between the shadow and the soul - english edition

Chapter 14 - In which Avery gets injured.

Chapter 14 - In which Avery gets injured. But she's a nephilim, so she'll be fine. (I think... we don't actually know for sure how her magic is working. But it's all fine. You just have to repeat it often enough then it'll be true. So once more: It's all fine!)

(let me tell you, 80 characters max for a chapter title is weak.)

They climbed through the window back into the department of Underworld where they left Avery. The only difference, she was nowhere to be seen.

»Avery?«, Jasper called out, but they didn't get an answer. Instead, they heard the now known sound of demonic substance crashing against stone and a scream that sounded very much like Avery.

Jasper and Aristes started running at the same time.

»Tell me, where are they?«, Hargamon screamed. He'd cornered Avery, who was standing with her back against the wall.

»I told you, they took a bath outside. And don't you dare touch me«, Avery screamed back. She had another bottle of holy water in her hand, ready to throw it. She looked fine which was quite the opposite to Hargamon. He himself looked a bit singed, probably due to the holy water from earlier. Which only made him angrier. And with it more dangerous.

»You smell weird«, he remarked and Avery scoffed.

»You don't really smell like fresh flowers either.«

»You're annoying, human.«

»Oh yeah? Same goes for you«, she replied with a mean look.

That was when Jasper and Aristes arrived. Avery looked up, distracted and relieved - enough for Hargamon to attack Avery, throwing a ball of hell fire at her. It hit her like a massive projectile, pushing her into the wall behind her. Avery screamed, pain and hellfire cursing through her body, before she collapsed unconscious to the ground.

Aristes didn't hesitate and went for Hargamon, attacking with hellfire himself like a feral cat. Jasper didn't have eyes for that. He ran to Avery, kneeling next to her, heart beating out of his chest. Jasper carefully turned her around, checking breathing and pulse. Both were there, even though it took him a few tries to find the pulse under her chin. But when he did he nearly wept from relief. Jasper took the bottle of holy water, stuffing it into his pocket and did his best to lift Avery on his shoulder, carrying her like a wet sack of potatoes. To be honest, it wasn't the first time. Though last time she had been just a drunk and drooling mess, not unconscious because she got attacked by a demon.

Jasper looked up, when he heard something crash into the ground. It was Hargamon, with Aristes at his throat. In that moment, Jasper had no problem imagining the hurt and angry demon, destroying the Underworld in his fury. Aristes looked like a wild creature of vengeance, hair tousled, chest heaving and eyes blazing with demonic power.

But then he looked up and grinned his cheeky smile and the impression was gone. He hurried over, taking Avery from Jasper, before they legged it for the elevators a few hallways further down in the Underworld.

Once inside, Aristes pressed the button for the ground floor a few (or a lot) more times than strictly necessary.

»I did manage to knock Hargamon out but I'd like to be upstairs once he wakes up. He's not as powerful in the human world as he is down here«, he explained upon Jaspers look.