by Linsey Hall
“It’s the only place I can practice my craft.” An annoyed light entered his dead eyes. “They frowned upon it back on earth.”
“Wait, what? You did this on earth?”
“With humans, but demons are so much more fun.”
My stomach lurched. Oh shit, this guy was the real deal.
And the demon we were facing had been made by him.
I’d never been so scared of a demon in my life.
Devyver frowned at us. “You’re asking too many questions. Demons never ask this many questions.”
He’d bought our disguises initially, but he was clever.
He tilted his head. “Your demon image is flickering over your real form.”
Crap. Because he was human, he could see through our illusions a bit. Just like Declan and I could see flashes of each other beneath the disguises. It only worked perfectly on other demons.
Devyver hissed and drew something from his pocket. He hurled it at me, but his aim was terrible.
It crashed into the ground a few feet in front of me.
Moron.
A black cloud rose up from it, wafting toward me. It carried hints of despair and misery, along with something that tugged at my mind.
Ah, shit.
He didn’t have bad aim at all.
Suddenly, I was back in the cellar with Mari, both of us too young to really understand why Aunt treated us so horribly. Tears poured down my cheeks, and hunger gnawed at my belly. But the worst was the despair that pulled at my heart. At my soul.
Whatever was in the bomb that the Devyver had thrown, it was triggering my worst memories. Nightmares of my past. I held my breath and staggered forward, keeping my eyes closed as I tried to fight my way out of the horrible cloud.
But the visions kept coming, appearing in my mind’s eye as clearly as if I were watching them on TV.
A strong hand gripped mine, and I gasped.
Declan.
Hope surged through me, warm and bright. It began to drive away the awful memories. From the strength of his grip, he was in the midst of remembering something horrible as well.
The scene that I’d seen in nightmare alley?
I steadied myself, trying to escape the memories that threatened to drown me.
I was almost there. Almost free. I could feel it.
Then pain exploded against my skull, and blackness took me.
8
My head ached like I’d run headfirst into a brick wall, and my mouth was dry as dust. Groggily, I shifted on the hard floor.
Was I hungover?
No, unlikely. I loved a good martini but my hard, partying days were behind me.
And why did my shoulders and wrists ache?
I pried open my eyes, blearily seeing a dusty wooden floor stretched out in front of me.
Crap. I was lying on my side on the floor, my arms bound behind my back. That realization alone spiked my heart rate. I yanked on the restraints, but they were too strong. Some kind of metal, definitely. Probably steel.
I blinked, trying to clear my vision, and spotted an array of people.
No, not people. Body parts. Demon body parts.
Memories crashed into me, and I stiffened, fear icing my skin.
Holy fates, we were in the Devyver’s laboratory. The terrifying man was nowhere to be seen, but I doubted he’d gone far. That’d be too lucky.
An icepick of pain stabbed my brain as I twisted my head, searching for Declan. He lay next to me, his temple bloodied and his eyes closed.
Painfully, I scooted across the floor toward him and nudged his head with my own. He groaned.
“Shh.” I wished I could put my hand over his mouth.
Slowly, Declan’s eyes opened. He looked as groggy as I felt, slowly taking in our surroundings. I could see the moment understanding hit him.
“Shit.” The word was quiet as it left his lips.
“Yep.” I struggled at my bonds, still unable to break them. I was really freaking strong, but even I couldn’t bust my way out of iron shackles.
Cold sweat slicked my skin.
Declan searched the area for a few more seconds, his gaze finally landing on something and narrowing. I turned toward it, my stomach pitching.
The Devyver.
An evil smile stretched across his face as he approached, his black eyes bright with interest. “How did you like my nightmare bomb?”
“Loved it.” I gave him a feral grin. “Just as much as I loved nightmare alley.”
“That was a bit of my work as well.” He smiled proudly. “In truth, I only dabble in that sort of thing. My true passion is creating new creatures.” He inspected us coldly. “You’ll be one, soon.”
Rage and fear burst inside my chest. He was going to chop us up and make us into his weird demon creations?
“Chill,” Declan murmured.
Only then did I realize that I was growling. I didn’t want to chill, damn it.
But he was right. We needed the Devyver to lower his guard, and me growling like a wolf wasn’t going to do that. I sucked down my anger and fear and glared at the Devyver.
“Don’t worry,” the Devyver said. “Once you’ve transitioned, you’ll like it.”
“The hell I will.” I gave him my best eat-shit look. It wasn’t bad. I knew, since I’d practiced it in the mirror. Along with my ice-queen look and my conciliatory smile for angry customers.
The Devyver chuckled and turned. “I’ll be back in a moment. Just need to get the saw.”
My stomach pitched. The saw.
I looked at Declan. “Is he freaking serious?”
“Monster.”
“Monster,” I confirmed, jerking at my restraints, making my wrists and shoulders ache.
As soon as the Devyver disappeared into the back of the workshop, Declan sat up.
“You got a plan?” I asked.
“Cross your fingers.” His magic swelled on the air, just faintly, bringing with it the scent of a rainstorm and the taste of aged rum. Too faintly for the Devyver to sense it, I prayed.
