The less people in direct contact with the incarnate, the less chance for mistakes. And by mistakes, they meant glamouring. Not that it would work on paranormals, but Evie wasn’t an active paranormal, so they weren’t about to take a chance with Luke’s baby sister.
Raven stepped to the cell perimeter, flanked by Tanya and her mother, Laura. Avery stayed back with Capiria for backup.
The demon’s goat-slit eyes narrowed as he looked at Tanya, and then it smiled. The grin wasn’t grotesque. In fact, the demon as it stood inside the cell wasn’t that monstrous to behold.
It wasn’t the bat-faced, winged-serpentine beast described in the theological texts. It was bat-like in that its scales were fuzzy. Of course, the salt crystals from Gabrielle’s mini tidal wave had come off in the lake. In fact, its downy fuzz looked rather clean and fluffed, as if freshly washed.
Creepy red, horizontal pupils aside, and the split spin humps behind each shoulder, it wasn’t ugly. Its face was kind of like a cross between a French bulldog and a Boston Terrier.
The demon turned, and its eyes gave Gabrielle a once over. “So the mama-to-be thinks I look like some kind of pet. Care to give me a stroke, then?” It grinned, showing rows of sharp teeth.
Gabby took a step forward. “Pet? Try a freak show or crypto-zoo, you jerk!”
“What is your name, demon?” Raven asked.
It crossed one foot over the other and then sat crisscross on the floor, its movement elastic, like it had no bones. Still, it didn’t answer.
“I have no real need of your name, demon. You’re already our captive, and since we have no intention of having you do our bidding, knowing your name is merely a matter of formality.”
“You don’t know me, but I know you Raven Montgomery, and your blood witch and I have already met.” It slid its gaze to Jared flanking Tanya’s hip. “Nice to see you again, wolf. The last time you were but a breath away from heaven’s gate.”
Jared’s jaw tightened. “A place you’ll never see.”
The demon laughed again. “Ah, but I have. Millenniums ago. Before I chose to fall.”
Raven narrowed her gaze at him. “Your accent. Is it Enochian?”
The demon inclined its head. “Very good, Dr. Montgomery. Your degrees do you justice, or perhaps it’s just your Akashic memory.”
“Her ak-ass what?” Gabrielle asked.
“Akashic memory, Gabs. It’s a theory that there’s a field of collective knowledge that can be accessed by those with an innate ability, like an angel or one of their descendants. It allows access to all things past, present and future. That the goddess Akasha is present in all things, especially the soul, otherwise known as unbeingness, and in all energy.”
“Perhaps you should speak plainly, doctor. Methinks your cohorts have been left blinking, and will bleed from the ears soon.” The demon stretched out, leaning back on its elbows.
A mini bolt of lightning zapped its nether regions, and it yelped so loud it cracked one of the egress windows. Jumping up, it cupped its balls as it hopped around the cell.
Luke held up one hand for a high five, and Gabby met it with a quick slap. “That’s for the cohort masses, demon boy. Next time, I’ll fry them.”
Raven pressed her lips together, but didn’t laugh. “Okay, then. Now that we’ve reestablished who’s in charge, maybe you’ll give us your name. I can always go dumpster diving in your head and pull it out, but it’ll be so much better for you if I don’t.”
“Or my coven sisters and I can drain your energy until you’re a breath away from whatever gate demons hope for at the end, then Raven can crack open your skull and walk around at leisure.” Tanya took a step forward, motioning to Laura, Avery and Capria, as well.
The demon’s face blanched, and it backed away from the edge of its cell. “Asmodos.”
The blood witches stopped their advance and looked at Raven. “I think you can take it from here, sweetheart,” Laura winked, “but we’re going to stay front and center just in case our friend forgets is manners.”
“You okay, babe?’ Aiden asked. “My sentinels are at the ready, as well.”
Raven nodded, keeping a finger over one lip as she paced. “If you truly are Asmodos, then I’ve read about you in the Ars Goetia.”
The demon seemed genuinely impressed. “The grimoire known as the Lesser key of Solomon. Again, kudos, Doctor.”
Stunned, Alain stepped to Raven’s side. “Only a handful of people know about those books. The Sentinel archive hosts one of only a few original copies. It’s from that Grimoire we coined the name for incarnate spawn.”
“Lesser demons,” Raven replied.
Alain nodded, but the demon growled before he could answer. “You mean the progeny you murdered. And you have the gall to stand in judgment over me and my crimes.”
The demon stepped to the edge of its cell, but the blood witches did the same, and it retreated.
“And what of the countless human women you violated, and then left to die birthing your spawn?” Raven lifted her chin. “You, demon, killed for sport. Bred for sport. What we did was done for self-preservation. Therein lies the difference.”
“Absofuckingly!” Jared chimed in. “Like what you did to that poor teenager at the campsite that night, or how you plucked Tanya’s image from my head, and then turned your beady red eyes on her!”
Aiden howled, reigning everyone in. “Stay on task, people. Daylight is burning.”
“I’m bored with this conversation. I am Asmodos, with governance over the seven deadly sins, though lust and wrath are my personal favorites.” It grinned, but then waved a dismissive
