Adam exchanged a knowing look with Shelton.

I raised an eyebrow. "You have any other bright ideas, Adam?"

He shrugged. "Even if you banish the guardian, we still need to get inside the barrier, and lower the shield on the arch." He nodded at Shelton. "Remember how we used to lower the forest shield to let out spider bats?"

"Shelton's only mentioned it a dozen times," I said.

"You think we can decode the cipher spell on this shield?" Shelton said, ignoring my jibe.

"Anything is possible," Adam said.

Shelton shrugged. "You're the genius."

"What about the other end of the arch?" Bella said. "Did we ever find out where it is?"

Zagg shook his head. "No. We didn't think it was important. Besides, what's to guarantee a similar shield isn't around the chamber on that end?"

After the meeting, we had a somber meal of pizza. I still craved chicken wings and wondered if I'd get to have them again before the vampling curse took me.

"I don't like this," Elyssa said as I changed into workout clothes for my hellhound lessons with Vallaena. "Summoning demons of any kind is risky."

"Banishing the guardian isn't something I'm looking forward to either," I replied.

She ran a finger up my skin, her eyes troubled by the darkness in my veins. "How much longer, do you think?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

I shook my head slowly. "I don't know, baby. But, I'm glad you're here, no matter what happens." I'd taken more of the potion, what little Meghan had left, but it seemed to have lost its potency.

Elyssa squeezed her eyes tight, but tears leaked out. "I've got to find your sister. I've got to convince her—"

"You can't, babe." I stroked her hair. "It's too late for that."

"It's never too late," she said, violet eyes blazing with determination. "While you're off practicing, I'm going to find her."

"Please don't," I whispered. "It's too dangerous. Jeremiah—"

"Can suck the business end of my sword, Justin." She pressed a finger over my lips. "Life isn't worth living without you. I don't care what the risk is. I will find her and even ask nicely."

I sighed. I knew it was useless talking to her when she got all determined like this. I just had to hope she didn't get anywhere near Ivy.

Vallaena led me to our usual practice place and started the lessons.

"Do you know what it feels like to summon your inner demon spirit?" she asked.

"Yeah, like opening a cage, and unleashing a monster."

She nodded. "An apt description for a male. It is different for females, but that is of no concern. When you reach for your inner demon, you are bringing that side of you from the demon plane into your body."

I crinkled my forehead. "But it's always there, isn't it? A part of me."

"Yes and no. Your mortal soul and demon spirit are tethered in both planes simultaneously." She held her hand flat. "This is the barrier between our worlds. There is always a slight crack in the barrier which allows your soul to remain whole. If this barrier were to close completely, your soul would be severed, and your body would lose access to your incubus abilities. Even though your body has certain supernatural qualities, you would become almost mortal."

I shuddered. "Someone could do that to me?"

She shook her head. "Not that I am aware of. This is not something we share outside our race for obvious reasons, however. A skilled Arcane summoner could possibly contrive an exploit, and we do not wish that to happen."

I nodded. "Our secret is safe." I shuddered again. "That's freaky."

"Using this same split in the barrier, we can also summon other creatures from the demon plane and project the opening just about anywhere in our line of sight."

"But if the crack in the barrier is inside us, how can you project the opening somewhere else?"

She pursed her lips. "The barrier is not physical. It does not recognize the boundaries of this world. I honestly do not know why it works as it does, but just accept if you look at an area and focus on whatever you are summoning, it will emerge there."

"Like those black oily lakes," I said, thinking back to how the hellhounds she'd summoned against me came into being.

"Yes. They use whatever materials are available to form their physical shell."

"What if I do it in concrete?"

She blinked. "They will still emerge as flesh, not concrete. Although hellhounds will conform to the original shape you give them, their spirits differ. Some will be larger or smaller, and they each have different personalities."

"I could give them horns?"

Vallaena simply stared at me for a long moment. "Was I mistaken in my understanding that this place is in imminent danger, and yet you are asking insignificant questions which serve only to waste time?"

I looked away from her, a bit ashamed. "Sorry. It's how I cope with imminent death."

