Chapter 32

An ice-blue hand with long claws reached through the tear in the veil. Michael’s eyes widened, and he chanted with Catlyn, his voice filled with righteous fervor. He’d been working toward bringing Bho-Ahp into this world for the last thirty months. He knelt in homage in front of the portal.

The shape resolved into a muscled creature, obviously male, with smooth, hairless ice-blue skin and electric blue eyes. Catlyn recognized him as the same daemon she’d seen in her vision. This time, she noticed he had four arms. The long claws on his four-fingered hands had inspired the knives Michael and his acolytes used. The daemon stepped across the threshold, bringing with him a sickening stench.

Bho-Ahp had arrived.

“You look more delicious in person,” the daemon crooned, his voice running over her skin like rough velvet made her shiver.

He licked his blood-red lips as his gaze roved over Catlyn from head to foot, suddenly reminding her of her nakedness. His phallus hardened, and the symbols carved into his skin and the horns on his forehead glowed, giving him an unearthly beauty. Even though she knew he was evil incarnate, lust gripped her, and she took an involuntary step toward him.

“No, Catlyn!” Maak cried. “Don’t succumb to his allure.”

Power burst within Catlyn, releasing her from Bho-Ahp’s spell. At the same time, Maak initiated the spell that would allow her to manifest in this plane through Catlyn. Tingles crept over Catlyn’s body, and her fingers became transparent. Maak’s presence rose to the fore.

Adoration shone on Michael’s face as he stood and reached for Bho-Ahp.

“They can’t make contact or they will merge,” Maak warned her.

Horrified, Catlyn stared at the tableau. If they touched, all the pain she’d suffered would be for nothing. But in the middle of her metamorphosis, Catlyn couldn’t stop them. She glanced around and saw Sean. He stood mesmerized a few feet away.

“Sean!” Catlyn yelled over the tumult. “Stop Michael! Don’t let him touch Bho-Ahp.”

Sean shook his head as if clearing it. His blue eyes locked on hers, then he ran toward her. He didn’t seem to notice as energy crackled and sizzled around him as he vaulted over the circle, tackling Michael before his fingers met Bho-Ahp’s.

“Now!” Maak yelled.

Catlyn joined the spell Maak chanted. As the words spewed from her mouth, somehow, Catlyn and Maak merged. They existed simultaneously in the physical and non-physical worlds. Catlyn’s human body faded, along with all her wounds, as the huge white tiger materialized.

Catlyn-Maak shook her body, ridding it of the last tingles of her change. She roared. A monk saw her, now a great white tiger instead of a bloody, broken woman. He ran screaming, right into Jade’s sword.

Catlyn-Maak leaped, and her claws raked Michael’s back as they sailed over him. She grinned at his scream of pain. She landed in the middle of the closing portal, bowling over Bho-Ahp.

He flipped to his feet with his hands stretched out. He threw back his head and let loose a roar of his own. It echoed on the concrete walls. The fighting outside the circle momentarily halted at the sound before resuming.

Catlyn-Maak whirled and slashed her claws across his calves. Bho-Ahp thrust one of his arms out toward them. The edge of his claw sliced into her hide. She flipped and sank her fangs into his arm, gagging at the foul, rotten-egg taste.

The symbols on Bho-Ahp’s skin shone brighter, and he spat a string of words. A wave of black magic swept from him and slammed into Catlyn-Maak. They gritted their teeth as thousands of tiny pests bit into them. Maak mumbled a spell in her language. Magic pulsed off her, eliminating the pests. Another pulse and a blast of fire flew at Bho-Ahp.

He spun away, but the edge caught one of his arms. He howled as flames engulfed it. The stink of charred skin added to the reek in the enclosed space. Bho-Ahp spat another spell as he slid a hand over the flame. It gathered into a ball, which he tossed back at them. Catlyn-Maak twisted out of the way. The ball of fire whizzed past them, heating the tips of their fur. It hit the energy dome of the circle and fizzled out.

Bho-Ahp leaped at the same time as Catlyn-Maak. They crashed into each other. Catlyn-Maak sank her teeth into the juncture where his neck met his shoulder. She roared when he bit her. His teeth were nearly as sharp as hers. Warm blood trickled from the wound. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. The air whooshed from her lungs. His talon tips dug into her side. Desperate for breath, she scrabbled her back claws against his legs.

