I threw a swift roundhouse kick to my left and then a punch to my right. I crouched low, reaching into the ankles of my boots and pulling out identical daggers. When I stood to my full height, I stabbed both the demons again. I had to kick them to dislodge their bodies from the blades. They both joined their friend in the fire.
A hand fell onto my shoulder, gnarled with yellowed nails that were so long they looked like talons. I rammed the blade through its owner’s chest and it disintegrated before me. Out of nowhere a chair came hurtling through the room and caught me on the shoulder. I stumbled and fell into yet another attacker, who promptly sank his nasty teeth into my shoulder.
I gave a shout of pain as another demon launched himself at me, and the three of us went down in a tangle of arms and legs. My shoulder bled, I was tired, and now I was thoroughly pissed.
A great snarl ripped out of my throat as I let my body shift. I like the feeling of a shift. My bones elongated and realigned, my spine curved, and my body was freed of the rules that bound it as a human. I had so much more power as a hellhound, and I liked power.
It took barely seconds for me to complete the shift, and I ripped through the two demons who pulled me onto the floor with ease and pleasure. When I stretched to my full hellhound size, some of the demons fell back, hesitating in their plan to attack.
I didn’t hesitate at all.
I shredded through at least three more, scattering bodies around my room like leaves scatter in the fall. As I fought, my brain assessed the situation. This was a first. Usually they came in small groups or alone. They wanted to out me, to take over my spot. While an ambush was probably the best way to kill me, it also would make it hard to determine who got the top spot once I was dead.
But I wasn’t dying tonight.
I wanted to groan when the bedroom door flung open and light spilled in from the hallway. How many more were there?
“That’s enough!” a powerful voice commanded. All the demons in the room stopped attacking me and stepped back.
I took the chance to take out the closest three.
A booming laugh rang out as a man paraded into the room, stopping directly across from me. He was tall, probably over six feet, had broad shoulders and black hair pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. He also had a goatee that was long and hung off his chin. It looked greasy and scraggly and it was probably full of bugs. He was dressed in black leather pants, a white dress shirt, and black leather boots.
He radiated power.
“Get out! All of you!” he commanded, and I watched as all the demons left standing scurried out the door.
I shifted to my human form as the guy surveyed the bodies around the room. He made a sound of surprised appreciation, then turned back. By that time I’d already shifted and armed myself with weapons.
“Put those away,” he said, looking pointedly at the daggers in my hand.
“You won’t mind if I don’t listen,” I said, gripping the daggers tighter.
He flung his hand out and they ripped from my hands and buried themselves to the hilt in the nearest wall. Walls made of granite, something those daggers shouldn’t have been able to penetrate.
I resisted the urge to change because I needed my voice. “Who are you?”
“Don’t question me!”
“You’re in my house. I don’t take orders in my house.”
The man actually chuckled. “I see why they call you what they do.”
Who? I pretended what he said didn’t make me curious. “I was in the middle of something, so if you would leave…” I motioned to the door.
He appeared directly in front of me, but inches away. “I came here with no intention of killing you, but you are making me rethink that decision.”
“You should try to be more decisive,” I said, drawing another dagger from nearby. I learned quickly to stash weapons throughout this castle.
The man pinned me with a glare and spoke in a language I never heard before. All the bodies in the room turned to dust.
His little show of power had the light bulb going off inside my head.
“I did not come here to fight you,” the man said. “I don’t need your land. I don’t want it.”
“Which one are you?”
“What?”
“The seven princes. Which one are you?”
He stroked his goatee and studied me for a moment. “I am Leviathan.”
“So if you didn’t come here to kill me, why did you bring along so many friends and sneak into my home in the middle of the night?”
He shrugged. “I wanted to see for myself what kind of warrior you are.”
“You came. You saw,” I said and motioned for the door.
“Beelzebub won’t stay wherever you put him for very long.” It sounded like a warning.
I said nothing, giving no indication that the idea of Beelzebub’s return bothered me in the least.
“What is your claim here?” Leviathan asked. “Why take his place?”
“I have my reasons.”
“Perhaps I could help you.”
“Seems I don’t need help for something I already have control of.” I was pretty sure helping me was not the reason a prince of hell sneaked into my house in the middle of the night.
Leviathan’s eyes narrowed. I stared at him, unwilling to back down. “Making an enemy of me isn’t a smart move, boy.”
“I wasn’t aware we were friends. Did you plan to sleep over?”
My body hit the wall with a sick cracking sound. I was pretty sure something in my back snapped, and I bit down on my tongue to keep from crying out. My legs beneath me buckled and I slid to the floor. Leviathan crouched in front of me, his considerable frame blocking all else from view. A fine sweat broke over my skin from the pain, but still I looked in his eyes.
“What did Beelzebub have over you? What caused you to want him gone?”
I didn’t answer.
“I could set him free. I know you hide him in the dungeon.”
Well, shit. This wasn’t good. I wasn’t about to beg this man not to do anything. It would only make it more attractive. “If you really wanted him set free, you would’ve done it. Perhaps my locking him up is of benefit to you as well?”
He lifted an eyebrow and seemed to consider my words. “None of us have ever liked Beelzebub, the gluttonous fool. Besides, it might be fun to watch what happens when he does get out.”
I swallowed, the pain in my back causing my stomach to churn. “How thoughtful of you.”
Leviathan grunted and stood. “I am more generous than my brothers. Such a burden to bear.” He looked down at me and smiled. “But the show to come, that will be worth not killing you now. I do not envy you. Not at all.”