AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Because he almost killed my girl,” Zane said grimly. “That’s how.”
I paused. “An Archdemon almost killed your...have you made a deal with a human?”
“Yeah.” Zane grinned proudly, but the expression soured. “And this woman has got one damn big bone to pick.” He gave me a quick look up and down. “I’ll do my best not to let her see you.”
“Why is that?”
“Because she’ll remember you.” He tapped a finger against the side of his head. “She can really hold a grudge.” Seeing the question on my face, he leaned over and said softly, “Juniper Kynes. Can’t say the whole situation of nearly being a sacrifice left her feeling veryforgiving.”
“Ah, shit.”
“She’s out for the blood of anyone who’s wronged her. It’s been a fun ride butfuck.” He flicked away the joint, and it disappeared into the waters of the bay. “She might get me killed.”
“Juniper,” I murmured. There were few things I’d done for Kent that I could attach any kind of moralistic regret to. But the night Juniper had fled through the woods, high on acid and covered with sacrificial runes, counted among things I wished I hadn’t been involved in. “Of all the humans for you to take a fascination with, it had to be her. She gave you her soul?”
“She offered it,” he said. “I was already hunting her, but the deal was her idea.”
I wasn’t about to admit how jealous I was. “So now she’syour girl, eh? What happened to not falling for humans?”
“Never said I fell for her.” Zane frowned, shifting his stance. He was such an obvious liar. “But of course she’s mine. I claimed her.”
I chuckled, although I was a fucking hypocrite to taunt him for it while I was still pining over an absolutely hopeless situation.
“So, Everly,” I said. “You know where she is? And this Archdemon of hers, how strong is he?”
Zane sighed heavily. “In a fight to the death, the two of us together, against him…” He shrugged. “We’d hold out for a few minutes. Maybe.”
“Fuck.”
“I’m telling you not to go after her, Leon.”
“Noted. Where is she?”
“Goddamn stubborn bastard,” Zane scowled, hands shoved in his pockets. “There’s an old coven house, northwest of here. I’ll text you the coordinates, as close as I can estimate them. Juni and I went there looking for—”
“Juni?” I snorted. “Fucking hell.”
“Oh, shut up.” He shoved me, and reached into his jacket for another joint. “I think we both know you’re goddamn bleeding romantic, Leon, so don’t taunt me for it.” He put the joint to his lips and lit up, the sour smell wafting around us. “Anyway. We were looking for the elder witch, Heidi. Didn’t find her.”
“I could’ve told you she died years ago.” Zane tweaked an eyebrow at me, and I shook my head. “Suicide. I didn’t do it, though Kent likely would have set me on her sooner or later.”
“Ah, well...we got another nasty surprise instead. I thought he was going to rip us to shreds before Everly gentled him like a lamb. We were lucky the witch was willing to talk with us. If she hadn’t been, well...” He shuddered.“I wouldn’t be standing here right now. That Archdemon would have killed us both.”
“You get a name?”
“Callum.” Zane flicked his ash to the wind. “Never heard of him. He’s ancient. He’s been out of Hell a long time, if I had to guess.”
“Perhaps the coven summoned him a long time ago, and made a deal with him.”
“Maybe. Hell, I’d stick around for a witch’s soul.” He glanced over at me pointedly. “Have to make the trouble worth it.”
“Yeah? All that trouble with Juniper worth it?”
He exhaled sharply. “She’s a little monster. Vicious as hell, body like a fucking succubus. It’s worth it.”
The night grew colder as we stood there, passing the joint in silence. It always felt the same with Zane: always steady, the one constant through my few centuries of life. We could part for decades like it was nothing, then spend decades more in each other’s company.
A howl pierced the night, and Zane and I glanced toward the trees at the far side of the shore. Dark, long-legged shapes scuttled through the shadows, like massive spiders on the prowl.
