Page 32 of Blood

The demon picks up a nearby human, breaks their neck, then tosses their carcass to the ground.

Tobias screams and bangs his fist on the shield. “Let us in. Help us!”

“Sorry.” I shrug. “No can do, buddy.”

But then, from the trees behind the barrier, another form appears. And this one is familiar.

“Nico?” I glance at Sam, and he nods.

“Damn it.” I roll my eyes as Nico charges for the demon.

“It’s a Nalgarth demon,” Rev calls loudly. “It’ll have one iridescent scale amongst the black. Near its heart. Pluck it out and the spot beneath it is his weakness.”

In reply, Nico – in full hellhound mode – barks back.

Rev glances at me. “He can handle it.”

“I was hoping he wouldn’t.” I raise my eyebrows at her. Rev shakes her head.

“I know,” she sighs. “But we can’t just let them die.”

“You think if they got in here they wouldn’t be trying to slaughter every single one of us?”

Nico is on top of the Nalgarth now, biting its shoulder.

“Of course, they would,” Rev replies. “But we’re not like them. Are we?”

The demon releases a loud cry and tosses Nico to the floor. Something glints in the sun. Nico spots it too. As the Nalgarth leans over him, he hooks a claw into the scale and plucks it free. Then he bites. His jaws sink into the demon’s chest, and nausea rolls in the pit of my stomach as Nico quite literally rips the Nalgarth open and tears out his heart.

* * *

Blood and gore spatter everywhere and through the shield I can see the humans recoiling in horror.

Ever the calm and stoic one, Tobias starts screaming again, banging on the shield as Nico turns to him with dripping jaws and flashing red eyes.

“You can’t leave us out here!” he yells.

I don’t flinch. “I think you’ll find we can.”

I turn to walk away, gesturing for Sam to follow, but Rev says, “Wait. Nico…”

When I turn back, Nico is panting, his skin-like fur coated in blood. But where there used to be an aura of desperation about him, now it’s like he has found his strength and is enjoying it.

It’s disturbing.

He is disturbing.

And knowing how much Nova struggles with her newfound powers makes me wonder whether Nico really is as trustworthy as everyone seems to think he is.

Granted, I’m biased. I already loathe the guy because, yeah, okay, he came through for Nova in the end. But look at what he did to her before that..

“Nico, come on…” Rev beckons for him to cross through the shield. Another thing that makes me uncomfortable… him having access in and out of town whenever he pleases.

“Did you catch it on camera?” Tobias yells, talking to his minions but looking at me.

“You mean did they catch a supernatural creature protecting you from a demon?”

“No,” Tobias spits. “I mean did they catch the supernatural state police standing there doing absolutely fuck all while two vicious hell demons nearly tore us to shreds.”