I went down under his assault, though my wards kepthim from touching me.
He screamed in rage as the sigil burned into hischest, binding his arms to his sides and snaping his legs together.
I scrambled out from under the demon prince, and he crashedto the ground. Not wasting time to gloat, I sank my knife into his back. Lott'sscream turned to one of agony. The knife superheated and I jerked my hand away,burned, but nothing like the blackness that spread from the blade through Lott'sbody.
The demon struggled, pulling on his power, trying tocombat what I'd done to him. There was a very real chance he was going to win,and I backed away, wracking my brain for what else I could do. At the veryleast I could banish him which would probably give me about five minutes sinceI was in his realm, and then I was likely very dead.
Mayhem, fully charged, roared out hellfire onto thefallen prince.
I clapped my hands over my ears, certain they were bleeding,as Lott screamed out his last agonized screams and fell silent.
Hands grabbed me. "I told you to summon me, abysstake you," Ezra snarled. "I would have helped." I felt him jerkme away from that cave.
I couldn't control my trembling and curled into Ezra'sarms. "I wasn't sure you would let me kill him."
"Of course, I would have let you kill him, youfool." He kissed my cheek and held me while I regained control of myself.
Mayhem nuzzled my hand and I pet him.
"You're a good boy, Mayhem. A very good boy,"I managed to get out.
He made that weird almost purr sound I'd heard himmake before and leaned into my touch.
"Wait, how are you here now? I didn't call you."
"You killed Lott. It's not his domain anymore soI can get in. I've currently got my demons taking over so we can claim histerritory. All together a good thing, though I'm sure it will make some of theothers uneasy."
"Fuck them."
Ezra didn't reply but he didn't feel overly concerned."Are you okay?"
"I don't know." I couldn't even process whathad just happened yet. It was going to take some time. I'd done something I'dnever thought I'd get a chance to accomplish, gotten revenge for my family.That felt good.
"How did he manage to kill your parents?"
"I believe he's the demon Nicki and them managedto summon. He got away." A thought occurred to me. "Or he was sentafter me. Guess he killed Tif in the process, or maybe they sacrificed her, Idon't actually know. I wouldn't put it past them at this point. I'd managed toget him trapped in the basement after he came after me and had gone to get Dariusfor backup. My parents stumbled, literally, across my circle. I got back justin time to hear them scream." I shuddered at the memories. "Dariusand I managed to banish him, but it was a close thing. That's when I quit."
Ezra kissed me again and I leaned into his warmth.
I finally managed to stop shaking and looked around. "Uh,Ezra, where are we?"
"I don't know," he answered. "I gotpulled off course when I tried to take us home."
"You didn't think to mention this sooner? Seemskind of important." I scrambled to my feet.
"You needed a minute."
"Yeah, but I can have a breakdown later if we'reabout to get our asses handed to us again."
"We're alone, or I would have said something."Ezra stood next to me and we looked around. There was nothing here. It wasn'tquite like the weird blank space that Ezra occasionally took me to. This wasmore like an endless plain of grasses, a gray sky, and not much else. No windmoved. No sounds other than the ones we made reached my ears. So very alone.
"This isn't like purgatory, is it?"
"No. Though it's similar from all accounts. We'restill in Hell, I'm just not familiar with this portion of it."
I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. "Careto get us out of here?"
"Working on it." Now Ezra sounded concerned.
"I think you'll find that most impossible, PrinceEzra." A man walked toward us out of the nothing. He was an overallaverage looking person, olive toned skin, brown hair, average features, nothingdemonic about him, at all. He wore a tweed suit and carried a cane. I had noidea where he'd come from, but he was most assuredly there, now.
Mayhem growled and Ezra cursed softly as he stepped infront of me.
Know who that is, mate?
"Of course, he knows who I am, exorcist. I amMammon, a rival, if you will, to the one who's mark you bear. You killed myprince. Both of these is what makes us enemies." He grinned, as if thiswere the happiest day in the world.
He certainly didn't look like a terrible demon...whateverwas higher than a prince here, but he scared the crap out of me far more thanLucifer had.
"It is remotely possible that you will walk awayfrom this confrontation today," he continued. "If such a thingoccurs, remember, I am coming for you. If you let me kill you now then I'll letEzra go."
I stared at him from behind Ezra, not quite sure whatto say to that. As I'd said before, when in duress, resort to sarcasm.
"Shit deal, mate. Think I'll pass."
"Very well." He swiped his arm, as ifswatting at a gnat. Ezra yelped and flew through the air, landing hard. Herolled, got to his feet, and flung black, crackling energy at Mammon. The demoncaught the energy on a shield, staggering back before flinging it toward me. Idove out of the way, certain I did not want anything to do with that spell. Itcharred the ground where I'd stood.
Before Ezra could attack again, the ground around Ezraerupted with a shower of dirt, tentacles waving around and reaching for myprince.
Ezra scrambled out of the way, blasting the tentaclesand destroying them. Mammon sent another spell toward Ezra, and my demonmanaged to block it. I could feel how heavily he drew on his own powers. Shit.Ezra was good, but Mammon was leagues above my demon. I needed to help.
It was abundantly clear Ezra wasn't going to be ableto fight Mammon for me and I
