside the reddish gold circlet.
“Bound by blood, obey my call
Holding demon’s might in thrall.”
And where was the Arbiter? Once Cole began conjuring a demon he should have taken down the shield and declared the duel null and void, since it was obvious Cole was cheating. No outside help was supposed to enter the circle. Only elemental spells were allowed, and not even summoning spells. No salamanders, no water sprites, none of them should be able to enter the circle. And how the fuck was he doing this, anyway?
Christopher could feel the tendrils of the summoning sinking into the earth, seeking to pull something twisted and dark into their realm.
He had to stop this before Cole finished his chant, or he wouldn’t be the only one to suffer. No demon would want to stop with just Christopher’s blood. It would want the entire family.
He pulled out the stick figure and the black ribbon, ignoring the vicious pain stabbing into him. It pulsed in time with the tendrils of the conjuring circle, scaring the crap out of him. He’d been injured by demonic magic. That meant it would take one hell of a spell to heal him completely, or he’d be in agony for the rest of his life. He stood, determined that once and for all Cole would never harm another being. He strode over to Cole’s conjuring circle and dipped the stick figure in the drop of blood. “Big mistake Cole. Huge.”
Cole licked his lips nervously. Christopher ignored the warlock and began to bind the stick figure with the black ribbon.
Cole continued his chant, his expression full of panicky determination.
“By the Compact take your toll
Feast upon this gifted soul.”
Cole pulled out his own doll. There, tied to its middle, was a small piece of fur.
Wolf fur.
Lana ignored the two wolves streaking past her. “Concentrate on the barrier. We have to take it down, have to get to Chris.”
“Right.” Zach took a deep breath and placed his palm against the barrier. “I have to figure out how it was cast. I… I have to find the grounding.”
Lana grabbed him. “Stop thinking like a wizard and start thinking like a witch!”
He turned to her, his eyes blank from shock. “Think like a witch.” He blinked, his eyes refocusing, his gaze centering on the shield. His expression became cold and certain.
“No. Not wizard, not witch.” He stepped back and raised his arms. Power arched between his hands, glowing above him, clean and pure, a powerful counterpoint to the rancid energies behind the barrier. “Me.”
Lana felt her jaw hit the floor as that pure white light blasted into the barrier.
This family was just
Christopher watched the swirling green and black mist widen in the golden circlet, a dark evil presence making itself felt in his very bones.
“I bind thee three times three.”
He wound the ribbon again.
“By this charm do no more harm.”
He wrapped the ribbon one last time, making sure to touch the tiny spot of Cole’s blood on the top of the figure.
“I bind you, Cole, your blood, your soul!”
But he was too late. Before he could tie off the ends of the ribbon and finish the spell, Cole screamed the last bit of
“By your oath you will obey.
Demon come forth and claim your prey!”
But Christopher didn’t stop. He couldn’t. If that
“By air and earth, water and fire
So be you bound with no more power.
Lord and Lady, hear my plea.
As I will so mote it be!”
Christopher tossed the Cole doll into the widening demonic circle and prayed.
The sudden silence was deafening. “No.” Cole’s horrified whisper matched his expression. The doll slowly sank into the inky darkness. “What have you done?”
“Oh shit.” Zach’s face clenched in pain, his hands closing. He pulled the power back into himself. The barrier was still intact, but there were signs of his assault. Some of the protection runes had dimmed. “He’s screwed.”
Lana turned and saw Christopher toss the doll into the black maw at his feet. She felt her heart stop beating. “Chris.” She dropped to her knees. She couldn’t lose him. How could she lose him? She’d just found him.
Cole’s last word trailed off into a terrified scream. A dark, inhuman arm appeared out of the hole, grasping Cole’s ankle in a blackened grip. Cole gasped, his eyes going wide, his face strangely blanked.
Then the arm
Cole didn’t move. Christopher knelt down and checked his pulse.
Cole’s body was burning cold. Christopher lifted his hand away rapidly, blowing on the tips of his fingers. He wasn’t certain but he might have left some flesh behind. He looked towards the Arbiter, who stood there in visible
