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But this hunt was a little different. This time, I needed to be caught.
The rain muffled all sound behind a haze of white noise. I kept my pistol at the ready, because despite the demon lurking on my heels, there were other monsters eager to have me too. Besides, if I happened to shoot Zane if he snuck up on me too suddenly...it would serve him right. I’d seen that wild joy in his eyes when he talked about pain and suffering.
Two sick fucks who enjoyed pain — one mortal, one immortal. What a goddamn pair we’d be.
There was a rustle of leaves overhead, and I almost fired off a shot as a bird beat its wings against the pine needles, scattering thick water droplets. I cursed under my breath, wiping the excess water from my face. I moved the flashlight over the thick brambles nearby, but the beam couldn’t penetrate far enough into the dark.
A chill crept up my spine. I wasn’t alone.
“Poor little wolf. Nervous, are we?”
I whirled around, gun aimed. Empty darkness greeted me, and I grit my teeth as I willed my pounding heart to calm. “Don’t fucking play with me,” I muttered.
Laughter echoed through the trees. It came from all around me, but the voice that followed sounded as though it were spoken right in my ear, “Oh, Juniper, playing with you isexactlywhat I’m going to do. I’ve just got myself a new pet; it would be awastenot to play with her.”
I didn’t turn. He wouldn’t be there anyway. I lowered the gun, forcing myself to slip it back into its holster despite my twitchy fingers’ desire to pull the trigger. More laughter followed, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw fiery eyes flare to life in the dark.
“Don’t tell me the little wolf isn’t going to bite?”
I turned my head, slowly. Zane stood between the trees, his body giving off enough heat that steam was rising from his skin in the rain. He had one hand leaned against the cedar beside him, and as he stepped toward me, he sliced his claws through the wood and left deep gashes in the bark. I stood my ground as he suddenly increased his speed, moving so fast he seemed to vanish for a split-second. When he reappeared, he was standing over me, one large hand wrapped around my throat, claws digging into my skin.
“Are you ready, Juniper? For a deal sealed in blood?”
I nodded rigidly, trying but failing not to stare at his teeth so close to my face. They were vicious fangs, designed to tear into flesh. A predator’s jaw. I forced my eyes back up to meet his and said, “The terms first. Tell me the terms.”
I knew demons could twist one’s words. Deals with them were risky, because they would do anything to find loopholes around fulfilling their end of the bargain. It suddenly occurred to me that I should have come more prepared. I should have written this down. If I could have afforded a lawyer, I would have had them draw up these terms for me. If any such lawyer existed that wouldn’t think I’d absolutely lost my mind.
But instead, it was just me, my uncertain words, and the demon grinning over me.
“Alright,” he said, not giving me even an inch of breathing room. He was wild tonight, his last efforts at pretending to be human having fallen away. He looked at me with hunger, with rabid desire. “I offer my help, in whatever ways I am able to give it, to destroy the Libiri cult. I offer to not end your mortal life by my own hand. I offer not to cause you harm beyond the harm that you want.”
I considered every word. I tried to find any possible loophole for him to wiggle his way out of, but my mind was preoccupied with the scent of him, so dangerously close. How could I think clearly with his hand around my throat, or with his body pressed against mine? “Part of the deal is that you won’t kill me? Really?”
“It’s a formality,” he said softly. “One you should appreciate.”
“And not causing me harm, except what I want? What the hell is that?”
He grinned, all sharp teeth. “You know exactly what that is. Think of it as a built-in safeword. I won’t hurt you, if you don’t want it.”
I was overthinking, but I couldn’t help it. I was about to sign away mysoul. There was no coming back from this. My heart thundered, as if it wanted to burst from my ribs and run: run from these woods, from this town, this state. Run and run, as I’d been doing for years.
But this would never end if all I could do was run.
“And in exchange?” Zane widened his eyes. “What do you offer, little wolf?”
“My soul,” I said. Then, baring my teeth at the nastiness of it, I said, “And my body, to use as you please, unless you would cause me harm...beyond what I want.”
His claws tightened, and I forced the whimper that wanted to rise out of me back down my throat. “Would you also care to include an offer not to kill me?”
“No. That’s not a promise I’ll make.”
He tsked, shaking his head. “Ooh, dangerous. I’ll never know if you’ll try to murder me when I least suspect it.” He shuddered dramatically. “What a thrill.”
I tried not to look down, but it was hard to avoid the sight of the bulge in his jeans, especially when it was pressed up against me. “You’re one sick fuck.”
“That’s what keeps things entertaining: sick fuckery. Just wait until you get to Hell. We’ve built entire cities around maximizing everything sick and fucked.” He chuckled, and I had the feeling that I was missing out on a joke. Probably because I’d never seen Hell.
I’d never seenhisHell. I’d seen a Hell all my own.
