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As I near the first building, I wonder if maybe I should’ve ran the other way. Sure, that way leads out of Mystic Willow Bay, but this side of town is so sketchy.
What makes the situation worse is that not a damn creature seems to be around. Yet, as I dash past grimy windows and closed doors, the feeling of being watched overcomes me.
“Eva!” Hunter sounds much nearer.
I try to quicken my pace, but I’ve never been much of a runner, and I’m running out of breath. Plus, my shins and lungs are killing me.
God, I really need to start working out more.
A hand lands on my shoulder as I approach the curb. I wrench forward in an attempt to escape, but all the running has weakened me, and I end up tripping over my own feet.
Fortunately, Hunter catches me before I faceplant onto the concrete.
For a snap of an instant, gratitude washes over me. Then he reels me around and backs me up against the warehouse behind us, and just like that, my gratitude flies away on a broom, which yes, we actually do use sometimes.
I sidestep to the right to get away from him, but he shoots his hands out and barricades me between his arms.
Warning alarms fire off inside my brain as he inches closer to me until I barely have any room left to breathe.
“Now, will you please calm down for two seconds and listen to me?” His low, cold tone sends a shiver creeping up my back.
I seal my lips together and stare him down, refusing to answer.
He arches a brow. “Eva, I need you to promise to hear me out all the way through. If you don’t, this is going to look worse than it is.”
I laugh hollowly, my heart splintering apart. “Look worse than it is? Which means what? That it’s bad, yet not as bad as I think?”
He searches my eyes, and then sighs. “Honestly, that’s probably how you’re going to look at it, regardless.”
Another hollow laugh escapes my lips. “Okay, well, please enlighten me, then. Tell me what you’ve done that’s not as bad as I think, yet still pretty bad.”
His lip twitches, either out of amusement or frustration. “You know, you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.”
“I know,” I agree. “But right now, I think I have a pretty good reason for it.”
His lips quirk again, his gaze never wavering from mine. “Perhaps.”
I tap my foot in impatience. “Are you going to explain what’s going on? Or just stand there and internally laugh at me?”
He removes one hand from the wall and scrubs his palm across his jawline, contemplating. “I will, but …” His gaze wanders toward the warehouse and then to the street before conclusively landing back on me. Then he dips his head in, keeping his voice hushed as he says, “I don’t think talking out here is the best idea right now.”
I open my mouth to declare that I’m not going anywhere with him until he explains further when a hiss slithers through the air.
Hunter’s muscles wind tight as he lets out a low, “Fuck.”
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” a deep, male voice asks.
Hunter’s gaze fastens on mine, and in the quietest voice ever, he whispers, “Eva, just know that whatever’s about to happen, you need to trust me.”
Before I can respond, he pushes back from the wall and turns toward the street.
“Carter,” Hunter says with a slight nod of his head. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes, it has,” the voices hisses. “I’ve been wondering what happened to you.”
“Yeah, sorry, I’ve been busy,” Hunter casually replies, sticking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “What’ve you been up to?”
Wanting to put a creature to the hissing voice, I lean to the right. Then instantly regret it.
Standing on the edge of the curb is a guy who looks around Hunter’s age with snow white hair, blue lips, and fiery red eyes.
A demon.
And he’s staring at Hunter like they’re long lost friends.
What the crazy world is going on?
A grin spreads across Carter’s face. “I’ve been looking for you, actually.” His smile grows as his gaze shoots toward me. “I’m glad to see you followed through with your end of the deal. I was worried you weren’t going to.”
I half-expect Hunter to throw me a reassuring look, but his smile mirrors the demon’s.
“Like I would ever stab you in the back.” He reaches back and grabs my arm, dragging me forward. “Of course I followed through with my end of the deal. It just took me longer than I thought, that’s all.”
The demon’s eyes gleam red as he reaches for me. “Good. Then I’m guessing the shield’s down?”
Hunter nods, tugging me toward the demon. “She’s ready to go.”
I dig my heels into the ground and yank back, not like where this is going. “Let me go.”
Hunter tightens his hold and pulls me closer to the demon. “Eva, quit making this difficult.”
My heart feels like it’s being torn to shreds. Hunter, my best friend in the world, is handing me over to a demon. I want to break apart. Collapse to the sidewalk. Scream until my lungs combust. But the will to fight is greater.
I lift my leg to kick Hunter. The damn backstabber is too speedy, though, and easily dodges my lame attempt at hurting him.
“Will you stop it?” Hunter’s fingers constrict around my wrist, and I wince from the light pain. If he feels bad for hurting me, he makes no show of it. “Now, come on; don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.” He lugs me toward the demon, who sticks out his hands greedily.
“Yes, give her to me,” he hisses. “If she is it, then the master will be so pleased. And you’ll be rewarded for taking down the shield.”
“I don’t know what you think I am,” I seethe at the demon as I twist my arm, trying to escape Hunter’s death grip, “but I’m sure as hell not it.”
“We’ll soon find out,” he says, making grabby hands. “Now, give her to me.”
Hunter stops a few inches away from the demon, and then shoves me toward him, still not releasing my arm. Before the demon can grab me, though, I jump backward and practically body check Hunter.
He grunts, and his hold on me loosens. I start to run, but he snags the back of my shirt and hauls me back. Then his arm snakes around my waist while the other circles my chest, trapping my arms to my sides. I then bring my foot up to try to kick his shin again, but he lifts my feet off the ground.
“I guess we’re going to have to do this the hard way, then,” Hunter breathes into my ear as he carries me toward the demon.
With my back trapped against his chest and my legs dangling below me, I can barely move, let alone escape.
“I hate you,” I growl in a pathetic attempt to wound him.
The really sad part is, even knowing he’s about to give me to a demon for whatever reason, I still don’t hate him. My reaction makes me hate myself.
Hunter chuckles at my lameness. “No, you don’t. Not even a little bit.”
Anger floods through me that he knows the truth. “Yes, I do. I hate you so much, Hunter. And I’ll never forgive you for this.”
“Liar,” he whispers in my ear, sounding as though he thinks this conversation is the funniest thing in the magical world.
“Grr …” I fist my hands, wishing I could punch him. “You’re the worst friend ever.”
“That might be true,” he utters under his breath as he stops in front of the demon. “Careful. She’s a little feisty.”
The demon’s eyes illuminate with glee. “Just how I prefer them.” He extends his hands toward me.
I hold my breath, hoping Hunter will step back. However, his feet remain welded to the ground as the demon’s fingers circle my arms.
“Lovely,” the demon purrs as he looks into my eyes. “And so powerful.”
I want to laugh in the demon’s face.
“Powerful? Yeah, you definitely got the wrong girl,” I tell him.
The
demon shakes his head, awe all over his face as he digs his fingernails into my flesh. “You have no idea what you are, do you?”
I open mouth to say … Well, who knows what? I never get to find out because an ear-bursting scream pierces the night, and then the three of us collapse to the ground.
Chapter Six
I lie flat on my stomach, my cheek pressed against the cool concrete, waiting for something insanely crazy to happen next, like the ground splitting open, or a hairy monster beast gobbling me up. But the air completely stills.
Opening my eyes, I look around at the empty street in front of me, and then to my right where the demon lies. His head is angled toward me, his arms and legs limply sprawled across the ground.
“Well, this sucks.” The demon’s lips move like a puppet, his eyes open and lifeless.
“Are you dead?” I whisper, not daring to move.
The demon gives me a dirty look. “Thanks to you, I am.”
