Ink of Copper

20. In Which Wings and Demons Play an Essential Role

Chapter 20

In Which Wings and Demons Play an Essential Role

E llie whirled to stop Evander as he caught up with her. She wanted to retreat, and he was making it very difficult. She didn’t have the energy, nor did she want to discuss Penn and his abusive behavior during their marriage. All she wanted was for him to drop it.

“I’m trying to be alone, if I’m not making myself clear.” Her foot tapped in annoyance, and she folded her arms against her chest. The room differed from the makeshift craft room they passed daily. A lone statue of Athena caught Ellie’s eye just over Evander’s shoulder, her head turned towards the doors, her shield in hand.

“I figured that, but I wanted to have a word.” His arms mimicked her stance, folding themselves across his chest.

“Have your word.” Tossing her head, she gestured for him to continue.

Evander glanced at her and then over her shoulder. He parted his lips to speak, but his words never came out. A wildness sprung up in his eyes, and he spun on his heel to face the statue of Athena. Her gaze followed his, but since he blocked most of her view with his enormous height, she could only see a quiver full of arrows and a bow hanging from the far wall. A shield hung next to the bow with an etching of the head of Medusa, her snakes ready to strike, hissing. His back stiffened, and she heard him snort, giving the eerie illusion that he might be part animal. Effortlessly, his hand jutted out and herded her behind him—the same motion he used last night—placing himself between whatever danger was in front of them. A tingle sparked down her spine as the air in the room crackled. She had felt this movement of energy once before, a long time ago, shortly after she lost control and burned down part of her house. A bright light erupted into the room, like firecrackers lit directly in their eyes. Evander didn’t flinch, but Ellie whimpered in pain and rubbed her eyes.

“You, look. You look at the great big ugly one,” a crackling voice spoke behind the blinding light. It sounded like a raspy cross between a hiss and a chain smoker. Had she not been afraid, Ellie might have thought it funny.

“Where the Serathena? Boss said grab Serathena and run,” another said in a similar hissing noise, pitched slightly higher.

“I not sees her,” a third replied to the others, its voice just as raspy but a full octave higher.

“Over there. There the Serathena is to be.”

Intuitively, Ellie stepped closer to Evander. She didn’t know what a Serathena was, but she didn’t want to find out.

“Well, now, you nasty creatures. Did your boss send you three to do his dirty work? What, couldn’t be bothered to get up this morning?” Evander chided them.

The trio howled, causing Ellie to want to take off running. The familiar surge of energy sparked in her palm. Turning her shaking palm over, she rubbed the heated spot, then snapped her fist closed. Now would not be a good time to lose control.

“You? You dare insult us? Insult us?” one hissed back.

Peaking over his shoulder, all Ellie saw were small, bat-like creatures completely blocking the way out. The door behind them was yards away. She eyed it over her shoulder. If she ran for it, she was afraid they would chase her. They might be small, but something about them made her instinctively know she didn’t want to mess with them. The creatures were all black. Their faces scrunched around their noses like they perpetually smelled something foul. Their broad, black eyes were beady, and they had long, pointed ears. They looked like cartoon drawings instead of real beings. They spoke broken phrases as if they were having difficulty understanding the language.

“Just looking at you is insulting,” Evander shot back.

“You hand over Serathena. You hand her to us now.” One of the little things stuck out his hand, expecting Evander to drop something into the upturned palm.

She side-eyed him, praying he didn’t. He took a single step back, just enough to reassure himself she was still tucked behind his imposing frame. Ellie stepped forward to reassure him she wasn’t about to go anywhere.

“No.” His voice was deadly.

The tension in his body was palpable. She sensed every muscle tightening without touching him. She didn’t doubt he would spring into action, but he was holding himself back. The three creatures hissed and screamed.

“No? No! What is this, no? You give Serathena us to me. You give her. Boss said. We needs her to give her boss,” the creature snarled at him.

One hobbled in an awkward side-to-side motion towards Evander. With a brief glance over her shoulder, Ellie attempted to estimate how far the door was. Sunlight glinted off a second set of arrows on the back wall.

“She worth more to boss,” the one hobbling closer said.

“You just play with her, but boss said needs her.” This one had the highest voice. Ellie wondered if this was a female or if these things had genders.

“What are they?” she whispered.

He turned his head, keeping the creatures in his line of sight. “Something that won’t be here long.”

Ellie watched as, in one fluid motion, Evander rushed the creatures. Crossing his arms over his chest, two swords appeared in each hand from the ether. The steel winked in the morning sun, streaming in from floor-to-ceiling windows.

“Where the hell were you hiding those?” Ellie heard herself say, flabbergasted at seeing swords emerge from Evander’s hips, just above his swim trunks.

Those must be bottomless pockets! Ellie felt a giggle bubble up at her absurd thought.

“Ellie, run!” Evander shouted as he charged forward, swords flailing in the air. She didn’t need to be told twice. Turning on her heel, she started for the door behind them at full speed. Flapping came from the ceiling as one of the things landed between her and the door. She skidded to a stop.

These fuckers have wings?

