Page 48 of Unbinding the Demon

Shadows danced throughout the kitchen, cast by the assortment of candles warmly illuminating the room. Azathoth’s large body was sprawled out on the dining table. He had one leg bent at the knee, and the other lazily dangling off the end, with his damp raven locks cascading over the side. The reflection of his muscular physique glimmered across the darkened glass of the paned window beside him. Other than his claws and fangs, he looked pretty much human again, wearing nothing but his black sweatpants.

My gaze followed a delicious-looking piece of stuffed pasta as two claws placed it onto the rippling, muscly surface of his even more delicious-looking abs. The pasta instantly steamed and sizzled, reheated to perfection.

“Awesome.” I giggled, then quickly reached for the tasty little morsel, but I was immediately chastised.

“Ah, ah, ah! What did I say? No hands.” Azathoth waved a scornful finger at me with a dorky, lopsided grin.

I reluctantly withdrew my hand and tightened the belt of my fluffy dark red bathrobe. I then leaned my face down to sensually gobble up the tortellini off my living microwave of a boyfriend. My lips lingered on his flexing stomach while my tongue seductively darted out along his hot flesh, making sure I got every last tidbit of noodley flavor.

“Mmm, yes,” I moaned, making it sound way more erotic than it was. “I waited two whole days for that.” I tucked a strand of damp hair behind my ear and licked my lips.

He yanked on my bathrobe, pulling my face up to his. “Keep that up, Buttercup, and I’ll have to fuck you while frying eggs on myself,” he joked with a deep chuckle. Then he froze in thought for a quick second while tapping his chin. He snapped his fingers and pointed up. “Actually, on second thought, that’s a brilliant idea. Let’s do that tomorrow for breakfast.” He grinned, then pressed an excited smackaroo on my lips.

I laughed and stumbled back as he released his hold on me. “Alright, it’s a date. But for now, keep those tortellinis coming!” I waved my hand in small, impatient circles.

He smirked devilishly. “As you wish, my love.” His hand reached into the plastic container and pulled out two more pieces of tortellini. He settled back down, lying flat, and placed one on each of his nipples. “Then after this, let’s go kill Adelstein!” His hand pointed up in enthusiasm as the tortellini steamed.

My fingers twiddled around while I finished weaving my hair into a long, thick braid. “Perfect,” I whispered to myself with a slight frown. The shock and denial about what happened to Amelia was fading. My heart felt heavy, and anxiety grew for my other friends. But I wasn’t about to lose my cool and panic. Panicking never helped anything. It only made things worse. I was going to be strong, get through this, and then I would allow myself to grieve. I pulled the hair tie from my wrist, then secured my braid in place with a look of determination.

“Now I just need my... jacket.” My face fell as I drawled the last word with disappointment.

Fuck Adelstein for cutting up my favorite jacket on that stupid altar.

I furrowed my brows, then walked over to the closet. The old wooden door creaked as it drifted open, revealing a plethora of hanging garments. I began rummaging around, ignoring the awful squeak from the shifting clothes hangers. As I reached for my plain black hoodie, a shiver ran down my spine. That unsettling feeling of being watched wrapped around me like a cold fog. I paused, sensing invisible eyes lingering on my every move. Anxiety prickled at my skin, urging me to look back.

My wary gaze peeked behind me over toward the bed, where I sensed it coming from. I let out a long exasperated sigh, fed up with this paranoiac shit. While pushing the feeling out of my mind, I wrangled with the hoodie, trying to get it over my head, disheveling my bangs in the process. Once I managed to pop my head back out, I jumped in fright. Azathoth was leisurely leaning against one of the bedposts, looking completely human. He wore a dumb, lustful grin while he twirled the Teloch Axe in his hand with ease.

I hadn’t gotten a chance to get a good look at the thing yet. As it glimmered in the light, it reminded me of some sort of diabolical battle axe from medieval times. The razor-sharp double-sided blades elegantly fanned out on either side, ending in narrow curved points. A row of menacing hooked spikes serrated each one. Black enchanted engravings were etched beautifully into the silver metal, turning to silver as they reached the sturdy black handle. The intricate silver design wove and wrapped its way around the long pole with serpentine splendor, once again changing to black as it hit the daunting silver spikes that sinisterly protruded from both ends. It was truly enrapturing to look at.

