Page 58 of Bound By Love
Those monsters still outnumbered them two to one; the demons still believed they could win this, and maybe they could, but a sliver of hope grew in Saber that they could stop this. They just had to keep the demons from escaping through the doorway to Hell and had to get everyone who didn’t have a stone away.
“Get him out of here,” he said to Brie. “We’ll cover you.”
Brie looked to Asher, and though sadness filled her eyes, she smiled. His sister understood what Saber did; Asher would walk out of here, but probably not her or anyone else the stones had chosen.
* * *
Brie drapedAsher’s arm around her shoulders and hugged his waist as she hurried him toward the entrance. Her heart hadn’t hurt this much since she lost the life she’d cherished as a child.
Zina, one of her best friends and loyal companions, was dead. Zina had kept her going forward, become her family, and been the source of a lot of smiles and laughter; now, she was gone.
Tears choked her eyes and throat, but she couldn’t shed them here. She’d die too if she stopped to scream out her grief as she longed to do.
And she had to get Asher out of here. He was injured butalive. That might not last, as this was most likely the last time she’d see him.
She didn’t expect to walk out of this cavern or away from these demons. She’d prefer if this wasn’t her grave but didn’t see how she could break free.
The power that thrummed through her when those swords connected still hummed across her veins. It was right and what they required to defeat these monsters, but a power that strong couldn’t be easily controlled.
Of course, that meant Asher would die, but it wouldn’t be here. It wouldn’t be in this awful place she’d seen in her vision.
The appalling noise of the screeching demons increased as they approached the exit. They swarmed over the ceiling and up the walls.
Some of them tried to drop down, but when Saber lashed out with his sword, they retreated. Brie swore they laughed when they did. It was the worst maniacal laugh she’d ever heard, and it caused goose bumps to pepper her flesh.
These things were toying with them; she was certain of it.
“Fall back!” Saber shouted to everyone else.
He waved his arm in the air, gesturing for the others to follow him. Most of them were already retreating, but Declan and Willow continued to fight as they tried to clear a path for Jack, Mike, Charlie, and Mollie.
The demons didn’t chase anyone into the tunnel. They wanted the stones and would destroy anyone who possessed them, but they also wanted the vampires who controlled them to be alone. It was much easier that way.
“We have to get everyone, except for those of us with swords, out of here,” Saber told Ronan when they arrived at his side.
Brie kissed Asher’s cheek. “I love you.”
Before he could do anything, she handed him over to Logan.
“No,” Asher said as he stretched a hand out for her, but he was too weak to put up much of a fight.
“Get himoutof here,” Brie said to Logan. “I’ve had numerous visions of him dying down here.”
“I’ll get him out,” Logan said.
“I’m staying,” Asher protested.
“You have to go,” Brie insisted. “The stones—”
Before she could finish, the demons charged.
“Everyone without a sword, get OUT!” Ronan bellowed.
CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT
Nathan kissedVicky and nudged her toward the exit as, behind them, the sounds of clashing steel, the demons’ shrieks, and cries of suffering erupted again.
“No, wait!” she protested as she grabbed his hand.
