Vessel: The Demontouched Saga (Book 4) (8 page)

“What was that?” Alana says when the gunfire stops.

“A raccoon,” Neil says before breaking into a fit of nervous laughter.

“I thought the military trained you better than that,” I said, hobbling away from the action. “I guess I don’t have to worry if we run up against a hell-raccoon.”

Alana walks back in the room, slapping me on the shoulder playfully with a smile. “That’s not nice.”

“I deserved it,” Neil said, still laughing. “Going to check upstairs.”

Alana nods, following him close behind with me hobbling at a distant third.

Up ahead they both turn around a corner at the top of the stairs about the same time I’m on step number four. I almost wish I had listened to Uriel at this point as this is the most painful thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.

“Floor’s clear, sir,” Alana says when I finally reach the top. “Neil is on his way to the third floor.”

“Go cover him,” I say. “You can get me when you’re done.”

She nods and runs off, leaving me hobbling over to the next staircase. For the first time in four years I wish for an elevator, even knowing the electricity is probably out for good. It’s amazing how fast your opinion can change on something by breaking your leg.

“You’ll want to see this, sir,” Neil says, walking down to help me up the stairs.

“What is it?”

“Just come.”

I take a few minutes to finish the climb, even with their help. They lead me into a room that would be empty if it wasn’t for a sniper rifle sitting near the window.

“So he cheats,” I say, talking about the animals in the den.

“That’s not it,” Alana says, handing me the gun. “Look.”

I lift the rifle up to my eye before leveling it towards the walls below.

“What the fuck?” I say, lowering the gun.

Alana nods, followed by Neil.

I shake my head before taking another look. Through the scope I see the wall clear as day. I move the gun around to get a better look before stopping on what looks like two large crosses jutting out of the ground.

“Does this thing have a zoom?” I say, looking at the pair.

Neil reaches over and turns a dial near my eye. “Right here, he says.”

I nod before bringing the gun back to my eye. It takes me a few moments, but I find the two crosses again. Once there I dial in the zoom until I have a clear view.

“That looks like Sara and Nal,” I say.

“It is,” Alana says. “We might be too late.”

“It’s never too late to dish out an ass whooping,” I say looking around the camp more.

Around the camp I see a few dozen vehicles stationed around four different houses. Beyond that I can’t make anything out thanks to the trees. I’m about to put down the gun when I see someone being thrown out of the yellow house below. When the person lands on the ground another one walks out the door with his arm stretched out. He takes a few steps before I see the distinct flash of a gunshot coming from his hand.

“Think I found where the boss lives,” I say. “What do you say we pay him a visit?”

“Hoorah, Sir!” the pair say, saluting.

I smile, handing Neil the rifle. “I assume you know how to use the scope.”

He responds with a nod.

“Good because I have a plan.”

Twenty minutes later Alana pulls up to the front gate. Within moments, two men holding rifles walks out of a makeshift guard shack out front to look us over. The one on the left walks up towards the diver’s side of the car. He isn’t young, by any means, but I wouldn’t put his age much higher than thirty. He is wearing a black long sleeve shirt to go with a pair of black slacks. The other man a pair of jeans, a white button up shirt and a large pair of cowboy boots. I’ll let you guess who is carrying the bigger gun.

“What do you want?” the guy in black asks, leaning into the car.

“Looking for a place to stay,” I say. “Your camp looks secure.”

He pulls the gun up to the window. “Get out of the car.”

“Sure thing,” I say, opening the door. Tex turns me around before slamming me into the side of the car to search me. I look over to see Alana getting searched the same way.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Tex says. “You are going to turn your happy ass around and walk on down the road. If you so much as look back, I’m going to send a bullet into your ass”

“What about her?” I say, pointing to Alana.

“She gets to say,” he says. “As our honored guest.”

The pair of thugs laugh.

“Not going to work,” I say signaling towards the man groping Alana. Alana gasps as the side of her thug’s head blows off, sending blood and brains against the walls before we hear the shot go off.

Tex takes a step back, his gun aimed to the ground.

“Your move, cowboy,” I say, cracking my knuckles.

