No blood flowed from the demon’s throat. Instead, thick, dark red mist rose out of the wound, coiling in the air in front of my face, before suddenly racing towards Night Lover.

“Bring the knife!” Night Lover screamed out, struggling against his binds... They didn’t break.

I yanked the blade out of the young man’s throat, stumbling over his body as I rushed to reach Night Lover before the mist. But midrun my injured leg gave out on me and I fell, sprawling out across the stage, the knife falling from my hand and sliding across the stage, uselessly landing far away from anyone.

The mist moved at the speed of a man running and now, with Gale still laying bleeding, Death-Bringer harried by the townsfolk, and me unable to get my leg under me to stand without nearly passing out from pain, there was no one to beat the body hopping demon to Night Lover.

“Fuck!” Night Lover cursed. From his kneeling position he rocked back on his feet and stood. The rope around his ankles kept him from running but he was still able to leap and dive towards the knife, narrowly escaping the mist. The mist slowed down as it changed direction to continue chasing Night Lover. Night Lover shimmied the last few inches to the knife. He grabbed the knife handle with his teeth and began to roll towards me.

I crawled forward to meet him halfway, dragging my injured leg behind me. When we were close enough he spat out the knife and shouted, “cut the mark!”

I grabbed the knife as the mist closed in and, praying for all our sakes that I understood his meaning correctly, slashed his chest with the knife, right through the design the demon had carved into his skin.

Night Lover’s cry of pain was drowned out by a scream of rage from the mist. But its rage proved useless as it circled around Night Lover and I, unable to do anything but slowly diminish in size and speed.

I cut Night Lover’s arms free then rolled onto my back, letting out a sigh of relief that turned into victorious laughter as the demonic mist finally dissipated completely.

My laughter was interrupted by that girl’s voice, screaming, “MURDERERS!”