Priorities

As the Denarian stared me down with its golden eyes, I looked over at Mouse. The mutt was waiting for whatever was going to happen next. It was all I could do to wonder if Uriel heard me.

I got my response seconds later when the entire hallway lit with a flash of heavenly light. My reaction was two-fold. On one layer, I squinted and tried to find the light's source. On another layer, my inner demon shrieked in pain and receded from the blinding rays.

It bellowed from deep within and swung me left and right, trying to keep me from that light. And I almost listened, withdrawing as intended. But I also heard a soft gasp from behind Rosanna as hope once more flooded into my stepdaughter.

She stood, eyes wide staring into the light, knowing it meant there was a chance she might not become possessed today after all. I'd fight like hell to make sure that hope stayed alive inside of her.

She's worth any cost, I thought, gritting my teeth and stepping forward toward the light. When my eyes adjusted, I saw it spinning in the air. And Uriel's voice filled my head.

"Make your choice, Lara. You'll only be given the Beacon of Light once. Willingly surrender it, and the coin will never return to you," he said. "Understand, wielding a Beacon of Light doesn't make you a good person. The coin doesn't erase your centuries of bloodshed. It just gives you the breathing room you need to make better choices going forward."

I shook my head as the demon inside howled all the louder.

Fuck this making better choices bullshit. This is about Maggie, and that's it! I thought, slowly reaching for the little coin. The last thing I saw before wrapping my fingers around it were the wings carved into the side of the coin facing me.

The coin was cold to the touch, and all was quiet until my fingers wrapped around the Beacon of Light entirely. My grip was strong, and the jolt of heavenly power was shocking, rocking down my arm like a goddamn rocket ship.

It collided with my heart or my soul, maybe both, and I shrieked, but the voicing coming out wasn't mine. It was a howl of pain from the demon inside of me being put under a purifying spotlight with nowhere to run.

"You will not walk this path. You cannot. The light will not welcome you, Lara Raith," it hissed in agony.

I said nothing as the light continued to whittle away at the demon's presence, not eliminating it entirely. Just powering it down and chipping away at it slowly.

Then the light turned its attention to me, and I started to feel my abilities, my strength, my instincts, and my regenerative factor receding.

I fell toward the ground with a gasp of pain, and Mouse stepped forward to catch me on his back. I folded over the mutt like a bedsheet on the clothesline.

My power grew weaker and weaker, and my vision started to fade as my wounds from Rosanna that were being held at bay by the inner demon's power suddenly advanced without opposition.

"What's. . .no! This is wrong! Why am I—" I choked, unable to do anything but shake.

That shit, Uriel. Did he trick me? Was this his plan all along? I thought, starting to panic.

"I can't. . .keep my eyes open. What's happening to me?" I wheezed, feeling the full weight of my injuries from the Denarian. I'd never before witnessed such devastation upon my body without the demon inside there to patch me up and hold me together.

Am I dying? I thought. Is this what the end feels like?

My heartbeat slowed, and I could no longer keep my eyelids afloat. And I fucking whimpered for god's sake. What a goddamn disgrace. THE Lara Raith goes out with a whimper.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and the last of my adrenaline faded. The last words I heard came either from Uriel or Mouse. I wasn't sure which.

"Have faith, Lara. . ."

Faith. . .good one. You got me good, Mr. Sunshine. I thought. Harry. . .

There was an utter moment of stillness where I waited for the reaper. Wouldn't it be ironic if Uriel came to escort me to the afterlife?

But no such visitor came. Instead, I heard more barking. It started soft and grew louder until my eyes stirred again. My body jolted involuntarily. Then again. Once more. At last, there was light, inside, outside, all around me.

In my head, I heard Uriel's voice shout, "Clear!" And a final jolt shot me up and onto my feet again, gasping for breath. Inside I felt a golden aura spread warmth and Heavenly glory, the latter of which I didn't give a shit about. But hey, at least I was alive to give a shit. Seems like something happy would appreciate.

The light was starting to fade from the hallway as the coin had disappeared. But inside of me, a new kind of strength began to filter in. My muscles contracted and then slowly started to repair themselves. Bones cracked and popped as they mended gradually. After a few moments, I found I could stand again without Mouse's assistance.

My wounds closed, and my joints cracked loudly as they rebuilt themselves all through my shoulder.

Rosanna's wounds were patiently being undone, and though the weariness from the battle remained in my body's physical memory, I was beginning to feel ready for the next round of combat.

The strength felt ethereal, as though it could fade momentarily if I wandered from the conditions of combat Uriel laid out before me.

