“Use Zick’s bracelet!” Kerry shouted.
“One problem: There’s half a dozen monsters between me and them!” Ditching the sarcasm, I addressed the biggerconcern. “Even if I can reach them, where do you suggest I take them?”
With our safehouse blown, the Sanctuary locked down, and St. Pat’s warded, I was screwed for secure destinations.
Kerry realized it, too, because he turned the air around him blue with bad words.
Right then, a shrill voice spiraled into a scream of pure pain.
Oh, no. Please God, no.
“Lilas!” Hinge howled.
I did a dumb thing then and looked over my shoulder. While I was distracted, a creature darted in and socked me on the jaw. As I staggered back, it wrapped both clawed paws around George’s haft and snapped it as easily as I would a toothpick.
Furious at myself and terrified for Lilas, I used my power to rip George’s head away from the dirty beast, then called for the lump that had been the front door. It arrived at speed and I smashed the monster’s head between it and George like a ripe watermelon.
Making the two chunks of steel orbit me, I hustled back over to the kids. Blood coated Lilas’ top and her chest heaved as she panted. Hinge’s left leg below the knee was gone, either by choice or from attack, but he balanced on his knees in front of her, his tibia in one hand and fibula in the other. Both bones were splintered at the top with points that looked sharp enough to puncture even these creatures’ thick hides.
Brave little cuss, I’ll give him that.
“Help her!” he demanded.
I didn’t know much beyond first aid, but we weren’t exactly spoiled for choice here. Spinning George’s head and the front door lump around us, I fell to my knees next to the little girl, took one look at her wounds, and fought not to cringe.
This baby is gonna die if we don’t get some help. Please, God. Even though we are what we are, do we not also need Your grace and mercy?
And, shock of shocks, God answered a nephilim’s prayer.
#
Rome
Throwing himself into the midst of hairy bodies, Kerry forced a knot of them out into the exterior hallway. I took advantage of the open space and whirled my twin short swords all the faster. Their bodies disintegrated fairly quickly, for which I was grateful. To me, there was nothing worse than getting your feet tangled up in slow-dissolving corpses while fighting live enemies.
Searing light accompanied a crack of thunder, and my heart sank. Were more ’porting in? Even as good and as fast as Kerry and I were, the numbers would catch up to us.
But it was a woman in white who flashed into the room. She burned with Holy fire and radiated Divine power. With the same thunder and light show, three more luminous beings appeared. They each wielded a staff in one hand and a sword in the other.
Peris, my stunned brain informed me.
With battlecries like ringing glass, the quartet finished the fight in seconds. Divs either burst into flames or panicked and ’ported out. The peris made sure the room was clear, then disappeared without even a nod in my direction.
As I holstered my swords, I heard the thump from Kerry’s direction. For a second, I wondered if he’d passed out from too much Divinity nearby, but a snarling stream of swearing soon answered that question.
My eyes found Mira where she hunched over Lilas with Hinge at her elbow. She seemed uninjured and was safe enough for now, so I stuck my head around the doorway—what was left of it—to check on Kerry.
He was on his knees and shaking as sweat or tears poured down his red face. Blue tinged his lips, his pupils were massive, and one hand clawed at his chest.
Freaking taint.
“Need a hand up?” I asked.
He waved me away.
“Whatwasthat? Hurt like a mother!”
“Peris. They cleared out the divs. We’ll have to send Parvenah a thank-you note.”