“Your ass looks fantastic in those pants, Buttercup.” He pointed to my butt with the axe, as his gorgeous golden eyes swept lasciviously up and down my body, lingering on the tight black jeans I was wearing.

With a sly, naughty grin, I returned the favor and ogled him back. “I could say the same to you,” I softly snickered... Then I had a sudden realization.

Wait just a fucking minute ...

My eyes narrowed as I glared with suspicion at the smug, overly inflated, lewd face of the potential culprit of my fear. “Is that—Is it you that makes me feel really unsettled every now and then? Like I’m being watched?” I questioned, while pointing back and forth between us. I was secretly hoping he’d say yes, so I didn’t sound like some crazy lady who talks to rocks or something.

He chuckled with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Yes, it is.” He tucked the axe into his belt loop behind him, then made it disappear with a black poof.

“Are you fucking serious!?” My voice was half a huff and half a hiss as I stomped my foot and held my hands up. “This whole time I’ve been questioning my goddamn sanity, and you—”

“Shh...” he shushed. The floorboards creaked and the ceiling light ominously shadowed his face as he stalked toward me. “Well done. You figured it out.” His fingers curled under my chin, and he lifted my face to meet his demonic gaze. “I am and have always been the evil presence you fear in the shadows, watching you with nefarious eyes.” His free arm looped around my waist, pulling me flush against him. “There’s something else I want you to know, as well,” he murmured as he slowly swiped his thumb across my lower lip. “Do you remember the morning after I kidnapped you? When I dropped you off and you were wearing my clothes?”

My stomach squeezed in anticipation at our close contact and the way he practically dripped with carnal masculinity. I stared up at him with wide, intrigued eyes, unsure of where he was going with this. “Um, yes?”

His face leaned down right next to my ear while slowly grinding the hard bulge in his pants against my lower stomach. “I saw you sniff my underwear,” he purred sensually, then snapped his head back to look at me with an amused, gotcha smirk that stretched all the way across his stupid, teasing face.

A look of pure horrified embarrassment contorted my face. “What!?” I hid my blushing face in my hands. “Oh my god!” my muffled voice squeaked as I shook my head in utter mortification. Azathoth doubled over, howling with laughter.

What I wouldn’t give to be nailed into a coffin and then thrown into the nearest active volcano right about now.

Belzar poofed into the room beside us, which thankfully ended my embarrassing moment. Azathoth calmed down and stopped cackling like a hyena. He tapped his chin while staring at Belzar, no doubt listening to some sort of secret telepathic message. “Hmm... Then that’s where we’ll look first. Honestly, I’d be surprised if he were anywhere else,” he told Belzar, while shrugging.

Belzar yipped and let out a small whine. His soft muzzle nudged my hand, prompting me to stroke his head. I obliged, of course. “Aw, Belzar, I missed you, you big ol’ cute fluffy puppy!” I giggled. He bobbed his head with joy while panting, then licked my hand with affection.

“He said that Adelstein’s enchanted gem prevented him from finding the dunderheaded nitwit. But there’s a large number of the corrupted roaming around the church, so we’ll check there first.” He placed a tender kiss on my lips. “Ready?”

I looked down, double-checking to make sure I was wearing my boots, and that I had my cool swords on my hips. “Ready,” I nodded.

A murderous grin stretched across his face as he held me close, and then all three of us teleported in front of the church. Once we reappeared, Azathoth and Belzar were both back in their true, monstrous forms. It was still weird to see Belzar like that. I mean, he was the paragon of what nightmares should be made of, for goodness sake. However, after spending time in The Abyss, I was pretty much unfazed by the whole undead look at this point.

The lambent glimmer of the moon winsomely cascaded upon the old white church, making it appear ghostly and cold. The bell tower stood like a looming silhouette against the midnight sky. Its golden bell shimmered, catching glimmers of pale celestial light. The front doors were left ajar, creating an eerie gateway into the pitch-black abyss inside. Freezing wind blustered by, whispering promises of an impending snowfall as it kissed my face with a frosty bite. The nearby houses were dark and abandoned. Some still had jack-o’-lanterns on display, grinning as they slowly rotted away. Other than the wind and the soughing trees, everything was unnervingly quiet and still.

