Witch’s Promise (Shadowguards #3.5)

23. Gabe

Chapter 23

Gabe

W here the hell was Sean?

The phone call shouldn't have taken this long.

"Excuse me," Gabe muttered, cutting Alex off mid-sentence. "I need to check on something."

He ignored the questioning looks from his team as he headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time. The wrongness intensified with each step, a pit of dread forming in his stomach.

As Gabe reached the top of the stairs, the scene that greeted him confirmed his worst fears. Jessy sat huddled on the couch, her face streaked with tears and her body wracked with silent sobs. Finn paced back and forth like a caged animal, tension radiating from every line of his body.

"What the fuck is going on?" Gabe demanded, his voice sharper than he'd intended.

Finn whirled to face him, guilt and worry warring for dominance in his expression. "Gabe, I... Sean's gone."

The words hit Gabe like a physical blow. "What do you mean, gone? He just stepped out to take a phone call."

Finn's explanation came out in a rush, each word driving the knife of betrayal deeper into Gabe's heart. Sean had run off to confront Riley alone, throwing himself into danger without a second thought for the consequences.

"Goddamn it, Sean," Gabe muttered, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "What the hell were you thinking?"

A choked sob from Jessy drew his attention. The girl looked utterly wrecked, her eyes red-rimmed and haunted. "It's my fault," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Riley wanted me. I should have gone, should have given myself up. But Sean, he told me to stay here where it's safe."

Gabe felt his anger deflate, replaced by a familiar weight of responsibility. He knelt in front of Jessy, taking her trembling hands in his own. "Hey, look at me," he said gently. "This isn't your fault, okay? No matter how pissed I am at Sean for pulling this stunt, he was right to tell you to stay here."

Jessy's eyes met his, filled with a mixture of guilt and desperate hope. "You're not mad at him? He was just trying to protect me, to protect all of us."

Gabe sighed, the conflict inside him evident in the tightness of his jaw. "I'm furious," he admitted. "But not at you. Sean made his choice, and now we have to deal with the consequences."

As Gabe stood, ready to rally his team and go after Sean, Jessy's voice stopped him. "Wait," she said, her tone urgent. "There's something you need to know. All of you."

Gabe hesitated for a moment, torn between the need for information and the pressing urgency to find Sean. But the look in Jessy's eyes told him this was important. "Finn," he said, not taking his eyes off Jessy, "get the others up here. Now."

Moments later, the living room was crowded with tense bodies and worried faces. Lucas, Marcus, and Alex stood in a loose semicircle, their postures alert and ready for action. Jessy remained on the couch, her body curled in on itself as if trying to physically hold back the sobs that threatened to escape.

Gabe knelt beside her once more, his voice gentle but firm. "Whenever you're ready, Jessy. Take your time."

Jessy took a shuddering breath, visibly steeling herself for what she was about to say. "My brother," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "he died when I was little. Cancer. My mother, she... she couldn't handle it. I remember her trying spells, rituals, anything to bring him back."

The room was silent save for the sound of Jessy's ragged breathing. Gabe felt his heart clench, recognizing the desperate grief that could drive a person to such extremes.

"Something went wrong," Jessy continued, her voice growing stronger. "The spell, it... it didn't work the way it was supposed to. After that night, my parents were different. Like they weren't themselves anymore. I think... I think they summoned something. Something that wasn't meant to be in our world."

The implications of Jessy's words hung heavy in the air. Gabe's mind raced, connecting dots and drawing conclusions he didn't want to face. He turned to Alex, seeing his own grim realization mirrored in the god's eyes.

"A demon," Alex said, his voice low and filled with an ancient weariness. "It's possible they opened a portal to one of the Nine Hells. If that's the case, we're dealing with a being of immense power and cunning. One that can shapeshift at will, blending in with its surroundings."

The weight of this new information settled onto Gabe's shoulders like a physical thing. Sean was out there, alone, potentially facing off against a demon with powers they could barely comprehend. The urge to rush out, consequences be damned, was almost overwhelming.

But Gabe forced himself to think rationally, to be the leader his team needed right now. "Lucas," he barked, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I need you to track Sean's phone. Now."

Lucas was already moving, his fingers flying over his tablet with preternatural speed. "Got it," he said after a moment that felt like an eternity. "Last ping puts him at the edge of Salem, near the old Miller property."

Gabe nodded, a plan already forming in his mind. "Alright, listen up. Alex, Marcus, you're with me. We're going after Sean. Lucas, Finn, I need you to stay here and protect the Reeds. If this demon is as powerful as we think, we can't risk leaving them unguarded."

As the team moved to carry out his orders, Gabe felt the familiar pressure of expectations weighing down on him. The fate of Sean, of Jessy's parents, of potentially the entire town rested on the decisions he made in the next few moments. The responsibility was crushing, threatening to overwhelm him entirely.

But as Gabe caught sight of the determined faces of his team, of the trust and faith shining in their eyes, he felt something else too. A steely resolve, a burning determination to see this through no matter the cost.

