I'm really sorry about the shortness of this fic (and at times, how badly written it is). I might do a rewrite at some point and I'm already thinking about a follow up which will be longer.
Slight language warning for this chapter, if you count 'oh bugger' as offensive.
RedDawn1: Set just after Playing With Fire so before Facades and stuff, that's why I didn't outwardly mention the Vile thing. I will try to be regular with few updates there are left but I have exams coming up, sorry.
The Rider seemed to stare at Tanith, as if trying to work out if she was a threat, then turned to Valkyrie. It's skull tilted to one side like Skulduggery's did when he was thinking. Valkyrie froze. Everything seemed to know about her Ancient blood, maybe that was what was puzzling the demon.
It seemed to give up and turned back to the spit where Tanith had been stood seconds before. It turned around quickly and picked up the chain from the ground.
Tanith jumped from the side of the building onto its back, driving the sword through its skull. The fire around the Rider's head let out thick, black smoke and Tanith stumbled back, choking, her sword still in its head.
The Rider flailed at its skull, trying in vain to pull the sword out, the flames around its head all slowly being replaced by smoke.
Valkyrie aimed a kick at its chest and the rider staggered back, tripping over its own chain. It fell to the floor, the fire and smoke finally disappearing. Valkyrie rushed over to Skulduggery.
"That was unpleasant." he muttered, looking up at Valkyrie.
"Are you okay?"
"It's just my pride that was hurt." The detective said bitterly.
"That book in Gordon's library. It said that the Ghost Rider only goes after murderers and, y'know, the sort of people we go after."
Skulduggery nodded.
"So why did it go for you?"
"You forget that I was in the War, Valkyrie. We all did things we regret." He said, voice going abnormally quiet.
The conversation was interrupted by a screech as Tanith dragged her sword from the Rider's skull. Skulduggery turned to her.
"What?" She grinned, walking towards them.
"That was... Impressive."
Tanith high-fived Valkyrie and raised an eyebrow. "And I'm not usually?"
Skulduggery hesitated long enough to hear the sirens.
They all turned as one and watched as Crux got out from a van.
"Skulduggery Pleasant, you're under arrest for murder, resisting arrest and assault on a sanctuary official!"
Skulduggery tilted his head. "I wouldn't call it assault, Remus, you fell over your own shoelace and hit your head on a wall trying to chase me."
Valkyrie stifled a laugh.
"I think you'll find I didn't even commit those murders."
"Who else could it be?" Crux sneered.
Skulduggery turned. The Ghost Rider's body had gone from the ground.
"Oh. Bugger." He turned to Valkyrie and Tanith. "Run?"