Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Rose had gone pale. “I will. I’ll hide Luna and let security know what’s happening.”
I took off running because four of those fucking paintings were now in my apartment, and as far as I knew Evan was alone because Eddie had taken Casey and Trent to my brother and wouldn’t be back until they were done. Fen and Jade were running the errand I’d sent them on. It could be hours before they were finished.
I ran as fast as I could, my heart racing and dread flowing through me.
I ran and hit the door to my apartment with a thud just in time to see a boot coming through the moon on the largest of the paintings.
Liv stepped through, emerging from wherever she’d come from to stand in my living room, and she wasn’t alone.
“Hey, bestie.” Liv’s dark eyes shown in the twilight coming from the magical lights. “Missed me?”
I was about to explain exactly how little I’d missed this version of her when I realized someone was behind me. I turned and another witch hit me with a spell that made me fall to my knees.
“Maybe you should take a nap, Kelsey.” Liv stood over me, staring down with pitch black eyes, the veins reaching up through her neck, proof she’d had another dose of demon blood. She was at the peak of her power, and I didn’t even have my sword.
She winked down at me and light flashed from her hands.
And the world went dark.
Chapter Eighteen
The awful smell of brimstone was the first reminder that I wasn’t taking a nap. That and the warm feel of a tongue on my cheek.
I opened my eyes, hoping it was all a terrible dream and I would wake up and Trent was kissing me.
The goofiest puppy face grinned at me and a dark tongue lolled out of his mouth, slightly crooked fangs on full display.
“What the hell?”
“Yes, that was my question, too,” a familiar voice said.
My hands were behind my back, tied in a harsh fashion, and my ankles were bound tight as well.
“Don’t struggle or it will get worse,” Liv said with a sigh. “That particular spell is nasty when you try to fight it. Simply relax and it won’t tighten up.”
I tried to take a deep breath so I could figure out where the fuck I was. A soft mattress was beneath me, and I quickly realized I was in the bedroom of our apartment in the Under. Liv was behind me and Puff was currently rolling on his back trying to get never-going-to-happen-because-my-hands-were-tied-behind-my-back belly rubs.
“He’s awfully cute. Where did you pick up a runty hellhound?” Liv rounded the corner and came into view. She was dressed in what I now thought of as her comic book chic uniform. Lots of leather, and she seemed to think her boobs would distract her enemies. “Oh, is Gray back? Did he bring you a present? Were you surprised to find out how high he ranks in the hierarchy of the Hell plane? I wish I’d been able to listen in on that conversation.”
She reached out and picked up Puff.
“Hey, come on. Don’t hurt him.” I couldn’t stand to watch her squeeze the life out of that puppy.
Liv managed to look hurt. “I’m not a monster. I told you. He’s cute, and he could be very helpful one day. Get a hellhound this young and you can train him properly. I could use a familiar, though we usually bind to cats. Canines can be so dumb at times. Since when do you think I go around kicking puppies?”
“Since when did you knock out your best friend and tie her up?”
“Fair,” Liv agreed, and put the puppy down with a pat. “I’m not going to kill you if that’s what you’re worried about. I’ve got a job to do down here and then we’ll leave and you’ll be alive, though you should know this isn’t about you. You’re simply the cherry on top.”
“Sure. I’m just a side project,” I said, trying to figure out how I could get out of these bindings if they tightened every time I moved.
“I haven’t spent months getting these morons to create several complex portals because I wanted to catch you. I didn’t even know you would be here when I started this.”
“I thought the primals were off limits.”
She glanced down at her watch. “Not really, but I don’t want to bring them in. I’ve got about an hour before the fuckers are awake. The fact that they sleep longer than regular vampires makes this so much easier. The witch’s ointment functions best at three a.m., but a turning hour works, too.”
“Sunset,” I surmised. If the primals had been normal vampires they would be awake, but Liv had more time because of their unique needs. “So you worked with the gnomes? Obviously you couldn’t send someone in with the ingredients you needed.”