Black Howl
Page 38

Azazel and Focalor had stopped and turned to see what was happening. Azazel seemed amused as he looked up at us hanging near the ceiling.
“You will have to come down eventually,” Azazel said.
“Everything does,” I agreed. I felt the buildup of power inside me, and I dug deeper than I ever had before. I would get only one shot, and I needed it to count. “Gravity is a powerful force.”
I blasted the electricity spell out, and it exploded in a torrent of lightning from my hands. But I wasn’t aiming for Azazel or Focalor, as much as I would have enjoyed frying them both. I aimed for the ceiling.
There was a terrible crack, and half the ceiling came down.
Electrical wiring sparked, and wooden cross beams ignited.
Charcarion demons cried out as they were crushed. The ones that were not turned into mosquito splats rushed toward the door. Azazel and Focalor shouted at them to stop, blasted the demons for disobeying, but their desire to live overrode their instinct to obey. The two Grigori were overrun by the panicked horde.
Samiel’s shoulder was hit by falling debris and he lost his grip on Wade. The wolf tumbled toward the floor, barking and howling.
I shot downward to Wade, heedless of the falling chunks of ceiling, and grabbed him out of midair. The others followed me as I swooped through the room. I aimed for one of the broken windows, thinking it would be safest to get out of the throne room.
I pulled my wings in to fit through the shards of broken glass and discovered that the windows overlooked a giant sweep of landscaped garden. There were beds for flowers and sculptured hedges in the forms of animals, all covered in a heavy blanket of snow. I imagined it was quite magical in the summertime with everything in bloom. I had never actually looked out those windows before. Usually when I was in Azazel’s court I was too busy thinking up excuses to leave as soon as possible.
I flew most of the way across the lawn to the place where it bordered a forest, landed heavily in the snow on my knees and put Wade down. He nudged me with his head and I patted him tiredly.
The others came out behind me. Gabriel pulled me to my feet.
“Think we can catch a portal out of here?” I asked hopefully.
Gabriel shook his head. “I already attempted the spell as we flew. Azazel has blocked us from exiting that way as long as we are on his land.”
I glanced back at Azazel’s mansion. Charcarion demons flowed out the windows and over the lawn toward us, shouting and screeching their battle cries.
“What are the chances, do you think, that his property ends here?” I asked.
Gabriel shook his head. “It does not. Remember, I lived here for many years. Azazel owns acres of land. He desires complete privacy for his court.”
“So we either stand and fight, or we run through the woods being chased by demons for hours on end,” J.B. said.
“We could try to fly…” I started.
“And carry the wolves for how long?” Beezle asked.
“They can’t be any heavier than you,” I retorted.
The demons were getting closer.
“I’d rather stand and fight,” J.B. said.
The wolves barked in agreement.
Samiel nodded.
Gabriel took my hand. “At least we will die together.”
I shook my head and let his fingers drop. “We are not going to die.”
The demons poured over the hill, a mass so large that they seemed one giant monster. Where had they all come from? Hadn’t I killed most of them?
“Madeline, their numbers…”
“Screw their numbers,” I said, my face hot and angry.
I’d had enough. I was tired of running for my life, fighting monsters, getting blasted by spells. I was tired of worrying about the lives of those whom I loved, lives that were in jeopardy because a bunch of angels wanted power that they would never possess.
From the moment I’d learned I was Azazel’s daughter, my life had been an unending battle. The faces of the dead swam before my eyes. Patrick, my best friend, killed by Ramuell. The people slaughtered by the nephilim at Clark and Belmont. The murdered wolves of Wade’s pack.
Even the living had not been left unharmed. The victims who screamed in padded rooms at the Agency were proof of that.
All of them had been caught in the cross fire of a battle they hadn’t even known of, a battle for supremacy over all creatures. A battle that Lucifer was determined to win, and that his enemies were equally determined he lose.
For the first time the power of the Morningstar came when I called, easily, naturally. I rose up above the others, my wings outspread, the light of the sun moving through me.
The demons covered their eyes, fell to their knees. I raised my arms, hands open, and let the magic in my blood take over. The clearing was filled with light.
When it was over, all the demons were gone.
I fainted.
I woke up in Gabriel’s arms, everyone huddled around me at the edge of the forest.
