Chapter 5
Five
DEMITRIA
T he bright light of the sun’s first rays slowly trickled through the makeshift windows of Demitria’s home, caressing her face with its warmth as it stirred her awake. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten a full night’s sleep and her body protested the early rise. She was aware of every ache in her heavy limbs, but it came with the territory. As a Guardian, the days were long. She didn’t patrol beyond the wall often, but there was always work around the community. Someone always needed help in some way, or something always needed fixing.
Being stationed inside the gates was boring but necessary. You were the last line of defense should anything go wrong. But by then it would be too late anyway.
Demitria couldn’t help the loud groan as she finally left the warmth of the bed. Sometimes it was the small trivial things that were the hardest. With one last longing look toward the blanket, she dressed in a hurry, pulling the form fitting dark pants up her legs, followed by a similar fitting black shirt. They didn’t have uniforms as Guardians, but anything dark was usually worn, especially on patrol at night. Anything to help them blend in. Unseen. It was easier to gain the upper hand if they didn’t know you were there. Despite the creatures’ impeccable sense of smell, the dark clothing seemed to work in their favor most nights. But the demons were always still waiting. Because they were nothing but darkness and shadows with taloned fingers and razor-sharp teeth, some walked on two legs while others traveled on four. She hated those ones the most. Vicious, rabid things that swarmed like predators, tearing their way through anything in their way as blood and gore dripped from their snarling maws.
The sword weighed heavy on her hip. Always be ready. Always be prepared. Demitria was quick to pull the leather boots on her feet, tying them in one swift motion. Fastening the cloak around her body she made her way toward the gate where she knew Jace would be waiting.
Outside, the air was still. Quiet. She had risen early, but someone would usually be milling about. The stillness of the community around her was an odd sensation, but she shrugged it off. The sun was just beginning to emerge over the mountains, slowly spreading its light through the rest of the community.
Demitria wasn’t sure what shocked her more, the crowd at the gate or the fact that its doors hung wide open, beckoning the world in from miles away. Picking up the pace, her legs moved into a run. Something had happened . Jace was standing there, raking his hand through his hair. Brown leather jacket discarded to the side. He’d donned a similar outfit to her own, dark fitted shirt hugging his toned figure.
Had she slept in? Should she be angry that he hadn’t woken her?
“What’s going on?” She asked, coming to a stop beside him.
“Sam set off a flare.” Jace’s green eyes met her own, and her body turned to ice. The blood in her veins ran cold.
“Why didn’t you wake me?” She shouldn’t be angry, but she was. The fact that he’d had the time to leave his house and come here without getting her on the way was infuriating. They always did morning patrol together. He knew that. “Why was Sam even out there? I thought Braun was on patrol last night?”
“Braun said he couldn’t keep going, and Sam offered to go out. You’d already fallen asleep. He just set the flare off moments ago. I was passing the gate when I saw it.” Demitria could tell he was worried. Jace tried not to show it as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, but she knew him too well. The look in his eyes had given him away. Wide and seemingly looking through everyone around them. The way he spoke.
“Are you going out there?” Positioning herself to stop him, she readied her body. He wasn’t the one that should be investigating. It should be her. She was expendable, and as their leader, every single person in their community needed him more than they needed her.
“Will beat me to it.” Jace sighed, and she understood his frustration. Knowing full well that the twin had broken a rule to find his brother. The warning wasn’t to call for backup. It was to alert the community of an oncoming threat that they needed to prepare for within the walls. It meant something was coming. Demon, angel or otherwise.
“That idiot.” Muttering a string of curses under her breath, she peeked out the gate into nothingness. She couldn’t see the twins. Couldn’t see anything, actually. Just dirt for what seemed like miles and miles. “Where’d they go?”
“I don’t know.” He answered through clenched teeth. Jace glanced out the open gate then back to the community, repeating the movement several times. She knew Jace warred with himself over the decision to close the gate or not. To keep their own, and whatever else beyond the safety of the wall, out. Did they risk something coming in to wait for them? Losing two Guardians would be a blow that they couldn’t really afford, but if they lost the entirety of Solis?
In the distance, a blurred object caught her eye, shifting her attention away from Jace. Murmured voices erupted around them, and they all watched with bated breath as it neared. Growing in size before splitting off into multiple figures. One. Then two. Three . Demitria’s hand found the pommel of her sword, readying the weapon for whatever was coming. Her boots pivoted in the dirt.