This power can only be used to defend myself or others, I thought.

And my eyes wandered past the Denarian to where Maggie stood, bathed in fading light.

"I will protect her," I whispered, and Mouse barked to signify our unified front. But would it be enough?

When the last of the heavenly light faded, Rosanna opened her eyes and said, "Impressive light show. Are you all finished now?"

I sneered, which again, seemed like something my fiance would have done.

"Come find out," I said.

And though I invited Rosanna to make the first move, Mouse and I charged forward, moving in unison. The mutt ran right, and I ran left and then moved in on the Denarian with strange coordination I wouldn't have been capable of just minutes ago.

Let's see what this Beacon can do, I thought, pulling out the last dagger I had on me. I was six inches long and sharpened to cut twice that easily.

Rosanna thought Mouse was the bigger threat and turned her attention to the Foo Dog. Maybe it was the right decision tactically, but Mouse was agile and had shaken off his pain from being bound earlier. His glowing blue paws pulsed as he leaped on the cinder block wall to avoid a swipe from the Denarian. Then he launched himself so hard the wall cracked from his propulsion.

His claws and teeth found their mark on one of Rosanna's wings, tearing it to shreds and sending black blood all over the hallway for several inches. The Denarian winced, and that's when I drove my dagger into her leg, just above the cloven hoof.

"Is that the best you two can do?" she hissed, yanking her wing out of Mouse's grasp and then bringing a fist down on me. I caught it with my free hand, and Rosanna's impact broke every bone in my palm.

Fuck that hurts! I thought, and she pushed me down to the ground with force.

I tried to push back, but Rosanna was too strong, continuing to shove me further down. My wrist was starting to crack, and I winced.

The Beacon didn't necessarily make me any stronger. I realized. It just replaced the source of my strength and changed some of the conditions of its use.

Well, Uriel had done exactly what he'd promised, no more, no less.

"All that fucking heavenly light and you're right back where we left off," Rosanna said. "I'll just tear you open again and shatter your bones once more."

Now my wrist did break, and I hissed, closing one eye.

"Well, one thing is different than last time," I said.

"What's that?" Rosanna asked a gleaming building in her eyes at my faltering strength.

"I've got Harry Dresden's dog to back me up," I said, grinning as Mouse sank his canines into Rosanna's other leg above the hoof. With his iron grip locked, the dog, blazing in the glory of his blue light, lifted Rosanna and whipped her back through a classroom door, shattering the wooden frame.

He walked over to me with a fierce look in his eyes, and God help me I gingerly placed my gradually-healing hand on his head.

"Th– thank you," I said, choking on the awkwardness of thanking the dog that just the other night had been ready to tear my throat out if I'd stepped out of line.

As our eyes locked, I knew this was a good boy, one that would help me keep Maggie safe at all costs. And when he looked at me, I assumed he saw that I was a– well, Lara Fucking Raith, the most terrifying and protective stepmother Maggie would ever have.

"Don't expect me to shovel your shit or anything," I muttered.

And Mouse gave me a toothy grin that I could have sworn said "We all make Harry do that."

Our moment was ruined by Rosanna flying out of the classroom and smashing an entire desk down on Mouse's head, cracking the tile below him. And before I could react, the Denarian picked up a trophy from the smashed case and firmly dislocated my jaw, sending me flying several feet in the opposite direction of Maggie.

"I'm getting tired of this shit," the Denarian said and turned back toward Maggie. "Get your ass over here, and take this godforsaken coin, you little bitch."

Maggie took a step backward as Rosanna advanced. That hope was fading again. Today had been the worst roller coaster for her, but the ride wasn't finished yet.

Mouse rose from the rubble of the destroyed desk with a roar and tore into Rosanna's remaining wing. I popped my jaw back into place and leaped over the Denarian, landing between her and Maggie.

"You can't have my stepdaughter, Rosanna. No today. Not ever," I said, my eyes starting to glow light, and my skin paling.

Another conclusion hit my brain as I realized, I wasn't tiring as fast. The Beacon of Light would give me as much as my physical body could handle. I wasn't necessarily stronger, but I could fight longer and heal a little faster.

"Seems like a useful tradeoff for this battle," I muttered. "Hang on, Maggie. I've got you, I promise. Just wait a few more minutes."

Mouse released Rosanna's wing and ran to my side, and the two of us once more renewed our attack on the Denarian, despite growing exhaustion.

It went on that way for the next few minutes. One of us would land a blow, Rosanna would take us out for a few moments, and the other would rescue their partner. It was a mess that left the three of us bloodied and drained.