He responds by lifting his weapon, which is what I expected to see. I’m about to pull the gun from his hand when I notice a man on the other side of the black iron gate. Shifting my land to the left, I manage throw Tex off balance. He pulls the trigger, putting a nice hole into the man at the gate.

Wasn’t what I had planned, but I’ll take it anyways.

Tex lowers his weapon, but isn’t given a chance to grieve before another shot sends the front of his face spraying over the companion he just shot.

I might have to keep Neil around, he is useful.

“Weapon up,” I say, pulling my knife out. “Time to go inside.”

I walk up to the gate and throw it open while she trains her rifle inside. With it open, she heads inside first with me limping close behind. We are nearly ten yards inside when a door opens to our left. Without hesitation, Alana turns her weapon, bringing the threat down with a single shot.

Impressive.

We continue through the compound, working our way to the place we saw the crosses. Part of me wanted to hit the yellow house first, but I have to make sure they are still alive. Taking down that asshole can wait.

After passing the first house, we jump the fence into the back yard. To be fair, I should say she jumped the fence then opened the latch. There was no way I was getting over a five foot tall white privacy fence on this foot.

Once we are in the back I can make out the top of one cross over the fence on the other side.

“Easy from here,” I say. “Don’t want a stray bullet hitting one of them.”

She nods, running off ahead.

It is hard to make out, but from here I can almost make out movement from the top of the cross. There is a breeze out, so it could be the wind doing it, but it looks like Sara is moving.

Just barely.

Alana signals that there are two on the other side of the fence. I nod in return. Two we can handle, even with me being gimped up.

“Hey you,” I hear the moment I pass the large sliding glass door.

I turn around and toss my knife in that direction. More instinct than anything. The last thing I want is to give away our position now.

With a flick of my wrist, I send my knife back on target as it was going to miss wide left. It catches him unaware in the throat as he laughed at my horrible aim.

Once the man is on the ground choking on his own blood, I draw the blade back to my hand. Up ahead, Alana smiling at our fortune.

Save it, girl. The hard part hasn’t even started.

“We need to go around,” I whisper, walking towards the front.

Alana taps me on the shoulder before I get too far. “Over here,” she says, motioning me to follow.

She leads me to the back corner of the yard where she points out a loose fence panel next to another one that has fallen.

“Good eye,” I say, peeking around the corner.

“I got the ugly one,” I say, smiling.

She just nods.

I step through the hole in the fence and send my blade flying at a guy with a heavily burned face. I hear a single gunshot from behind me as Alana takes down the other guy.

“Sara!” I say, running up to her cross.

Above my head I see she is not staked to the thing, only tied. Not that being left like that was pleasant. From what Ive heard, it could take days for someone to die like that. I hope that is true knowing she may have been up there for a day now.

“Get him down,” I say, pointing to Nal. His eyes are open, but he isn’t talking. I’m not sure if he’s hurt or if it is dehydration talking, but in either case he doesn’t look well.

I untie Sara’s legs with little issue, but with a broken leg it’s impossible to get her arms free. Thankfully, I have a solution. With my knife out I send it above my head gently. When the blade is near the rope I yank my hand slightly, severing the rope. I repeat it on the other side leaving one last rope around her waist.

“Need a hand,” Alana says, placing Nal on the ground.

I nod and wait for her to stand in front of Sara before slicing the remaining rope.

With her mass free, Sara falls to the front right into Alana’s arm.

“Good catch I say, catching my knife.”

I limp over to take Alana’s place, holding Sara up. I brush the hair out of her face before saying I’m sorry. Unfortunately I don’t get to do more because I look up in time to see three armed men with their rifles out towards us.

“Figured someone would come for them.”

- 11 -

“You must be Louis,” I say, standing up.

“The one and only.” He walks up and grabs my knife off the ground before taking the sword from my hip. I look over to see Alana getting the same treatment.

“Let us go and there won’t be any problems,” I say, hands in the air.

Louis laughs. “Let you go?” he says. “But playtime has just begun.”

