What the hell is a Succubus demon? I’d never seen or heard of one, other than in horror films.
“Someone else will answer. We’re not taking calls tonight,” Lincoln told the van filled with terrified rookies.
Standing, Noah walked to the front of the bus, where Lincoln’s hand was poised over the walkie-talkie.
“Mayday!” The voice came back, more urgent that time. “All available units to Madison and 4th. This innocent kid is going to die!” he shouted.
Lincoln cursed and picked up the walkie-talkie as Noah instructed our driver.
“Sergeant Lincoln Grey here. I’m with a team of rooks on a sightseeing quest, not cleared for missions. What’s your status?”
“Lincoln! It’s Tanner,” a new voice came over the walkie. “We’re at the Madison Apartments doing our street patrol, and the girl’s mom ran out screaming for us. I tried to enter the apartment, but the Succubus threw me across the room. She’s already taken one kid. They were twins.”
My whole body flinched as bile rose in my throat. “Tell him we’re coming!” I shouted and stood.
Were. He said they were twins. That meant…
Lincoln cut me a glare and spoke into the walkie. “Noah and I are coming to assist. I’ll have the driver take my rooks back to Angel City. ETA two minutes.”
Pushing out of my seat, I beelined it for my boyfriend. My sergeant. My asshole, who was about to tell me I couldn’t go inside.
I tried to lower my voice. “Sir, we may not be trained for missions, but we all passed the gauntlet. If it means saving this little kid’s life, then let us help you.”
Lincoln looked down at me like I was a child. “Do you know what a Succubus demon is? Have you ever seen one?”
I squirmed, holding onto the rail as we took a hard turn. “No.”
Lincoln looked pleased with himself, as if he’d won some battle with me. “It’s the only female demon we’ve ever seen, and she’s a fucking nightmare. She feeds off children’s fear and bad dreams, which usually kills them from the shock. Then she escapes into open portals back to Hell, which she leaves open so more demons can filter through.”
I winced.
“Oh, and she shoots razor blades from her mouth for fun,” Lincoln added.
Well, that definitely didn’t sound awesome, but it only served to reinforce my point. “You can’t take her on with only four of you. You need all of us, especially me. I have dark magic, and I can use it against her.”
It was the first time in a long time that I’d ever thought about using it.
“We’re going!” Shea shouted and stood. I turned around to see the other rookies suiting up, adjusting their weapons and tightening belts.
Lincoln gave me a death glare. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re really bad at obeying orders?”
I nodded. “All the time. So what’s the plan?”
Lincoln sighed, his eyes dropping to my wrist cuffs.
“You have Sera?” he asked.
I pulled her from my thigh holster.
Lincoln looked back at Noah, who nodded.
“Okay, here’s the plan. Noah, the other two senior Fallen Army guards, and I will go in first. We alone will battle the Succubus while you guys split into three groups. The first group will grab the dead child’s body and bring it back to the van so this poor mother can have a proper burial. The second group will grab the other little girl, hopefully still alive, and ferry her to the van to be with her mother.”
We all nodded our understanding, and then he looked at Shea. “You closed that Hell portal one time. Think you can do it again?”
Shea nodded without hesitation. “Absolutely.” She’d been working with Mr. Claymore in her advanced independent study, and was doing all kinds of stuff she shouldn’t know how to do yet.
“The third group, which will consist of Luke, Shea, and Brielle, will close the portal and make sure everyone gets out of the apartment alive,” he finished with a heavy sigh.
I nodded. He was letting me go in, giving me a big job, and I wasn’t even nervous. That was weird.
Noah crossed the space, and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re the only healer here besides Lincoln and me. Remember that. If the girl is injured and it’s minor, you can help heal her while we’re battling the Succubus.”
I gave him a curt nod. I forgot sometimes that I was all of those things: fighter, healer, part angel, part dark magic wielder.
Lincoln threw a sideways glance at me. “Don’t be a hero. Let us handle this, and you just extract the little girl. Do you understand, Atwater?”