She finally twisted out of his grasp, away from his talons, and swiped his chest, digging deep gouges with her claws. Seeing an opening, Catlyn-Maak sank her fangs into his flesh, tearing out great chunks. Snarling, she spat out the nasty taste. Green slime from his many wounds made the floor slick. She slid as she ducked from the sharp horns protruding from his forehead. The tip of one caught her flank and ripped it open.

Anger and hate filled Sean as he dove for Michael. He slammed into his opponent, knocking him away from the daemon, away from Catlyn. They rolled across the floor. Power flared as they hit the side of the energy dome and knocked them apart.

As Sean leaped to his feet, the many murder scenes he’d witnessed at Michael’s hands flashed before his eyes. Now was his chance to give the victims vengeance. They’d never receive justice. Michael’s father’s wealth assured he’d never face trial for the murders.

“You’ll pay for all the hurt you’ve caused,” Sean ground out through clenched teeth. He crouched in a ready-stance, holding his crystal dagger in front of him.

Michael laughed. His eyes glinted, flashing a red sheen. “You wish. Now that my master is here, I’ll be unstoppable. And more powerful than even my father. Bho-Ahp chose me,” —he pointed his dagger at his chest— “not him! You’ve been a thorn in my side long enough.” Michael swung his blade at Sean.

Sean stumbled back, raising his dagger. The blades hit, sending a shock wave down Sean’s arm. He slashed. Appalled that it was a bit wild.

Michael threw back his head, laughing as he easily evaded Sean’s clumsy strike. “Is that the best you can do? This fight won’t last long. Pity.”

Sean’s police training had included some knife fighting, but that had been years ago. He felt awkward and out of his depth. In the enclosed space, he didn’t dare use his gun, afraid he’d hit Catlyn or one of the Sentinel Witches. He touched his grandfather’s amulet. It buzzed under his hand and a burst of energy filled him.

Sean slashed again. This time, it seemed as if someone guided his movement. His crystal dagger slid across Michael’s face, laying his check open. Michael bellowed. His eyes flared with red light, and he swore in a language Sean didn’t know. A bolt of electricity slammed into Sean’s chest. His amulet blazed, and instead of killing him, Michael’s magic only knocked the wind out of him. He bared his teeth as he struggled to regain his breath.

Michael ran toward Sean. Their blades flashed. Sean’s shone with a bright light. Michael’s oozed darkness.

Sean hissed. Blood welled on his bicep from a lucky slash. He blocked another swipe, then swung at Michael. They clashed and sparks flew from their blades as they traded blows. Sean’s knuckles bled from the various nicks he received.

A ball of fire zipped toward them. Sean swore, then twisted. The hair on his arm sizzled. Michael took advantage of his inattention and slashed at Sean’s chest. Sean leaped back, but not enough to stop the blow entirely. His shirt split, and he gasped at searing pain. Blood gushed from the deep gash on his chest.

Sean saw an opening and thrust his knife at his opponent. The tip slid across Michael’s forearm. Their fight took them close to Bho-Ahp and a great white tiger. Sean gaped, not sure if he was hallucinating. Where did Catlyn go? Or is that her? Michael reached toward the daemon, and Sean remembered Catlyn’s admonishment to not let the two touch. He dove, tackling Michael, and knocking him away from Bho-Ahp. Both Michael and Bho-Ahp growled in frustration.

Michael attacked, his teeth bared. He drove his blade deep into Sean’s thigh, ripping through muscle. Sean screamed, but he wouldn’t allow the wound to stop him. He had to keep Michael away from Bho-Ahp.

Sean and Michael circled each other, blood dripping from their wounds. Michael lunged, and Sean twisted to the side. Michael recovered, quickly switching his hold on his dagger and slammed it into Sean’s scapula. The blade hit bone. Sean’s hand went numb. Luckily, it was his left hand. He hunched over, nearly vomiting at the sick squelch as Michael withdrew his knife. He reversed his grip and thrust backwards. His blade sunk into Michael’s thigh.

Michael spun away, flinging blood. His spin took him close to Bho-Ahp. He reached out his hand. Sean slashed his dagger across Michael’s hand, severing two fingers. Michael cursed, moving away from Bho-Ahp. His eyes no longer held the haughty confidence. Worry—or was that fear?—scrunched his face. He swung again at Sean.

Sean ducked, then buried his knife into Michael’s side and was rewarded by Michael’s scream.

