against the far wall, the intricate weaving depicting the serpent tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden. As I watched, the tapestry was ripped apart, the two halves flung aside by an invisible force to reveal Cami, naked and bound to a post. At her feet, nine huddled forms lay lifeless on the floor. Our friends and colleagues, now dead.
Cami looked up, saw us, and uttered a single word: “Run!”
And that was all she said. As I watched, horrified, a tall, skeleton-like man stepped from the shadows behind her, took a knife, and sliced through her jugular.
I reacted instinctively, as did Eric, and our knives flew across the room in tandem, each burying itself deep in the demon’s eyes.
The body sagged to the floor, the demonic essence departing. I raced toward Cami, my face hot with tears, even as Eric called for me to stop. I clung to her body, still strapped to the post, but there was nothing I could do. She was dead, her blood staining her clothes, the stone floor, and me.
“Get away from her,” Eric said, his voice as taut as a bow. “Right now.”
I jumped back, but it was too late. Cami’s arms broke their binds, then clutched me with superhuman strength. She moved away from the post, then slammed me against it, twisting my own arms behind me and binding me fast with the frayed ropes.
“ No, ” Eric cried, racing forward. But Cami’s body turned and held out a hand. That was all it took, and Eric went flying backwards. I’d never seen anything like that, and I gasped as he landed hard in front of the archway. Behind him, the demon horde cackled, but made no move to enter the room or attack.
“Oh yes,” Cami said, her voice deep and unnatural. “In human form, the ritual has thus far endowed me with the ability to control the elements. In my own form, though, I will have so much more power.”
She turned to me, then actually winked. “In other words, my pretty little one, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
I struggled uselessly against my bindings, my eyes on Eric. He looked wild-eyed around the room, his gaze fierce, and I saw in his eyes an almost suicidal need to attack this demon, this thief who had taken our friends, and would soon take me. My hands were bound, so I couldn’t flash any of our usual signals, but I blinked furiously, praying he was paying attention. Praying he realized the message I was sending in old Morse code. Stop. Wait. Think.
“Now, you two,” Cami’s body said, this time in her familiar voice, only slightly wetter because of the blood pouring out of her neck. A human could not have spoken at all. For that matter, most demons taking a human form couldn’t manage. This demon, however . . .
I was beginning to learn that this demon was different from others I’d battled. And that realization sat hard in my gut, a heavy knot of fear.
“Welcome to our little party,” the demon gurgled. “I’m so glad you could come. You’re late, of course. Everyone else is all partied out.”
She smiled at me as blood spurted from the wound in her neck.
“Don’t look at me like that, my darling. I so hoped we could stay friends.”
I turned my face away, disgusted when she drew her tongue down the side of my face and then laughed, the sound wet and gurgly.
“It’s not Cami,” Eric said, and though I knew that—I truly did—I still appreciated the reminder. It’s one thing to understand how demons work. It’s another to face their tricks and taunts up close and personal.
“Who are you?” I said. I feared I knew, but I wanted confirmation.
“I?” Cami asked, pointing to herself with an expression of utter innocence. “I am who you seek. Who you came to defeat.” She smiled then, and my heart broke a little more. Cami was dead. My friend was gone. And this thing remained.
It was a crime. A horrific assault on Cami’s body, but I reminded myself that it was only her body. Cami’s soul had left as soon as death had taken her. At the same time,
Cami looked up, saw us, and uttered a single word: “Run!”
And that was all she said. As I watched, horrified, a tall, skeleton-like man stepped from the shadows behind her, took a knife, and sliced through her jugular.
I reacted instinctively, as did Eric, and our knives flew across the room in tandem, each burying itself deep in the demon’s eyes.
The body sagged to the floor, the demonic essence departing. I raced toward Cami, my face hot with tears, even as Eric called for me to stop. I clung to her body, still strapped to the post, but there was nothing I could do. She was dead, her blood staining her clothes, the stone floor, and me.
“Get away from her,” Eric said, his voice as taut as a bow. “Right now.”
I jumped back, but it was too late. Cami’s arms broke their binds, then clutched me with superhuman strength. She moved away from the post, then slammed me against it, twisting my own arms behind me and binding me fast with the frayed ropes.
“ No, ” Eric cried, racing forward. But Cami’s body turned and held out a hand. That was all it took, and Eric went flying backwards. I’d never seen anything like that, and I gasped as he landed hard in front of the archway. Behind him, the demon horde cackled, but made no move to enter the room or attack.
“Oh yes,” Cami said, her voice deep and unnatural. “In human form, the ritual has thus far endowed me with the ability to control the elements. In my own form, though, I will have so much more power.”
She turned to me, then actually winked. “In other words, my pretty little one, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
I struggled uselessly against my bindings, my eyes on Eric. He looked wild-eyed around the room, his gaze fierce, and I saw in his eyes an almost suicidal need to attack this demon, this thief who had taken our friends, and would soon take me. My hands were bound, so I couldn’t flash any of our usual signals, but I blinked furiously, praying he was paying attention. Praying he realized the message I was sending in old Morse code. Stop. Wait. Think.
“Now, you two,” Cami’s body said, this time in her familiar voice, only slightly wetter because of the blood pouring out of her neck. A human could not have spoken at all. For that matter, most demons taking a human form couldn’t manage. This demon, however . . .
I was beginning to learn that this demon was different from others I’d battled. And that realization sat hard in my gut, a heavy knot of fear.
“Welcome to our little party,” the demon gurgled. “I’m so glad you could come. You’re late, of course. Everyone else is all partied out.”
She smiled at me as blood spurted from the wound in her neck.
“Don’t look at me like that, my darling. I so hoped we could stay friends.”
I turned my face away, disgusted when she drew her tongue down the side of my face and then laughed, the sound wet and gurgly.
“It’s not Cami,” Eric said, and though I knew that—I truly did—I still appreciated the reminder. It’s one thing to understand how demons work. It’s another to face their tricks and taunts up close and personal.
“Who are you?” I said. I feared I knew, but I wanted confirmation.
“I?” Cami asked, pointing to herself with an expression of utter innocence. “I am who you seek. Who you came to defeat.” She smiled then, and my heart broke a little more. Cami was dead. My friend was gone. And this thing remained.
It was a crime. A horrific assault on Cami’s body, but I reminded myself that it was only her body. Cami’s soul had left as soon as death had taken her. At the same time,
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