Chapter 24

I went downstairs,still a little flustered but at least walking straight. I spotted Vance standing by the kitchen but no sign of Cain or anyone else.

Vance glanced in my direction, and his grim expression had me asking, "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"Just thinking about how dangerous this will be and how unlikely we'll all come back alive."

"Please don't tell me you're in charge of the pep talk." Because I swear, they were doing their best to undermine my fragile confidence.

A ghost of a smile tilted his lips. "More like being realistic. Facing mortality has a man reevaluating things."

"Such as?"

"The fact I gave up on you too easily."

My mouth rounded.

He took a step closer. "I'm thinking, when we get back, that maybe I should do something about that."

I would have told him about Cain—really, I would have—only Vance kissed me, and all thoughts and good intentions scattered.

He had a different technique to his embrace, and it made me tingle. Again. So soon. It shouldn't have been possible. He dragged me into the walk-in pantry and deepened his kiss, his mouth hard at times then soft as he teased my mouth.

It might have gone further, only noise from outside the pantry broke us apart. We panted as we stared at each other.

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he said, "Do we stroll out as if we were both looking for some snacks? Or one at a time?"

Given Cain might be out there… "You go first. Distract them and I'll sneak out after."

"Ashamed of being caught with me?"

"More like not wanting to distract Cain before a big fight." True, and it satisfied him.

He left first, and I heard voices then the slam of a door. Only then did I pop out to get caught by Mizuki, who arched a brow.

"The pantry, really? What's wrong with your room?"

My cheeks heated. "It was impromptu."

Her lips split into a wide grin. "Wish Barron would drag me into a pantry. It's been ages since I've seen him." Ages being three days and they'd only just progressed from idle chitchat to sitting together on the couch watching a movie.

"When are we leaving?" I asked.

"Soon. Nova's outside wrangling the troops. First, we're gonna meet up with Asher and the others, and then we'll use the talisman to head to the castle."

"How long of a ride are we talking about?" I remained unsure where the reapers were stationed.

"No driving necessary. Nova worried about us getting hit on the road, so rather than take a car, she managed to reactivate an old mobile portal that the princep has been toting around. Given she's only got the one talisman anchored to it, she'll take us over a few at a time."

"Awesome." And, no, I wasn't nervous. Lie. I didn't like travelling via the talismans. I'd only done it a few times, but on at least two occasions, I'd have sworn there was someone—or something—in that nothing space between the departure and arrival point. I'd only mentioned it once, and Mizuki had giggled, saying, "Nothing can live there. It's probably your nerves making you think you're hearing things."

I really hoped so. I didn't let my trepidation show as I armed myself with a cloak and my pocket-shrunk scythe. Times like this, I wished I had a joint to relax me. But at the same time, smoking anything would have just raised my paranoia levels to the point I'd have locked myself in a room and begged to stay behind.

We gathered out front, a dozen reapers, most of them essentially unknown since they didn't come around the house much. Cain and Vance both looked grim and delicious in their reaper gear—long coats and ass-kicking boots. Devika, Mizuki, and Nova finished off our group.

"First group will be Sadie and—"

Vance stepped forward. "I'll go with her."

Cain practically knocked him over as he brushed past. "It should be me."

Nova almost rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously going to argue about this, too?"

Wait, had they been fighting?

Cain's expression turned blank, while Vance went serious.

Nova sighed. "Actually, I was going to say Sadie is going over first with Mizuki."

"She needs at least one of us to protect her," Cain argued.

"I'm dropping her off in the midst of a reaper camp. Pretty sure she'll be well guarded," Nova drawled.

Cain's lips flattened into a line. Vance took the news slightly better.

Mizuki looped her arm with mine and grinned. "We get to go first."

Wish I could feel her excitement. My stomach clenched. I really hated this part. Nova held out her hands. "Hold on to me."

"Yes, ma'am," I muttered. I cast a quick glance at Vance and Cain. The latter stood with his arms crossed. He really didn't like the fact I'd be going without him. Neither did I, truth be told. But I wasn't about to argue with the head witch.

Only as we stood gathered did my nerves start their attack on my self-confidence.

What makes you think you can do this? You're not a witch. You're a nobody. A useless piece of garbage who will just get in the way.

