Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“But why can’t we be there?” Edgar gruffly challenged.
Two reasons. One, they would learn things they shouldn’t. Two … “The presence inside Malia will feed off your misery and panic. That will make it stronger; give it fuel to fight me.”
He looked as though he’d argue, but then his shoulders drooped once more. “All right. Just … just get it out of her.”
Annmarie moved away from the door. “Be careful. It claims to be Beelzebub.”
Ella’s demon let out an impatient sigh. “I won’t be long.” She walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
A sense of oppression lay heavy in the room. A room that was nothing short of girly. Posters were tacked on the pink walls. Makeup littered the surface of the chic vanity. A neon Malia sign hung above the bed. Shelves were lined with books, artificial plants, framed photos, and little knickknacks.
What held Ella’s attention, however, was the teenage girl who’d been cuffed to the bedframe by her wrists and ankles—her face pale, her lips chapped, her matted, sweat-slick chestnut hair plastered to her head. Slices, burns, and bruises decorated her body. Dark smudges circled her eyes—eyes that weren’t hazel like on her photos. No, her irises were now as black as her pupils.
Awake, it locked that cold gaze on her. A wicked grin curved its mouth as it chuckled, but there was unease rumbling through the sound. The damn thing should be uneasy—it would recognize an incantor on sight, and it would know what an incantor could do to it.
“You told them you’re Beelzebub?” Ella rolled her eyes at the wraith. “How cliché.”
“It’s not my fault humans are so naïve,” it said, its voice deep, grating, and eerie.
Hell was filled with all kinds of creatures. Some had ways of psychically attaching themselves to people who lived in other realms. Spirit boards were their main gateway, though such breeds of demon couldn’t actually walk the Earth. Sometimes, it was because they were incorporeal. Other times, it was because—as was the case with wraiths—their forms wouldn’t survive in this realm, so they could only leech onto the mind of someone who could.
When it came to possessions, it was very rarely the devil or any of his minions responsible—they generally considered that sort of thing beneath them. No, it was most commonly low-level demons like wraiths, who often tossed out names of biblical demons to scare the families of those they’d possessed.
“Ella Wilde,” it drawled.
That was another thing about wraiths. They could ‘scan’ a person; could tell many things about them on sight.
“You have two choices,” she told it, moving to stand at the foot of the bed. “You can release your grip on Malia’s soul and toddle off home, or I can destroy you.”
“I vote that we instead come to an agreement.”
Wraiths always made such proposals, and she always refused. “I’m not taking votes. Your choices are simple. Pick one. I have somewhere to be.”
“But you haven’t even heard my proposition yet.”
“I don’t need to. Choose.”
It cocked its head. “Wouldn’t you like to know the future? There’s much I could share.”
No doubt, considering that wraiths had foresight. “Not interested. I prefer surprises. Besides, I don’t make deals with anything that dwells in hell.” That kind of shit tended to backfire on a person.
“You have no interest in learning about the future, hmm?” It narrowed its eyes. “What about your past?”
She frowned. “I can remember it pretty well, thanks.”
“I mean your soul’s past.” One corner of its mouth tipped up into a sly smirk. “Surely your past lives would interest you. I could tell you things. So many, many things.”
Maybe, but none of it was worth trading the soul of a teenage girl. She lifted her chin and called to her magick—threads of green, red, and yellow shimmered like flames as they hissed and snapped against her palms. “Release Malia’s soul, or die.”
The wraith tensed, its gaze briefly dipping to her hands. Anger rippled across its face. “The human should be the least of your concerns. Forget her. It is your soul that you should worry about. He will come for you.”
A frown tugged at her brow.
“You will be chained to him forever, and you cannot imagine what that will mean for you.” It started to laugh.
Knowing it was just screwing with her, she hummed. “So you’ve decided to meet your end? Okay.”
It froze. “Wait.”
“No.” Chanting beneath her breath, she unleashed her magick. Two flickering, fiery ribbons rushed from her palms, streamed through the air, and slammed into its chest like cardiac arrest paddles. Malia’s eyes rolled back, hers head jerked hard, her body bucked and spasmed. With one last chant, Ella snapped her hands closed.
Black particles all but burst out of Malia’s body as it sagged to the bed. Those particles disintegrated fast, and the oppressive feel left the room.