"I understand." She placed an arm on my shoulder. "I am proud of you, nephew. You are a brave, capable Daemos, and I have full confidence you will not allow us all to die."

A sad laugh burst from my throat. "Thank you, my dear, sweet aunt."

She laughed. "Perhaps your humor is something of a balm. I must admit I am rather nervous."

I gave her a pained look. "I really wish you hadn't just told me that."

"While you were preparing for our lessons, I went with the MacLean character down to the shielded area. I was able to summon a hellhound on the other side of the barrier."

I felt my eyes widen. "That's great! That means the plan will work, right?"

She returned an uncertain look. "Provided you can imprint the demon name on the hellhound, yes."

I rubbed my hands together, buoyed by sudden optimism. "Let's get to work."

She nodded. "To summon from the demon plane, you must first be able to sense it. Bring forth your incubus senses, but redirect them inside and through you rather than out."

I did as she said, closing my eyes, and allowing my demonic essence to emerge. Rather than extend my tendrils to the outside world, I sent them flowing inside me. Unfortunately, all they did was go through my body, and come out the other side. I kept practicing, and listening to Vallaena explain how it felt to stop thinking of them as physical projections, and how I could turn them inside out which would project my senses through the barrier, and into the demon realm.

Over the next few hours, I did just that. The problem was, seeing past my own self was pretty difficult. My demon side was a complete asshole, and just when I thought I'd managed to turn my sense inside out, he would make a break for the opening, and try to manifest me into a killer beast.

"Argh!" I shouted, pounding a fist into my palm, as the demon played spoiler yet again. "I can't do it. My freaking demon side won't let me."

"The demon side is part of you," she said. "You must make it do as you wish."

"Easier said than done." I took a deep breath. Gritted my teeth, closed my eyes, and directed my senses inward again. For some reason, swallowing helped me invert my senses. I did so, and felt the strange sensation of seeing inside myself. I sensed like I never had before, the other presence inside me, almost like a split personality. That side of me had no sense of responsibility. It wanted everything. It was ravenous for food, sex, anything, and it didn't give a damn how it fulfilled itself. It was like a spoiled child.

The moment I sensed this part of me again, it was as if we were looking at each other face-to-face. I could practically see a slow greedy smile spread across a cruel face as it darted for control.

Stop! I roared inside my head. I am the boss of you, and you will stop!

Almost like a choker leash on an unruly dog, my demon side jerked back. An image formed in my mind, gathering solidity and clarity, and formed into a black void. I stood in the void, the darkness beneath my feet solid as stone flooring. Despite the pitch, the area around me was illuminated in a dim white light. A figure emerged from the darkness. He was my height and build. And he looked—I gasped. He looked identical to me. Well, except for the long spiraling horns sprouting from his forehead.

"You are not the boss of me," he said, his voice just like mine, but more guttural and deep.

"Yes I am," I said, my voice sounding tiny.

He strode closer, seeming to tower over me despite our similar heights. Fear gripped me, and I backed up a step. As I did, he seemed to grow taller. "I am in control," he said. "Mine."

"No." I tried to yell at him, but my throat locked up, and I trembled.

His lips peeled back from serrated teeth, and black claws grew from his hands. His body swelled a little, gaining height. "You are weak. I am strong. I will take what is mine as it should be."

What the hell was happening to me? I clenched my fists, but they felt so weak, as if I were in a nightmare, and if I tried to punch him, nothing would happen. He would knock me out in one punch.

"Yes," he said, muscles bulking on his shoulders, his arms, his claws growing longer. "I knew you were weak. I am the boss of you. I will take everything. Nothing will stand in my way. Your people will be mine. Your life will be mine."

"No!" I said, my shout sounding muffled and pathetic. "You will destroy everything!"

"I do what I want. It is all mine." His eyes glowed bright, and he smiled. "Elyssa will be mine." His eyes turned to slits, and a forked tongue licked across his blue lips. "She will be delicious."

Rage burned hot inside me. No. Not Elyssa. He can't have her. "You will not touch her," I said.

"I will have her," he said, his greedy smile widening.

A volcanic blast of pure rage ignited my soul. I launched myself at him. "Never!" I roared. My hand locked around his throat.