Funny how that voice sounded like the woman I'd thought was my mother. Turned out she was a kidnapper who'd made it her life's mission, along with my kidnapping non-dad, to make me weak and lacking in any kind of belief in myself. Maybe I should listen to Cain and bow out.

Don't be a pussy. That rebuke came from me. I'd insisted on going. I couldn't wuss out now.

I clasped Nova's left hand, while Mizuki grabbed the right. I wondered how Nova would activate the talisman around her neck. Apparently, she didn't need to be touching it, because one second, I stood in sunlight and, the next, the cold, dark place.

And in that nothingness, a voice spoke. Where do you go?

I didn't have a habit of talking to disembodied voices. However, in this case, it was as if my thoughts emerged aloud. We're joining the reapers to go on a mission.

To do what?

Rid the world of Moloch.

The reapers and witches cannot defeat him. That is a task for the messovenata.

I might have asked how exactly I could trounce Moloch, only I emerged from the cold place, not amidst a reaper camp or with Mizuki and Nova, but alone on the dais in the woods by the abandoned guild castle.

A dais guarded by a demon wizard.

Horror filled me as I realized my predicament. The voice had brought me to Moloch.

WITHOUT THE REAPER ARMY!

Before I could even blink, magic bound me head to toe, trapping me thoroughly. The demon wizard chortled. "The Lord will be pleased."

Yeah, not me, though. I am so fucked.

For all my cockiness, I knew better than to think I could defeat Moloch on my own. Especially since he had at least part of a legion or more with him.

The demon wizard didn't say a word, just used his magic to float my ass out of the woods and up the slope to the castle. While I'd left with Nova from a place of sunshine, the valley had succumbed to shadows. Dark, thick clouds spread as far as I could see, coating the land in a gloom that had the demons scurrying about without a care. Not a ton of ugly bastards, at least, but who knew how many hid inside? At least none of them paid me any mind as they dug at the ground, making holes.

As we neared the door to the castle, I wondered how painful my death would be. I'd taunted Moloch about being uber-powerful, and yet not only had a disembodied voice managed to shift where I landed, but I'd been handily caught by Moloch's minion before even thinking of using my magic. A magic that refused to obey. I kept trying, though.

Free me.

Abracadabra, let me go.

Either the wizard had blocked me from my power or I'd not reached the emotional level necessary to activate it.

We entered the castle via the main doors. The grand hall remained as depressing as I recalled from my dream. The stench, however, proved worse than expected. The putrid smell of decaying meat and grungy demon washed over me, leading me to gag. As if my situation weren't bad enough, I really hoped I didn't puke. Nothing screamed savior of mankind like projectile vomiting.

To my surprise, I quickly adjusted to the grossness around me. Blame being distracted by Moloch lounging on his throne.

He sat slumped but perked up mighty quick at the sight of me. "What's this?"

"I bring you the messovenata, Dark Lord." The demon wizard bowed as Moloch rose from his throne.

"Where did you find her?"

"She came through the portal stone," answered the wizard.

"Where are the reapers that accompanied her?"

The wizard shrugged. "There were none. Just the witch."

"The messovenata came alone?" Moloch sounded incredulous then began to laugh. "You foolish, cocky human. Let me guess, you didn't want to see your friends die."

To my surprise, I could speak, and I used my voice to complain. "Stupid portal dumped me in the wrong place."

"Bad for you, splendid for me." Moloch rubbed his big hands, and his claws scraped hard enough against each other to spark.

I wanted to yell that the reapers were coming any second—or so I hoped. Who knew what the voice would do, or if the reapers would even keep to the plan with me missing—but I had to give them the advantage of surprise. Let Moloch think I'd come to confront him on my lonesome. But at the same time, I had to keep him from killing me, which meant I needed to stall the big bastard long enough for the reinforcements to come to my aid.

Since I couldn't use magic or even my hands, I ran with my best asset.

My mouth.

"I'm surprised you're happy to see me," I commented. "Seeing as how I promised, when we met face to face, I'd demolish you."

"I cannot be killed by anything or anyone in this world." Moloch grinned.

"Care to test that theory? Say, by letting me chop off your head?"

The big demon spread his hands. "Go ahead and try."

"I would, but your little minion over there has me all bound up."

"Can't the hope of humankind free herself?" Moloch mocked.