“I don’t see anyone,” I whispered to Azathoth as he loosened his grip on me.

The moment those words left my mouth, hundreds of snarling corrupted souls shuffled out from their hiding spots all around us. Some crept out from behind the untended gravestones in the church cemetery. Others slinked around the corners of the building and houses, while a few hobbled into view from behind the trees. I took an instinctive step closer to Azathoth, who gently rested his hand on my lower back.

“Don’t be intimidated. Adelstein is just being a dramatic jackass.” He rolled his infernal eyes.

The ends of my lips curled up into a small, confident smile. I wasn’t afraid. Although we were surrounded by darkness and corruption, I had evil on my side.

Both our gazes snapped over to the church as the sound of loud, villainous cackling came from within the open doors. Adelstein emerged from the darkness, shuffling like a crustacean ghoul. My mouth fell agape at the disheveled sight of him. It looked as if he hadn’t cleaned himself up after the scuffle with Azathoth back in the woods. His white cloak was still filthy and tattered. Black cauterized wounds where Azathoth’s claws had slashed him disfigured his face, and his throat was still mutilated from Azathoth’s bite, with black ooze bubbling out of it. What caught my eye the most was the black skeletal limb that had grown in place of the arm Belzar had bitten off. It twitched in a disturbing and creepy way, glistening with black slime in the moonlight. The way it moved sort of reminded me of Valarendrik’s abyssal crown; only this was far more repulsive.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the repugnant beast and his hoochie harlot!” Adelstein sneered. “Took you two long enough.” A sinister grin twisted beneath his white hood.

“Did this fuckwad seriously just call me a hoochie harlot, of all things?” I turned to Azathoth with a baffled expression.

A deep, vicious growl ripped out from Belzar’s throat. Adelstein’s black abyssal eyes fell on him. He lifted a sardonic brow and scoffed. “I thought I had killed that hellhound mongrel. No matter, I’m sure my children will greatly enjoy ripping him to shreds!” He theatrically made a fist with his abyssal arm and shook it over his head, his twisted grin widening.

Azathoth made a dismissive gesture toward the pharisaic nut. “See? He’s just being a dramatic jackass.”

Adelstein’s eyes narrowed with scorn as he noticed Azathoth’s unblemished shoulder. “ So ...” he drawled. “You actually managed to seduce the little vixen into performing the unbinding spell?” His attention turned to me as he cackled with an unsettling mixture of fury and insanity. “How dare you unleash such an atrocious evil upon God’s good earth! You shameful strumpet of the devil! You’re a disgrace to the Lord your God. Your witch aunt—”

“Silence your burbling voice!” Azathoth bellowed, cutting him off. “I’ve already had enough of your stupid, contemptuous soliloquy. Yes, she unbound me! Nobody fucking cares what a worthless slubberdegullion like you has to say about it!” His arm tightened around me. “I have not come here for a pointless verbal dispute. I’ve come here to kill you. But before I do, know this, she is my beloved inamorata whom I have infernally claimed as my chosen bride, not some strumpet of the devil or hoochie harlot! She willingly unbound me because of our genuine love for one another, not lust or deception!” He growled with animosity. “And who the fuck even calls someone a hoochie harlot? You pathetic cockalorum!” The fiery veins in his wings ignited as he readied himself to attack. I shifted my eyes around, confused by all the old-timey disses they were throwing.

Adelstein’s jaw clenched, but his face morphed into another sadistic grin. “I wouldn’t come near me just yet if I were you, demon!” he warned and waved his arm up. “Bring them out!”

A couple of corrupted shuffled out from the darkness of the church, dragging two badly beaten and bedraggled individuals along with them. Sharp obsidian daggers glimmered at their throats, threatening them into submission. My blood chilled, freezing into a river of dread. Trepidation gripped me like an icy hand tightening in my gut as they stepped into the moonlight, revealing the shadowy details of their faces.

No! No! No!