Bho-Ahp lunged to the side, attempting to touch Michael’s hand. The two had to make physical contact for Bho-Ahp to assimilate into Michael. With a roar, Catlyn-Maak swatted Bho-Ahp’s arm aside, her claws digging deep furrows.

Bho-Ahp retaliated, spitting a spell. The black dust glittered like a million diamonds. Catlyn-Maak moaned as the sharp motes burrowed beneath their protecting fur and burned their skin. She uttered a counter-spell, sighing when coolness replaced the burning sensation.

Using her strong tail, she slammed it into Bho-Ahp, knocking him away from Michael. She leaped, jaws wide open, aiming for Bho-Ahp’s neck. He backpedaled, but his foot slid on the slick, blood covered surface. He fell to his knees and Catlyn-Maak sailed over his head. She twisted in midair, raking her claws along his back.

Over and over, Bho-Ahp attempted to reach Michael, but Catlyn-Maak never allowed him to get near his vessel. Sean did his part to keep the two separate. Bho-Ahp growled in frustration. He swiped at her again. His long claws raking along her arm. It stung.

Michael screamed as Sean slammed his crystal dagger into Michael’s side.

Catlyn-Maak backed up and gave the shallow wounds on her arm a quick lick. A glance around the bunker showed Jade and the Sentinel Witches stood victorious over Bho-Ahp and Michael’s defeated monks. Piles of black goo or ash were all that remained of the demons she’d glimpsed earlier. The only clashes remaining were the ones between Sean and Michael and her battle with the daemon.

She took stock of her wounds in this combined form, relieved to discover none were life threatening. The worst one was the gash in her right hindquarters. Whereas blood poured from numerous slashes or gouges from both Michael and Bho-Ahp. Michael was missing two fingers, a flap of skin from his cheek, and held a hand to his side in a vain effort to staunch the blood flooding from his side.

They’d torn off one of Bho-Ahp’s four arms, and chewed through a second. His right eye was missing. The slash that took it also laid open Bho-Ahp’s cheek. He’d lost great chunks of flesh to their teeth. Given time, his magic might heal his wounds. But Catlyn-Maak wouldn’t allow that to happen.

“It is time,” Maak said.

“Sean, get out of the circle now!” Catlyn yelled. “The rest is up to us.”

Sean nodded, casting a wary glance at the being she’d become. He scurried out, trailing blood from the gash in his thigh.

As soon as he crossed the circle’s boundary, Catlyn-Maak closed the break in the energy dome. Now, it was only the four of them. Only one symbiotic pair would leave the circle, and she was determined to be the one who did. In their merged form, Catlyn and Maak were neither fully physical or non-physical. They were part of both dimensions. It was the only reason they’d been able to cause so much damage to Bho-Ahp.

With a roar, Catlyn-Maak drove Bho-Ahp toward Michael. A flash of light filled the room as Bho-Ahp and Michael made contact and the assimilation of daemon and host began.

Michael screamed.

Bho-Ahp laughed.

Catlyn-Maak pounced.

Already weakened from the fight, and weaker still from the transformation in progress, the daemon and human collapsed under her weight. She landed on top of him, wrapped her teeth around his throat, and raked his belly with her rear claws. Shredded guts spilled out, adding to the malodorous stink in the air. A shake of her massive head broke Michael’s neck.

Bho-Ahp tried to escape his dying host. When he couldn’t leave, his struggles turned frantic. Catlyn-Maak raised an enormous paw and tore out Bho-Ahp’s throat. He fell limp. Fire bathed the daemon’s body, burning it to ash, leaving behind Michael’s battered corpse.

Bho-Ahp was finally destroyed and would never threaten the world again with his evil.

The energy dome collapsed.

“Well done. We fought well together to destroy the daemon,” Maak said smugly. She initiated the shift back to their separate forms.

Catlyn returned to her human form, screaming in agony. The pain from the injuries she’d suffered during torture flared all at once and hit her full-blast. Barely conscious, she crumpled next to Michael’s ravaged body.

“Catlyn! Catlyn! Please don’t be dead.” Sean’s concerned voice broke through her fog.

His gentle touch caused the fire in her nerve endings to flare anew. “I’m still here,” she croaked, and her eyes fluttered open. “I wish I wasn’t. I hurt.”

“I know, sweetheart. We’ll get you to the hospital. You’re a mess.”

Did he say ‘sweetheart?’ Catlyn smiled at the thought and allowed oblivion to take her.

She was safe and so was the world.