Had the asshat already killed her, just to lure me into a trap—alone?
It became clear that Alastair wasn’t just going to hand over my mom. I actually felt sympathy for Devin, who was sweetly distraught over Mom’s disappearance. Usually I would have thought this would annoy me, but it was the opposite. I relished in having someone else who loved her. At least if something happened to me, Devin would be there to help her through it. I tried to take comfort in that thought as I brushed aside a lonely tear.
I refused to believe she was dead. There was always a way. I was proof.
The tightness in my chest burned and crawled up my throat. It was a rustling behind me that broke through my despair. My marks began to hum stronger, stronger, and stronger, pulsing. I tore my cloudy eyes from Mom and looked up.
I gasped even though I was expecting him.
Alastair hovered over me, appearing ten feet tall. He had a dominating presence tonight that crowded the small clearing, making me feel small and insignificant. That wouldn’t do.
Pushing to my feet, I readied myself, reaching behind me for the dagger tucked in my waistline and for what needed to be done. “I’m here,” I said, staring into his raven eyes. A network of inky veins gathered around his eyes, and his skin was grey like rubber. All illusions stripped aside, he wanted me to see him as he really was.
Petrifying.
Ferocious.
A beast.
He got his wish. Even the bravest of souls would be wary of a higher-demon. I was no different.
I held out my arms, the small dagger in one hand. “I’m here. Now let her go.” I was shocked my voice didn’t quiver.
Now that I was standing and he wasn’t towering over me like the empire state building, his voice boomed like King Kong. “So I see. Are you ready then?”
Angling my head, I asked, “Ready for what exactly?”
He tsked his tongue in a hissy disapproval. “I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.”
I rolled my eyes. “I hate surprises. Didn’t you get the memo? It must have gotten lost in transit.”
His black lips thinned. “I’m sure your mom would appreciate your…cooperation.”
He hit me directly in a spot he knew would make me crumble, my arms falling to my sides. “When will she wake?” I asked. Phase one of the plan was to try to distract the demon, keep his mind away from Chase’s impending arrival. I knew he was coming. I could sense his worry, his rage, his fear. All the fun ones his demon thrived on.
“Once we leave…” Alastair cocked his to the side, stretching out his hearing, and I knew that Chase was here.
Time was up.
Those obsidian eyes found mine, stabbing me with a grisly stare. “We’re going to have to work on your ‘following orders’ skills. I said alone,” he rumbled. “Let this be your first lesson.”
Shit onion.
The hit came out of nowhere, right at the center of my heart. Then I was flying.
Just as I registered the pain exploding around my torso, I landed with a bone-rattling oomph. The only weapon I had, tumbled from my fingertips. Two white-hot pings shot through me, and I rubbed a palm over my chest where he had hit me. Ouch. Damn it. That hurt. I couldn’t believe that punk-ass demon had struck me.
If that was his idea of a lesson, then this one was going to be my last.
Lying on the hard ground, it felt like my guts were turned inside out and my breath was gone. I fought to take slow sips of air while my body wanted to take greedy gulps. The world spun until I saw Chase’s dark face piece together, scowling fiercely.
“Sorry I’m late. My invite got lost in the mail, but now that I’m here…let the party begin.” He extended a hand, which I gladly took and let him pull me to my feet.
I wanted to linger ever so much. My hand tingled in his, filling me with renewed energy. Meeting his gaze, I begged him to understand why I had kept him in the dark. I knew that he was going to be mad, but I also knew that he would put it behind him until we got out of this sticky situation.
Travis skidded to halt beside me. “Did you really think we were going to let you have all the fun?”
A smile tugged at my lips. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see him or his posse in tow.
Emma.
Lexi.
The whole gang, it was like a family reunion—a demented one.
A wry grin tugged at Chase’s lips. Leave it to Travis to make a grand entrance. His amusement was short-lived as he turned back to me. “Where’s your mom?”
I nodded my head to the left.
“She must have eaten the poison apple,” Emma commented, all eyes on Mom’s sleeping form.
“Are you okay?” Chase asked through gritted teeth. He kept our fingers intertwined, but fury radiated under the surface.
“I am now.”
Shoulder to shoulder we faced Alastair once again, but this time he wouldn’t pull a disappearing act. He was going to be banished once and for all. Maybe we couldn’t kill, but Ives gave me hope—fifty percent hope. And then Alastair transformed before our eyes.