“Get your grimy hands the fuck off me!” Lacey thrashed against her captor, uncaring of the dagger at her throat.

The corrupted man who held her growled, and she growled right back. Her white jeggings and cute navy-blue peplum top were both torn and filthy. Her skin, which was usually flawless and smooth, now had deep purple and yellow bruises blemishing it. Meanwhile, her tight, curly locks spiraled into a wild disarray that bounced with her tumultuous actions. But despite that, her fiery spirit was still shining brightly through her beautiful umber eyes.

William was struggling less than Lacey, but his mouth was still as feisty as ever. “Let go of me! Let fucking go of me right now, before I dropkick your ugly snarling ass into next week! Do not fucking test me because I am motherfucking crazy! I will literally chew your fucking face off, you skanky Frankenstein bitch!” he grumbled his empty threats with an air of sass.

Like Lacey, his messy waves fell wildly into his face, the blond strands stained with blood, dirt, and black goo. Grim and dark purple and green bruises contrasted against his pale skin, and his usually perfect makeup was all smudged and worn. One of his dangly gold hoop earrings was missing, while the other glinted in the moonlight. His pink “Feel the Steel” Steel Panther T-shirt and open dark blue denim jacket were caked with blood and dirt. While his black skinny jeans were ripped in numerous places... Well, his pants were likely already ripped, but he looked awful regardless.

Adelstein smirked. “It’s amazing that they still have so much fight left in them.” He chuckled sardonically, then looked me dead in the eye. “I have a proposal for you, Ms. Gallagher...”

Both William and Lacey snapped their gazes at me at the mention of my name. And they both looked beyond horrified to see me here. “Gwendolyn, run! He’s a monster!” Lacey shouted in a panic the moment she saw me. She gasped, and shock filled her fearful eyes when she spotted Azathoth. “What the hell?” she whispered in disbelief and confusion. “Is that... Ashton?”

William was full-on gaping. “What the fuck happened to Ashton!?” he blurted out, then his gaze landed on Belzar’s nightmarish appearance. “Oh shit! Oh fuck no! Hell fucking no! We got massive-ass zombie wolves now!?” He screeched and thrashed in terror, his body flailing uncontrollably.

“...Your life, for theirs!” Adelstein was still grinning like a madman as he gestured toward them. “You have twenty seconds to decide before I have my children slice their throats open.”

Oh shit! Only twenty seconds!?

My heart was beating in overdrive, and my hands trembled. The howling wind numbed my cheeks as I looked over at the shocked and terrified faces of my two good friends. There wasn’t any doubt in my mind about what I should do. I couldn’t stand by and let Adelstein kill them. I would trade my life to save either of theirs any day. My anxious gaze met Azathoth’s scheming one, then I took a wary step toward the church.

His hand latched onto my upper arm, keeping me firmly in place. “Don’t even think about it.” He gave me a stern look. “I can take care of this.” He let go of me, then looked at Belzar. “Protect Gwendolyn at all costs.”

Belzar nodded his head with a woof, and Azathoth disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. He then reappeared right smack in between the two corrupted that held Lacey and William hostage. The second he appeared, his fiery wings forcefully spread out. They violently speared and incinerated both of the undead before they even realized he was there. Adelstein shrieked with rage and gripped his hooded head in panic. It was a loud, chilling, abyssal sound that sent a shiver slithering up my spine.

“Go!” Azathoth roared at them.

Lacey and William’s fear of Azathoth far surpassed their fear of Adelstein. They dashed right toward his white, wispy figure, desperate to escape. Adelstein took the opportunity and lunged out, grabbing William by the throat with his abyssal hand. “Ah-ha!” Adelstein proclaimed with villainous intent as he snatched William up.

William screamed in extreme pain as blood dripped down his neck. The flesh where Adelstein’s skeletal hand touched sizzled, becoming rotten and raw. Lacey stopped dead in her tracks and clumsily spun back around, terrified and unsure of how to help him. Simultaneously, the many corrupted surrounding us began to converge like a mob of obsessive teenage girls at a boy band concert. Their snarls and screeches were deafening, piercing the eerie silence of the night like a banshee’s wail.