“Don’t.” Jace scolded, knowing full well that she was prepared to meet whatever was on its way head on with her sword swinging. She wouldn’t let it get to them with the gates wide open. They were too vulnerable waiting like that. He should send away the remaining curious residents that hadn’t already fled when the figures had appeared. More than anything, Demitria knew she needed the space to do her job, and with the bystanders in her immediate vicinity, they’d only serve to get in her way.
“Wait.” He instructed.
Reluctantly, she listened. As the figures got closer, she could see the matching chestnut hair of the twins. They were alive, at least. Hatred for them aside, she should be happy.
Darkness. Whatever it was, nausea rolled through her, itching her skin as if a thousand tiny creatures had burrowed under her flesh. The third figure struggled within the twins’ grasp, writhing back and forth within their grip as they dragged the being between them. She narrowed her eyes, taking in the dainty but lethal body of the creature as it fought against their hold. Female in stature, by the looks of it. Long, dark inky hair clung to its face. Female in stature, by the looks of it.
Bound by her wrists, the creature bared a set of razor-sharp teeth at the men holding her captive. But it was the scarlet eyes that gave her away first. She snarled an animalistic sound that sent a wave of shivers up Demitria’s spine.
But still, the twins brought her closer and closer to the gate.
“What are they doing?” Jace reached out to her, holding her arm steady, unwilling to let her go out. He was really going to let them bring that thing in here? Jace said nothing as she moved to inch closer to the gate, his grip tightening around her. Burning into her in an effort to ground himself.
Though her wrists were bound, the female tried to claw at Sam, but he managed to evade her attack before she made contact. Dark, murky blood dripped down her face in rivulets from a wound somewhere on her head, streaking down across the pale flesh of her skin. Her blood, not theirs. So dark as if it was poison. That’s what they all were. Poisoned beings that didn’t belong anywhere on their planet.
The twins crossed the gates’ threshold before they quickly shut behind them as the last of the onlookers darted away. Demitria hoped they were returning to their homes. Will kicked the female to the ground, her knees buckling as she crumbled underneath herself. Like a rabid animal, she snarled. Biting at them, but didn’t make to get away. Eyes filled with rage, she watched each and every one of them as if the demon was burning their images into her mind, never to forget their faces. When she met Demitria’s own, she stopped. The snarl disappeared only to be quickly replaced with a sadistic smile. It grew wider and wider as she zeroed in, one long spindly finger pointed toward Demitria, nail sharpened to a deadly point.
“You.” The female erupted with laughter. The sound almost maniacal.
“Are you absolutely mad?” Demitria exclaimed, trying to tamper down the anger that was rising within her.
“Why did you bring it here?” Jace moved his hand to her shoulder, squeezing it as if willing her to calm down.
“We wanted her to talk.” Sam stepped on the hand she’d placed on the ground, the bones popping under his weight, yet the demon didn’t flinch.
“We tried everything.” Will added, nodding at her. The demon’s bloodied face made sense. They’d beaten her for information, and she hadn’t yielded an ounce of it to them.
“You risk the entire community bringing that thing in here!” Demitria’s voice rose an octave, despite the restraint she’d tried to keep. She couldn’t let the other residents within earshot hear the worry in her voice as the demon just smiled. “Surely you have a better reason than wanting it to talk.”
“You know as well as I do that there is always more than one. This piece of shit wandered up all alone.” Sam narrowed his eyes, looking from the demon on the ground back up to her.
Despite looking human, the creature was far from it. Hadn’t ever been close to it. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for a demon to take on a different skin. To blend in with humans and infiltrate their communities. But she could have just as well had human ancestry somewhere up the line. Someone having been forced to bear the spawn of the underworld. The thought sickened her.
Demitria waited for Jace to say something, but he remained silent. His hands wound into tight fists at his sides, brows knitted. Thinking. Questioning what to do. Knowing he was battling with a decision that could backfire on them all. No matter what he chose, it would end in bloodshed. Whether the demon’s today, or one of their own members down the line. It was only a matter of when. Each time they killed a demon, more came hunting for the humans that slayed them. A vicious cycle turning round and round that never seemed to end.
It had happened more times than she could count. Sometimes only two or three would come. Those were the times they got lucky.
