Read Online Magick Rising by Evelyn Vaughn, Parker Blue, P. J. Bishop, Jodi Anderson, Laura Hayden, Karen Fox - Free Book Online

serpent, Apophis, die. He elected to change to his
    demon form before attacking you.”
    He seemed to expect a response. She waved for him to continue.
    “Malphas on the other hand attacked me in his human form.” His gaze
    remained fixed on hers, as if willing her to believe. “He was a skilled
    opponent and slow to die. Thus his feathered form emerged.”
    Images of the black feathers sticking out of the creature’s neck and
    arms and the beaked face flashed before Miko’s eyes. “I’m not sure what you
    mean.”
    “My apologies. I’ve always served clandestinely. An explanation has

    never been necessary.” His expression darkened. “Demons walk among
    mankind in the guise of men. When they’re killed, their demon bodies
    emerge. If they die quickly, they’re unable to transform to their demonic
    forms. If they die slowly, they transform completely.”
    Miko gulped. He spoke of killing and dying in such a matter-of-fact
    way. “So Malphas died slowly and . . . transformed?”
    “Only partially so. He fought bitterly to protect his crasboethiad .”
    Latching onto the only part she understood, she said, “If he’d died even
    slower, he’d have more feathers.”
    “He would, in fact, appear to be a man-sized crow.”
    With a hockey mask and chainsaw . “And this cras-thingy?”
    “ Crasboethiad . In humans it would be the soul. In demons it is the seat of
    their hellfire.” As if holding a knife, he skewered his hand upward. “Unless it
    is quelled, the demon continues to live and can shapeshift at will.”
    Demon shapeshifters. No romantic werewolves for Miko Jones. She
    got snakes and scavenger birds.
    Only the fact that she’d personally witnessed it prevented her from
    dismissing everything he told her. She hadn’t imagined the snake-man thing.
    He’d damned near bitten her, and she’d never look at a snake the same way
    again.
    Her mind ran a few laps before settling down. “You know all about
    these demons.” She hesitated.
    His eyes changed from intense to a little sad. And wistful. “Go ahead
    and ask your questions, Miko. I’m no threat to you.”
    She searched within for the journalist with justice in her heart. For the
    niece trying to locate her uncle. Meeting Hadrian’s eyes, she asked what she
    already knew. “You’re the Skid Row Butcher, aren’t you?”
    How could a mere nod shoot chills down her spine?
    “The victims were all demon shapeshifters?”
    Another silent nod.
    “How do you know which ones are demons and which are men? How
    did you get the job of killing them?”
    “Their crasboethiad emits a scent that only those who hunt demons can
    smell. As for how I came to be a Hunter . . .” he rose to stare into the flames,
    his eyes bleak. “I assisted in the slaughter of three innocents. For that I’m
    condemned to kill one thousand demons for each innocent before my
    penance is paid. Only then will I be granted eternal rest.”
    “Penance.” How did she wrap her head around thousands of murders
    as an atonement? “This goes way beyond a couple Our Fathers and a few
    Hail Marys. How long have you been doing it?”
    Bracing his hands on the mantle, he avoided her gaze and stared into
    the fire. “Since the suppression of Glastonbury Abbey in the thirtieth year

    of His Majesty King Henry the Eighth’s reign, the year of Our Lord 1539.”
    Henry the Eighth. Tudor England. Anne Boleyn. No way. “1539? But that
    would make you almost five hundred years old.”
    His head was sunk so low between his arms that she barely saw his nod.
    “I’ve seen more than five hundred years pass. All whom I loved have long
    ago perished.”
    The pain of those losses reverberated in his voice. The pain and the
    loneliness. The sorrow.
    He face was set when he lifted his head. “With this Gathering I will
    fulfill my penance. Sometime tomorrow night I’ll kill my final demon.”
    The cat brushed through the rear door. It blinked glowing gold eyes at
    her.
    “Then Azrael will