That observation sobered her as she realized the situation they were now in. Both exits were blocked by creatures screaming at them and Evander was wildly swinging swords. The utter absurdity would have been laughable had she not felt her power pulling from within.

Shit. Keep calm. Don’t lose control, Ellie .

The creature before her crouched. It shifted its weight from side to side as it moved forward. Wildly snapping her eyes over her shoulder, she caught Evander fending one off as another attacked from above. His swords swung in graceful arcs, an artful dance in the air. The sunlight played on the steel as they moved with precision and skill. One sword swirled over his head and struck the creature in the chest. It made a god-awful scream and burst into black dust. Silently, the shimmering dust floated to the ground.

Turning back to face the creature, she realized it was stalking closer. She stepped back and headed towards the wall. A second creature flew at him, and she watched Evander whip around. A horrifying scream filled the air. It slammed Evander to the floor, knocking one sword out of his hand and sending it clanging, skidding across the floor, just out of reach. Grabbing his other arm, the creature held him down, forcing him to use his prosthetic. Evander squirmed underneath, trying to break free. Ellie watched in horror as the thing gained the upper hand. The thing had all its weight on his shoulder, holding him to the ground.

It dawned on Ellie just how strong these little things were. No more than four feet tall, they were like Gremlins, if Gremlins had evil demon twins. The thing began scratching at Evander as he sprawled supine fending it off. It clawed at his bare chest right over his tattoo. The sounds of grunting were drowned out by the creature’s otherworldly screams. The one in front of her had stalked her almost to the wall, never wavering.

Ellie’s gaze darted to where the sword lay. It was close to her, closer than it was to Evander. If she could grab it, she didn’t know how to use it, but she had to at least try to defend herself. The creature darted towards her. The surrounding air whooshed, and it lifted off the ground.

The thing screamed in protest. Ellie froze in place, fear gripping her as the beast landed between her and the sword, daring her to grab it. She watched in horror as the other creature flapped its wings, lifting Evander half off the ground and then repeatedly slamming his head into the floor. She was sure it would give him a concussion or crack his skull from the force.

Evander’s mind raced. He had to get out from under this daemon before the damn thing killed him. If it got to his tattoo, that would be the end. He feebly tried to reach the sword that lay several feet away. Ellie stood utterly frozen in fear, halfway across the room, taunted by a daemon circling her. She was in danger, more than she knew. Magic surged, and a portal opened just beyond his spot on the floor. It swirled and moved, and he knew exactly where it led. He had to do something dramatic to save her.

Dramatic and stupid.

He had been using as little of his powers as possible. Ellie knew nothing of who or what he was, and he had planned to keep her in the dark; it was safer for both of them. Beads of sweat began forming on his forehead from the force of keeping his true identity hidden. The only way to get out from being pinned was to release some of his power and knock the daemon back enough to grab his dagger. He had to be stealthy. Closing his eyes, he shot a small amount of magic at the thing, knocking it off. His arm free, he swung his remaining sword and clipped its wing as it tried to fly towards Ellie. It let out a cry of pain that shook the walls. It was the chance Evander needed. Scrambling to his feet, he swung his sword in one fluid motion. Its head bounced away as the body landed with a thud. The head rolled, and both pieces burst into black dust.

Her head spun, trying to understand what her eyes were seeing. These creatures didn’t sound or talk like anything she knew. They were strong and fast and flew.

And yet, the moment they burst into the room, the powers she had long buried rose to the surface. She couldn’t let Evander know what she was, her abilities. She was struggling to keep control as her powers groaned against her. Lost in her panic, she realized too late that the thing before her was close. Turning like a caged animal, she balled her hands into fists lest she burn the room down; afraid to run towards the sword-wielding Evander, and fearful of being caught by the animal releasing scream after ear-piercing scream. If she gave in to the building of power, she would be more dangerous than the things in front of them. Her escape came in the form of a bow hanging on the wall as decor. The set was halfway up, just overhead. Ellie would need to jump to grab them. She launched herself forward, whispering a small prayer that the bow was real and easily removable.

Adrenaline pumped in her veins as she propelled herself on shaky legs that grew more sure with each step. On her first jump, she grabbed the bow and quiver, and as she landed, they came off the wall with a slight tug. Spinning, she lifted the bow and reached for an arrow from the quiver, only to be thrown backward into the middle of the room.

She grunted as she hit her shoulder, the arrows flying out of the quiver, the bow firmly in her grasp. Pain shot down her arm as she scrambled to stand, disoriented from her fall. The thing attacked from above. Its leathery wings flapped around her face, its hot breath on her neck as it grabbed her. It pulled her backward towards a swirling circle of magic. The ring called her, beckoning her, tugging on her as the beast dragged her towards it. Ellie fought the grip around her waist, clawing to break free. Suddenly, the thing picked her up, her feet lifting out from under her in an awkward dance. Ellie flung her feet out and executed the sole option she could conceive. She threw all her body weight to the ground. As Evander sprinted towards them, another creature emerged from the portal, confirming Ellie’s belief that it was a gateway to a hellish dimension. It flew at Evander and knocked him off balance and onto his back.