I peeked behind Declan’s back to spot his hands gleaming with heavenly fire. The metal at his wrists melted and dripped to the floor.
“Nice,” I whispered.
“He didn’t realize what I am.”
“Thank fates for that.” I scooted around toward him. “Now do me.”
“No, I need to find a key.”
“No time. Do me.”
“The molten metal will burn your wrists.”
“I don’t care. I have a healing potion. Or you can heal me. But there’s no time.”
“No.” Declan’s brow was set in firm lines.
I gave him my hardest look and used my hardest voice. “Do it.”
His jaw clenched.
“I’m not going to risk getting turned into some demon Frankenstein because you’re scared of hurting a girl. Now do it.”
“Not a girl. You. I don’t want to hurt you.”
I just glowered. But maybe—just maybe—a tiny part of my heart melted. Just a little.
“Fine.” His jaw tightened even further. “Extend your arms back as far as you can to make them parallel with the floor.”
So the molten metal didn’t get on my hands, I realized. My stomach lurched. For all my bravado, this was going to suck. The molten metal hadn’t hurt Declan because he was an angel used to the heat of heavenly fire.
I was just me.
I did as he asked, stretching my arms out. It pulled horribly at my shoulder joints, but I managed to contort myself into a position that would hopefully cause the least amount of damage to my hands and wrists.
“I’ll go quickly.” Declan’s words had barely left his lips before the pain shot through my wrists.
It was so bad I nearly vomited. Then it was gone. My nerve endings were probably destroyed. My head spun, and I tasted blood.
I’d bitten my tongue.
“Done.” Declan’s soft touch landed on my upper forearms, and relief sur
ged through me. His healing power flooded me with warmth and light as my arms repaired from within.
I drew in steady breaths, trying to ignore the memory of the agony. As his magic flowed into me, mending my flesh, a connection formed between us. Just like it had the last time—magic or emotion or desire or something. And I liked it.
A lot.
Time seemed to slow.
Unconsciously, I leaned back toward him, images of kissing him flowing through my mind. Our last kiss—our only kiss—had been amazing, sweeping me off my feet and making my heart race.
Oh fates, I wanted to do that again.
Every inch of me prickled with awareness—of him. He was close. The heat of his body nearly burned my back. Or maybe it was my imagination.
Either way, I wanted to kiss him. That desire wasn’t imaginary.
Finally, Declan removed his hands. “All better.”
His voice was rough, as if he’d felt it, too.
I pulled my arms around to look at them, relieved to see my wrists looking normal. Then looked up at him.
There was heat in his eyes that probably reflected my own. I swallowed hard, my eyes glued to his lips, and tried to think of anything but kissing him. There was something about the connection formed by his healing light that turned me on, but this was easily the worst place in the universe to become distracted by a kiss.
“Glad I didn’t have to see it happen,” I finally said, my gaze moving over the rest of the room.
“You should be.”
I looked back to see that a stark expression had replaced the one of desire on Declan’s face. He was remembering watching my flesh melt, and he hadn’t liked it, clearly.
“Thanks.”
He nodded. “Let’s lie back down. Get him by surprise.”
I nodded and did as he suggested, careful to avoid the still hot metal that was eating through the wooden floor. We resumed our slumped positions and waited.
It wasn’t long before the Devyver returned, a pep in his step that belied his age. Honestly, given the magic he was capable of, he could be any age.
“Ready?” he asked, coming closer, a jagged saw gripped in his hand.
There was no way he planned to start cutting us up without binding our legs. I studied the rest of him, spotting a little potion bomb clutched in his hand. There was a similar-sized bulge in his jacket pocket.
Probably a sedative of some kind.
“Left hand,” I whispered.
Declan nudged his shoulder against mine to confirm that he’d heard.
The Devyver was only about five feet away when I took my chance, lunging for him. He raised the hand that held the glass potion bomb, but I was quicker, smacking his fist so the little glass ball crashed on the floor.
I kicked the saw out of his hand and got him in a headlock with his hands behind his back.
He shrieked, “Guards!”
Shit.
“I got ‘em.” Declan’s voice cut through the sound of approaching footsteps.
A dozen horrifying creatures approached, each made of different parts of demons. They were all colors and shapes, carrying all manner of weapons.
Declan drew a sword from the ether and darted toward them.
I was done fooling around.
I dragged the Devyver toward the empty space where a wall should’ve been, then slung his body over, grabbing his arm at the last minute. He dangled hundreds of feet in the air, his face shocked and his black eyes wide.
“We need to know how to control an Oraxia demon,” I said. “To command its loyalties.”
The man hissed at me.
“I will drop you in a heartbeat. I want to.”
“Then you’ll never get what you came for!”
I shrugged, making my voice cold. “I’m an excellent blood sorceress and quite clever, if I do say so myself. I bet I can figure it out if I’m given enough time in your workshop.”
“You won’t!”
I shot a glance at the fight that raged behind me. Declan stood between me and the small army of demons, attacking them as they approached, giving me time to question the Devyver.
I looked back at the Devyver. “If you want to live, you need to give me what I want.”