One of his goons brings over a plastic folding lawn char, placing it just behind him. “You know what this is?” he says, pulling Sara’s amulet out of his pocket.

“I’ve seen it a few times,” I say, nodding to Sara. “Belongs to the girl now.”

“She can have it back,” he says. “Soon.” He takes a seat on the chair. “This little thing houses the spirit of one of the greatest demons to have ever walked this earth.”

“For being a great demon, he sure didn’t help the last guy who had the necklace.”

“If you weren’t around over a thousand years ago, you wouldn’t know what he is capable of.” He twirls the necklace around in his hands. “He was responsible for the fall of hundreds of nations in his time. Murderer of millions.”

“Sounds like pleasant fellow,” I say, shifting the weight off of my foot.

“Indeed,” he says, sitting forward. “I thought we lost this relic years ago.”

“Blaine beat you to it,” I say.

“Blaine was worthless,” he says. “A wanna-be who was good for nothing besides killing women.”

“I thought you liked that sort of thing?”

He laughs. “Don’t get me wrong. I like a good murder like the next demon. But, I prefer my deaths to have a purpose.”

“Purpose?” I say. “Then why were you killing her?” I point to Sara on the ground.

“Killing her?” he laughs. “We were simply preparing her.”

“For what?”

He laughs. “You seem so intent on your destruction, Demontouched.”

“Persistence is my middle name.”

“Fine,” he says, standing up. “She should be close enough.”

I feel someone grab me by the cuff of my neck, pulling me away. I try to pull free, but they are holding me tight.

Louis kneels down at Sara’s side. He untangles the chain moments before placing the amulet around her neck, standing up once he has it clasped.

“Arise my brother,” he says.

On the ground Sara stirs. At first staring at her hands. Getting to her feet shortly after.

“Balthazaar?” she says. “Is that truly you?”

“Welcome home, old friend.”

“What the fuck did you do?” I yell.

“She obviously wanted the power,” Louis laughed. “I only allowed her to have all of it.”

I shake myself free and run over to Sara, pulling off the necklace when I’m close.

“Infidel!” she yells before hitting me with a backhand that sends me flying across the yard and through a plastic table.

After dusting myself off I look at the amulet, noticing the color has changed from red to white. “How the?”

“How were we to know he didn’t die,” Louis says.

Sara takes a few steps in my direction, her eyes turning the color of flame. “You have interfered long enough,” she says, her hair waving in the air.

Louis places his hand on her chest. “Save your power, exalted one. Abaddon needs your aid with the portal. I will handle this ant.”

She nods, hair slowly falling around her shoulders as her eyes turn back to their normal color. “I will see you in hell, Demontouched.” She laughs for a moment before walking away with one goon.

“I guess you had a plan for him too?” I say, pointing to Nal.

“No,” he says. “We just wanted him to die.”

He takes a few steps back towards the house, my blade in hand. “This weapon will come in handy in our coming battle.”

“This one?” Nal says, firing the shot gun at the demon.

Louis drops to his knees, screaming in pain as the flesh from his leg sizzles in protest. He drops the blades on the ground before clutching his leg.

Alana elbows her captor in the gut before bringing him to the ground with a Judo flip. I reach out for my knife and send it her way allowing her to shove it into the man’s eye.

Behind her, Nal pumps the shotgun sending the spent cartridge to the ground before walking up to Louis on the ground. “Game over, asshole,” he says, pulling the trigger again.

Louis yells out again as the salt penetrates the flesh of his face, sending the flesh of his cheek into the house.

“I got this,” I say, kneeling over his body. “Any last words?”

Louis says something in demonic that I only assume is cursing me and my mother’s name. Demons never have been the creative type.

I place the palm of my hand over the assholes face, fingers on his temples. “Exorcizamus.”

The white flash leaves my palm, hitting him in the head. He leans back, hands on his face in a feeble attempt to hold his soul in. But it is in vain as the shadowy tendrils of his spirit floats into my eyes instead, sending Louis’s body collapsing to the floor in a pool of blood. As the soul enters my body, I feel a surge of adrenaline through my blood, sending me into a heightened state of awareness.