Page 27 of Wishing Upon a Monster (Monster Brides Romance #40)
Aurora
A ll of the hair on my body stood on end in the destroyed kitchen of the O’Shea home.
A banshee’s wail, Irene’s, pierced the walls, the sadness calling me to action.
The cry of a woman in need was powerful, and I dashed through the house, drawing my stiletto blades from my holsters.
Our teams ran, Selene shifting into her panther form, Cece throwing herself onto Selene's back, Isla running by my side, as Rocio bellowed from above. We ran, breaking through the foliage to find Rocio snapping at a horde of female lesser demons and haints who were throwing hellfire and orbs of darkness at her. I tumbled into a somersault to avoid a flying blade. Isla jumped and shot torrents of water at the offending demon. I popped up, unsheathing my daggers, ducking and stabbing a grounded harpy, her shrill cry lacking the depth of Irene’s call.
I hacked and slashed my way forward, staying as close to Isla as I could until we emerged close to Irene, who was frozen in place, her mouth wide as she screamed with all of her might.
Banshees could scream anywhere from two to five minutes without needing to take a breath.
It was obvious she was weakening; tears were streaming down her face as she clutched Nash’s limp body.
Male lesser demons and haints surrounded her, and I faltered in my steps when I saw Kenny clutching his skull, a strange dark silver sickle in one hand. I did not see his usual sword.
Is this why he hadn’t been answering? Had he been taken too? Or maybe first? Why did it seem like he was in line with the lesser demons and haints?
We broke through the line, bludgeoning as many demons around Irene and Nash as we could.
With a pained wheeze, Irene collapsed, falling forward, her body lying protectively over Nash’s.
The remaining conscious haints and lesser demons surged forward.
Isla and I clashed with them, defending our fallen comrades.
Kenny burst past the line, and I watched in horror as he raised the sickle high over his head, moving as if to strike Irene.
“Noooo!” I cried, turning, taking a slash to my left side.
A sound like metal rending, being crushed and torn, filled the air as Olan appeared, slamming into the lesser demon who cut me as I tackled Kenny to the ground.
He held fast to his weapon as we skidded in the soft mud. Wrenching my body up, I drew my daggers back to strike, only to be kicked in the torso. I slammed with a groan against the side of the large metal building.
Olan roared again, his shadows ripping from the umbra cast by the large metal building, forming a huge shadow beast that took off with reptilian grace towards the cadre of lesser demons trying to maul Rocio.
“I will kill you, you pitiful man,” Olan bellowed, putting himself between me and Kenny, advancing on him as I struggled to draw air into my lungs and pull myself to my feet.
Kenny’s laugh was unhinged. “I got this just for you, the ilah alqatil, the god killer. I didn’t realize I would get to use it so soon!”
Olan surged forward, Kenny lifted the sickle into the air, and I knew. I knew if that weapon were allowed to touch my husband in any way, it would kill him. I tried to run, but that fucking luck of mine tripped me up and made me fall forward.
I sent up a wild plea like I did almost two months ago, thinking of the Goddess, of Olan’s gods, and I wished.
I wish to have the power to save him. I love him.
Time slowed, like everyone was in a vat of molasses.
Sweet air filled my lungs as I regained my footing.
I ran, sliding in between Olan’s legs at an unnatural speed and popping up to my feet.
Raising my arm with my onyx and gold bracelet high in the air, I blocked the blade for the being I loved, with the strongest magic I had, our bond.
I felt the sickle connect, and time resumed.
I screamed as searing, blinding light exploded from my wrist, throwing everyone in the area back, the sickle shattering into pieces as Olan wrapped his arms around me before we were thrown to the ground.
Sounds of the battle ceased, and Rocio roared to the sky in triumph.
Dazed, I groaned in Olan's arms. Sounds around me were fuzzy, the world was doubled, and it felt... quiet. I couldn’t feel Olan, nor could I hear his thoughts.
He was there, though, kissing my cheeks, my nose, my forehead, words of love pouring from his lips as I struggled to bring everything into focus.
I felt his energy, dark and beautiful, healing my side, stitching together my flesh, soothing hurts I didn’t acknowledge during the fight.
Finally, my head cleared, and I could see him, ruby eyes filled with worry, with love, with hope.
“Marry me,” I said, reaching up to caress his face, my wrist bare of my bond.
I knew what I was saying, what this meant.
The life debt had been paid. I was no longer bound.
That sickle would have killed him, and I, magicless, luckless, me, saved the life of a god.
With the help of other gods, to be completely honest. Thank you, if you’re listening.
His lips crashed into mine, his love for me just as apparent as it would have been with the bond. I eagerly kissed him back, pushing all the love and joy I had for him to him in spite of my lack of mental connection.
He pulled back. “ Min elskede,” he said, reverently kissing me again.
I nipped his lip, soothing the sting away with my tongue before lifting my head. “Is that a yes, then?”
He laughed, his forehead resting against mine. “Of course, was there any doubt?”
“Never,” I agreed, sighing into another kiss.
“While this is adorable,” Cece said, bringing me back to reality, “we have a rescue to finish.”
Olan groaned, “I could just kill everyone and be done with it?”
I popped him on the shoulder. “No. We need to hold them accountable for their crimes, of which I am sure there are many.” I looked out at all the conveniently unconscious lesser demons and haints, thanking the gods again for their help.
He sighed, standing up with me in his arms. “I am loath to let you go, but I suppose they should be restrained.”
I chuckled at his petulant stare.
