Page 98 of Trapped By the Blood Ruby

“Laurent will never allow it.”

He laughed, wheezing. “Laurent isn’t here. We made sure of that.”

The demon surged into motion, crossing the entry in the time it took me to open my mouth and scream. I found my feet again, scampering up the stairs.

He lunged, wrapping his hand around my ankle and jerking me backwards. I fell hard on the stairs. A sob escaped my chest, tears blurring my vision. The demon hissed dragging me toward him.

No! I wouldn’t go through this again. I wouldn’t let someone take me.

I kicked downward and heard a satisfying crunch. The demon snarled and the grip on my ankle loosened. I struggled free, a relieved sob breaking loose. I scrambled up several more stairs on hands and knees⁠—

A body slammed into me. I cried out, struggling against my captor’s hold. “Enough!” he hissed, fingers twisting into my hair. He jerked me backwards and I screamed. I caught sight of his face. Blood poured from his slitted nostrils. “I will make you hurt for that you little bitch.”

A whimper fell from my lips. “Vittorio⁠—!”

The back of his hand collided with my face making stars explode across my vision. “Time to go,” he hissed, dragging me down the remaining stairs by my hair.

Anger and terror surged through me as I clawed at his wrist, fiercer than anything I’d felt since the witches. “Stop!” The single word came out powerfully, and something shifted in my throat as I said it, a warm vibration I’d never felt before.

The demon froze. I gazed up at him, blinking. Surprise flashed across his features, his eyes widening. He jerked, but didn’t move. “What did you do?”

“Drop my wrist.” My voice resonated as if the words came from somewhere deeper than my chest. Gaping, I watched his hand obey.

“Stop this,” he hissed.

“Back up. Now.”

He stepped away. His motions were stilted, as if his body tried to fight the order. There was no time to question what was happening. For now, the only thing on my mind was survival.

“Good. Stay there.”

The demon jerked to a standstill, his eyes bulging.

Another commotion sounded from down the hall. His eyes flashed in that direction. He looked ready to bolt, and maybe he would. But if he did, we wouldn’t get any answers.

“Sit on the floor,” I commanded. It felt natural, like something I’d always been able to do but never tried. “And don’t go anywhere.”

He dropped into a sitting position, a look of fury morphing his features. “What are you?”

The question made my stomach drop. An hour ago, I thought I knew. “I’m an amplifier,” I said, licking my lips. “Is this not…normal?”

The demon only stared at me.

“Why are you here?”

“My master commanded me to take you.”

“Clearly. But for what purpose?”

“You are an amplifier.”

“For what purpose?” I said more firmly.

“I—don’t know.”

“To use me?”

“I don’t know,” he repeated.