Up close, Wade could see the demon’s eyes—flat and black, devoid of anything resembling humanity. Valcore brought his hands up, lightning already crackling.
Wade grabbed the demon’s wrists and slammed them against the counter, once, twice, until the electricity fizzled out.
Valcore snarled and brought his knee up, catching Wade in the gut hard enough to fold him.
Staggering back, Wade barely avoided the follow-up strike aimed at his head. His vision swam. Blood dripped from somewhere, maybe his mouth, maybe his nose. Everything hurt.
Behind the counter, Alex’s face appeared, pale and terrified.
That was all Wade needed.
Surging forward again, he caught Valcore’s next punch and twisted, using the demon’s momentum to spin him around. He wrapped his arm around Valcore’s throat from behind and squeezed. The demon thrashed, clawing at Wade’s forearm, drawing blood with nails sharp as razors.
“Give up,” Valcore rasped out. “You can’t win this.”
Tightening his grip until his muscles screamed, Wade leaned in close enough to speak directly into the demon’s ear. “Watch me.”
Valcore’s elbow drove backward into Wade’s injured ribs. White-hot pain exploded through his torso. His grip loosened just enough for Valcore to wrench free and spin, hand already glowing with another charge.
The bolt hit Wade square in the abdomen, lifting him off his feet and hurling him backward through a table. Splinters embedded in his back. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. Every nerve ending shrieked.
Through blurring vision, Wade watched Valcore advance, electricity arcing between both hands now.
“Disappointing,” the demon said. “I expected more from you.”
Forcing his body to obey, Wade rolled onto his hands and knees. Blood dripped onto the floor beneath him, forming a small puddle. His limbs trembled with the effort of staying upright.
Valcore raised both hands, preparing to end it.
Across the room, Panahasi materialized behind the demon in a swirl of shadows. Before Valcore could react, Panahasi’s hand clamped down on his shoulder.
“Enough,” he said, his voice carrying a weight that made the air itself feel heavier.
Valcore’s lightning sputtered and died. The demon tried to turn, tried to fight, but Panahasi’s grip didn’t budge.
“You’ve made a mistake,” Panahasi continued, almost conversational. “These mates are under my protection now. Touch them again, and I’ll show you what real torment looks like.”
Around them, the remaining demons who were still conscious scrambled for the exits. Panahasi’s reputation preceded him, apparently. Even Valcore had gone still, though rage twisted his features.
“The debt—” Valcore started.
“Is void,” Panahasi interrupted. “Drew’s death nullified any obligation. You know the Ultionem law. You just chose to ignore it because you wanted the bunny for yourself.”
Valcore’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t argue. Couldn’t, really, with Panahasi’s hand still locked on his shoulder and shadows beginning to creep up his arm.
“Leave,” Panahasi said. “And pray I don’t decide to throw you into a cell in the underworld for interfering in a mating.”
With a final glare at Wade, Valcore dissolved into smoke and vanished.
The sudden absence of threat left the coffee shop feeling cavernous. Broken furniture littered the floor. Scorch marks decorated the walls. The smell of burned flesh and ozone hung thick in the air.
Dragging himself upright, Wade limped toward the counter where Alex had taken shelter. His mate vaulted over the debris and met him halfway, small hands immediately reaching for Wade’s face, his arms, checking for injuries.
“You’re hurt,” Alex said, voice shaking. “You’re bleeding everywhere.”
“I’m good.” Wade pulled his mate against him, ignoring the way his ribs screamed in protest. Alex was solid and warm and alive in his arms, and nothing else registered as important. “You’re safe. That’s all that matters.”
Behind them, the other mates emerged from their hiding spots, all of them shaken but unharmed.
