Page 97 of The Fate of Black Hearts

“What did you do?” The demon’s form shuddered. “I trusted you.” It pushed to move, but was trapped in the center of the light.

Cora clucked. “You trusted a witch when youwere messing with her family. Bad decision.”

Evie hovered over Dom. “Don’t you dare die, not when this is about to get good. If you can, heal yourself. Don’t freak out about this next part.” She yelled to Efrem, “Fight or die time, love.”

He threw her a gun. She checked it. “You didn’t load it with the pink cartridges. It didn’t work before because you used the gray ones. That’s for humans. The pink is for demons.”

He tossed her a pink bandolier from which she quickly loaded the shot gun.

She glanced up at the four demons crawling along the walls. Minor demons, but still dangerous. She called out, “Lyra, be a dear and get the one up there to your right. Are you loaded with the pink ones?”

The little girl aimed her shotgun with a deftness that spoke of much practice. She fired at the demon and reloaded.

“Bit off center. Get it in the head, darling,” Evie advised before she shot twice in quick succession to blast two other demons crawling along the walls.

Efrem proceeded to shoot the others, reloading quickly. Demons crawled out of the corners like ants.

“I got it, Mom!” The little girl fist pumped. She had placed a solid head shot in the one she’d been assigned.

“Excellent work, darling. Keep going.”

Dom’s world skidded to a halt.Mom?

His vision clouded. He couldn’t breathe to the point he almost toppled over.

The girl had dark curly hair, kind of like his mother. She looked about five or six, which wouldput her…No.He gripped his chest to sit up. “Tell me she’s not?—”

Evie pushed him to the ground. “Not now. You focus on healing your chest. I’ve got this.” She shot Leviathan several times, but her hits did nothing.

The four Lanzo brothers appeared.

“It won’t die from the bullets,” Evie announced.

“I don’t think I can banish something like that,” Roman said. “I’ll try.” He muttered words in Latin and threw water and herbs at Leviathan.

The demon laughed. It struggled inside its bond of the pentagram.

“What are we supposed to do with it?” Evie asked. “Anyone have a suggestion?”

Headshakes all around.

Dom shrugged.

“Hurry up,” Cora advised. “I can’t hold him much longer.”

Evie whispered something to herself, which sounded like she was speaking to her own tattoo.

“You better figure out something fast,” Cora groaned. Her hands shook. “He’s weakening the lines.”

“I know someone who can help,” the little girl said.

“Now isn’t the time for rainbows and glitter,” Roman grumped. “Why are you here?”

“Quit being a jerk.” The child punched him in the thigh. “I shot a demon.”

“Just one?” Roman asked sarcastically.

“I can phone a friend,” the child offered.