"Let's move," Gabe said, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions raging inside him. "Every second counts. Sean's out there facing this thing alone, and I'll be damned if we let him down now."

As they headed for the door, gear in hand and grim determination etched on their faces, Gabe allowed himself one moment of vulnerability. He thought of Sean, of the rekindled connection between them that now hung by a thread. Of all the things left unsaid, the future they might never get to explore.

"Hold on, Sean," Gabe whispered, more a prayer than anything else. "We're coming. Just hold on."

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel, pushing the car to its limits as they sped towards the coordinates Lucas had provided. The night air whipped through the open windows, carrying with it the acrid scent of ozone – a telltale sign of powerful magic at work.

As they approached their destination, a solitary wooden house loomed out of the darkness. It stood alone in a sea of overgrown weeds, its windows blazing with an unnatural light that set Gabe's teeth on edge. Something was very wrong here.

Suddenly, the earth beneath them shuddered violently. The car swerved, tires squealing as Gabe fought to maintain control.

"What the fuck was that?" Marcus exclaimed from the backseat.

Alex's voice was grim when he answered. "Demonic energy. It's coming from inside the house. We need to move, now."

They burst through the front door, magic crackling at their fingertips as they prepared for battle. The interior of the house was a maze of shadows and flickering light, the air thick with the stench of sulfur and burning flesh.

Gabe's eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Sean or the demon. That's when he spotted it – a thin cord dangling from the ceiling. An attic access.

"Up there!" Gabe shouted, already moving towards the hidden entrance. He yanked on the cord, sending a rickety wooden ladder clattering down.

The sound of splintering wood and shattering glass filled the air, punctuated by an inhuman roar that made Gabe's blood run cold. Without hesitation, he began climbing, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs.

As Gabe's head cleared the opening, the scene that greeted him turned his blood to ice.

Sean lay crumpled on the floor, his body battered and broken. Looming over him was a creature straight out of nightmares – red-skinned and horned, with a tail that lashed back and forth like a whip. The demon raised a clawed hand, ready to deliver the killing blow.

"No!" Gabe roared, magic surging through him with an intensity that made the air crackle. Without conscious thought, he hurled a witch globe – a concentrated sphere of pure magical energy – directly at the demon's head.

The globe exploded on impact, sending the creature staggering backward with a howl of pain and rage. Its eyes, burning with hellfire, locked onto Gabe.

"If it isn't the boyfriend," the demon sneered, its voice a guttural growl that seemed to vibrate through Gabe's bones. "Come here to die, did you?"

Gabe's lips curled into a defiant snarl. "Not if I can help it."

He launched another witch globe, this one aimed at the demon's chest. The force of the blast sent the creature flying across the room, crashing into the far wall with enough force to crack the plaster.

"Alex," Gabe called out, never taking his eyes off the demon as it struggled to its feet. "How do we banish this thing?"

Alex materialized beside him, his presence radiating an aura of cold power that made the hairs on the back of Gabe's neck stand up. "I can open a portal back to the Nine Hells," Alex said, his voice tight with concentration. "But I need an opening. You'll have to hold it off while I prepare the spell."

Gabe nodded, his jaw set with grim determination. "Marcus," he barked, "get Sean and the others out of here. Now!"

As Marcus blurred into action, moving with superhuman speed to evacuate the wounded, the demon let out a roar of fury. It charged at Gabe, claws extended and mouth open in a rictus of rage.

Gabe threw up a hasty shield spell, wincing as the demon's claws raked across the magical barrier. The impact sent shockwaves through his body, nearly driving him to his knees. But he held firm, gritting his teeth against the strain.

"Is that all you've got?" Gabe taunted, forcing bravado into his voice. "I thought demons were supposed to be tough."

The creature's response was a barrage of fireballs, each one hurtling towards Gabe with deadly accuracy. He dove and rolled, narrowly avoiding being incinerated. The heat seared his skin, leaving angry red welts where it passed too close.

Gabe came up in a crouch, his hands already moving to form the next spell. A torrent of ice erupted from his palms, flash-freezing the air around the demon. For a moment, it seemed like it might work – the creature's movements slowed, ice crystals forming on its skin.

But then the demon flexed, shattering the ice with a burst of hellfire that sent shards flying in all directions. Gabe threw up another shield, but not quickly enough. A jagged piece of ice sliced across his cheek, drawing a line of blood.

"Fuck," Gabe hissed, pressing a hand to the wound. It came away sticky and red.

The demon laughed, a sound like grinding glass that set Gabe's teeth on edge. "Poor little witch," it mocked. "Did you really think your pathetic magic could stand against the power of the Nine Hells?"

Anger surged through Gabe, hot and fierce. He was tired of being underestimated, tired of feeling like he wasn't enough. With a wordless cry of defiance, he unleashed a spell he'd been developing in secret – a concentrated blast of pure magical energy that lit up the room like a miniature sun.