It felt like time had frozen. Like I was a spectator in a crazy dream. In the blink of an eye, chaos had erupted all around me. The air crackled with energy and a cacophony of mayhem. Instinct took over, and without thinking, I tried to sprint over to where Adelstein had William. But Belzar bit down on my hood, stopping me dead in my tracks. “William!” I screamed with an outstretched arm as I was yanked back.

The entire doorway to the church was now burning in a fiery blaze. Azathoth slashed at Adelstein with swirls of orange flames spewing from his claws. Adelstein anticipated his attack and jumped back with a hiss, carelessly dropping William in the process. Azathoth caught him before he fell over. Despite William struggling and freaking out because a literal demon of all things was now holding him, Azathoth still managed to put a hand on his throat and heal his scathing wound.

Belzar whipped his head back, using his hold on my hood to throw me onto his back like a measly rag doll, just as the swarm of corrupted reached us. I screamed as my world spun, then I latched my hands onto his bristly fur to keep myself up. I held on for dear life, while his powerful, fanged jaws and massive, lethal claws violently shredded through the decaying horde like a rabid berserker. Blackened blood sprayed all around as putrid body parts and entrails flew sporadically through the air.

Holy fuck!

Adelstein took the opportunity to escape. He began to claw and crawl his way up the side of the church, hissing and snarling like a Spider-Man strigoi. He grumbled in irritation as he pulled his bony, bumbling butt up onto the angled roof. He chanted something with an ominous tone while stretching his hand out toward the graveyard.

A thick, black mist began to swirl around the crumbling headstones. It danced as though rousing the ghosts sleeping just beneath the frost-laden soil. From the eerie fog, sibilant whispers slithered through the air, fighting to be heard over the snarling shrieks of the corrupted. Hushed, anguished voices echoed with an inhuman quality, speaking in an otherworldly language. Each word dripped with fear and pain, causing dread to settle deep within my bones.

I ducked as some guy’s grotesque, severed leg flew over my head. I watched as it limply wobbled while soaring by, with black blood spewing out from the tattered stump of the thigh. Then a whirling torrent of flames instantly roasted it to a blackened crisp, like an overcooked Christmas ham.

My eyes squinted from the blazingly bright light and intense heat as I peered up. Azathoth was flying above us with a literal stream of flames pouring from his hands. It looked like the fiery breath of a dragon scorching some defenseless city. The flames roared and hissed as they swiftly incinerated almost all the surrounding undead. I smiled, even though I was gagging on the putrid and suffocating fumes of burning rotten flesh and smoke.

Azathoth swooped down after rectifying the situation, kicking one of the charred bodies as he landed. I slipped off Belzar and staggered over to him. Lacey and William ran through the smoldering remains toward us, but they didn’t get too close. Fear and uncertainty were reflected in their eyes as they paused, wanting to get to me, but too afraid to make another move. Their fear of Azathoth and Belzar was understandable, but I still hated to see it.

“Gwendolyn! Are you all right?” Lacey yelled, her eyes darting over my frame as Azathoth put an arm around me.

I wasn’t able to answer her, though. Whatever cracked-out abyssal wizardry Adelstein did over the graveyard began to take effect. All of us turned to watch in disbelief as a gigantic black creature emerged from the swirling caliginous mist. A pitch-black reptilian head popped out from the darkness first. It let out a deafening, otherworldly shriek, revealing multiple rows of pointed black teeth. It was the type of sound that should never have been heard by human ears, utterly alien and horrific. Formidably sharp talons dangled from its two sets of upper arms and muscular hind legs. Its body was long and slender, with a lengthy, spiked whip of a tail. The whole thing was solid black and decaying, its rotting flesh glistening as if wet. With its immense height, its large, pitch-black eyes easily peered over the church roof as it took in its new surroundings.

Oh shit.

“He summoned a lloigor!?” Azathoth blurted out, his face engraved with anger. “Why am I not surprised that this cowardly and worthless ignoramus won’t fight me himself?” he grumbled, then looked at me. “Alright, this might actually be a good fight. It looks like most of the corrupted are dead, so just stay with Belzar.” He placed both hands on my cheeks and kissed my lips, then he flew off toward the strange beast.

Well fuck…