Page 12 of Dancing With Demons

Revulsion twisted my stomach as he leered at me—then twisted tighter when he closed the distance between us.

“Fresh, mortal pussy,” someone corrected, swinging my head around.

I wasn’t sure who spoke, because suddenly everyone was looking at me. Everyone was righting themselves or picking themselves off the ground. And everyone was closing in on me.

“Back off,” Tristan growled. A firm hand pulled me in closer. “Take another fucking step and it’s your last.”

“Ooooh, big talk from a mutt,” a voice crowed. “But now we all finally know why you were panting and drooling after this ugly green fucker like a bitch in heat.” A nasty dolphin demon stuck out from the crowd and started thrusting his hips. “It’s because that bitch was giving you the heat!”

Everyone laughed—howling like jackals.

“Give us a little taste too. I wanna know if mortal pussy is as warm, wet, and sweet as the legends say.”

“Forget her pussy. Are mortal souls really as powerful as the legends say? I read one human sacrifice boosts your magic a thousandfold!”

They were crowding in. Tristan grabbed and shoved me behind him, but I was already there—scrabbling at the doorknob.

It wouldn’t budge.

“Why won’t this open!”

“They’ll have locked it,” Tristan gritted. “This is going to get ugly, Charlie. Stay low... and don’t look.”

“Grab her!”

“I’m fucking her first!” The thud of flesh on flesh echoed in my ears. “Back the fuck off! I’m not going after you limp-dick shits have worn her out!”

“No, I’m going first!”

Fear clamped on my throat, strangling my screams. Terror like I’d never known before leadened my legs, and trembled my arms and lips. They couldn’t actually be arguing about who got to rape and kill me first? This wasn’t happening. This can’t be happening!

Under Tristan’s elbow, I watched the fight break out.

Shoving, punching, biting, tearing, gashing—black blood splattered and flowed as they ripped each other apart to violate me first. Through the break in the bodies, just for a moment, I saw Ronin Belphe reclining in his chair with his feet up. The horned pretty boy took one look at me—

—and smirked.

As if I could read his mind, I heard clear as day, “Are you sure you don’t need my help?”

I swung around, panic searing my soul. “Let me out!”

“Back off!” Tristan roared.

“Let me out of here!” I screamed as the shadows loomed, smothering the scant light in the mess hall. “Help me! Help—”

The door flew open.

I fell forward, collapsing in Erlik’s arms.

“What the fuck’s going on in here?” Ever the asshole, he heaved me up and tossed me aside like a beachball.

Tristan caught me before I hit the floor.

“What the fuck’s wrong with you shits?” Erlik barked. “Get in your damn seats! I’ve got an announcement.”

“Fuck your announcement!” someone shouted back. “Give us the girl! I haven’t fucked anyone in weeks!”

“Your shriveled-up dick is your business, you empty-headed fuck.” Erlik batted aside the promise of rape like he batted aside me. “Now, all of you, sit the fuck down. This announcement is from the headmistress herself.”