Guardians (Chosen Trilogy Book 2) by David Leadbeater Read Free Book Online

nose. “When we catch ‘em in here there ain’t no escape.”
    Giles pulled our vehicle onto I-Drive. Now that we had a general location it became immediately obvious where the demon was. Flames washed the skies beyond Wet ‘N Wild, along a quieter stretch of road that held only a few shops and eateries. As we came closer Cleaver spoke up.
    “What the hell are these guys searching for? These artefacts, what exactly are they?”
    “We don’t know that yet,” Cheyne said. “Could be anything. The library is working on it.”
    “Damn lot of good that’ll do us now.”
    “You’re a fighter, Cleaver. A boxer. Just go with the flow.”
    I took in the scene as we approached. A sinkhole appeared to have opened up in front of a warehouse that sold sports apparel. The hole was wide, though, probably twenty feet in diameter. Cars teetered on the edge and even as we pulled up I saw a red Oldsmobile lose the friction battle and go crashing down out of sight. Earth and rocks spattered up from inside the hole, shooting high into the sky and we heard a screech that made the hairs on my arms stand on end.
    Belinda jumped out, head down. “Let’s do this.”
    I followed in a hurry. The balmy weather gave me a false sense of security. Nothing bad ever happened when it was this syrupy warm, did it? I heard sirens on the wind. I saw Johnny drifting toward me as we neared the edge.
    I looked down.
    And got my first real look at a hierarchy demon.
    The man stared up at us, dressed all in black and wearing a well-cut suit and designer tie. He stood knee deep in filth, in rubble, in human detritus. Bodies lay broken or squirming at his feet. His fists were clenched, his mouth twisted into a content smile. My stomach turned, but it was the eyes that held us all, the fire-pit stare that held us, mesmerized us, and seemed to drag us all straight down to hell.
    Asmodeus was dressed like a banker, a politician. If you’d seen him walking along any high street you wouldn’t have given him a second glance. It was only when his mouth opened and I saw the flicking forked tongue and the rows of sharp teeth, the blood on his lips like smears of wine, that I could tell the difference. Then an unearthly shriek split my hypnotic state apart and I almost slipped over the edge of the hole.
    Cheyne and Giles waved their instructions. “Logan. Trevochet! Get it together. We have people alive down there. Tanya, wait at the edge with Belinda. If the demon gets up here it could go hand-to-hand. Ceriden, Jade, with us!”
    They leaped, scrambling down the hole, straight at Asmodeus. Lysette screamed after Giles. He was no supernatural creature, just a man, but one with a huge set of cojones, going after this demon head on. Cleaver jumped into the fray too, probably assuming they’d just missed him out. I watched as our people slid and slithered down the incline, dislodging rubble along the way, and saw Asmodeus grin.
    I glanced sideways at Johnny. “You ready?”
    “Sure am.”
    I focused. I knew Lucy and Ethan were behind me, relatively protected, but the niggling fear still made my skin crawl. I shook it off, feeling a sudden warmth in my chest. The power was coming. Down below, Jade the elf struck at Asmodeus hard, a blow that would have shattered a brick wall. The demon caught it on one arm, seemingly surprised when the arm flopped down against his own chest. The bones had broken. The demon tried to waggle the appendage, but little happened. The look of surprise changed to amusement.
    “Weak, pathetic garbage.”
    The demon’s voice was gravelly, deeper than anything I’d ever heard. It made me shudder. But the thing was still smiling, swinging its one good arm at Jade and managing to knock her off balance and against the side wall. Then it swung around and faced Ceriden. The tall vampire flew at it, striking at chest level, forcing it back and over the tops of still-moving bodies. It grabbed a handhold in the pit wall, swung Ceriden around and