Infernal Affairs by Jes Battis Read Free Book Online

tendons, and bones were beginning to writhe and knit back together. We didn’t have much time.
    Lucian panted, leaning with one hand against the wall. He was out. No more necromantic battery power.
    It seemed like the right time for the howler.
    I drew the small metal clapper from my pocket. This close to the equine demon, it was already humming with energy. I had no idea where the artifact had come from, but I hoped it wasn’t one of those things that went up in smoke once you used it. If we could replicate the technology, we’d have a dog whistle. Which was a lot better than our current strategy of Throw everything at it, including the kitchen sink, and try not to catch on fire while you’re doing it .
    I pressed the two cymbals together. They didn’t make a sound, but their vibration grew more intense, until I could feel my fingers aching. Something like a low buzz started in the back of my head, never becoming entirely audible, but growing in density until I found myself wanting to squeeze my eyes shut.
    The demon raised its head. It grunted. Then it began to twitch slightly, its eyes narrowing in silent pain.
    My teeth were vibrating now. The demon made a sound like a snarl. It closed its eyes. Then it started to moan, clutching its head, as if it had a severe toothache. The howler was working.
    “Derrick! Now’s your chance!”
    He and Miles had been keeping to the sidelines. Now he gave me a sharp look, as if to say, I’ll tell you where you can stick that chance .
    But he nodded, regardless. He was going to try, at least.
    Derrick took a step forward. He kept eye contact with the equine demon, and I felt something flow between the two of them. The air around him stirred slightly as he channeled dendrite materia, which was what gave form to psychic energy. I’d seen his power in action many times before. He could pluck a thought lightly from someone’s mind, or drill into it ruthlessly, drawing out information by force.
    The demon looked at him strangely for a moment, still distracted by the pain of the howler. Then it began to laugh.
    “Really? You think you can break into my mind?” It licked its lips. “Go ahead, you pathetic reader. Give it your best try. I invite you.”
    Derrick’s eyes narrowed. I heard him suck in his breath. The flow of power between them intensified, and his hands closed into fists. Miles gave him a worried look, but he needn’t have bothered. Derrick was beyond our reach now, searching the tracts of the demon’s consciousness for a way in, the smallest gap, something that the blade edge of his power could wedge its way into.
    “Your mind is like compost,” the demon said. “I just have to squeeze, and all the sad, reeking bits of you will dribble out between my fingers. But I’m going to do it nice and slowly, so your friends can watch.”
    Despite its bravado, I could tell that Derrick was wearing it down. The howler’s sonic energy was still throbbing in the air, and a few drops of black blood had begun to leak from the demon’s nostrils. It was weakening.
    Derrick pressed on with his attack. He was also bleeding—a slight trickle was running down his face and onto his chin. Miles saw it. His eyes widened.
    Tess, he signed. Stop him.
    Derrick kept pushing. The demon grunted. Then it coughed suddenly, and a clot of blood oozed from its mouth. It began to snarl. I heard Derrick groan.
    “Get out!” the demon screamed. “Get out! I’ll kill you! Xxch’krr nsh nng! Worm! Bag of pus and blood! I’ll kill you!”
    “ Nnnnnh. Fuck— you —” Derrick hissed.
    Blood was flowing freely from his nose now, reddening his jacket and the shirt beneath it. Flecks of spit had appeared at the edges of his mouth. He leaned forward, as if bracing himself against an arctic wind.
    “Enough!” the demon shrieked. “Get out !”
    It flung its arm out in a wide arc. I felt a vast pulse of energy move through the air. A killing current.
    “Derrick!”
    I channeled everything that