Shadow Guardians: The Promised

Black blood sprayed all over Uriah as he carved into the creature, first wedging his sword underneath the base of the ribs, then slicing into the cavity where the thing was supposed to have a gut. It released strange sloshing sounds before going up in flames.

Across from him, Magnus had another ugly fucker shackled around the neck with a blessed chain. He flung it through the air, and it dropped right onto Zachiel’s waiting blade. Draven turned on his heel just in time to hack through one’s eye. He avoided an attacking claw, then stuck his dagger in its groin and ripped upward, slitting the demon in half.

More slipped out of the portal and stampeded toward them with burning passion.

“Fuck, can you all just give up already?” Draven said, stabilizing his stance.

Then suddenly, all the demons froze and started scurrying back, looking like Van Hellsing had just come home.

They went nuts and started plowing into each other, trying to get away from whatever they were seeing, because the brothers just stared at them in bewilderment and they were paying them no mind.

A child’s giggle, coming from behind them, explained everything.

Z spun with broad eyes, and next to their car, there stood three-and-a-half-year-old Terronth. His eyes were pitch black, and the irises glowed red. They were a far cry from their usual amethyst color.

The brothers laughed, except for Zachiel, because he would have to tell Ophie that Terronth snuck into the car. Again.

The demons cried and crazied, then clawed at the brick walls as though begging the portal to reopen so they could escape.

Terronth, meaning terror in the old language, lived up to his name. He had the ability to create spine-chilling delusions that scared the bejesus out of the demons. He did this simply by using their own fears against them.

None of the brothers ever considered that demons even had fears until they discovered Terronth’s ability. And he was still just a toddler, and he found their psychosis very comical.

One of the demons dimly ran right into a brick wall, and Terronth laughed so hard that he bent over and grabbed his belly in delight.

“Get him out of here, we’ll finish them off.” Draven said to Zachiel, who went over to Terronth and lifted him into his arms. He distracted him with the sparkling lights of a nearby shop while they finished off the rest of the hoards.

It was a cinch, seeing as they were still reeling from the effects of the kid’s power.

When all was done, they came over, and Draven ruffled Terronth’s black head of hair. “Kid, you’re wicked.”

His laughter had ended and was now replaced with whining.

They all stepped into the vehicle, and Terronth was clipped into the ever-present baby seat in the back. This wasn’t the first time he had snuck out with them, so it paid to be prepared, especially when faced with Ophelia’s wrath.

Uriah got into the back with him, and still his grouching continued.

“He’s teething,” Zachiel said, looking back at him from the front seat.

“Still?” Magnus asked, starting the engine.

“Just the fangs. They take the longest.”

“And hurt the most,” Draven chimed in. “Wouldn’t want to be on the other end of his mood swings.”

Terronth’s face shriveled up, and he let out a loud wail, edging on a tantrum. Draven leaned over to him and whispered in his ear, and Uriah wondered what the hell he was up to now.

Suddenly Terronth was all sunshine, and he started wiggling around excitedly in his baby seat, even started giggling.

Magnus looked at him with curiosity in the rearview mirror. Then he caught Draven’s thought train and started chuckling.

He turned left off Prospect Avenue instead of right.

“Am I missing something? The house is that way,” Zachiel indicated.

Terronth started humming and singing in his seat, then shouted, “Ice cream!”

Zachiel turned. “What? No way, after sneaking out again?” He glared at Magnus. “You knew? You’re going to Ginelli’s, aren’t you?”

“Why Z, I would never choose my nephew over you...” Magnus feigned being hurt.

“Oh, give the kid a break. His mouth hurts.” Draven cut in.

Z sat back then. “Easy for you to say. “You’re not the one who has to deal with the hyperactivity from all that sugar.”

Uriah held his tongue and stifled a laugh. It was their secret that Marionette liked giving Terronth lollipops when he went to Maggie, so she could check on his gums.

Zachiel heaved a sigh and removed his phone from his pocket. Now he’d have to tell Ophie.

He called her and told her, and Magnus saw him wince as if someone was yelling in his ear.

“No, it’s not-” he tried, then listened again. “No, I...” he sighed. “Yes, of course. Yes, meeran, I love you meeran.”

The brothers all sniggered that he conveniently rolled over like a dog at the reprimanding voice of his female.

Truthfully, it would only have been about the ice cream. Ophie knew as well as any of them that there was nothing they could do about Terronth sneaking away from his nannies. The kid was just crafty like that, cunning like his father.

Their laughter was more out of pity than mockery, though. Rolling over for their females was the story of their lives, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.