“It’s nearly impossible.”
I shook him, making his whole body wobble in the wind and his face pale even more. “If I don’t get what I want…”
I dipped him low, extending my arm so he dropped a bit.
“I’ll do it! I’ll do it!” he shrieked. “There’s a way, and I can tell you!”
“Good. We just have to wait until my buddy takes out your crazy monsters.”
Horror flashed in his eyes. “No! My children!”
“Dude, don’t even try to play on my emotions.” I bared my teeth at him in a facsimile of a smile. “I don’t have any.”
He whimpered, and I gave him a real smile.
I enjoyed this, actually.
Quickly, I checked on Declan. There were half a dozen demons left, but he had it under control.
I turned back to the Devyver. “Did you sic your Oraxia demon on Magic’s Bend?”
“No!”
Damn it.
I believed him.
I shook him anyway, just to be sure. One last chance to make sure he was scared enough to tell the truth. “I’ll drop you.”
“I haven’t seen an Oraxia demon in years. The last one left ten years ago.”
“So someone found him and hired him?”
“It’s likely. They’re some of the best mercenaries out there.” He smiled proudly, and my stomach turned.
But I did believe him. He wasn’t our mastermind. He was too obsessed with his work here, anyway.
I looked back at Declan. There were only a couple demons left, and he cut through them quickly.
I yanked the Devyver back up. “You need better guards.”
“No one attacks me here.” He tried to shake off my grip on his wrist, but I didn’t let go. Touching him made me cringe, but I couldn’t risk it.
“You have to let me go so I can make you the potion to control the Oraxia demon. They’re special. Nothing like these prototypes.” He gestured to the bodies dismissively. “Without the potion, you don’t stand a chance.”
I didn’t want to let him go entirely, just in case he tried to pull a fast one. My gaze caught on wall covered in metal bits and bobs. There was a small loop of metal attached to a chain.
My stomach lurched in recognition.
A neck manacle.
Ew.
But useful.
I pointed to it and looked at Declan. “Can you get me that, please?”
He brought it over and snapped it around the Devyver’s neck. The monster-maker looked at me, insulted.
“This is the least of what I’ll do to you.” I grabbed the end of the chain and shook it. “Now that I’ve got ahold of you, tell me what we’re going to need.”
Declan stepped up to him, looming over him and flaring his wings wide.
“Fallen angel!” The Devyver gasped, fear widening his eyes.
“Indeed. And if I want, I can find that soul you sold.”
The Devyver swallowed hard.
“So, you’ll tell us the truth. Because if we’re not successful, I’m going to get that soul. Then I’m going to feed it to her hellcat.”
Wally appeared, as if he’d heard his name called. He hissed, arching his back, and his flame-red eyes flared bright.
The Devyver’s gaze fell on Wally, and he turned so pale that he was nearly transparent.
He nodded and stuttered, “I—I can do that.”
“Good.” Declan gave him a cold smile. “Now tell us what we need to know to control the Oraxia demon. And what the bastard looks like.”
Wally strolled toward the Devyver, who couldn’t get the words out fast enough. “First, you need a potion starter. I can make that.” He nodded frantically, a promising look on his face. “Then, you need to get a rare ingredient from El
euthera, in the Bermuda Triangle.”
Shit. “What?”
He turned his gaze to me. “I told you that it would not be easy. If it were easy to get that ingredient, I would have it.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“A sea sapphire. They are located at the bottom of a cave on the island, which is hidden from the eyes of humans.”
“Where is the cave?” Declan asked.
“The north end of the island. It’s called Pirate’s Cave, and it’s been abandoned for hundreds of years. But that’s not all you need. You must also get a piece of the Oraxia demon that you are trying to control.”
“A piece?” I frowned.
“Yes, you know. Like a hair or nail or finger or eye.”
Of course it involved a body part. I shouldn’t have expected anything different from a guy like the Devyver.
“You’ll put those two ingredients into the potion starter that I give you and shake it up. Then splash the potion onto the demon, and you can command him.”
“Will our commands override previous commands?” Declan asked.
“They will. Though he will be fighting between two loyalties, so it won’t be easy to control him.”
“Fine.” But we could work with this. I shook the chain. “Get to work on the potion starter.”
He frowned and tugged on the chain. “Give me more slack.”
I gave him a bit more, but not much, then followed him around the workshop as he gathered ingredients. Most of them were glass jars filled with colorful mist that swirled and sparkled.
Wally disappeared, as if he knew his job was done.
The Devyver took his stash to a fire pit in the middle of the apartment. It flickered brightly, orange and yellow. There was a hole in the ceiling to release the smoke.
No wonder he had the top floor of the building. Given the open walls and lack of vegetation, I had a feeling that it never rained here.
“I’m watching you.” I gave my voice an ominous tone, and shook the chain. “Don’t forget about the hellcat.”
“All right. All right.” He sounded peeved as he got to work, opening the vials of colorful mists right over the top of the fire.
I stared hard at him, analyzing his expression and his movements for any sign of deception. I didn’t want him pulling a fast one and creating something to hurt us.
