Ha. Take that.
“There are eight lower-level demons loose in an abandoned industrial building, four for each team. It’ll take all of the skillsets you’ve learned here at the Academy, and all of your teamwork, to kill them.”
I glanced over and saw Tiffany blanche. She’d probably never killed a demon. None of them had. Not that I had any demon kills on my record, but I’d nearly killed Shea’s boss, and we’d fought those demons in the gym, so we were more prepared than most.
“Once you’ve killed all four, you may exit the building, and join us. We’ll send anyone who’s injured to the healing tent, and then we’ll all celebrate,” Lincoln explained.
Tiffany grinned, high-fiving her sheeple like she’d already won.
The bus had reached the edge of the city already, the ominous concrete walls rising up like sentinels in the night.
“A final word of warning. Passing the gauntlet is not worth a life. If at any time you feel anyone on your team is in mortal danger, you push that button. I will have no lives lost on my shift. Do you understand?” His eyes bored into each one of us, lingering on me the longest.
We all nodded nervously.
“The correct response is ‘sir, yes, sir,’” Lincoln informed us smugly.
Oh hell no. I was not going to have to start taking orders from him, and calling him ‘sir,’ was I?
Everyone else shouted, “Sir, yes, sir,” but I mumbled it. I had major problems with authority, which probably wouldn’t serve me well in the army. I’d definitely have to work on that.
We were passing through what used to be Burbank, California. I tried not to gape at the sight of the blown-out houses, scorch marks up the walls, abandoned cars, and half-burned lawns. A few soldiers patrolled the street with a spotlight, but otherwise it was deserted. Off in the distance, a massive explosion rang out, causing all of us to jump.
Lincoln nodded. “Demons love blowing shit up. You’ll learn that. This area of the city is pretty deserted, so it’s considered somewhat safe, but ten miles out it’s still an active war zone.”
“People live out here?” I asked, horrified and suddenly super grateful for my cushy life at the academy.
He nodded, looking out into the wasteland of burned homes. “Most couldn’t afford to leave. Then Angel City erected the wall and started filling up. By the time they decided to join us, the demons had taken hold.”
Oh God. Are they trapped out there? I felt sick just thinking about it.
The bus pulled into the parking lot of an abandoned industrial building, the number four spray-painted on the side. It rose up four stories high, some windows were blown out and the roof looked ready to cave in.
“This is us. An old sewing factory. A big staircase splits the building in two. Tiffany’s team will take the left, and Brielle’s team will take the right. The demons were released in there about an hour ago, and are magically bound from exiting any of the doors or windows, so they’re going to be pretty pissed,” Lincoln stated.
Great.
The bus doors opened then, and Lincoln started to walk out.
I stood, looking down at my team. “Double-check your weapons, and make sure your suits are fully zipped up. We’re bound to encounter another Snakeroot demon.” They nodded, making sure their skin wasn’t exposed where it didn’t need to be.
Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Let’s go. Don’t screw up,” she barked at her lackeys.
Her three teammates jumped up and trailed after her, pushing past us as they went.
When Tiffany passed Luke, I saw him visibly flinch as his hands balled into fists.
“Don’t worry, she’s going to get her payback.” I whispered to him.
He took in a deep breath and nodded.
We all stood, and exited the bus as the rest of the Fallen Army soldiers trailed after us. They started to take up a perimeter around the house, pulling out their weapons, and looking up at the ominous building. I glanced up at one of the windows, and saw a shadow pass across it.
Lincoln threw a duffel bag at my feet, and another at Tiffany’s. “Headlamps, glow wands, and lanterns. The building has no power.”
Awesome. Fan-freaking-tabulous.
I knelt down and unzipped the bag, distributing the items to my team before I put on my headlamp, and then stuck two glow wands in my outer thigh pockets. I used a carabiner to hook one of the lanterns to my waist.
“Luke, beast out. I want to go in full power,” I instructed, and he nodded.
Lincoln looked at me with a slight grin. “Good call.”
“Thank you, sir.” I raised an eyebrow.
That only made him grin wider. God, he’s so gorgeous. Why won’t he deflower me already?
“Can we start now?” Tiffany asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
Maybe I could hurt her during the training exercise, and make it look like an accident.
Lincoln scowled at her. “We’ll start when I say we start,” he snapped.
Each and every member of my team sported a gleaming smile at his words.
Tiffany’s mouth popped open in shock as she stared at Lincoln, then turned her back to him.
Lincoln clearly didn’t want anything to do with her, and she needed to learn that real quick. Their families might’ve been friends, but that’s where it stopped.
Luke walked around the other side of the bus to strip down and shift. I noticed Donnie, Chloe’s brother, break away from his place, near the front door where he’d been talking to another soldier.
“Good luck, sis,” he said, pulling her in for a side-arm hug. He was super good-looking, not the least bit feminine in demeanor, but Luke swore he was gay. I guess that would teach me to stereotype.
She smiled. “Thanks. Did Mom make you request to watch over me?” She put one hand on her hip.
He looked down at her with a wicked grin. “Of course.”
She chuckled, showcasing her fangs. “Well, we’re going to do great. We have a solid team.”
Just then, Luke padded out from behind the bus. His huge brown bear, with large black curled horns always had me awestruck and terrified simultaneously.
Donnie’s gaze swept Luke up and down. “Yes you do,” he agreed appraisingly.
Walking over to Luke, I fitted a headlamp around his horns.
“All set?” Lincoln asked me.
I nodded. Now or never. I was either about to become a member of the Fallen Army, a cocktail waitress at Chloe’s dad’s club, or… dead.
Lincoln barked an order at his team, who readied their weapons, and stood in a rigid stance, clearly ready to break into the building and save our asses at a moment’s notice. Then he walked over to the steel door and opened it. Only lurking darkness shone inside, which sent my stomach roiling.
Tiffany walked up to Lincoln, sashaying her hips, and he handed her a key. “Stay on the left side. Good luck, and don’t forget to use your button if needed.”
She grabbed the key and rolled her eyes. “Save your recovery team for Archie. We’ll be fine.” Then they started into the building.
Every time she opened her mouth, my hatred of her grew deeper and deeper, like a cavern.
I was next. With one last settling breath, I took the key from him, his fingers caressing mine. Looking up, I met his gaze and wished I could kiss him.
“Your wristband has a GPS tracker so—”
“We’ll be fine. See you soon.”
He nodded, pulling his hand back, but looking anything but convinced.
“Let’s do this,” I told my team, then walked into the dark opening.
A bunch of first-year students were about to take on four demons.
No big deal.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The moment we slipped the key into the door on the right side of the stairs, I smelled it. Sulfur and oil. Demons.
“Good luck, Archie,” Tiffany’s catty voice called from above me, as her team slipped in the door across the hall.
“Watch your back, bitch!” Shea spat venomously, Luke growling at her side. A big-ass scary-bear growl.
Tiffany’s face tightened in fear for a second, but then she slammed the door shut.