Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Hey,” I called after Lucas as he went up the basement steps. “Immortal asshole.” I was a little tipsy as I followed him into this very office, surprising Eliza, who was attending to the woman’s wounds. It was the first time I saw a vampire able to look at blood like that and not go crazy.
“You should go if you know what’s good for you.” Eliza wasn’t wrong.
“The funny thing is, I have a bad habit of doing the exact opposite
of what’s good for me.”
“The funny thing is, I have a bad habit of doing the exact opposite of what’s good for me.”
“I’m beginning to sense that,” Lucas told me and I remember the hair on the back of my neck standing up. I was as drawn to him them as I am now.
“Never seen a witch before?” I teased, not knowing Lucas purposely stayed away from my kind.
“Oh, I have. Drank from one too. But you…you don’t smell like the
other witches I’ve come across.”
Blinking, I pull myself out of the mental revere and exhale. “If there is a snowball’s chance in hell at finding out a way to defeat Paimon, shouldn’t we take it?”
Lucas looks down at Juliet, and I know his mind is going to the same place mine is. He would do anything for our family as well—like becoming a Horseman. Fuck, too much is going on and I get that sickening spinning feeling and now is not the time to magically fly myself out of here.
I focus on my baby, wrapped in her father’s muscular arms and instantly start to feel grounded.
“This could very well be a trap,” Lucas says gently. “I know how badly you want to defeat Paimon, my love, but seeking help from a demon isn’t the answer.”
“Oh, I know it could be a trap and she could be a double-agent for Paimon. Which is why we should question her. Just…if there’s a chance,” I stress. “And I know I’m not talented in the art of divination, but I have this feeling that I should at least hear her out.”
“What would it take for you to trust this demon?” Eamon asks, flicking his gaze from me to Lucas.
“I wouldn’t trust she wouldn’t somehow resurrect from her ashes,” Lucas says and I have to agree.
“If I can bind her powers and she lets me do it willingly,” I offer. “And we meet in the basement where one of those handy jail cells are ready. Oh, and I’ll meet her in astral form. Take a page out of the old playbook Paimon loves to use.”
“Where will your body be?” Lucas asks.
“In here.” I sweep my hand out to the office. “Guarded by you and Eamon. Eliza will have Juliet at Abby’s house since I just reinforced the wardings. And if she tries anything funny, well…” I hold up both hands, summoning hellfire in one and an energy ball in the other. “Between the both of us, I think we can handle a third hierarchy demon.”
“Back when you were a new vampire,” Eamon starts, sinking down onto the couch. He leans back, looking slightly amused. “I made it a point to stress to you that we stay away from magic. I didn’t think I’d have to specify demons.”
Lucas just shrugs and I can see the annoyance on Eliza’s face. Neither of us know the true details of Eamon and Lucas’s relationship. He claimed to be friends with one of Eamon’s siblings, and while I do think that’s true, it’s obvious there is more history between Lucas and Eamon than he’s let on.
Closing my fits, I put out the energy ball and the hellfire. Lucas is doing a better job ignoring Eamon than I am, and I know all three vampires in the room can hear my heart skip a beat.
“Between Paimon, Uriel, the Horseman and now Osiris…something needs to be removed from that list.”
“Maybe you should ask Osiris for help.” Lucas looks me dead in the eye. To anyone else, it could be heard as a legit suggestion. But I know he’s saying it to take a dig at me.
“I think he’s the least of our worries,” I start and then regret saying it.
“Interesting you say that, though now that I think about how eager you are to trust the God of the Underworld, it makes sense that you’d be willing to trust a fucking demon.” A low growl escapes from deep inside his chest startling Juliet.
“Lucas,” I start.
“Save it,” he says and silence fills the room. “I will make sure the cells in the basement are secure.”
“I’ll come with,” Eliza says, following him out of the room.
“Oh, fuck,” I sigh, putting my head in my hands.
“You seem to have a knack for pissing the people who care about you off,” Eamon says.
“Oh, really?” I roll my eyes and him and rub my thumb over my fingers, absentmindedly conjuring strings of magic. Astral projecting to talk to the demon has its advantages, though it also leaves my body free for the taking. I know from past experiences that a demon can’t possess me for long. But it could be long enough to do some damage.