Free Guardians (Chosen Trilogy Book 2) by David Leadbeater

shot up high, zooming like black comets up at the glittering stars, and then arched away like dark missiles, an eclipse of evil armament, with only one destination in mind.
    Crowe listened hard as the sensations fell away. Melissa collapsed to the ground, heaving and spent, but eyeing Crowe with a certain amount of healthy lust. In another moment Crowe heard screams as the inhabitants of the trailer park were systematically torn to shreds or, even better, succumbed to the shadows and tore each other to shreds. Judging by the sounds, trailers were being toppled and gas bottles blown up. Men and women were murdered. Crowe had fulfilled yet another task.
    Death Valley was ready to accept new residents.
    Crowe turned her attentions to Melissa, walking over and lifting the girl to her feet. Her lips were full, pouting and blood red.
    Crowe bit into them.

NINE
     
     
    I listened in as Cheyne again and again consulted with boffins over at the Library of Aegis. They employed a human computer geek named Nathan and a clever vampire—Taryn—who, it turned out, was Ceriden’s first thrall and first-turned. From shade to first-turned in a little over a year and now ensconced inside the relatively safe library, Taryn must be very dear to Ceriden. Belinda spoke of her as a vampire of repute, known to have carried out many selfless acts and several for the wellbeing of humankind. And, of course, when Ceriden spoke to her his voice softened and his eyes went far away.
    The only other creature that introduced himself through phone and video conference was a kind of demon named Kage. He was on the run from the Devil, and from hell, and had been allowed to hide out at the library; most likely as a source of valuable information, since this kind of mole could not be ignored. I drew the conclusion from Giles’ and Cheyne’s reactions that Kage was seen as a bit of a joke and was being used by Aegis. Indeed, the only thing to recognize him as anything other than human were the two small nubs of horn that protruded from the sides of his head, just above his ears, and a third in the center of his forehead.
    Lysette, ever the mind reader and the woman that remembered people through her use of appropriate nicknames, said, “I’d call him ‘extra-horny’, but I just know how a certain person would get jealous.” She nudged Giles.
    The Englishman straightened a stiff-looking tie. “ Ah, well, down to business then. We have the Text of Seven right here.” He touched a button, flicking the image on his computer screen up onto a white wall so all of us could see. “Take a few minutes to absorb it.”
    I blinked at the big lettering. When I got my head around it the sentences began to take shape.
     
    Collect ye seven artefacts and speak mine sacred chant that onlee ye daemon brethren may utter at lowest abode, where Lucifer once dwell’d. The Seven Hell Gates shall forthwith be sundered apart and shall admit all manner of creatures to the earth and they shall traipse up from every level, even the Pit, and so bring forth the new Lord, Lucifer himself.”
     
    I reread it several times. On first and second glance it seemed pretty straightforward, but then I began to notice a few references that should be raising questions.
    “Lowest abode?” I said. “Where’s that then?”
    “Where Lucifer once dwelled?” Belinda coughed. “On Earth? I never knew he lived here. Did any of you?”
    “The Devil,” Cheyne said. “Lucifer. Is a being of many faces. Many disguises. He has visited our realm thousands upon thousands of times, and all for research, I guess. He could have lived anywhere. Everywhere. Keep in mind the numerous places that are named after him. Perhaps some of them are clues.”
    “And . . .” Giles said, “‘Speak mine sacred chant’,” he quoted. “That means this text was written by a very powerful demon, and a famous one by the sound of it. This text could hold several clues.”
    Nathan, the library’s computer