I wanted to. However, Nova just had to be right. My ability remained inconsistent. I had to be the worst reaper witch in history.

Moloch sauntered down from his elevated throne, a cocky grin on his face, his hooves clicking as he swaggered close. He towered over me, and I know he did it on purpose to make me feel small.

I found it hard to not give in to the temptation to beg and blubber. At the same time, while fear tickled me all over, oddly enough, it didn't paralyze me.

"What to do?" Moloch mused as he clip-clopped around me. "Fuck you now, before the reapers attack, or after when I can have some of them in the audience?"

"What reaper attack?" I played dumb.

It amused Moloch. "Foolish witch. Do you think I'm unaware of their plans? I know they're coming. And soon. The question is, do I have time to plant my seed before they do?"

Bloody hell. So much for surprising him. However, his last comment had me in a full panic, so I blurted out, "Don't tell me you're a minute demon."

Confusion had him blinking, his slitted pupils freaky up close.

Since he didn't understand the insult, I explained. "A minute man is a dude who literally sticks his dick in a woman and comes right away. You know, a premature ejaculator."

It took him a second to grasp the insult. "I will pound your flesh long enough your skin will be rubbed raw."

"Are you that bad at fucking you can't even make yourself come properly?" I turned his threat around, and he huffed.

Smoke curled from his nostrils. "You are purposely trying to anger me."

"Me?" I batted my lashes with innocence.

"You angle for a quick death, but you hope in vain. You are at my mercy and, even better, will provide the distraction necessary to eliminate the reaper army."

"You're assuming they're coming for me. You'd be wrong. Everyone knows I'm a useless reaper witch. You even said so yourself. Why would they waste troops saving me?" I hated how easily I denigrated myself, but did Moloch buy it? Nope.

"You are important. Or should I say, your blood is. Even better, your womb might be the key to making more of you."

"You've already used my blood to escape, so why do you need another reaper witch?"

"Because you have both sides of the magic."

"That's a terrible explanation. Why would you need both sides?"

"To open the door between this world and Inferis. A door that will never close so long as it's fed sangual." A term used to describe the mix of male and female magic.

"I'm surprised you'd want to open a door to your home world, seeing as how your princes have made it clear you're not welcome back. Aren't you worried they'll use that opening to send their minions over and wrestle control from you?"

His lips turned into a pair of thin, black lines. "I will show them who is the most powerful. They will rue their perfidy."

"Will they? They don't seem too worried about pissing you off. I hear you can't even muster a proper legion because you're ranked so low in your world."

"Lies!" The slap hit me across the cheek, but given I still floated, it also sent me careening, spinning toe to head to toe until I smacked into a wall.

Ouch. Do not recommend.

Before my stunned butt could react, Moloch had hold of me, his fist tangled in my hair. The other gripped my throat, pinning me to the wall. I might have pushed him too far. Where was the reaper army?

Moloch pressed against me, and I fought to not hyperventilate. Hard not to, though, seeing as how his erection pulsed and pushed against my belly. Fear finally flooded me, and yet my magic still refused to work.

"You're weak," he stated. "A nobody. No wonder they sent you here to be slaughtered."

"My friends didn't send me."

"Are you so sure? Because seems to me rather convenient that you're here and they're not."

"Only because I arrived early," I exclaimed. For once, I didn't fall for his tricks and start doubting my friends. I'd been the one to fuck up, and once they realized it… hopefully they'd arrive in time.

"Whatever the case, you're here, and they're not. Even luckier for you, I've decided you'll serve me better alive."

"Make up your mind," I spat. "Kill me. Don't kill me. One minute you say you need me, and the next you don't. No wonder your princes don't want you leading them anymore. You're a flip-flopper."

"Mouthy witch," he growled into my face, while his eyes glared hard enough to bore holes.

"What's wrong, Molly, does the truth hurt?" I just couldn't stop myself. Apparently, for me, courage came with a smart-ass mouth.

The blow to my head snapped it sideways, and I saw spots, so many spots, and my ears rang. Despite that, I still heard the minion who interrupted.

"Dark Lord," it lisped. "The reapers, they come."

Fucking fantastic.

Hopefully they handled the situation better than I had thus far. Then again, how could it get any worse?

"Victory is at hand!" Moloch exclaimed.

I could only pray he was wrong, because otherwise I was fucked. Literally.