Into Darkness

Into Darkness

Demon Child: Book 1

By Robert Wright Jr.

Copyright 2017 Robert Wright Jr.

All rights reserved.

Smashwords Edition

Cover design by Sherrie Wright

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Any trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

DEDICATION

To all my readers who encouraged me to create a new series

featuring Dede, where she begins to come into her own

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to the friends and family who encouraged

and supported this book. To my chief editor, cover artist, manager,

and favorite fan – thanks for all the hard work you do. To my youngest, who keeps me humble and adds to the story with his suggestions.

.

ALSO BY ROBERT WRIGHT

Witch Way Series

Witch Way Home

Witch Way Back

Witch Way to Haven

Walk the Stars series

Walk the Stars

Walk the Earth

Ruby Red series

Ruby Red and the Wolf

Ruby Red and the Undead (coming soon)

Demon Child series

Into Darkness

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 1

Night had fallen and the calm breeze that flowed through the rocks did nothing to cool the angel Michael's hot anger and deep desire for revenge. He watched the three demons guarding the portals. The hatred blazing in his eyes keeping him warm inside despite the chilly night air. It was a hate that festered in his brain, a hate that clutched at his heart, a hate that flowed through his entire being.

After long hours of watching, he could see that the attention of the creatures below him was waning and he knew that now was the time for him to make his move. He needed to reach the cave that held the black portal to enact all his plans for revenge. He crept from his hiding place using the shadows thrown by the fire that the demons were huddled about for its meager warmth. He slithered around rocks and over a gully, silently and slowly moving toward his goal hesitating at the slightest sound from his sworn enemies. As he drew nearer to the cave, he fought the overwhelming urge to swoop out of the darkness and exact vengeance on this small group of warriors.

A few feet from the cave he stopped, blending into a sliver of darkness as one of those spawns from a demon’s womb moved slowly toward him unaware of the danger that was only inches away. Michael held his breath, the sweat beading on his forehead. Damndamndamn he swore silently to himself as he cautiously released the blade that rested at his side. The demon stopped only inches from the angel, looking around the darkened area then shivered in the cold night air before he turned and walked back to his companions. Michael exhaled softly and without another thought moved into the cave, stopping just inside as he heard a voice speak up from the fire. What was that?

What was what, James? one of the other demon voices sounded sleepily in the night.

I thought I saw something over by the cave, in the shadows, James answered as he stared toward the dark opening trying to penetrate its deepest, darkest secrets.

I was over there a moment ago, James, and didn’t see anything. You’re jumping at shadows, the same sleepy voice answered now a touch of annoyance creeping in as he pulled his thin blanket around him to fight off the night’s chill.

James stood up from his seat dropping his own meager cover and took a step toward the portal cave and then hesitated, looking back at his companions. Listen! I thought I saw something enter the cave. He looked back at the cave fighting to pierce the blackness of the night.

His annoyed companion waved his hand toward the cave and grumbled, Fine, then you go out in the cold and see what you find for your troubles. Me? I’m staying here by this nice warm fire. The other body hunched over, wrapped in his own old thin blanket grunted his agreement shifting closer to the fire.

James glanced back and forth between the warm fire and the cave opening for a few seconds until a blast of cold air howled and whipped its icy fingers around the three figures and nearly extinguished their scanty warmth.

James turned and walked back to the fire, mumbling that he was sure that he had seen some movement by the cave amidst the laughter from the other two. Settling down in front of the fire, he picked up his discarded blanket and once again wrapped himself in the threadbare material fighting back the chill that ran up and down his spine.

Michael watched the exchange between the lowly creatures that the angels had once ruled with a ruthlessness that knew no match. No, that wasn’t quite right. He and he alone knew a creature that made the angels look like Sunday school children. He needed to go through the black portal and contact that monster and, if he lived, then all would be set right. He thought back to what that demon girl and her family had done to his mother’s, the Queen's, castle and figured that the times were changing, but he would not bow down to such as those who sat around the fire.

As another cold wind moved around the three huddled figures and into the cave opening, Michael took one last look at the demons, an insane madness bubbling up from his depths. His hand fell to his weapon, but with a strong effort he once more fought down that killing urge, dismissing them from his thoughts, and turned, moving into the cave behind him. Slithering past the other portals, the angel moved to the darkest, dankest part of the cave where he found what he had come for.

With a sigh of satisfaction, he rubbed his hand along the edge of the portal feeling an icy, slimy, cutting sensation to the hard metal edge. A slight shudder ran up and down his body at the touch of the portal and the evilness that seemed to ooze out of the black doorway to another world. Soon I will be back, and all shall tremble at my feet when I control the power that resides in this world, Michael whispered into the darkness, caressing the side of the portal while a mad giggle escaped his lips.

Stepping back, Michael looked over the dark opening into another world and shook his head as he whispered words of encouragement to himself, building up his confidence and fighting down the sudden fear that seemed to crawl from the pit of his stomach. I will only be able to open a temporary door, but soon I will unleash my army on this and the other worlds. With a wave of his hands and a few dark obscure words, the angel squeezed through a tiny crack in the portal's magic and into the dark void.