Something in her snapped, watching the beast coming from the portal. All the fear and confusion melted into strength and ability. She wrapped her legs around one of the creature’s ankles, stalling its retreat. Using all her upper body strength, she threw herself forward. Her hands smacked the ground. She grabbed the closest leg to her and pulled with all her might.

The creature did what everyone in her self-defense class had done: its body slammed to the ground. When it hit, it made an ear-piercing scream. Ellie rotated quickly and placed her knee on its throat. She knew she couldn’t outrun it, but she could outsmart it. She added pressure, not enough to choke it but to let it know she wouldn’t go quietly. It clawed at her and screamed in a language she didn’t understand. She added more pressure, and the thing fought harder, trying to free itself. With only shorts to shield her from the attack, she hissed when the claws contacted her thigh, leaving deep scratches.

“Where are the arrows?” Ellie yelled to no one in particular.

This thing was scratching the hell out of her, and she needed to kill it quickly. She grunted from the strength it took to control the creature while her hand struggled to connect with an arrow. Instead, it found the sword.

“The heart!” Evander yelled, shoving his attacker. “Aim for the heart!”

The thing was wiggling under her weight, clawing desperately at the knee in its trachea. It opened its mouth to scream, but Ellie made that problematic. Clutching the handle of the sword, she tried to lift it, but it was too heavy. Off balance, she struggled to find the proper angle to handle it smoothly.

“It’s too heavy!” Her voice sounded out of control. Frantic, she spied two arrows lying across each other by the bow only a few feet away, just out of reach. Her knee lifted, releasing its grip on the creature. Evander yelled something as she sprinted for the scattered arrows. Skidding to a stop, she bent and grabbed them.

Turning with masterful ease, one knee bent, one tucked under, she aimed, shooting the first one just as it reached her. The arrow slammed through the middle of its chest, soaring out the back across the room to embed in the wall opposite them. An agonizing scream released from the thing before it burst into dust. The fourth one had left Evander during the commotion and leapt into the air. Aiming, Ellie fired with precision. The last arrow sailed in a graceful arch right into the core of the winged creature. Letting out an eerie shriek, it exploded, transformed into a mixture of black and gold dust. The deadly arrow hung suspended before clattering to the ground, landing in a pile of remains. A puff of dust shot into the air, shimmering as it floated in the dancing sunlight.

The room groaned with silence as Evander and Ellie stared at each other, shock written across their faces.

“Wh-wha-what the hell was that?” Her voice sounded hoarse to her ears. The echoes of the last screams of the black-winged things reverberated off her bones. Pushing up from the floor, bow still in her hand, she marched towards him. She needed answers, and she needed them now.

Evander had stood where the last creature’s dust lay, his sword still mid-swing. What felt like hours to her had been mere seconds. His eyes were wide, his jaw slack.

“What the hell? Evander! They had wings!” Ellie yelled breathlessly, her hands shaking. “Evander!” She gripped the bow tight enough to snap the wood. “Answer me!” Narrowing her eyes, she pointed the bow at him for good measure.

“Evander!”

“You killed him.” He didn’t blink or move; he just stared at the pile of dust.

“Evander . . .”

“Shot them. Shot them both. Impeccable archery skills.”

“Yes. But swords?” She glanced at his sword that he’d brought to his side. “I’m better with a gun. Do you know how heavy that thing is?”

“Like you’ve been killing daemons forever. Like you’re trained. Are you trained?” He narrowed his eyes at her, becoming animated for the first time since she shot the last creature.

“Excuse me?”

“Trained. Are you trained?”

“What, in self-defense? Sure. My daddy made me take classes. It was supposed to help me control my”—she stammered—“control my anger.”

“No—yes, I see that. I meant, are you trained in how to kill—” His eyes darted around searching for the words to describe flying creatures from a magical hell portal. “Daemons,” he said slowly. “They were daemons. I have trained to kill them, but you, you just shot it as if you’ve been fighting them for centuries.”

She came to him in two strides, placing her hand on his arm. He put his over hers as if he needed her comfort as much as she needed answers.

“I don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about.” Her sarcastic tone seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he was in.

“How did you know how to free yourself? She had you from behind.”

“I’m from Texas. How to shoot and defend yourself and your property are right up there with bull horns on our Cadillacs. Pretty sure they’d revoke my card if I didn’t know how,” she joked. Her face flushed with excitement and fear. Her hands still shook as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. “I’m kidding. A daemon? Like from the pits of hell type of daemon?”

“More like Tartarus, but yes.”

“From Tartarus? The underworld prison, Tartarus?”

He was being so damn cryptic. He was looking around; Ellie assumed to ensure they got them all.

“Of course. They feast on human souls; that’s why they burst into—” he paused, his eyes darting to hers, horrified. “That’s not—what I mean is—” He huffed, panic in his eyes.

“Human souls?” she said slowly, stressing each word. “Those flying things eat people?”

“We must go. They might return.”

Her head was swimming, questions piling up, flowing over her in rivers of panic. Something occurred to her that stopped her in her tracks.

“Why did it call me Serathena?”

As he slid his fingers through his hair, Evander exhaled loudly “I don’t honestly know.”