Tilly was on the phone to her granny, who was chanting and praying for them. “Granny says to beware.”
Oh yeah, this creepy feeling she had wasn’t simply her imagination. She gripped her amulet tight and said a brief prayer for safety.
Tilly ended the call and hurried to catch up. “What do you think is happening?”
“I think he’s here.” No need to say who he was. Jessica had her circle of witch friends lending their energy of protection to them, but she didn’t know if it would be enough.
A female cry pierced the air and they looked at one another in growing fear. Sabrina. They hurried down the dirt path, trying not to make any noise, but Jessica figured it didn’t matter how much noise they made as they ran. Both Arand and Hades would know they were here.
Arand tried not to look toward the woods to his left, but he wanted to swear aloud. Sabrina’s friends were close and getting closer by the second. They meant well but would only be two more people he had to protect, making it more difficult for him to battle the god.
He spared a quick glance back toward Sabrina. She wasn’t moving but was still breathing. Barely.
Arand needed to end this. Now.
He raised his sword to engage Hades in battle, but the devil didn’t even move. Instead, the god smiled, calculation in his gaze.
“I think I’ll let you fight the captain of my army in my stead.”
Arand didn’t even blink when Mordecai strode from the woods, sword in hand. He looked the same as he had all those years ago. The same black hair and eyes, same lethal air surrounding him. They’d been friends once. Brothers. Now they were mortal enemies.
Behind him, Sabrina stirred. He prayed she played dead until the battle was done.
“Mordecai.” He inclined his head to his former comrade.
“Arand,” Mordecai returned. There was no emotion in the serpent’s eyes, only deadly intent and determination.
So be it.
Arand raised his sword as Mordecai rushed toward him.
Her chest hurt like a sonofabitch, but at least she was alive. Sabrina couldn’t remember a time in her life when she’d felt worse. Her entire body ached and the scent of scorched flesh and cloth surrounded her.
Metal crashed against metal and the sound struck fear into her heart. Who was Arand fighting? She forced her eyes open and blinked to focus her vision. Her wolf was fighting a man she’d never seen before. He had dark, shoulder-length hair, swarthy skin and was dressed in a black T-shirt, khakis and combat boots. This one wasn’t a demon. He was definitely a skilled warrior.
She wondered who he was, and then she heard Arand call his opponent by name. Mordecai. This was the warrior who’d betrayed them all to join Hades.
And speaking of the devil…
Sabrina turned her head slightly and found the god leaning against a tree watching the fight between the two former friends. She pushed herself upright and looked around for the shogun. Thankfully, it was right beside her. She wrapped her fingers around the weapon and cradled it against her aching chest. Maybe it wouldn’t work against Hades, but it might slow down Mordecai. She’d watch for her chance and take it.
Watching the two men fight was like watching master swordsmen battle. Their movements were fluid, almost like a dance as they weaved and bobbed to avoid being struck before countering with another attack. They jumped and whirled, both silent and utterly deadly, their bodies ultimate fighting machines. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, the only real sign of exertion. She had a feeling they could go on like this for hours, maybe even days.
She steadied herself against the railing post and raised the shotgun. Sabrina wasn’t sure Hades had seen her, but she was keeping one eye on him, not wanting to take any chances. She was ready to dive out of the way if he threw another one of those deadly lightning bolts, or whatever they were, at her. Whether she could get out of the way in time to avoid being hit again was the real question. She prayed she could, but she wasn’t hopeful.
The sound of pounding feet made her stomach drop. Were there more demons? No, it was worse than that. It was her friends and they were walking right into the line of fire. “Go back,” she cried, not caring that it would bring Hades’ attention her way. Better directed toward her than her friends.
Both women took in the scene and bolted off in different directions, taking to the cover of the swamp. And just in time as Hades released another one of those deadly lightning bolts. It hit the ground where her friends had been standing only seconds before, scorching the ground and setting the grass on fire.
“Kill him,” Hades ordered Mordecai. “Kill them both now.”
Arand jumped away from his adversary and blocked Mordecai’s view of her. The tattoo on his back stared at her, the wolf’s face solemn. The beast’s expression was one of determination. Her own back itched where her tattoo rested. She would stand by her wolf and fight to the bitter end. She only prayed her friends would survive the coming onslaught. The thought of their deaths being on her was more than she could bear.
“Now!” Hades yelled, his patience obviously at an end.
Mordecai stalked toward them, death on two feet. Sabrina looked at his face and then wished she hadn’t. His eyes were empty. Every muscle in his body tensed for the coming blow.
In front of her, Arand tensed, ready to kill his former friend to protect her. But could he defend them against the might of both Mordecai and Hades? For Sabrina had no doubt the devil would not allow them to live.
She’d thought a lot about that, and it made sense for Hades to kill the warriors if they wouldn’t join him. They were powerful in their own right. Honorable too. Hades couldn’t risk them trying to save mankind, to counter his attempt at taking over the world. If they weren’t on his side, they were powerful enemies, especially considering Hades’ history with the Lady of the Beasts.
A few feet from them, Mordecai raised his sword. He opened his mouth and the battle roar that came out of him was unlike anything she’d ever heard before, somewhere between the cry of a hawk and the roar of a lion.
Heart pounding, she raised her shotgun, ready to defend them against attack. Arand was steady as a rock in front of her, the muscles in his arms and back rippling in preparation.
In a move so fast it was a blur, Mordecai spun and released his sword. The deadly blade flew through the air like an arrow and slammed into Hades’ upper chest, just below his shoulder. The god yelled and threw a deadly bolt of power winging toward where they all stood. Unlike the one that had hit her, which was little more than a spark, this one looked like an actual bolt of lightning.
Mordecai jumped and rolled to the side. Arand did the same, taking her down as he flew through the air. He rolled, protecting her head as he kept them moving until they came up solid against the side of the house.
“Are you okay?” Arand demanded.
She was shaking all over and not quite sure she could stand, but she was alive. “I think so. What just happened?”
“I don’t know.” Arand’s grim pronouncement made her heart race faster. “Stay down.”
He raised his head and she turned hers so she could see between the slats in the porch railing. Mordecai was trying to move toward Hades, but the god shot one of those deadly lightning bolts at Mordecai and he flew twenty feet back through the air, bouncing off a tree before landing hard on the ground. He didn’t move.
“I’ll kill you for that, you treacherous snake.” Hades ripped the sword from his chest and flung the blade aside as if it were no more than a splinter. He ripped open his shirt and swore. Sabrina watched in amazement as the blood stopped flowing and what would have been a mortal wound for her healed before her very eyes. Mordecai hadn’t really hurt Hades at all. He’d just pissed him off.