Page 90 of White Hot Kiss
Before I could ask what was happening, the overhead lights began to flicker. Then, in rapid succession, they blew out one after another, showering sparks like raindrops. Each explosion was like a gunshot. Only one light remained, wavering rapidly.
Thick shadows seeped from between the cars, shooting up the walls. A clicking noise filled the air as the shadows crawled up, swallowing the red EXIT sign and covering half the ceiling. The shadows rippled and pulsed, and for a stuttered heartbeat, they swelled like an overripe berry and then stilled.
Roth cursed.
As though a string had been cut, the shadows dropped, blanketing the floor before us in a thick, boiling oil slick. Out of the mess, columns shot into the air, over a dozen of them taking form in a nanosecond. Their bodies hunched over, lumps protruding from their skin and bony backs. Fingers bent and sharpened into claws. Pointy ears flattened and horns broke through hairless scalps. Their skin was a pasty gray and wrinkled in heavy layers, nearly overcoming the red, beady eyes. Thick, ratlike tails slapped off the ground.
Rack demons were from the inner bowels of Hell—the kind that spent an eternity torturing souls. And we were completely surrounded.
17
There was a reason why these kinds of demons were never topside, and it wasn’t their good looks. Racks fed off the pain of others, and if they didn’t have souls to torture, they didn’t sit around and wait.
Roth groaned. “Okay. Which one of you was fed after midnight? Because you’re worse than a mogwai.”
“Mogwais are cute,” I couldn’t help but protest. “These things are not.”
“But mogwais turn into mohawked gremlins, so...”
I shot him a look as I took a step back, nearly gagging on the rank smell of sulfur. “Uh, do you think they want to capture me or kill me?”
“You know, at this point, I’m not sure it matters.” Roth’s voice was grim.
One of the Racks opened its mouth, revealing a mouthful of serrated, sharklike teeth. It made a series of cringing clicks, and whatever language it spoke was completely lost on me, but Roth’s brows shot up.
“I think they want to take you somewhere. Perhaps on a honeymoon retreat?” He shook out his hands. “Yeah, I don’t think so. Let’s do this.”
And that was like ringing the dinner bell for some really hungry salvage-yard dogs. As one, the demons launched themselves at Roth.
I started forward, but Roth’s harsh voice rang out. “Stay out of this, Layla!”
Then he dropped low and kicked out, catching the first demon and knocking its bent legs right out from underneath it. Moving lightning quick, he sprung up as the demon staggered to its feet. Roth reached out, avoiding the thing’s snapping jaws, and placed his hand on its forehead.
A flash of red light came from Roth’s palm, dousing the Rack’s head. Whatever was in Roth’s touch or the light, it was like gasoline. Fire lit up the demon, glowing from its eye sockets and open mouth. Half a second later, the Rack was a pile of ash.
“Jeez,” I whispered.
Throwing a wink over his shoulder at me, Roth shot forward, taking out three Rack demons with a swipe of his arm. Fire swarmed them, incinerating their bodies. Three more came forward, dropping low and hissing.
They advanced on Roth. He stood there, head cocked to the side, and then he lifted his right arm. From the sleeve of his sweater, a twisty, dark entity spilled into the space before him.
The shadow broke into a thousand marble-sized dots and then they hit the floor, shooting together faster than the eye could track.
“Bambi,” I whispered.
In a heartbeat, the huge snake was coiled between the Rack demons and Roth, raising its diamond-shaped head high, until it was poised directly above the Rack demons.
The approaching Racks fell back a step.
“It’s dinnertime, baby,” Roth said. “And Papa brought you to an all-you-can-eat buffet.”
Bambi shot forward, striking the closest Rack demon. The thing screamed as Bambi’s fangs tore through skin and meat. I swallowed hard, wanting to look away from the disturbing sight, but unable to. My stomach roiled as an inky-black substance flew through the air, splattering off the pavement.
Stalking the remaining demons, Roth let out a low laugh that brought chills to my skin. He toyed with them, drawing two of the Racks out and then striking, clearly enjoying himself.
Bambi’s huge body was slithering across the scuffed pavement as she tracked another Rack that dared to advance. But Roth—oh, God—he was surrounded now. There was no way he could take out six Racks on his own, no matter how awesome his fiery touch of death was.
Sucking in a breath, I ignored Roth’s order and pushed down the fear. There was no way I could stand here and do nothing.