“What?” I croaked. My throat was very dry. I felt like I hadn’t felt in a long time—like my magic had run out, and that it would take a good long time for it to come back.
“You fell out of the sky,” Beezle said. “For some reason, everyone’s concerned.”
“I can get up,” I said to Gabriel.
“I am not sure that you should,” he replied.
“Well, we all know how Maddy feels about what she should do,” Beezle said.
I pushed to my feet and immediately stumbled. My legs felt like jelly.
“You see how well she listens,” Beezle said.
Gabriel put his arm around me. I did not want to admit that the only reason I was upright was because he was holding me there.
The mansion was silent before us. The snow on the lawn had been melted away by my spell. No creatures crawled through the broken windows.
“Do you think I killed them all, or is Azazel just marshaling his forces for another round?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m sure he’s more determined to kill you than ever,” Beezle said.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” J.B. said.
“Azazel will have closed his lands by now,” Gabriel said grimly. “I have seen him do it only a few times, but it is a spell that he has in place to prevent the escape of prisoners. We will not be able to leave by foot or by air. He cannot allow us to leave and notify Lord Lucifer of his plans.”
We all looked helplessly at one another. Would we be trapped here like rats running around a maze, fighting until Azazel managed to wear us down?
“Gabriel, there has to be some way of getting out of here. You lived here with Azazel for years. A secret tunnel that leads off the property?” I asked.
Gabriel shook his head. “There is only one way that I know of to leave this place once Azazel has activated the security measures.”
“And that is?”
“There is Azazel’s personal portal.”
“And where is that?” I asked, dreading the answer.
“In Azazel’s quarters. The east wing, on the very top floor.”
“Well, that’s like asking to get caught,” Beezle said. “You want us to go back inside? Why do none of you pay attention when we watch horror movies?”
“Because it’s hard to hear the narrative when there’s a little gargoyle screaming, ‘Don’t go in there,’ at the actors,” I said.
“What narrative?” Beezle said. “It’s just people making stupid decisions and getting chopped up by a maniac. Like we’re going to be when we go back inside Azazel’s house and head straight for the only exit.”
“You know that he’ll expect us to try something like that,” J.B. agreed.
“Does anyone else have a better idea?” I demanded. “Or do you want to let Azazel run us ragged on the grounds until we can’t run any farther?”
No one answered. We all knew there was only one choice.
“Okay,” I said briskly, addressing Gabriel. “I’m assuming if that’s the only way out, then Azazel will have those windows on the upper floors well guarded.”
“That is a safe assumption, yes,” Gabriel said.
“So the best way back in is through the broken windows.”
“You could pass through the walls, since you’re the Hound of the Hunt,” Beezle said.
“I could, but the rest of you couldn’t. And my power is temporarily out, anyway,” I said. “What’s next?”
“Up two flights of stairs and down a long passageway to Azazel’s quarters,” Gabriel said. “Which are guarded by a phalanx of his most trusted soldiers.”
“This might be the dumbest thing we have ever done in a long line of dumb things,” Beezle said.
“Much as it pains me to agree with you, you’re right,” I said. “But I really can’t see another option.”
Samiel tapped me on the shoulder. Would the invisibility spell make a difference?
“Not with Azazel,” Gabriel said. “It may protect us from any lesser demons.”
“Don’t bother,” I said. “I’m sure that Azazel will know that we’ve entered the building.”
“Yeah, what with the smashing and the mangling that usually follows in your wake,” Beezle said.
We walked slowly over the lawn. I limped, leaning on Gabriel. The wolves trotted ahead, sniffing the air. I was exhausted down to my bones. The house seemed like a giant repository of menace, and I was suddenly afraid for all of us.
J.B. and Samiel flew ahead to check inside the broken windows. Samiel looked back and gave us a thumbs-up.
The bottom sills of the windows were only a few feet off the ground, so the wolves were able to leap through easily. Gabriel lifted me inside, as my wings had disappeared along with my magic.
The throne room was completely destroyed. The fires had been extinguished, but there was a lot of scorched and charred wood everywhere. Three-quarters of the ceiling plaster had come down completely, and the remainder looked like it was going to fall any minute. Bodies of demons and soldier-angels lay everywhere under the rubble. There was nothing stirring, and no sign of Azazel, Antares or Focalor.