Darkest Knight. Karen Duvall

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СКАЧАТЬ for the Vyantara’s catalog. They made their money by selling off these cursed and charmed antiques to the highest bidder. There were hundreds of them in this room alone.

       I stopped and listened to the silence, hearing only the low thrum of slow heartbeats and the smooth breathing of those in sleep. No one would miss an object or two…or three. Along with the bottle of salt water I used for destroying spells, I always carried a special pouch that hid magical objects from detection. I’d simply toss a handful of these in the pouch and be on my way.

       A pocket watch inscribed with a protection spell would be useful for my sister knights in the Order of the Hatchet. Our knighthood shared a bond of nearly a thousand years, starting when our ancestors fought side by side in the Crusade Wars. Each generation gave birth to daughters spawned by their guardian angels. My sisters still fought together, and though the war had changed, the goal of vanquishing evil remained the same. I was proud to be one of them.

       I dropped the watch in my pouch along with a fountain pen filled with invisible ink that made the writer disappear instead of the words. Then I found something I wouldn’t mind having for myself if I weren’t immune: a dove’s feather that enabled the user to fly.

       Treasures in hand, I headed for the front door, which appeared farther away than it had only minutes ago. In fact, the faster I walked the more distance I created between the door and me. Déjà vu.

       The same thing had happened to me on my first night at the Denver fatherhouse. I suspected a similar ward had been triggered here and the apparition of my demon foe would appear any second. A fuzzy image took shape in the foyer and a zigzag of energy wiggled through it like a weak signal on a television screen. Blackish-purple and bald, green eyes glowing, the Maågan demon offered me a menacing grin as if it knew me. Perhaps it did. I had severed the arm from one of its cousins a few weeks ago when it tried to stop my escape from a building that was about to explode.

       I was fresh out of gargoyle blades and I doubted the knife I had would even make a dent in that thing. Its hide was strong as iron. At the moment it was only a projection from the hellish realm of the black veil, like the warning growl of an attack dog. If provoked, the creature would pop through to this side and kill me on the spot.

       The last time I’d tried running from one, its claws had sliced my ankle and the venom had made me sick. I’d rather not repeat the experience, especially since the venom could be lethal. The Maågan didn’t know I had taken any magical objects because I’d hidden them inside the pouch.

       I suddenly realized what had sparked the demon’s interest. Shojin’s heart. Shit.

       The heart still felt warm in my hand, which I knew was stained purple with Shojin’s blood. Holding the pouch behind my back, I carefully slid the fist-size stone in with the rest of my booty. The Maågan continued to glare. I gritted my teeth and stalked toward it as I knew the creature respected anyone who confronted it head-on.

       The distance closed between us, and the front door was now a mere few feet away. I didn’t make eye contact, but the demon’s gaze bored into me like twin lasers. Malice oozed from it like a septic sore. I lifted my chin and marched toward the exit.

       I admit I was afraid. Not terrified, as I’d confronted much worse in recent weeks, but fearful enough to attract the house’s appetite. I felt my energy begin to drain. Between the Maågan’s murderous instinct and the building’s hunger, my hyper senses couldn’t do jackshit to keep me safe. I needed a miracle.

       Knowing a sudden rush for the door would only kill me faster, I kept my movements slow and precise. My fingers curled around the door’s knob and relief overwhelmed me. As the door opened, a whoosh of frigid air cooled the sweat on my skin. I smelled snow. I could hear leafless branches rattle in the winter wind. An overcast sky opened briefly to allow a faint ray of moonshine to struggle through.

       A quick tug on my jacket let me know I’d deluded myself into believing I was safe.

       It jerked me backward, but I grabbed on to the door frame to hold fast. The fabric tore, but I felt no stinging pain from the Maågan’s razorlike claws as it searched for the pouch.

       Still holding the pouch in one hand, I fisted the top to keep its contents from spilling out. The fingernails of my other hand dug into the door frame to anchor me in place. I’d lose this battle before long, but I refused to give up easily. I kicked backward, connecting with what might have been the demon’s head. It screeched and a roar of voices filtered down from the floor above. The home’s residents had awakened and they didn’t sound happy.

       I was losing my grip and the threatening voices inside the house grew louder. A flap of giant wings forced my gaze upward and I half expected to see Shojin sweep down for the kill. But Shojin, whom I now thought of as a gentle giant, was dead. This must be another gargoyle. A hungry house and a demon weren’t enough for these guys? Give me a break.

       I squinted up into the darkness and saw nothing but gray clouds and falling snow. Yet my nose detected more. Damp fur, old blood, and dirt that smelled like a farm. As well as a familiar scent that hurt my heart.

       I barely had time to think when I saw the set of enormous curled talons appear inches from my face. They latched onto both my arms and lifted me aloft with the Maågan’s claws still gripping my jacket. I released my hold on the door frame and the jacket slipped free from my body. In a burst of speed, my rescuer surged upward, away from the fatherhouse and into the snow-filled sky above.

       I was hardly conscious by the time my feet touched solid ground. Icy cold cut through me like a blade and my skin had turned numb. Frostbite would soon follow. The thought had barely touched my mind when a thick woolen blanket fell across my shoulders. Only one person knew me so well that he practically read my mind.

       “Aydin.” I whispered his name, which was difficult to say with a nearly frozen tongue. He stayed out of my line of sight, but I heard him shuffling around in the dark. I took a minute to gaze at my surroundings. The crackle of a fire gave me tingles as I anticipated the warmth it would offer.

       This structure must be his temporary home, a hidden place relatively close to Shojin. I imagined the Vyantara were still looking for Aydin, as he’d be a valuable asset if caught. Gargoyle assassins weren’t easy to come by. They were ancient creatures, but new ones could be made by binding humans with a curse that would transform them into winged devils. I’d been cruelly bonded to one named Shui, but the monster’s death had set me free. Aydin hadn’t been so lucky.

       I sniffed the air. That’s where the farm smell had come from. This old farm looked abandoned, the barn’s walls rotted and boards missing, though it appeared Aydin had tried making repairs. His dexterity compromised by claws, he’d been ill-equipped to wield a hammer.

       The scent of roasting meat wafted through the air. Rabbit. I grinned in spite of my situation. He’d never cooked for me when he was human.

       “Thanks for coming to my rescue,” I said to the hulking shadow by the fire. This was the first time I’d noticed he had a tail and I watched it twitch like an irritated cat. “I’d be dead if not for you.” Again.

       He grunted. That’s all he could do. The ability to speak wasn’t included in the gargoyle transformation package. He could, however, rip someone apart with his bare paws and chew through bones like they were jawbreaker candies.

       “I’ve missed you, Aydin,” I said softly to his back. His bat wings were folded at his sides and they shifted as if in a shrug. “Did you miss me?”

       He seemed to ignore me, but I sensed he was listening. So I СКАЧАТЬ