I pull back and glare at him.
“You know I can take care of myself, right? I have proven that.”
He nods. “You have. But these are strong demons, sweetheart. It won’t be like going against us as practice. It will be real. You have maybe a split second to make a choice before acting, or you could be seriously hurt.”
I push down the panic that tries to surface and look them each in the eye.
“If I can’t fight them, how am I supposed to go up against the angels when they attack? I need to do this. I need the practice, and I can’t get that at Connerton.”
Lucifer nods.
“She’s right. I think this will benefit everyone involved. We can’t go into this blind. They’re preparing themselves for a battle to the death, and we need to do the same.” I smile at Gramps, and everyone nods in agreement, even if they are uneasy about it.
“Fine. Just be careful. Darren and I will come down at night and practice so we can all be ready.”
I swallow the lump in my throat when he goes to leave.“Dad?”
He turns around, concern on his face.
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“What about Addy?” She’s staying at the school while we do this training because, apparently, Hell isn’t a good place for vampires to be.
“She’s still doing trainings with elder from the summer. She will be ready.” He nods once more before leaving us behind.
“Why can’t she be here with us?” Brian asks, and Gramps goes to explain, but Colten talks first.
“As long as a vampire is ‘alive’ and hasn’t been taken out, their senses are too vulnerable and heightened down here. It would be like a human walking into a room with a million screaming babies. It’s too much for them to handle.”
“Damn, baby. That was kind of hot.” I smirk, and walk up to him, standing on my toes to kiss him.
“You like me being the smart one for a change?” He kisses me back, his hands on my hips, and I laugh.
“Gives Bry and I a break.” I wink, and everyone chuckles before Gramps gets our attention.
“Are you guys ready for this? It will be its own sort of battlefield in there, but they don’t have angelic powers and abilities. You have to be on your guard at all times, and remember to work as a unit.” He’s guiding us through the door, but doesn’t follow us in.
“Aren’t you coming with us?” I ask, and he shakes his head.
“Can’t, baby girl. My presence will change everything in there and it won’t be real. I’m their Master. I will be watching and ready to step in at any moment, if need be.”
I nod and then take Bry and Colt’s hands while Orion steps up behind me.
“Together.” I take a deep breath, and they do the same.
“Together,” they repeat in unison.
Just as he’s closing the door, he looks to me once more.
“If you don’t call for me within an hour, I will come in there myself.” And then he’s gone, leaving us in darkness.
“Hey, beautiful?” Brian squeezes my hands.
“Yeah?” I holler over the screams that are getting louder as my eyes adjust to the darkness.
“This may be an insanely crazy thing to do.” I can hear Orion snort behind me, and shake my head. “But we are in this together. Always.”
They aren’t wrong.
As the sound of screams grow louder, I can hear other things mixed in with them. Growls that sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard. Screeches from birds that sound like they’re giants, and footsteps that start making the ground tremor.
“Always!” I holler back, and take a step forward now that I can see enough around me to know where they are. More than that though, I can feel them near me.
“Son of a bitch,” Colten hisses and throws fire, putting light into the darkness as it hits the intended target.
“What the fuck was that?” Orion asks, and I can feel my eyes wide as I look at the burning body of a large three headed snake-like lizard with webbed feet.
The shiver that runs through me is unavoidable.
“I hate snakes,” I groan, and Orion laughs.
“Not sure that was a snake, babe.”
“Fine. I hate snake-like looking things!” I scream at him, and throw my hands in the air, letting out a shriek.
“Harleigh!” I can hear the guys screaming, but I can’t focus on anything except the blood pumping through my ears as the fear fights to take over.
Whatever grabbed onto my hands has claws digging through my clothes and into my skin, and I can feel the blood dripping down my arm.
