“I think is tongue needs glasses.”
“Gabs!”
“We are way too calm, Ray. It’s not normal.”
“What happened to your epiphany of cooler heads prevail? Light to battle dark. Isn’t that what Capiria taught us? And what better light than laughter? It’s balm for the soul.” Raven smirked at her best friend, advancing with her at her side, and the blade tight in her hand.
“You should listen to your friend. You think you have me beat, but I am demon and you are nothing.”
Raven shook her head. “Yet he was blinded by the light. Took off like a shot, another runner in the night.” Her voice was singsong, playing on classic seventies lyrics to make a point. “Given the chance, you’d be off in a shot, Thazos, a runner in the night. Like all bullies, demons are cowards at heart. Feeding off fear and intimidation to puff themselves up.”
“You felt fear. I tasted it coursing through your body. Trying to stem your mate’s lifeblood with your hands.” The demon grinned a little too wide. “Feeling his heart strain with every beat.”
“He’s baiting you again, Ray. Don’t fall for it.”
“No need. I can hear Aiden in my head. He’s weak, but he’s alive. Capiria and Tanya stopped the bleeding long enough for him to shift. They used their own energy, so they’re just as weak, which means you and I are all we’ve got in this fight. The wolves can divert, but even blind, this demon is too much of a threat if it gets its hands on them.”
Gabby snorted. “Or us.”
“Amen, cher.”
“Whisper, whisper. I can hear everything you say, little angel. I know your thoughts and I know your fears. I always have.”
Raven laughed at him, and the demon’s face contorted. “You think this a joke?”
“You think you know me? My aunt sold you a line of garbage decades ago. She didn’t know me at all, and neither do you.”
It roared, spinning with its arms out in a whirlwind of flames. “Angelis Gloriana, you are mine…MINE!”
“Is it having a tantrum?”
“Sure looks that way.”
Gabrielle lifted both hands, creating a vortex around the demon to suck the air from the fire. No air. No flame.
“Think we should give it a time out?”
Raven nodded. “Now would be the perfect time.”
Gabrielle swung one hand up, bringing it down in a hammerfist to the bare earth. The vortex dropped, but the ground shook, cracking in narrow crevices. The wolves circled, snapping and growling, pushing the demon farther onto unstable ground.
“Again, Gabs. One more should do it.”
She brought her fist down again, only this time Ray funneled energy from everywhere and everything into the strike.
The earth groaned, splitting into a chasm deep enough to see hellfire. Molten rock flowed, sending sparks and ash into the air.
“NO!” The demon lurched, the energy around him ebbing as the ground’s edges crumbled.
Raven didn’t wait. Whirling, she hurled the celestial steel, grip over blade, impaling the dagger hilt deep in the demon’s chest. Thazos keened, clawing at the blade, but it was too late.
Angel fire burned, spreading from the point of impact to incinerate black flesh and oozing blood. Thazos crumpled to the ground. The earth groaned again, belching smoke and ash before collapsing beneath the demon, plunging it to the inferno below.
Gabrielle held her arms wide, holding the pit open for another moment before bringing hands together with a loud clap. The ground sealed immediately, no scars or fissures on the quiet earth. The only remnants were smoke and steam, dissipating quickly into the night air.
Chapter Fourteen
Raven and Gabrielle both turned to race back to the milking shed. Aiden sat naked on the ground, propped against the shed. He was pale, but alive.
“The minute we get back to the townhouse, I’ll finish your healing.” Raven turned to both Capiria and Tanya. The two looked drained, but satisfied. “Thank you for saving his life.”
“You would have done the same for me, babe,” Tanya nodded, giving Ray a quick peck. “Jared’s coming. I just want to get home with him.”
Raven nodded. “Me, too.” She held a hand out for Capiria, sitting on an old barrel. “I don’t know what we would’ve done if you hadn’t come when Laura called. This war would’ve gone the other way, I think.”
The old witch chuckled tiredly. “Like I said. Don’t think, DO. You’ve spent too much of your life thinking and reasoning, but tonight you acted on instinct.” She looked at Gabrielle and held her hand out, bringing both women together. “You two are the perfect foil to each other. Whatever the fates thought, bringing you together as friends, and then bringing you together with your respective wolves, they certainly knew what they were doing. Don’t think so much, Raven…and you,” Capiria squeezed Gabby’s hand, “don’t do so much without thinking. You need to take care of my grandbaby.”
Gabby looked at the pronounced lines in the old witch’s face. “You sound like you’re going somewhere.”
She let go of their hands and then touched a finger to her nose. “I have to go back to the Motherhouse. I need to try to get them to change, while I still have the strength. But don’t think you’re getting rid of me that easily. You both and Tanya have so much more to learn, and I’m not going anywhere until that job is done.”
Gabby’s hand went to her belly. “What about helping teach this one?”
Capiria’s hand covered Gabrielle’s and she whispered something softly. Peace washed over them all, and the baby fluttered inside. “I’ll be here for our little one, too.”
Raven bent to help Aiden to his feet. “Gabby,