A few minutes later, a small cave mouse moved out from its hiding place with the caution that was bred into its species. Instinctively, the mouse knew to stay away from that one spot in the cave. It watched the large creature move around and then disappear. As it sniffed around the barren floor for a morsel of food, it froze at the thin far away scream that issued from that strange patch of darkness that it feared. Before it could scurry away, a large hooked claw reached out from the darkness from whence the sound had come and snatched the mouse. Seconds later, an icy wind blew through the now empty cave again.

Chapter 2

Three Years Later: Haven

Running through the forest, dodging trees and boulders and almost tripping, I came across a gully. Leaping effortlessly across and laughing as my feet touched the other side, I knew there was no way he was going to catch me now. Slowing down to a trot after another two miles, I took a quick peek behind me to see if I was still alone on the seldom used trail.

Slowing to a walk after another mile with my hands resting on my hips, my breathing huffed as my heart pounded from the exhilaration and freedom of the run. In the middle of the trail that wild feeling died and a rush of disappointment washed over me. It had been so easy to escape my captor, where was the fun in that? Sneaking one last look down the trail, I shrugged. Oh well, guess I was just too smart for the old guy. I laughed, turned and ran into a mountain of fur.

Bouncing off the immovable object, I landed on my butt hurting nothing but my pride. My landing sent a cloud of dirt swirling up around me. Waving the dust away, I coughed and looked up at the giant furball I had run into. Glancing down my back trail then frowning up at my babysitter standing in front of me, I growled, How do you do that, Mr. Blue?

Standing up, I brushed the dust off the back of my pants. The smile he wore never left his face as the demon shrugged and grunted. I had you this time. I mean how did you get ahead of me like that? I asked frustrated at not being able to lose the big slow moving ball of fur. Once again, the demon shrugged his shoulders. My frustration turned to annoyance as he continued to give me that simple smile.

Shaking my head at the unfairness of it all a tiny surge of anger lit up my insides. Here I was twelve years old and I still had a babysitter watching over me. I mean it was nice to have Mr. Blue around when I was a kid, but in our old world, I was almost a teenager and just too old to have someone watch over me all the time. It wasn’t enough that I had been taken from Earth with its television, game systems, and malls. Now Mom and Dad always seemed to be gone dealing with some crisis between the newly formed confederation of angels and demons in this world. To make matters worse, we had to go and see the naming of the baby.

I mean granted the baby was family. Ceri, my sister, and Queen of the Others world, along with her husband, Ro, had had a baby a year ago, but come on who waits all this time to give a kid a name. Sometimes I’ll never understand adults.

I looked up at Mr. Blue who, as always, stood there with his arms crossed and that smile on his face showing a set of teeth that would probably scare a great white. My anger died, knowing that it wasn’t totally his fault that he had been sent after me. So you caught me, big guy. How about we make a little deal, you and me?

Mr. Blue’s smile disappeared as a wary look entered his eyes, and he gave a little shake of his head. Holding up my hand, I walked over to a large rock and hiked myself up on the rough seat saying, Now wait, you haven’t heard my deal yet. I mean I have no intention of staying a week at Ceri and Ro’s, getting all dressed up, going through all the pomp and circumstance and then listening to everyone go nuts over one tiny baby. With all that stuff going on, I know I won't get enough time with my sister too.

The demon shook his head once more and pointed down the trail that I had just come down. Waving my hand in the same direction, I muttered, Yeah, yeah, I heard Mom calling, and I know she sent you after me, buuut let’s say that you didn’t find me. Maybe that might be worth a week's desserts for you. What do you say, big guy? My buddy? My pal? I mean I just learned the new combination to the kitchen door.

Knowing the big guy’s weakness was anything made with sugar and lots of it, I wasn’t surprised when his smile returned even bigger than before. Then it slowly disappeared at the part about the combination lock. Oops, I forgot that the cook had put the lock on the kitchen door because they thought that Mr. Blue had been the one going down at night and raiding the cold storage even though in reality it had been me. Of course, it didn’t help either that my dad had then put the big guy on a diet after that.

The big furry demon got a determined look on his face and pointed down the trail once again. Fine, fine, I said hopping off the rock and starting to head back up the trail. You know when I was younger you were a lot more fun and not so old and grumpy.

As soon as the words left my mouth I wished I could take them back as the big demon got a hurt look in his eyes as he stopped in the middle of the trail and sat down with this beaten puppy look on his face. Standing there looking at the huge dejected demon, I watched as a tiny tear dripped down his face. Really? Oh, man now I was in real trouble. If I came back to the castle with Mr. Blue looking like this, I knew Mom and Dad would ground me till I was eighteen or maybe even something worse.

Walking over to the big guy, I laid a hand on his shoulder and with the other, I lifted his head so that I could see his eyes while I tried to fix this. Oh man, I whispered as I saw more of those big tears welling within his dark orbs. Shoot, I now had a three-hundred-pound demon crying in the middle of the woods. Life was so not fair.

Rubbing the single tear from his right eye and wiping it on the side of my pants,