“You could make this easier on us and use your shadows to handcuff them until we can get some backup to arrive and help us round these folks up?” I suggested, twisting to be let down.
Olan complied, waving his hand at the felled beings littered around us and binding their hands and feet .
“He’s a keeper, Rorie,” Cece said before walking towards Rocio.
Rocio separated Irene and Nash, then carefully poured a restorative potion into Nash’s mouth. Visually, he looked to be in the worse shape of the two. Cece knelt by Irene, taking a second potion and tilting out the contents into her open lips.
I approached Kenny, not because I cared, but because I needed to confirm that the sickle had been destroyed.
The god killer lay shattered in pieces on the ground.
I pulled a collection pouch charmed with nullifying magic from my tactical belt and carefully picked up the pieces.
I didn’t know if the magic was still in them, but if I collected everything, Olan could toss this into the sun or something later.
Maybe. I wasn’t sure how space travel worked.
After collecting all the pieces I could find of the blade and handle, I double-bagged it. Just in case. I had my doubts that such a basic charm would work.
“I’ll take it,” Olan reached out his hand. His cuff was noticeably absent.
I handed it over, watching as he opened one of his pocket realms and slid the bags inside.
“Do you think that shockwave affected the beings inside?” Martín asked, wiping his face with an embroidered handkerchief.
“I’m honestly not sure, but...” I looked over at Rocio and Cece.
“I can stay here with them, min skat, give them some healing while you investigate with your peers?” Olan offered, hands sliding in his pockets.
“Don’t kill Kenny,” I warned, “I want him to face consequences for whatever this is.” I gestured to the building, “Whatever is worth kidnapping your bosses and trying to murder a god over? ”
“I doubt what you find in there is the motivation, min lille skat , that is out here,” he said, brushing my hair behind my ear. “Some men cannot see the treasure in front of them before it’s too late.”
I blushed.
“Y’all are adorable,” CJ thumped Olan on the shoulder, the rest of our combined teams joining us by our supervisors.
“Alright, I want me, CJ, and Martín in the front, Selene, Cece, and Rorie in the middle, and Allison and Mac at the back,” Rocio commanded, pushing up and sliding naturally into the lead role.
Martín was an ifrit, and with a thought, he transformed into a flaming figure.
I was told that when he was younger, he was a brilliant blue, but now he was a beautiful orange.
CJ’s tail swished as he grabbed his escrima sticks from his holsters.
Allison shifted into her black bear form, as did Selene into her panther.
Lastly, Mac, the only angel to ever be employed by the Nyxian council, summoned his wings.
We entered the building cautiously. The space was larger than we expected and filled with plants. It was dead silent, and a strange glow pulsated from what looked like a cage in the center of the room.
“Fan out and keep on your toes. Mac, can you get eyes on what that glow is?” Rocio directed.
“Aye,” he said, a gust of wind stirring the leaves around us. With weapons raised, we cleared the area, looking for any monsters who escaped the blast.
“Hell’s bane, Haligri flower, Flacyasiri vines... these are expensive, and the Haligri is illegal to grow outside of the Spring Court,” I murmured to my group.
“Doesn’t the Hemlock family have the monopoly on potion ingredients?” Cece asked.
“They do. Shit, that’s elven moon flower, the essence is used to make the street drug Mage’s Malady,” we turned down another empty aisle.
“It looks like everyone who was in here came out to fight,” Cece whispered as we continued to clear the area.
Each row of vegetation we encountered revealed more illegal plants.
We swept the entire building, not finding a single soul on the ground.
Our teams met back at the front exit; each group had recognized illegal plants on their sweep.
Mac floated down with a glowing O’Shea in each arm.
The women looked tired, with deep-set circles under their eyes, their dishwater blonde hair stringy and their clothes dirty.
“They were being used as mystical grow lamps,” Mac said, steadying each woman as they got their footing. “Their light sped up plant growth.”
“Xander made it seem like an easy way to make some money, but they kept upping the hours I needed to be in the warehouse,” Cora said, putting her arm around her mom’s shoulders. “After a while, they wouldn’t let me go home, and they threatened Ma.”
“We’ve got you both now,” Mac said, leading them towards the exit.
We followed behind, exiting the building to see Olan talking with Palmer, Councilwoman Oxendine, Councilman Soros, and Councilman Bailey. Council enforcers were shoving now awake and pissed haints and demons alike into vehicles.
I scanned the area, looking for Kenny, finding him glaring at me from the backseat of a council enforcer’s car, seated behind the prisoner partition as he should be.
Rocio clasped my shoulder.
“Good riddance,” I said, breaking from the group and approaching the Council and Olan.
“If you will excuse me,” he said, bowing slightly to them.
I didn’t fuss when Olan scooped me up in his arms, settling me on his side so I could claim my favorite spot at the crook of his neck. I took a deep breath, the familiar and loved scent of petrichor.
“I do not like this being separated from you, min elskede ,” he grumbled.
“Preserve enforcer Aurum,” Palmer approached with the council at her back, “considering the events of today, you and Olan should go home. You can come into work in a few days to debrief us on the specifics of how you single-handedly rendered forty-five demons and haints unconscious in a matter of seconds.”
“I have told you, Mrs. Duvall, it was her love for me that overpowered her enemies,” Olan scowled at my boss.
“It was a little more than that,” I said, chuckling at the disgruntled sound Olan made, “but love ended up being the strongest weapon I had, yes.”
Apparently done with that conversation, Olan flew us up and onward, turning towards home.