But Mouse and I looked worse than the Denarian did, especially when she revealed her wings fully mended and stood before us.

"Are you two ready to admit your inadequacy now? You can't protect the girl from me. You can't defeat me on your own. So what will you do?" Rosanna asked, popping her knee back into place.

I was wheezing and feeling the Beacon of Light at its limit. Or maybe it was more accurate to say my body's ability to handle any more of its power had hit its limit. My wounds were healing more slowly now.

What alternative did that leave? I could tell Mouse to get Maggie out of here, but without him backing me up, I wouldn't last long enough to get them any real measurable distance.

Okay, Uriel. What's your plan now? I thought, going over any last options I had. They were shockingly few.

Have faith. . . that quiet voice inside of me said.

"What was the point of giving me this damn coin just to watch terrible things happen anyway? Is that my punishment for centuries of bloodshed?" I asked.

When there was no response, I closed my eyes. I didn't intend to pray. But I could hope. I was capable of at least that much now. I could hope for some solution to this crisis.

I opened my eyes to see Rosanna cupping her hands together and muttering some sort of incantation that stole some of the light in the room. Then an otherworldly heat and the smell of sulfur filled the hallway.

When the Denarian pulled her hands apart, each was covered in a black flame I assumed to be hellfire. If I remembered correctly, my fiance had manifested a similar ability once. Though this was a steady aura of hellfire Rosanna maintained.

Darkness gathered around Mouse and me, and we braced ourselves for the inevitable burns that would come. But that was okay because we'd take those wounds for Maggie. I realized now more than anything she was worth this pain.

At any cost, I thought. I'll save her.

And a man's voice, complete with a thick accent that belonged across the globe, brought my thoughts back to the present.

"Rosanna, darling, it's such a surprise to see you again," he said.

Mouse and I turned to see a Black man walking up the hallway. In his hands, he held what looked like a cavalry saber, and it was bringing light. . . and hope back to this battle. His presence pushed the darkness back toward the Denarian.

Rosanna did not look pleased with his sudden appearance.

"Sanya, have you come to surrender that damn sword and take up a coin once again?" she asked without an ounce of pleasantness.

Standing next to me now, the Knight of the Cross spoke with a booming voice not his own. It echoed through the hallway and chased the darkness even closer to Rosanna. "Hope springs eternal, Rosanna. Light emerges in the darkness to remind those of one simple truth. Evil will not be victorious today."

Rosanna had no retort, just a scowl for the ages.

With his own voice once more, Sanya looked over at Mouse and said, "Good to see you again, Foo Dog. Though I confess I'm confused by your choice of teammate here. Harry's girl is being defended by a White Court vampire? Never thought I'd see the day."

Then he turned to look at me, and I wiped some blood off my chin and popped my shoulder back into the socket.

"Apparently I'm a reformed vampire," I said.

"Is that right? Something does seem different about you. There's an energy here Esperacchius was drawn to. I guess that means you can't be all bad," Sayna said. "Why don't you take Harry's girl and go? I'll handle this."

Before I could ask, "Are you sure?" Mouse had lightly grabbed my pants leg in his mouth and was pulling me back toward Maggie, who stood with tears in her eyes staring at Esperacchius. And in her gaze, I saw the purest form of hope yet. She finally believed good would win this day, and she would be home to eat dinner with her dad tonight.

That raw belief in goodness winning the day. . .there was magic to it I felt like I could feel for the first time in my centuries-long life.

"Thank you," I said. "Though I guess you'd suggest I thank your God instead?"

Sanya laughed and said, "Thank whomever you want. I've never met the guy myself. Not sure he's even real."

I just had to blink at that, and Mouse tugged on my pants again.

I scooped Maggie up, thanked the Knight of the Cross once more, and we ran for my car.

Exiting the school building, I heard a fierce battle raging upstairs between good and evil. And I hoped I would meet his man again to thank him properly.

Mouse crawled into my car through the driver's side door and hopped into the back.

"No, I wanted to wipe the blood off first! Oh come on, that's custom leather– forget it," I huffed, and Mouth just stared at me with his open-jawed grin.

I started the vehicle, and we peeled out of the backlot, heading for the highway so I could get my stepdaughter back to her castle like the little princess she was.

As I thought of Maggie, I turned to look at her. She hadn't said a word since we left the school that I had no doubt she'd be unenrolled from immediately.

Cautiously, I reached over and brushed a tiny piece of debris from her hair.

Without saying a word, Maggie reached out quickly and grabbed my hand. Then she grasped it tightly with both hands and held it in front of her, next to her shoulder.

And we rode like that all the way back to Chicago.