He didn’t deny it, but while he was holdingthe door shut, a vine slid down to slice across his bare chest. IfI continued to sit here and argue with him, he would only allow thevines to keep doing that to him. I slid my fingers through the openwindow, seeking a connection with him no matter how brief. Sparksdanced over my fingers when he touched them before pulling his handaway.
“Don’t just stand there then, get back towork,” I said and rolled the window up.
He glowered at me through the glass. I smiledsweetly in return, though I felt anything but sweet, and the smilewas forced. I sighed in relief when he turned away from the doorand focused on the vines whipping toward him once more.
Hawk snorted and Erin giggled while Vargasshook his head. I shifted back into drive and eased my foot off thebrake. There had to be an end to this tunnel somewhere. Hopefully,it was somewhere soon, but the vines canopied the road for as faras I could see.
My gaze traveled over the hideous vinessquirming over top of each other. Their palpable desire for bloodmade my stomach turn. Their screams and cries would haunt mynightmares for the rest of my days.
“Before you came into camp, no one would havedared to stand up to him,” Erin said to me.
“Most still wouldn’t,” Hawk pointed out.
“True,” Erin admitted, “but I have to say,I’m not quite as terrified of him as I used to be. The other demonswere at least somewhat approachable, well, most of them anyway.Bale’s about as friendly as a cactus, and I’m pretty sure Moraxmight want to eat us.”
“I don’t think they actually eat humans,” Itold her.
“So far, no, but who knows,” Erin replied.“Kobal loves you.”
Vargas and Hawk both scowled at her,obviously not in the mood to discuss anything in the least bitromantic. I bit on my lip to keep from laughing at the looks ontheir faces. They’d probably happily climb out of this cab rightnow and go play with the vines if it meant getting to avoid anytalk of love.
“He does,” I replied.
Her brows drew together and her mouth pursed.“When he ripped off Eileen’s head, no one knew what to make ofit.”
“I did,” Hawk muttered and shifted in hisseat. “The guy waspissed.”
Erin rolled her eyes. “Obviously, but manydidn’t think it was because of love.”
I glanced at her before resuming myhunched-over-the-wheel position that made my back scream inprotest. “Then what did they think it was?” I inquired.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Some crazy,demon possessiveness thing that made him think he owned you. Othersassumed he was nuts.”
“Not owned,” I murmured, “and not nuts.”
“It’s not something we’d ever seen before,”Erin said. “He’d come across as distant and lethal the few timeshe’d been in camp before you arrived, but he’s not. At least notwith you, and I think he cares for the other demons too.”
“He does,” I said. “I don’t know how toexplain any of it.”
“You don’t have to,” Erin replied.
“Thank God,” Hawk muttered.
A small burst of laughter escaped me. It feltgood, given the constant screaming and oppressive air surroundingus. I leaned further over the wheel, hoping to see some sign of abreak in the tunnel, but all I saw was more darkness. A bead ofsweat trickled down my temple and I hastily wiped it away. Iglanced nervously at Kobal, hating the fact he was out there andbleeding and there was nothing he would let me do to help him.
“Where are you from, Erin?” I asked as a wayto distract myself from our surroundings and my anxiety overKobal.
“Me or my parents?” she inquired. “I knowmost have a hard time figuring out my heritage.”
“Both.”
“I was born and raised in Boston. My dad isfirst generation American from South Korea and my mom came overfrom Ireland when she was ten. She still has the faintest hint ofan accent.” A wistful smile played over her lips before she turnedto look out the window. “I volunteered to go to the wall so I couldhelp them take care of my six younger siblings.”
Hawk released a low whistle. “Sevenkids.”
“Yeah, our family really struggled after thewar.”
“I bet.”
