Chapter 7 Abaddon
ABADDON
Holly’s presence was a distraction I couldn’t afford. Getting her out of the way was instinct as much as anything, and I hoped my reflexive throw hadn’t hurt her. Mortals can be so fragile.
Stepping into the raging inferno, I roared defiance back at the destructive flames and forced myself to focus on the danger. Had Baal found me? Was this an attack? An accident?
Doesn’t matter. If I can’t get it under control, we’re dead either way.
The circle powered everything, and I didn’t have the strength to replace it.
Worse, if the hellfire burned uncontained, it would reach the cabin.
Its infernal malevolence would make sure of that; as I’d told Holly, hellfire is vicious.
With each step, I got closer to the circle, and the heat intensified.
I breathed air so hot it burned my lungs, flames licked my skin with agonizing intensity, and the raw force pushed back against me.
I gritted my teeth and leaned in, pressing forward inch by torturous inch. The pain wouldn’t stop me.
I refused to let Holly freeze to death, even if saving her burned me alive.
That thought gave me strength. Not just moral strength, my next step was literally easier.
Impossibly, the pain receded. It wasn’t much, but enough to stagger to the edge of the circle.
I collapsed to my knees and stared at it.
Nothing had changed. No one had altered the sigils, reworked the pentagram, changed the bindings.
No scuff marks marred the surface. More power poured through the sigil than ever, far more, but I couldn’t see why.
And without that, I had no way to fix the problem.
Which left only one way to stop the inferno. Perhaps I could have worked out something clever, but even with my unexplained boost of strength, there was no time. The hellfire would consume me, and the blast would spread it to the cabin, stranding Holly in a blizzard to die.
I struck down, my claws chipping the concrete and opening the circle, breaking the sigil. The remaining power shot into the flames, a white-hot light right in front of me burning up to the sky.
Then it was gone, its sudden disappearance leaving me blind and falling forward.
Everything hurt, and hitting the rough concrete face-first only made that worse.
I didn’t mind; I’d achieved my goal. The shelter of my cabin would protect Holly until the storm passed, and she’d be able to get back to her own kind after that.
Every other concern seemed unimportant, and I smiled as the darkness closed around me.