“Who sent you here?” Will’s boot connected with the female’s back and she buckled underneath the force, her body connecting with the dirt. A new wave of blood dripped from her face, the dark liquid spurting from an array of cuts across her beaten lips. Sam and Will took a step back, waiting to see what the creature would do. She righted herself, finger resuming its position toward Demitria as she laughed again. More hysterical this time. Phantom fingers traced down Demitria’s spine, taking hold of her body.
She didn’t think before pulling the deadly blade from the sheath at her thigh. Her newest dagger came free as she stepped forward in one swift motion before embedding deep into the female’s chest. She could feel the resistance as her blade fought to go deeper, catching between her ribs but Demitria shoved harder. Finally pushing it home. She’d been ready to evade whatever strike the demon unleashed, but it didn’t move.
Again, the female laughed. A dark, bloody smile graced her terrifying features. “They’ll come for this place.” She hissed with a ferociousness Demitria couldn’t explain. “Come for you.”
Jace was the one to speak next, pushing Demitria’s body aside as he stood before the demon. “Speak now and I may let you live.” He nearly growled. “Who is coming for her?” The demon didn’t answer, but spat out a mixture of saliva and that vile, dark blood on his boots. Demitria could see the anger swirling through those familiar green eyes, yet he managed to hold his composure.
“They’ll take everything away from you,” The female’s eyes found hers once more. “Tear the handsome blond one limb from limb.” The demon’s eyes drifted up toward him, licking her lips in a way that meant she’d eat him, given the chance. Demitria could feel her body shaking, vibrating as her own eyes saw red. The rage swelled within at the threat uttered toward Jace. Toward all of them. The demon continued anyway.
“ He will come for you. For you all, and he’ll burn this fucking place to the ground.” The demon’s legs shouldn’t have been able to support her with how beat up she was, but the female stood tall on steady legs. “You have no idea what’s coming. No idea what you’re up against.” The female laughed again, bellowing through the yard. Demitria freed the weapon resting at her hip. Her sword tore through the flesh of the demon’s throat in one clean motion as if it was nothing more than paper. Tearing through the sinewy muscle and bone with ease. The eerie sound was cut short, replaced with a gurgled choking as she bled out on the ground.
Jace didn’t take any chances, lighting a match and tossing it to the female’s body. Spread out, the remaining Guardians stood, watching as she burst into flames. Flames that burned different shades of orange and red before turning nearly black. The smell of burning human flesh was never something you got used to. A demon’s was even worse.
“Are we not going to talk about what the hell just happened?” Sam bellowed, eyes wide as he turned from Jace to her.
She couldn’t find the words to answer. Couldn’t even think straight. The demon attacks on the other communities were one thing, but this? She’d targeted them. Someone had targeted them.
“We don’t know that her threat has merit.” Demitria said, looking back at Jace. Jace ran a hand through his hair, not meeting her gaze.
“She knew you.” Will stepped in front of her, blocking her path should she try to leave. “Why did she know who you were.” Demitria didn’t care about whatever he’d had to say. Had already tuned the annoying sound of his voice out the moment he’d spoken his first word.
“No, you answer me. Why the hell did you go out that god damn gate? You know the rules. We don’t ever go out after a flare has been shot!” She took a step into him, ready to square off should the need arise. “You could have put so many people in danger?—"
“We’re not starting a fight between each other, now back off.” Jace interjected.
Her eyes remained fixed on Will, her jaw clenched so tight her teeth might break.
“Demitria, I mean it.” Jace growled, and she could hear the frustration in his voice.
Demitria snorted, finally moving away from Will.
The demon’s body was still burning, and Demitria found herself fixating on the flames that engulfed the creature before them. Charring the clothing it wore as the female’s skin bubbled beneath the dark flames. The smell, rancid and vile, filled her senses. She was grateful for the lack of food in her system. Demitria replayed the words the female had said over and over again. The threat she’d knowingly made against Jace as if the female had known what he’d meant to her. What it would do to her should anything befall him. Then she’d threatened Demitria’s home. The only place she’d known for half her life, and it drove her mad. Sent her spiraling into her own mind as she contemplated her next course of action. Did they amp up patrols? Station as many Guardians as they could spare? Maybe they needed to properly arm the residents. Begin training every single person that could hold some sort of weapon, starting today. She would never take another night off again. They couldn’t afford it.
Demitria racked her brain for a solution. For something to help them. To save them for whatever threat may be coming. She’d tuned out the arguing between Jace and the others as she stared into those dark flames.
She’d be damned if she lost anyone else, vowing to kill anything that got in her way.