Part 18 (2/2)
Juan and the Davies women stood over Skye, chanting, drawing out her soul.
Corinne's speech to Skye made sense to Anthony. The two women and Hatch had summoned Ianax, and had he successfully possessed Hatch's body, the demon would have been far more powerful on earth. He would have finished the ritual and dragged the other souls down to h.e.l.l. A huge victory for Satan to have G.o.d's own men in his domain, and as a reward Ianax would walk on earth in human form but with inhuman power, the goal of every demon.
But Rafe had interrupted the process, possibly begun an exorcism, and Hatch died before the possession was complete, his soul already d.a.m.ned. And Rafe- Anthony remembered the rush of heat followed by icy cold when he'd entered the chapel and saw the carnage.
Rafe was unconscious; he would have been a perfect vessel for the demon. Tortured, unable to save his men. Guilt had consumed him. Ianax could have taken him, used his anguish against him, but Anthony had interrupted.
Where had the women been?
In the sacristy.
He hadn't searched the chapel, he'd been so intent on saving Rafe.
He could have stopped it two days ago. But he'd been blind in his own fear and failures. And now Skye was going to die because of him.
No. He shook his head. I will not let her die.
He brought out his dagger-cross and held it in front of him as he said in a loud, deep voice, ”By the power of the heavens, of the Holy Spirt, by the order of Saint Michael and all the angels and saints, Ianax! You are dismissed!”
The demon in Juan screamed. Corinne stepped toward Skye while Lisa jumped at Anthony with her long nails outstretched.
Anthony pushed aside all notions that hitting a woman was wrong, and put all his strength into a right hook that stopped Lisa in her tracks. The girl crumpled at his feet, knocked cold.
”b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” Corinne screamed, holding a knife at Skye's neck, crouched over her like a wild animal. Skye was sweating profusely, her body jerking as if being poked and prodded.
She's dying.
”Fight, Skye!” he shouted.
Corinne couldn't kill Skye because Ianax needed her.
Anthony hoped he was right. He hadn't faced such an ancient demon, nor one who was so powerful that he could survive on earth without a body, which he'd done for hours after Hatch's death.
Anthony held his cross high, chanting ancient words of exorcism.
Juan twisted, his body rising from the ground. The demon stared at Anthony.
”YOU!” he howled, his mouth straining. ”I will not go back!”
The screech hurt Anthony's ears, but he continued. The demon held up his hand and Anthony was slammed against the wall, his body inches from the ground. Pain hit him like a million pinp.r.i.c.ks. He couldn't draw air into his lungs.
Skye was pinned to the floor but looked right at him.
In her eyes, Anthony saw her pain and love and loneliness and, mostly, her trust.
Suddenly she screamed, ”NO!” as her body arched in pain.
The demon's hold on Anthony slipped. Anthony pushed back from the wall. Corinne grabbed Skye's hair, held the knife to her throat.
The demon's horrid face could be seen in Juan as he touched Skye. ”Blood for my Master and two souls.”
Corinne brought the knife up and, chanting with the demon, aimed the tip for Skye's heart.
Anthony tackled Corinne, threw her from the circle. The tip of the knife sliced his side. He grabbed her wrist, slammed it against the edge of a low table, hearing the bone crack.
The smell of smoke grew. In the struggle, candles fell and both the couch and the curtains ignited.
Anthony grabbed the knife and pulled from his belt a vial of holy water from the river Jordan. He poured the water on the knife; steam rose and the knife burned his hand. It was a demonic knife, one used in many deadly rituals.
And very likely one of the knives used in the ma.s.sacre at the mission.
Anthony had one chance.
The demon grabbed Skye and held her to him. Her face twisted in pain. She struggled to breathe.
Anthony glanced to Skye's right. She blinked once.
He raised the knife. ”Let her go, Ianax!”
An unnatural voice rose from Juan's throat. ”Mine.”
Anthony felt his chest tighten. He threw the knife at the same time as Skye pivoted right. The demon's hold on her was tight and she couldn't get away. The fire grew around them, feeding on the fuel that was the house.
The knife missed her by an inch, landing exactly where Anthony aimed in Juan's thigh.
The demon screeched, his head thrown back, and Skye fell to the floor. Thick black smoke shot out of Juan's mouth, up to the ceiling, then with a shriek that made Anthony's ears ring, the demon disappeared through the fire.
He would be back. Anthony had to get them out of the house.
”What have you done?” Corinne shouted.
As soon as the demon was gone, Skye could breathe. But the smoke was thick, the fire hot. She crawled over to Juan's p.r.o.ne body.
”Juan!” she cried. The knife was in his leg and she knew it would be even more dangerous to attempt to remove it now.
”We have to get out now,” Anthony said, staggering toward her.
Blood soaked through the side of his s.h.i.+rt.
The ceiling began to collapse around them. Skye stood unsteadily, grabbed Juan under his arms, and dragged him toward the door.
Corinne blocked the door. ”You will die with us!” she said. ”And I'll drag all your souls down to h.e.l.l!”
Anthony lunged at her, knocked her to the side. They fought and Anthony shouted, ”Get out, Skye!”
Skye couldn't leave Anthony. But Juan was unconscious.
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