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The older priest continued, oblivious. “For haughty men have risen up against me, and fierce men seek my life; they set not God before their eyes.”
“That’s what you think,” Dexx answered.
“See, God is my helper.” Andy’s voice cracked. “The Lord sustains my life.”
“So, send me back. What’s your plan? They’re comin’ either way.”
“Turn back the evil upon my foes; in your faithfulness destroy them.” Reece held his Bible in front of him like a shield.
Dexx shrugged.
Reece set his face in grim determination. “Freely will I offer you sacrifice.”
“Save your words, priest,” the demon spat impatiently.
“Save your servant.” Reece advanced slowly on the demon.
“How would you do it?” Dexx took a step forward. “What’s your plan?”
“Let her find in you, Lord, a fortified tower in the face of the enemy.”
Lucius gave Dexx a wordless smirk.
The demon didn’t have a plan either.
“Let the enemy have no power over her and the son of iniquity be powerless to harm her. Lord, send her aid from your holy place and watch over her from Zion.”
A scream ripped through the demon’s throat that was both demonic and feminine.
“Stop,” a new voice commanded. “He’s telling the truth. You need him.”
Dexx spun on Balnore in surprise. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Lord, heed my prayer and let my cry be heard by you. The Lord be with you.”
Balnore looked bored, like there were a million other things he could have been doing at that moment. He tipped his chin toward Paige, eyes on Dexx. “She summoned me.”
Reece stroked the pages in his book lovingly before he began again. “I command you, unclean spirit, whose name is Lucius, along with all your minions now attacking this servant of God—”
“Face reality, Dexx.” Balnore straightened his shirt sleeve. “You can’t keep the gate closed. We need Lucius’ help. He’s a guardian of that gate. Gabriel trapped him between worlds for a reason.”
Lucius screamed.
“—by the mysteries of the incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Reece shouted, “by the descent of the Holy Spirit, by the coming of our Lord for judgment—”
The demon whipped his head around. “If I go, I’ll take her with me. She’s the only other one who can use the key to keep it closed.”
“What are you saying, demon?” Dexx growled.
“—I command you to obey me to the letter, I who am a minister of God despite my unworthiness; nor shall you be emboldened to harm in any way this creature of God—”
“An alliance,” the demon said.
Balnore shrugged. “It would be smart.”
“Says the damned demon who bound her gift in the first fucking place.” Dexx pressed his fist against his mouth, debating something he shouldn’t be entertaining. Wouldn’t be entertaining if it weren’t for the fact the damn thing was in Paige’s body.
“I cast you out, unclean spirit, along with every Satanic power of the enemy, every spectre from Hell and all your fell companions; in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Reece made the sign of the cross in the air before him.
“Do you really think you humans can do this on your own?” Lucius jerked against his bonds. “You know it has been opened once. How much more do you want to lose? Which do you think you would prefer? The angel who would smite you for your sins, or the demon who would devour your soul?”
“Be gone,” Reece commanded.
The demon writhed in the chair, a low growl emanating from him.
“And stay far from this creature of God,” the priest continued, again making the sign of the cross. “For it is He who commands you. He who flung you headlong from the heights of heaven into the depths of Hell.”
“I was born here, you asshole,” Lucius said between clenched teeth.
“It is He who commands you, He who once stilled the sea and the wind and the storm.”
Paige’s twisted voice rose in a pain-filled cry.
“Hearken, therefore, and tremble in fear, Lucius, you enemy of the faith, you foe of the human race, you begetter of death, you robber of life—”
“Don’t send me back.”
Balnore let out a long, put-out sigh.
“—you corrupter of justice, you root of all evil and vic. Seducer of men, betrayer of the nations, instigator of envy, font of avarice—”
The demon jerked to the side and shouted something Dexx didn’t understand.
“—fomenter of discord, author of pain and sorrow. Why, then, do you stand and resist, knowing as you must that Christ the Lord brings your plans to nothing? Fear Him—”
“The key,” the demon cried in a deafening voice. “You must protect the key!”
Balnore’s shoulders slumped as he rolled his eyes.
“Be gone, then, in the name of the Father,” Reece said, making the sign of the cross.
Balnore moved with lightning speed and grabbed Paige’s shoulder. He stared intently into the demon’s eyes. The air seemed to still. The storm outside silenced.
“—and of the Son, and of the Holy—”
An explosion of sound interrupted the priest, tossing the man across the room.
The light bulb burst overhead, leaving them in dusky darkness.
Dexx peered through the poor light to see what had happened.
Out of thin air, a body manifested. Tall, bald, and heavily tattooed, wearing a burgundy robe embroidered in gold. Dexx’s eyes widened as Paige slumped forward against the ropes holding her.
Oh…shit.
Two very real, very solid demons.
What in the seven pits of Hell had they done?
Dexx couldn’t decide which fire to put out first. Was it the priest who couldn’t understand why demons should be allowed inside his church? The demon summoner who was no longer possessed, but comatose? The witch who seemed fine, even though she looked wicked creepy? Or the two demons who were whispering at the far end of the cathedral about God only knew what. Or…maybe He didn’t. Who knew?
Time for an honest assessment instead of a flying-off-the-seat-of-his-pants freak out. The demons chatted, but flames hadn’t spewed forth. No apocalypse yet. Dexx decided to let that one sit for the moment.
Reece stood guard over the two of them, powerless if the two decided to bring Hell to his church. Alma scoured a book—which wasn’t her grimoire, thank you very much—and seemed to be quite content being left alone to her research. Grumpy old witch. Paige still hadn’t awakened after expelling Lucius from her body.
Out of all the problems to deal with, Paige needed to be fixed first. All right. So, he should probably be dealing with the demons, but he didn’t know what to do with them. He thumped his fist against one of the square columns supporting the vaulted roof, and retreated to the back of the church. He didn’t know what to do with Paige either.
Reece’s office was the last door on the left. Dexx had left Paige on the leather couch to rest.
He leaned against the doorway, releasing a pent-up breath through pursed lips. Did he even know how to help Paige? He was a guy, oddly enough. What did a man do with a woman who was falling apart?
Have sex with her.
Not likely.
Dexx stepped around the couch and stopped. Paige was gone.
He returned to the cathedral. “Hey, has anyone seen Paige?”
Reece ignored him, knee deep in conversation with the two demons. They seemed to be rather invested in the discussion as well.
Alma raised her head, her white eyes startling in the dark of the church. “She’s gone?”
“Kinda why I asked if you’d seen her.” Dexx spun on his heel and retraced his steps. “I’ll find her.”
“With everything going on,” Alma said, following, “you’ll excuse me, but I’m coming with you.”
Dexx rolled his shoulder. He wasn’t into family drama. He didn’t know how to deal with emotional women, Whiskey women most of all. They each had their own super power, which brought “scary” to whole new levels. He searched the rooms on either side of the long hallway, making it to a door that led outside.
He glimpsed Paige through the small window. “Found her.”
Alma reached for the handle.
He raised a hand, his lips flat. “Look, she’s hurting. We don’t know what state of mind she’s in or how she’s going to react. Maybe you should let me scope things out first. You know. Ensure a safe approach.”
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