Hades had started with smaller, lesser demons. They were determined but not smart, and Marko expended an enormous amount of strength defeating them. Like the foot soldiers in human wars, these demons were expendable in Hades’ war against him.
Now that Marko was tired, the god was sending in the big guns. Two huge, winged creatures flew out from the portal. Their fingers were tipped with three-foot talons. It was like facing ten swords at once, times two.
He gripped his weapon and drew on his reserves. He only had to hang on until midnight and Kellsie would be safe. He didn’t actually have to defeat Hades, but oh how he wished he could. The need to destroy the god burned like a never-ending fire in the pit of his gut. But the need to protect Kellsie burned even hotter.
“Stay back!” he yelled at Kellsie. He wished he could turn and look at her. Wished he could tell her how much he loved her. But he dared not take his gaze from this latest threat.
Hades laughed, the wickedly smooth sound of pleasure grating Marko’s ears. He’d heard that laugh before. The god was anticipating victory. Marko wasn’t in the mood to give it to him.
Roaring to the heavens, he raised his sword and leapt toward the winged creatures.
Holy shit. Kellsie ducked and swung at the demon in front of her. Her blade hit leathery flesh and sliced right through it. Just like in the movies, she reminded herself. But the blood, guts and gore were real. She couldn’t let herself think about that. Not now and maybe not ever.
The only way she was getting through this ordeal was by treating it as choreographed stunt scene. She’d used props before—guns, knives and swords. She’d also been covered in blood and guts before, fake of course. The smell was the worst of it. The stench of sulfur and seared flesh coated the inside of her mouth and nostrils, filling her lungs every time she took a breath.
Marko was incredible. She’d never seen him like this, didn’t even know he could shift into a creature that was half-man and half-beast. He was as large as he was when he was in his bear form, but parts of him were still human.
His jaw was that of the bear, but his forehead was still that of a man. He had feet, but his muscular legs were covered in thick fur. His leather pants had disappeared and he was fighting totally naked. It made him appear even more primal, more powerful. His chest was covered in fur and thick muscles, which offered him better protection against the demons. He swung his wicked-sharp sword with one hand and wielded his claw-tipped hand with lethal intent.
Marko was like a fighting machine. He didn’t falter, wasn’t even showing signs of fatigue as he slaughtered one demon after another. He’d even sliced through two in one stroke with that huge sword. Not to mention the havoc he was creating with that massive bear paw.
It was strange to see him like this, part man and part bear. Yet it was somehow fitting. He was like an ancient god, the supernatural embodiment of the animal itself.
For a moment it seemed as though they were winning the battle. Then two winged demons, straight out of a nightmare, swooped out of the portal and attacked Marko.
Kellsie faltered for a moment and her sword dipped. There was no way to win. Hades just kept bringing more demons through the portal. Her arms were like lead, the muscles screaming in pain. Her thighs quivered like jelly. She didn’t think she was going to make it.
A demon snuck in around Marko’s left side as he engaged the larger ones. This demon was smaller than most, but that still put the creature at a little above Kellsie’s height. And unlike the rest of them she’d fought so far, this one was carrying a sword.
She could do this. There really was no choice.
Kill or die.
She didn’t raise the sword in front of her. That took too much energy. Instead, she watched this latest threat closely as the demon moved around her.
“Don’t you recognize me, Kellsie?” There was a hiss to the voice that changed it somewhat, but there was a familiarity to it that made her frown as she tried to place it.
The creature laughed. “Surely you haven’t forgotten me. Can I get you anything, Kellsie? Do you need anything, Kellsie?” The creature spat on the ground, making the grass hiss as it burned. “You make me sick.” The demon changed, morphing into a beautiful young blonde woman with a killer figure.
“Brittany?”
The demon laughed. “I’m a succubus. I can have any man or beast I want.” She cast a sly glance at Marko. “And I think I’m going to enjoy him once Hades has him.” Brittany licked her ruby-red lips, letting her forked tongue slither over them, the movement reminding Kellsie of a snake. It was an apt comparison considering Brittany was a snake in the grass, the lowest of the low as far as Kellsie was concerned.
Even though Kellsie knew Brittany’s remarks were meant to unsettle her, she couldn’t stop the anger from burning through her veins. “Over my dead body.”
Brittany laughed, the sound light and airy. “That’s the plan.” She moved like lightning, thrusting her blade toward Kellsie. It was purely luck and good reflexes that kept Kellsie from being skewered by the other woman’s sword. No, not woman—demon. Kellsie had to remember that so she wouldn’t hesitate to strike.
But it was more than a little disconcerting to swing a blade at a woman she knew. Heck, she’d even liked the little bitch, had defended her to the others. The others. Crap. Were all the members of the carnival demons?
No time to worry about that now. Not with a very sharp blade coming toward her head. Kellsie threw herself out of the way, stumbled and hit the ground hard. Exhaustion pulled at her but she made herself roll out of the path of the weapon and struggled to her knees.
Brittany was relentless and she gave a horrible screech that hurt Kellsie’s ears. She wanted to drop her sword and cover them but managed to retain her grip on her weapon. She raised it just as the demon’s blade descended. Sparks flew as metal danced across metal.
Kellsie toppled onto her back, unable to combat the other woman’s strength. She blinked at the sweat that burned her eyes and glimpsed the vast night sky above her, still beautiful and enduring. What would happen to this world if Marko and his fellow warriors didn’t win in the fight against Hades? Would all this beauty be lost?
They had to win, but Kellsie knew she lacked Brittany’s strength. After all, the other woman was a demon and Kellsie was only human. She couldn’t win this fight using brute force. But there had to be a way.
Brittany stood over her, a satisfied gleam burning in her eyes. “I’m going to enjoy fucking your man. As for you, I think I’ll have you skinned and have a seat cover made out of you.” Laughing, she raised her sword and then slashed downward.
Kellsie waited until the last second then threw herself to the side. The blade whooshed by her, taking a piece of her top with it but missing her by a hairsbreadth. She was struggling to catch her breath and spitting out a mouthful of dirt when a gut-wrenching roar pierced the night, like that of a powerful animal in pain. It was quickly followed by a woman’s cry.
She looked up in time to see Brittany’s head leave her body. It dropped and rolled, coming to a stop when it hit her feet. Kellsie yanked her feet back and scrambled away until her back hit a tree.
She expected to see Marko, but it wasn’t him who’d saved her. It was a bear. A real one. The largest one she’d ever seen besides Marko. The creature stood on two paws, growling and roaring its displeasure.
It came down on its powerful front legs and stared at her for a brief moment. Kellsie froze in fear, unwilling to move lest she shift its anger toward her. The bear huffed once and then turned its back on her and charged into the fray. She heard another roar to her left and swiveled her head around to look. Another bear had joined the fight.