The demon's eyes widened in surprise as the spell hit home. It staggered backward, its skin smoking where the magic had made contact. For the first time since the fight began, a flicker of uncertainty passed across its inhuman features.

"Not so pathetic now, am I?" Gabe growled, gathering his power for another assault.

The battle raged on, magic and hellfire clashing in a dizzying display of light and shadow. Gabe threw everything he had at the demon – elemental attacks, binding spells, even a desperate attempt at a banishment ritual. But nothing seemed to stick. For every blow he landed, the creature struck back twice as hard.

Gabe's breath came in ragged gasps, his limbs trembling with exhaustion. He could feel his magic reserves running dangerously low. If he didn't end this soon, he wouldn't have the strength left to protect himself, let alone banish the demon.

"Getting tired, little witch?" the demon taunted, stalking towards him with predatory grace. "Don't worry, I'll make your death quick. Relatively speaking."

Gabe's mind raced, searching desperately for a solution. He was out of options, out of clever tricks and tactical maneuvers. There was only one thing left to try – a spell so dangerous, so potentially catastrophic, that he'd sworn never to use it.

But as the demon closed in, its claws reaching for Gabe's throat, he knew he had no choice.

With a deep breath, Gabe reached deep inside himself, tapping into a well of power he'd kept locked away for years. White light began to emanate from his body, growing brighter and brighter until it was painful to look at.

The demon faltered, momentarily blinded by the intensity of the light. "What is this?" it snarled, raising a hand to shield its eyes.

Gabe didn't answer. He poured every ounce of strength, every scrap of magical energy he had left into the spell. The light coalesced around the demon, forming shimmering chains that bound it in place.

"Alex!" Gabe shouted, his voice strained with the effort of maintaining the spell. "Now!"

Alex stepped forward, hellfire wreathing his hands as he began to chant in a language older than time itself. The air shimmered and tore, revealing a swirling vortex of darkness and flame – a portal to the Nine Hells.

The demon thrashed against its bonds, howling in fury and fear. "No!" it screamed. "You can't do this! I won't go back!"

Gabe felt his control slipping, the strain of the spell threatening to overwhelm him. Black spots danced at the edges of his vision, and he tasted copper in the back of his throat. But he couldn't let go. Not yet.

With a final, desperate surge of will, Gabe pushed. The chains of light constricted, forcing the demon back step by agonizing step. It clawed at the air, leaving trails of fire in its wake as it fought against the inexorable pull of the portal.

"This isn't over!" the creature shrieked as it teetered on the edge of the vortex. "I'll be back! And when I return, I'll make you watch as I tear apart everything you love!"

Then, with a final, ear-splitting howl, the demon was gone. The portal snapped shut behind it, leaving behind nothing but the acrid stench of brimstone and the echoing silence of its absence.

Gabe's knees buckled, the last of his strength finally giving out. He collapsed to the floor, gasping for air that suddenly seemed too thin. His vision swam, the room tilting and spinning around him.

"Gabe!" Alex's voice sounded distant, muffled as if coming from underwater. "Gabe, can you hear me?"

The world swam before Gabe's eyes, darkness creeping in at the edges of his vision. Every instinct screamed at him to give in, to let the exhaustion claim him. But a stronger voice, one honed by years of responsibility and self-sacrifice, pushed back against the encroaching oblivion.

No. He couldn't afford to lose consciousness. Not now. Not when Sean still needed him.

With a herculean effort, Gabe forced his eyes to focus. The attic swam back into view, the acrid stench of brimstone and burnt wood assaulting his senses. His body felt like one giant bruise, every movement sending jolts of pain through his battered frame. But none of that mattered.

"Sean," Gabe croaked, his voice raw from shouting spells. He dragged himself across the attic floor, ignoring the protest of his aching muscles.

Sean lay where the demon had left him, a crumpled heap of torn clothing and bloodied skin. For a heart-stopping moment, Gabe feared they'd been too late. But then he saw it – the faint rise and fall of Sean's chest, barely perceptible but undeniably there.

"Thank fuck," Gabe breathed, relief washing over him in a dizzying wave. He reached out with shaking hands, gently cradling Sean's face. "Sean? Can you hear me?"

For a long, agonizing moment, there was no response. Then, slowly, Sean's eyes fluttered open. They were glassy with pain, unfocused at first. But as his gaze landed on Gabe, a flicker of recognition sparked to life.

"I knew you'd come," Sean whispered, his voice hoarse and barely audible. A ghost of his old cocky grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, though it was more of a pained grimace than a true smile.

Gabe felt his throat tighten, a complex tangle of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Relief, anger, fear, love – they all warred for dominance, leaving him feeling raw and exposed.

"Save your strength, you idiot," Gabe managed, trying to inject some sternness into his voice. But the effect was ruined by the way his hands trembled as they cupped Sean's face, gentle despite his harsh words.

Sean's eyes slipped closed again, his body going limp as unconsciousness reclaimed him. But the steady, if shallow, rise and fall of his chest reassured Gabe that he was still fighting.