Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“So very, very unadvisable,” Naomi agreed, her lips curving.
The expressions on the intruders’ faces darkened. They angled their bodies in a way that enabled them to keep an eye on both her and the newcomers, aiming to appear unfazed. But she could see that their confidence had taken a blow.
Of course it had.
All the demons held a ball of shimmering hellfire in their hand, making it clear that they were up for a battle.
Bushy Brows looked at her. “So this is how you defeated our brethren. You had others aid you. If you think such backup will make us leave, you are wrong. This time, you are outnumbered.” He raised his sword, his jaw firming. “We will kill them, just as we will kill you.”
Naomi smiled while her demon snorted. “What a wishful thinker. It’s kind of cute.” She called on the power bubbling within her, feeling her smile fade as predatory determination poured through her system. “You shouldn’t have come here, but I’m rather glad you did.” Her power rushed out in a torrent of fire that lit her up from head to toe.
Shock gracing the clerics’ faces. Some eased back while others threw up their hands to shield their eyes from the radiance of the flames.
Bushy Brows gaped at her. “Merciful God,” he breathed.
“Yeah, I don’t think he’ll be coming to save you.” She paused. “Catch.” She hurled a fiery serpent right at him.
Cursing, he raised his sword high and sliced at the snake, but the blade passed harmlessly through it. And then the serpent was on him, sinking its fangs in with a hiss.
Her entity let out a little cackle.
The demons across the room acted fast, pitching orbs of hellfire at the Eliouds.
Some clerics ducked. Some darted to the side, crashing into their brothers or the wall. The others jerked as the orbs hit home, burning their clothes and scorching the skin beneath.
To their credit, all but Bushy Brows recovered quickly. Chanting sounded as magick came rushing out of the clerics—some glowing streams heading for Naomi, some aiming for the other demons.
Naomi struck with a thin blade of red-violet fire, slicing through one, two, three streams.
But she missed the fourth.
It rammed into her hard enough to knock her back a step, electrifying her nerve endings. Motherfucking ow.
Her fellow demons took their own lumps but retaliated fast. Ciaran slammed three clerics with telekinetic power, sending them flying backwards. Khloë let out a spray of electric-blue fire bullets, making two clerics drop to the floor. Tobe lashed out with psychic hits that flattened another two. Jolene, Beck, Tia, and Alfie lobbed a series of crackling orbs at the others—all the clerics staggered backwards, crying out in pain.
Adrenaline pumping in her blood, Naomi joined Ciaran in porting behind people to snap their necks. Boring, yes, but they wanted the fight over with quickly so they could focus on what was important: getting answers from the last Elioud standing. Even as her demon understood, it was supremely disappointed that it wasn’t a bloodier scene.
Just as she dropped a dead body, another cleric settled his glower on her, held his sword high above his head, and yelled some sort of war cry. “Kill the whore!” he ordered.
His brothers echoed his cry, raising their weapons, and then they all charged at her.
Laughing, Naomi ’ported to another spot and watched them skid to a halt, snapping their heads around as they searched for her. The other demons in the room took advantage, striking at the clerics, forcing them to divide their attention yet again.
It was a messy battle. Flaming orbs and electric-fire bullets whooshed across the room. Streams of pure-white magick and red-violet flames flew back and forth. Telekinetic waves rippled through the air, hitting their targets like a train. The faint zaps of psychic hits could be heard among the cries, curses, and roars.
The Eliouds were pitiless in their attack. When they weren’t launching magick, they were aiming to slash and stab people with their swords. None scored hits on Naomi this time, but she didn’t know if she could say the same for those in her lair.
As for the damage? Portraits hit the floor. Glass smashed. Splinters came off the wooden furniture. Stray hellfire collided with the walls, leaving scorch marks.
Wonderful.
Clerics flinched. Screamed. Fell. Dropped swords. Eyed their injuries in horror. Literally burned alive as her acidic fire ate at them.
Sensing movement, Naomi turned.
But not fast enough.
A sword slashed her arm, causing a blazing fiery pain—fucking ouch—to race down it. More, she had the same sensation as last time: a sliver of something malevolent creeping inside her.
“Fucker,” she spat, even as her inner fire rose up to incinerate the sliver and heal her wound.
Baby Face’s brow creased in confusion as her flesh reknitted. Confusion that was swiftly chased away by a fanatical hatred. “Die!”