Karl stared up at me, despair in his eyes. I thought he was going to do just that: give in, hand over ‘the human’ and cut his losses. He lay in a pile of blackened gore, torn by dozens of demonic wounds. Even with the healing ability given to him by the subspace, this had to be hurting him. It was an unpleasant experience to be sure.
“We’ll fight on the leaderboards,” I added, giving him an out with some dignity. “The way true demons should. There’s no reason for us to scrap like this, Karl. Let’s both do our best, and show the Academy who is the better demon.”
His eyes narrowed at the assumed insult. “You think because Lucifer gave you a pat on the head and a demon girl to fuck, you’re a match for me? You don’t deserve to be the Archlord, Luke. This Academy will eat you alive!”
“Then why don’t you let it?” I countered, spreading my arms. “You’re losing, Karl. I know I can’t kill you, but every death makes you look a little weaker. You want the rest of the school to know you couldn’t take down a single human in a realm where you make the rules?”
“Fuck you,” Karl spat.
I kicked him in the chest, my face contorted in a snarl. “Give me Maddie!”
Karl rocked back on his elbows, sizing me up. “Fucking humans,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Too distracted by the girl on the end of your dick to see the big picture. You care more about that mewling twat then you do Lucifer’s favor—”
My knee came down on his throat. With considerable surprise, I realized I could just pin him like this—he wouldn’t be able to rise. I’d weakened him enough to keep him down on the ground while Mareth, Oni, and Christina hunted for Maddie.
“I give a fuck about what’s mine,” I growled, twisting my knee a bit. “Lucifer understands that, asshole. That’s why he chose me in the first place…”
A rumble carried down the third branch of the hallway. Unlike Christina and Mareth, I hadn’t heard a word yet from Oni. When he finally spoke, my heart leapt into my throat.
“Master! I have found your little human!”
“Maddie,” I gasped, half-rising into a crouch. “Get her to the exit—”
A fist slammed into my face. Karl used my moment of surprise to shift his weight beneath me, freeing his throat. I fell to the side, the smooth stones of the sewer smacking me between the shoulder blades.
Fuck! That hurt!
“Sorry, Luke,” Karl growled, rising to his feet beside me. He moved unsteadily, as if I’d beaten his sense of balance right out of him. He took a staggering step away, then another, grasping out for the wall to remain upright. “Can’t let you have that girl. I might not be able to hang your head over my mantle today, that’s for damn sure, but I can bag me a cute little human instead…”
No!
Karl reached out, the air between his outstretched palms shimmering. Whatever magic he’d charged up, he was going to tear Maddie to pieces, the same way all those demons who’d tried to get into my trunk had wanted to do. The sound of footsteps thudded through the corridor as Oni charged into the intersection, Maddie cradled like a baby in his massive arms.
“Oni!” I roared, springing to my feet in a surge of strength. “Look out!”
Lightning flashed from Karl’s fingers. I slammed into him a moment later, knocking him off his feet, but the damage was done. Oni had rounded the corner and walked right into Karl’s spell.
The world slowed down as I raced across the stones, stepping over the channel in the center of the floor. Smoke rose from Oni’s clothing, obscuring my view of Maddie. Was she hurt? Had she been burnt to a crisp?
As I approached, I realized the runes on Oni’s arms had begun to glow. It was those symbols the lightning had struck, leaving deep welts across the massive demon’s skin. But Maddie, tucked in between his arms, had been unhurt. Though Oni looked like he’d spent a few too many hours in a tanning bed.
“Holy shit, Oni, thank you,” I gasped.
“No thanks are necessary, Master,” the big man rumbled. “I merely protected what was yours.”
On cue, Christina and Mareth emerged from their respective paths. Christina’s face lit up at the sight of Maddie, and tears spilled down Mareth’s crimson cheeks. We’d done it. Maddie was free. All we had to do was get out of here, and the fight was won.
“Thank fuck,” Christina growled, brushing a touseled lock of Maddie’s hair away from her forehead. The poor waitress had her face buried in Oni’s chest, clinging to him like a piece of driftwood after a shipwreck. I couldn’t blame her—none of this likely made the slightest bit of sense to the poor girl. She must have felt like she’d been dropped into...well, into Hell.
Our reunion was cut short by the sound of cackling, maniacal laughter.
Karl stood at the end of the hallway, drawing power around himself. “Well done,” the demon growled, grasping hold of the nearest wall. “But none of you are leaving. I’m not finished playing with you yet!”
Shit, I thought. He’s back up. Again.
“Oni, sprint for the exit!” I clapped the hulking demon on the shoulder, like someone ordering a horse to gallop. “Get Maddie out of here. Christina, Mareth—you cover him. I’ll take the rear and hold Karl back. I’ve already proven I can kill him as many times as I have to…”
“Um, Master?” Oni’s voice came from somewhere behind me. “I do
