Timber parked the car in downtown Seattle. The restaurant was dimly lit, like everything else I noticed that had demon all over it. Before we got out of the car, he placed his hand over my wrist, blue fire danced along both of our arms.
“You have to show them who you are. They will sense you, but they will think Cassius is playing a trick on them.”
I nodded as the fire tickled and teased my skin.
Timber had fire on both of his wrists too, like bracelets surrounding his muscled forearms.
Ethan, Cassius, Stephanie, and Mason were all waiting for us. I tried to calm my out-of-control heart, but each of their eyes were locked on my wrist, on the fire. I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
“It’s been so long.” Mason whispered. “So, so long.”
“And yet,” Ethan said, putting an arm on Mason. “It feels just like yesterday when we were put on elf duty.”
“We’re really that defenseless huh?” I grumbled.
“Your body may be weak,” Cassius was suddenly in front of me, tilting my chin toward him. “But your blood is strong… it sings.”
“Huh?”
“It’s true,” Ethan moved to my right and lifted my hand to his face. “You smell like life itself.”
“That’s…” I winced. “Great?”
“For a demon?” Timber chimed in. “It’s like an all you can eat buffet.”
“That’s not helpful,” Ethan snapped.
“Sorry.” Timber gave me an apologetic look. “We’ll go through the restaurant first and into the back. With any luck, most of the demons will be too busy feeding to notice us, and if they do…” He swallowed. “Hope, that’s when you come in.” With strong hands, he gripped my arm and flipped it over so that the fire danced on my wrist. The small blue tattoo shuddered, and when Cassius pressed his hand over it, blood began to slowly trickle down my fingertips, blue blood, life blood.
“One drop.” Cassius nodded. “On their tongues. They must ingest it for the blood to knit what’s been broken. The change must always take place from the inside out.”
“Okay.” Yeah, I was freaking out. “I can do that.” Could I, though?
“You are stronger than you will ever know,” Cassius whispered in my head. “Lead the way, Timber.”
Timber gave a jerky nod then opened the door to the restaurant, immediately I was hit with a sense of dread as dark eyes darted in my direction.
Cursing and a few bellows of “It can’t be,” filled the room.
And then a man stumbled in front of me. Blood leaked from his eyes. Was this why I cried blood?
“You mourn them the way they mourned you,” Timber whispered. “Open your mouth brother, let her heal you.”
“My queen.” The demon fell to his knees, his scissor tongue slid out from beneath sharp fangs. One drop of blood landed in his mouth. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. When he opened them again, they were a pale blue. A sudden light burst forth from his mouth.
I stumbled back into Timber’s arms. “What was that?”
Timber trembled beneath me. “His soul.” I felt myself starting to cry again as the demon, once crazed, stood to his full height and smiled. It didn’t look pained like before. Instead, he looked whole as he whispered, “I feel everything.”
“Kinda sucks, doesn’t it?” Timber added, probably for my benefit since he was whispering still.
“Thank you.” The demon walked away, shoulders back, and so, that was how I slowly painfully made my way through the restaurant, soul after soul restored.
And almost every single demon, after tasting my blood, rose to his feet, and stood behind us, like a ready-made army.
Ready to die.
For me?