The Sorceress by Allison Hobbs

house. I don’t care how much money those damned jewels are worth. That creature is trying to harm my daughter. I won’t let that happen. I swear, I’ll give up my life on this earth and claw my way into the burning fire of hell and wage a battle against that depraved demon once again!”
    â€œCalm down, Aj.”
    â€œThat demon is back; she’s threatening our child. I can’t calm down!”
    â€œDo demons look like regular people?” Kali asked.
    â€œI guess. Yes, sometimes they do,” Ajali answered in a quieter voice.
    â€œThe witch lady looks like a regular person, only she’s really mean and her eyes have those shiny lights that can hurt. But there were monsters and all kinds of wild creatures in that smoky place where she lives.”
    Ajali recoiled in dread. “I thought you only saw the woman’s face.”
    â€œThat’s all I saw at first. Then I saw her whole body. She was naked.” Embarrassed, Kali lowered her eyes. “The creatures—”
    â€œWhat kind of creatures, sweetie? Were there animals roaming around?” Bryce asked.
    Kali shrugged. “Sort of. They were like…part human and part animal. Their hands had claws and they were fighting and scratching each other. Screaming and using curse words. There was broken glass and thick black ashes all over the ground. That place was spooky. Real dark and smoky. That witch lady said if she gets her hands around my neck, she’s going to choke the life out of me.”
    â€œOh, my God, Bryce. Eris gave our daughter a glimpse of hell.”
    â€œWho’s Eris? Do you know her, Mommy?”
    Ajali cupped Kali’s face. “Yes, I know her. She’s my worst enemy and Mommy has to make sure that she stays where she is and doesn’t harm you. Now, I know you’re a big girl, but I don’t want you sleeping in this room alone. From now on, you’re sleeping in the bed with Mommy and Daddy. Do you understand?”
    â€œYes, Mommy,” Kali agreed, nodding her head as her father carried her to the safety of his and Ajali’s bedroom.

E ris was delighted that she had spooked the Stovall child. That moving picture box, a link to the other world, gave her unlimited access to the little bandit. Until she broke out of this hellish penitentiary, she’d have to use that picture box to terrorize the brat. She’d only singed the bed covers, but next time her blue light would burn through, searing the child’s feet and legs.
    Her plan of revenge was so thrilling, her sexual region visibly writhed and oozed, sending off an arousing scent that summoned a horde of lewd and libidinous creatures.
    She took them on, two at a time, copulating with a few and sending some running into the shadows, howling in pain with their appendage ripped off and munched on by Eris as an extra treat to appease her ravenous sexual appetite.
    Responding to a silent call, she pushed a thrusting ghoul off her and rose to her feet. Its phallus, pulsing and unsatisfied, the fiendish creature she’d been copulating with in the soot, snarled and lunged for her, intending to force Eris to finish the sex act she’d initiated. Eris shot a burning indigo glare at the beast. The fiend cowered, shielding its face with a fur-covered arm.
    As if being pulled by a magnet, Eris moved forward and out of his reach. He looked down at his knobby and swollen appendageand howled in anger. Though his cry was within earshot, to Eris it seemed distant and muted. Creatures squawked and screamed, but the cacophony of hellish sounds had no effect on her.
    In a dream-like state that was utterly blissful, she’d taken steps toward Xavier’s whispery voice. “Over here,” he directed.
    She turned her head in the direction of his voice and there it was—a bridge! A different one than before, but once again Xavier had teleported another link between his world and the Dark Realm.
    Eris