𝔸𝕧𝕒

In an instant, Asmodeus is ripped off of me and launched across the room, his body smashing through a decorative glass panel. I grab the stair railing to pull myself up. The smoke-veiled figure is standing steadfast between Asmodeus and me.

I can just barely make out the familiar shape of Zane's curly hair and broad shoulders beneath the thick fog of opaque, black smoke.

"Are you okay?" Zane asks. His voice is rough and angry, but unmistakably his.

"I... I'm okay," I stutter. I don't sound nearly as reassuring as I intend to.

Before Zane can respond, Asmodeus rises to his feet. His clothing is tattered and covered in blood; several large glass shards protrude from his skin.

"Took you long enough," Asmodeus says with a vicious smile. "Did you not get my messages?"

Zane lets out a deep, terrifying growl as tendrils of smoke crawl forth from his fingertips, creeping along every floor and surface until they reach Asmodeus and wrap around him.

"Your problem is with me," Zane says. "You let her go, and we'll do this—you and me. You don't get anything from killing a human and you know it. You blame me for Ilen and that's fine. But it's about me—not her—me."

"Fury smoke, hmm?" Asmodeus replies, seemingly ignoring his request. "Clever. I mean, I'll still kill you, but I can appreciate the creativity."

The smoke shifts and swirls, tightening around Asmodeus's chest. He begins to squirm and cough under the increased pressure.

"And where is the rest of the Scooby Gang?" Asmodeus asks between wheezes.

"They didn't come with me," Zane says. "They let you take Ava, you think I'm going to trust them now?"

He can't really mean that. He left Kami and Kieran behind?

"Aww," Asmodeus says teasingly. "So ready to abandon everyone over this unimpressive human girl."

Asmodeus begins to turn red and sweat as the black smoke reaches his neck and squeezes. He hardly struggles, and instead begins to laugh, even as the blood rushes to his face.

He throws his head back and his muscles tense, sending a wave of pressure surging forth from his body. It ripples out across the room, tearing through the layers of smoke and shattering every glass surface in the house. Zane is knocked backward but stays upright.

"You want to die for her?" Asmodeus says, appearing before Zane and pinning him to the wall. "I'd be happy to make that happen for you."

Asmodeus lands several blows to Zane's jaw in quick succession. Smoke swirls around their bodies, twisting and churning like a tornado. My own face stings and my ears ring as I feel Zane's pain through our bond.

I can't just let him do this on his own.

I look around for something—anything—that I might be able to use to fight a demon. I never thought it would get to this point, so I hadn't really made an in-case-of-demon-fighting plan.

Beside shattered glass and a few thick books, there aren't a lot of great options. But something else catches my eye: a slight reflection of a silhouette outside the window.

There's someone else here.

Zane and Asmodeus continue to struggle, trading strikes and slamming each other into every surface. To my human eyes, it looks more like a frenzy of swinging fists and smoke than an actual fight.

I see another quick blur in the distance and my eyes follow the motion to a figure mostly obscured by the dim light in the corner. Maybe my brain is working faster than normal or maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see, but I could swear I'm watching Kami sneaking up behind Asmodeus as he fights with Zane. She seems to be carrying a very large object but I can't tell what it is.

Before I have time to process what I'm looking at, Kami lunges out of the shadows at Asmodeus. He dodges Zane's fist in one motion while simultaneously sweeping a hand backward toward Kami with enough force to throw her to the ground.

The object rolls into the light and it's not really an object at all, it's Kieran, with his wrists wrapped in duct tape.

Asmodeus breaks into a sinister laugh before sending out another wave of energy that throws both Kami and Zane backward.

Asmodeus stalks over to Kami.

"I should've known you two were hiding around here somewhere," he says with a smirk. "So this is the grand plan? A bit of tape and a particularly unremarkable demon?"

"Unremarkable? Now that's just rude," Kieran says.

Kami attempts to sweep a leg under him but he reaches down and grabs her calf in his hand, digging his claws into her skin as she screams in pain.

Smoke snakes around his legs and rips them out from beneath him. Kami seizes the opportunity to kick him in the gut before scrambling backward.

Zane runs toward him but is launched back by another wave of force from Asmodeus. The impact of his body hitting the wall sends a deep crack through the layers of brick.

Asmodeus vanishes and my eyes scan the room for him. Zane seems to be looking too, his eyes glowing green through the haze of smoke. Kami rises to her feet, limping slightly as she too searches for Asmodeus.

Kami begins to cough and sputter. Blood drips down her lips as she stares at me with wide eyes. She clutches her stomach, which is now seeping blood through a large gaping hole.

As I struggle to even process what's happening, Asmodeus emerges from behind Kami, his black claws extended and his arm coated in blood to his elbow.

Kami shudders and collapses to the floor as Asmodeus lifts Kieran's limp body by his shirt collar.

"Get away from them," Zane snarls, smoke spiraling toward Asmodeus.

"Ah ah ah," Asmodeus cautions. "You wouldn't want to lose another loved one tonight, would you?"

He wraps his hand around Kieran's neck and digs his claws into his skin.

"Fuck this guy, Z," Kieran spits. "Kill the bastard."

"So ungrateful," Asmodeus says, looking down at Kieran. "You think I can't still control you, demon? You exist solely to serve my will."

"On second thought, Z," Kieran says. "Is it possible to kill this fucker twice?"

Asmodeus digs his claws deeper into Kieran's neck until blood is gushing from the wounds.

"Tell me, was this the grand plan?" Asmodeus asks, throwing Kieran to the floor. "Is this all they've got? Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Joke's on you, bitch," Kieran says, coughing slightly. "I've got no fuckin' idea."

"Is that so?" Asmodeus asks, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

Asmodeus grabs a fistful of Kieran's hair and drags him closer. He kneels down and grips Kieran's chin in his hand.

Zane seems to be contemplating his next move, slowly inching closer as Asmodeus carefully inspects Kieran. Asmodeus rifles through Kieran's pockets and pulls out a small glass vial with a black lid.

"I knew there had to be a trick," Asmodeus says, his eyes now pitch black from edge to edge. "What are we looking at here?"

He unscrews the lid and sniffs the contents.

"Lethe..." Asmodeus says with a snicker. "Simple, but effective. Well done."

"Thanks, babe," Kieran says with a smirk. "It's nice to be appreciated."

"There's just one problem with this plan," Asmodeus says, looking at Kieran with a grin so wide it would make anyone nervous. "You're no longer of use to me."

In a swift motion he rips Kieran's throat open, throwing him to the ground beside Kami.

Zane rams into Asmodeus with tremendous force, tackling him to the ground. The two exchange blows in an eruption of power. Blood splatters across every wall as smoke and debris fly through the room. Guttural sounds assault my ears as pain and rage flood my senses.

I run over to tend to Kami and Kieran. I know Kami usually keeps Siren venom in her purse. If she has any on hand, I can help her.

"Do you have venom?" I ask her in a whisper.

She attempts to speak but finds herself coughing up more blood. Her skin grows paler as she looks at me with panicked eyes and shakes her head no.

Crap.

I look to Kieran who seems to be unconscious.

Double crap.