TOXIC BLOODLINES: PARADISE - BOOK 2/4

OH THE DAWN

ELENORE

We had seconds to take cover as the demon descended from the sky in a ball of fire. Ian grabbed Sara and me, then dragged us into Cerberus. "Who is that!"

"Asmodeus!" Ian replied. "Get away from the wi—"

BOOM!

The demon hit the ground in a fiery explosion that knocked us off our feet and shattered the windows. "Oh my god!" I shielded myself. When I got up, all I felt were eyes on my back. I could hear it breathing behind me. By the looks on Sara and Ian's faces, I could sense that it was right there.

I gulped and slowly looked back.

A pair of giant purple eyes stared into the lobby. Remembering what Andras had done to Uncle Ahmed, I froze up at the sight of it. Afraid if I moved, it would trigger it. "Don't be afraid Elenore," Asmodeus spoke to me.

Then, I heard Sara wince. The compass burnt through her pocket and landed on the floor. The demon shifted his eyes in Sara and Ian's direction, this allowed me to crawl to the back where Pete was hiding behind the reception desk with a few others. I peeked around the table.

"That doesn't belong to you," Asmodeus reached in. "Give it to me."

Ian shot at him. "Basement!" Pete helped me up and we ran into the hallway.

Reaching the basement door, I looked back through the crowd and gasped. Asmodeus was walking toward us. Overestimating his strength, Ian pushed his way to the back and tried to take the demon on. "Go inside!" He fired at it, but the bullets did nothing. In the blink of an eye, the demon had grabbed Ian and pinned him against the wall.

"I did not come here to kill you! You, the pregnant one, give me the artifact. Refuse, and I will snap his neck," he threatened Sara.

"Don't give it to him," Ian struggled. Asmodeus tightened his grip.

"I'm sorry," Sara threw the compass at his feet.

The demon picked it up. "You mortals and your attachments, admirable... but pathetic," he dropped Ian and walked away.

Sara rushed to Ian. "Why did you give it to him!" Ian got up.

Asmodeus looked back speculatively. "There is another," he sensed.

"That's the only one," Sara replied.

"Do you really think you can lie to a demon?" Asmodeus asked as he walked back toward us. "I was going to let you live, now I'll just kill you all."

"I KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!" I shouted, stepping forth. "You don't have to kill anyone. I know where they are."

"Elenore," Sara pulled me back.

I yanked my arm out of Sara's grip and walked up to him. "This isn't worth it. We can't fight him."

"Elenore! What are you doing!" Ian yelled.

"I'm not dying over some stupid compass! Covered with dust that you locked away in the storage unit!" I responded, trying to get Sara's attention. "Let's give him what he wants."

~~~

SARA

I picked up on what Elenore was trying to communicate. "It's in row eight, right in the middle." I walked toward the basement.

Ian shut the door. "Sara, what are you doing!"

"Elenore is right," I opened it again. "You have to trust me," I whispered to him. "Let go of the door." Ian would not budge. Asmodeus was getting impatient. "El del cachorroLa cicatriz del cachorro," I whispered. At the glimmer in his eye, Ian finally understood what we were doing. "Síguelos, saca a Elenore. Activaré la orden de matar."