DEATH (The Justice Cycle Book 1) by J Kiefer (best classic books to read TXT) 📗

With a blur of motion, the demon threw itself at Jared again. Before he could react, the creature’s nails were suddenly in his face, only inches from his eyes. Gripping Tzedakah with both hands, he managed to bring up the sword just in time to deflect the raking claws. Sparks flew and he could smell ozone as the nails scraped across the black metal. He pushed back against the demon and managed to fling its arm to the side, knocking it slightly off balance. Tzedakah screamed in his mind and he stumbled and shook his head violently as the sword attempted to invade his consciousness. The demon noticed the turmoil and grinned.

The demon lashed out with his tail, striking Jared hard on his legs, sweeping his feet out from under him. He knew he was falling and that he was in trouble, but his body felt heavy and slow like he was moving through water. The demon struck him as he fell, slashing his claws against his chest, ripping his shirt and tearing into his flesh. He felt the sudden pressure of the talons as they tore through his body and watched as gore and flesh sprayed into the air, but it was like he was watching it happen in a dream rather than real life. He barely registered the impact as he hit the ground.

Jeremy was unable to follow the movements of the battle, but he could sense that Jared was in trouble. He snapped into motion, drawing a small cross-shaped dagger from its hiding place in his coat, and launched himself at the demon. He landed on the creature’s back just as it was lifting its arm for another blow, grabbed onto one of its wings for leverage, and drove the blade of his dagger into the back of the unsuspecting demon.

It howled in pain and thrashed wildly, trying to throw Jeremy off its back. He held on for dear life, riding the demon like a champion bull rider before it managed to grab one of his legs and pull itself free. It roared as it slammed Jeremy into the ground, leaving him stunned and gasping for air.

The demon glared down at the prostrate Jeremy, its red eyes burning with hatred. “Foolish human, I will rip you apart.”

Jeremy groaned and tried to get up, but he was too dazed. “Sorry, but God says otherwise,” he managed to croak.

The demon’s eyes glinted menacingly as it stared down at Jeremy. It sneered, exposing enormous razor-sharp serrated teeth. “Your God will not save you—” The demon’s words suddenly became indistinct gurgling and choking, and its eyes went wide in shock. It clawed at its chest frantically as the flesh there suddenly protruded outward as if something were trying to break free from inside its torso. Jeremy smirked as the blue glowing tip of a familiar black sword burst out of the demon’s sternum.

The creature looked down at the protruding blade incredulously. Jared yanked it out and the gurgling demon fell to one knee, grasping at the gaping hole in its torso. Mortally wounded, the demon glared at Jeremy, who was still lying on his back, before dissipating into smoke as it passed from the mortal realm back to hell. The last thing to go was the creature’s large red eyes which remained fixed on Jeremy until the very end.

Jeremy got to his feet, nursing his bruised left arm. He glared at Jared who was now shaking his head and seeming to be arguing with himself. “What the heck just happened?”

Jared frowned at him. “We were attacked by a demon. Tzedakah says it was the prince of Binghamton or something like that. It also says more are on the way.”

Jeremy shook his head incredulously. “That’s not what I am talking about. I’m not stupid, I know what a demon is. What I meant was, what the hell happened to you? You should’ve made quick work of a lightweight like that. God! The Shogun would have trashed that guy before I even knew it was here. I don’t know what kind of cop you were in life, but you sure are a crappy… whatever you are.”

“I don’t know,” Jared stammered looking down at the sword in his hands. “I don’t know what happened. I think the sword tried to take me over, if that makes any sense, and I stopped it.”

“Seriously?” Jeremy rolled his eyes. “We were in the middle of a fight for our lives and you decided you didn’t want the help of a supernaturally powerful talking sword? Wow, you really are a piece of work.” He flung his hands up toward the sky. “God, what in the world were you thinking of bringing me here? Are you trying to get me killed?”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Jared shot back. “What do you expect from me, anyway? Just ten minutes ago I woke up in a coffin and now, poof, I’m fighting demons and conversing with a talking sword.”

The distant sound of flapping wings and howls snapped both men out of their pointless argument. Jeremy whipped his head back and forth as if unseen enemies hid in every shadow. Jared turned west and stared off into the night sky. “They are still a few leagues off, but they will be here soon. We should go.”

“Okay, but they will most likely find us, no matter where we go in the city.”

Jared’s expression suddenly became glassy and he seemed to be in some kind of trance. He turned to Jeremy and put his arm around him. His voice was the same but different somehow as if someone else was speaking through him. “Don’t worry, I will protect us from them and take us somewhere where they will temporarily be unable to locate us.”

Before he’d finished speaking, there was a brilliant flash of light and the two men were gone.

Thirty-One

Jeremy was hunched over a rather unremarkable bush, throwing up everything in his