His blood ran cold at the unnatural sight that left him terrified for the world and everyone in it. Worse, it made him feel powerless against who or whatever had sent that. How could they even begin to fight against something so powerful? Were they nuts?

“Are they okay?” he asked Xev.

“For the moment.”

“Meaning?”

Kody sighed nervously. “They’re easy pickings. If we don’t do something, they won’t be okay for long. Anything or anyone could attack them. And if they stay that way until morning, they’re all dead. There won’t be any way to bring them back, then. Including your mom.”

Simi spread her wings and broke out her barbecue sauce. “The Simi ready to battle and chow down. Show me them demons! It’s snack time!”

Kody turned to Nick as he felt his eyes starting to change to demon red. “You need to stay mortal. Keep your Malachai powers leashed.”

“Why?”

“Because you can’t control them. Every time you break them out, we lose a part of you. Can’t you feel it?”

At the moment, what he felt was sick to his stomach that all of this was happening to innocent people because of him and what they’d failed to do.

Protect them.

“She’s right, Nick.” Xev stepped closer to him. “I saw it, too. We barely got you back earlier. Another minute, and I’m not sure we would have.”

Dagon brushed at the bloody wound on his neck. “Since I was the one bitten and I’m still weak from it, I concur. You don’t need to invoke powers you can’t control. It’s just a real bad idea.”

Menyara strengthened the spells for the condo. “We’re still hidden here. They can’t find us. Stay with Cherise while I get our reinforcements.” She vanished instantly.

“I don’t like staying here and waiting,” Nick shouted at Menyara, but she was already gone and didn’t hear a word of it.

Irritated, he watched as the birds began to land on the ground and transform into demonic warriors who searched the bodies as if looking for someone. And he had a bad idea that person was either him or Caleb. “We need to get to Caleb’s and protect him.”

Dagon snorted. “You use that kind of power and they will sense it instantly, follow you, and attack.”

“He’s right,” Xev concurred. “They’d be all over us.”