The wisps floated smoothly through the crumbling invisible barrier and then attacked at the demon. A blood-curling scream escaped from the demon as the dark wisps slid around the demon's neck and chest and covered his face until his body disappeared beneath the squirming mass. The scream stopped suddenly. The wisps forced themselves into the demon's body. Telal could only imagine the excruciating pain boiling inside him as the death energy ate him with sharp teeth, draining away his life one painful bite at a time. The demon's eyes glazed over, his skin faded to a sickly gray, and then he collapsed to the ground with the slithering energy crawling inside him.

Telal stopped channeling the energy and the wisps swiveled out of his body and faded into the air like a poof of smoke. Telal stumbled as he made his way back down the hall to the stairwell. His vision didn't stay still. His body trembled hard from the poison and his entire body felt like it needed a gallon of water to rehydrate it. The only thought he had as he started back down the stairs was—there's still one more.

Lily flew at the door, jamming her shoulder into it. Whoever was on the other side grunted then the door slammed open, catching her chest and sending her flying back. Her shoulder nailed the wall and an explosion of pain took up residence in her shoulder socket. She had only a moment to see that, indeed, it wasn't Telal before the man, no, demon, grabbed her hair in a violent grip and started to drag her out of the bathroom.

Instant pain flared as her scalp pulled and strands of hair tore and snapped. She fumbled, trying to walk backwards and pressed down on the hand tearing out her hair, while still keeping the knife in her grasp. The task wasn't easy.

“Who are you?” she gritted out.

The demon had dark green hair cut short in spikes around his head with very pale—almost white—skin and he didn't answer. They reached the bedroom door and Lily wrapped her legs around the frame then tightened her grip on the knife and stabbed at the hand holding her hair. The demon shouted as he released her.

Adrenaline pumping furiously in her blood, Lily darted for the bathroom with a hysterical cry. She threw the bathroom door closed behind her with a sharp snap only to have it burst off the frame in slabs of broken wood as the demon charged at it.

Screams tore from her throat as the demon charged again at the door, tearing it almost completely off the frame. He glared at her with raging fury that left her gasping in fear. He took one long step through the door then his bloodied fist from where she'd cut him curled into a fist and uppercut her in the gut. All the air wheezed out of her stomach and sharp pain throbbed. Lily fell to the floor desperately trying to suck in air; the knife fell to the floor as she held her stomach.

A large foot came into view and kicked the knife across the bathroom floor. Lily didn't even care. Her mind was screaming at her to breathe. When the demon grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her once again, she fell forward onto her stomach and he started dragging her across the floor. Her feet locked on either side of the bathroom door with a tight grip, stalling the demon's progress. He let out a fierce growl that made the hair at the back of her neck stand on end.

Then he pulled back and let fly a kick so hard that when it landed on her back she screamed feeling as though her spine just got split in half. Hacking coughs racked through her, making her stomach muscles tighten in reflex and hurting her all the more. All her energy was sapped. She lied there uselessly as he dragged her into the living room and towards the door.

“Where are you taking me?” she whispered between unsteady breaths. She didn't expect him to answer and he didn't.

She stared up at the ceiling watching it pass by in increments. They made it over the doorway and started down the hall. Her breathing finally started to return to normal, which gave her a boost of energy. It wasn't much of one, but it was there. Lily forced her legs to work and awkwardly came to a stand. With a hard shove, she pushed her back against the demon. He didn't even budge.

Turning around on her, his eyes feral, he let his fist fly. The blow caught her cheek and she expected to see stars but all she saw were black dots coloring her vision. She knew she hit the floor but everything went hazy from there.

The last of her adrenaline rush vanished. She lay clumped in a pile on the floor steadily trying to suck in air through her nose as the pain from her mouth, shoulder, and stomach suddenly came at her with full force.

She heard something but the more she blinked her eyes the worse the black dots clouded her vision until she didn't know if she was still staring at the carpet or not. A hand curled around her hurt shoulder and she cried out as burning agony scorched the hurt muscle there. She couldn't do it anymore, was sick of being tired and scared. The black clouds took over her vision and Lily let it take her wherever it wanted to go.

Telal had no magic left from the poison eating away inside him. If he didn't get it out of him soon then he'd never be able to use magic again; it would suck away all of his natural powers.

Each step felt like he was dragging a mountain behind him. He'd never felt so weak in his life. Whoever these demons were, they were good, real good. Telal stopped at the top of the stairs that led to the rec room to catch his breath.

A feminine scream pierced his ears and he took off. No thoughts of his injury ever entered his mind, no thoughts to the poison draining him, or the blood slowing him down. He just moved. He didn't bother with stealth anymore. He charged in like a bull.

He went through the doorway just in time to see a green-haired demon's fist crash into Lily's face. Even as he flinched, a fierce rage stole through him, tightening his muscles for action, pumping his blood fast to make him move quicker, and the protest rose inside him like a roar.

Telal let that roar fly and channeled it at the demon. The demon jerked around, startled and Telal charged letting his war cry go. He didn't just slam into the demon but barreled into him like a supernatural linebacker. They soared through the air for a good ten feet before landing with the demon’s back smacking hard against the floor.

Telal had no questions in his mind, only purpose. To kill. And he used his fist, pummeling the demon again and again. The sound of flesh meeting flesh was like a blood thirst being quenched. All he could see was his woman being hurt, being met with another's brutal anger. Bones snapped and cracked under his fist; blood splattered his hand and still he kept going.

He couldn't be sure how long ago the demon had stopped struggling for his life before he finally scooted off of him, panting and raging still. Pulling a knife from the demon's own belt he took it in his good hand and impaled the demon's heart just in case.

Stumbling away from the dead demon, Telal crouched down next to Lily. It wasn't until he saw the rise and fall of her chest that he knew for certain she was alive. He gently touched her shoulder shaking her to try to wake her, but she didn't even make a sound.

With the only thought of getting them out of there on his mind, he closed his eyes ported them out of there. He kept a small secluded cabin in Northern Georgia. It hadn't been used in more than five years. Dust had collected in a heavy layer along the floor and furniture. Telal pulled Lily up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. The top comforter was covered in that layer of dust so he pulled it off the bed and laid her on the clean sheets.

His knees shook as he stood and it took everything in him not to collapse. But he had one more trip to make. Closing his eyes, he ported back to his headquarters. Kearnyn sat on the floor his head bowed forward, his skin paler than normal.