Michele Bardsley - Diary of a Demon Hunter 1: Death Unwept

From the diary of Maggie Mortis..Demons dont die.

When they're not manifesting in some monstrous corporeal form or body-napping humans and animals, they're just balls of energy.Dark energy. Demons have seriously badmojo.

Most people get bummed out when faced with the knowledge that demons are eternal. Whats the point of battling those evil assholes if they cant be killed?

Immortality doesn't mean they're immune from pain or imprisonment.And thats what I specialize in.

When I take out a demon, it doesn't puff into sulfurous smoke or melt into a puddle of brimstone goo . It goes into a special prison made with material from Hell. Yeah, thats right, HELL.

My dad figured out how to confine demons. He figured out a lot of things. Abraham Mortis taught me every trick in the book and then some.

One day, I'll find the soul-sucking bastard that killed him.Until then... demons beware.

Elise clapped her hands. Score one for theMagster . Hands on hips, she did a little jig. I am Abatu .King of the demons.Murderer of the Mortis family. Youve been wondering which one of us got yourdaddykins , havent you? It was me.Came back for a little visit. Wanted to catch up on how things were going since I made your mother kill herself.

Anger and grief burned through Maggie. The demon that had killed her mother was the same asshole that had carved out her fathers heart and left it next to his body. Dad had been in the old lab, protected by prayers, spells, and charms... and yetAbatu had managed to get inside and murder him.

Maggie! criedRafe . Im sorry, baby. Im so sorry. But you have to kill her! Tears fell as Maggie unhooked the sun circle and flipped the scythes. Elise was herlast human connection. She had lost every person shed ever loved to the demonAbatu . And he had counted on that, the slimy bastard. Hed fuckingcountedon the human weakness of love. He would use Elise to kill her. And then hed kill Elise.

Whats the rush? she asked, twirling her scythes as she crouched into an attack position. Why are you so keen on making sure the Mortis family is dead?

When you go about trying to rule Earth and the Otherworld, its not wise to keep heirs around. Even an immortal can be deposed from his throne. Elise put her hands together. A red light swirled between the palms.

The hellfire zinged toward her, but Maggie batted it away with a scythe. It dissolved into ash, leaving the rank smell of sulfur. There is no fucking way Im related to you.

Yeah.Elise rolled her eyes. Like theres no fucking way youd sleep with a demon. But youre bangingRafe , arent you?

Okay, that was low. And the insult pissed her off. When Elise blasted her with another ball of hellfire, she punched it back. It stopped an inch from Elises face, andAbatu left it there just long enough to melt the skin. The nauseating smell of burning flesh made Maggies stomach roil.

Youre hurting her, said the demon. Youre killing her inch by inch. Get out of her! Fight me in your true form.

Tsk.Tsk .You know a demon cant manifest after a possession. Were too weak.

Good to know that some of the rules apply to you.

Whats wrong,Mags ? Sickened by the idea of having demon blood?Its okay for you to screw a demon, but its not okay to be one? Thats so hypocritical.

Abatugoaded her into the mistake. She knew it even as she went to mark a cross on Elises chest and try to force the bastard out. The blades cut, burned, but failed. AndAbatu wanted her close.

Maggie was on the floor in the beat of a heart, her back gouged by broken glass as Elise lay on top of her. She brought the scythes to Elises neck and the too-black eyes watched her gleefully.Go on, whispered a dulcet voice inside her head.End her misery. End your misery.

No. It would be foolish to toss away the scythes. She kept them clenched in her fists as she lowered them. Get thee out, oh father of evil. I rebuke thee!

The eyes flickered, the mouth twitched.What the--? Why would such simple words affectAbatu when other invocations did not?Because I said father.Because it was an acknowledgement that I am his blood.Was it true? Was the Mortis family somehow born from the demonAbatu ?

If youre wondering why your boyfriend hasnt come to your rescue, snarled Elise, its because I ripped off the right side of his torso. Hes been bleeding to death. So... that means I get Elise, who you love, and Raphael, who you almost love, and you, dearest Maggie, whom no one loves.

Get off her! yelledRafe . Elise was lifted as if she weighed the same as a feather and tossed into a shelf filled with books. The tomes tumbled onto the dazed woman.

Goddess Almighty, said Maggie asRafe hoisted her to her feet. Youre... Ugly?Despicable? Unclean?

Kindacute, she finished. Well have to explore this side of you if we, you know, live.

His black eyes swirled with surprise. Hell, she was surprised too. But he waskinda , well, hot. And shed never really been with ademondemonbefore.

Rafewas at least seven feet tall and the same gray color of ancient castle walls. He was hairless and muscled -- oh Goddess was he muscled. His demon face was nearly the same as his human visage, but he had no hair and his eyes were black as brimstone. He also had thick dark talons and huge wings. He looked more like a gargoyle than a demon. And shed never seen anything like him.

I cant believe youre thinking about sex at a time like this, he said. Who says Im thinking about sex?

One talon touched her hard nipple. Then the other hand snaked between her legs, one finger swiping her labia. He showed her a wet, gray finger and grinned.Wow. Thats a scary smile.

So Im thinking about sex. Get over it. Why arent you bleeding to death? I heal fast.

Nokiddin . Maggie glanced at Elise. She was still slumped on the floor and covered with books. What are we going to do about her?AboutAbatu ?

Sex helps me think better.

Raphael...

Heshruggedhismassiveshoulders.WhatwouldElisewantyoutodo?Beforeshe couldanswer the question, Elise sprang upward. Books flew everywhereand the acrid scent of sulfur filled the room. She floated a couple feet above the floor. Her black eyes glowed red.

Good-bye, daughter, she screeched. A wave of red flame undulated from Elises body and rolled over Maggie and Raphael.

Maggie felt the heat of hellfire blast through her body and the evil in it blast through her soul. She collapsed to the floor, trying to mutter prayers of protection, but her ability to think burned away. Her lungs filled with smoke and her skin felt on fire. I... rebuke... thee,father!

Shut up! screamed the demon. The air crackled as another wave of hellfire was drawn into Elises body. She shimmered with the red flames,then the inferno shifted forward...

We drive you from us,Abatu , my father, my ancestor, Maggie said in a hoarse voice. In the Name and by the power of our God and Goddess, I rebuke you of my own blood, my own body. I rebuke you, creator of the family Mortis!

Noooooooo!

A red mist issued from Elises eyes and mouth. Boom! The hellfire roared through the room, but its supernatural qualities didnt just affect Maggie this time. The wall of flame whooshed through the laboratory, setting everything ablaze. And under the crackle and flicker of the fire were the fading shrieks ofAbatu .

Maggie and Raphael rushed to Elise. Her eyes opened. Maggie swallowed the knot of her grief in her throat. Shed seen that look before.The look of the dying. She leaned down, cupped Elises battered and bruised hand to her cheek. Well get you out of here. Well get you to the Otherworld.Meelena can -

Elise shook her head slightly. No. Need to tell you. She looked at Maggie with those empathetic eyes and whispered, You are loved.