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My mind couldn’t unsee the truth beneath the glamour. The frat boy laving at her demon flesh, though, he hadn’t missed a beat. He was too busy kissing down her stomach that he didn’t even seem to notice the change.
My stomach rolled dangerously, and I swallowed hard, fighting back the bile rising in the back of my throat. Leo’s strong fingers squeezed my arm tighter, hard enough to hurt. I’d definitely have bruises after that, but at least they’d blend nicely with the others I’d acquired over the last few days.
I yanked my arm, breaking free of his grip. I had no doubt that was only because he let me go, but that wasn’t my main concern at that moment.
“Give me my brother,” I demanded, keeping my voice surprisingly even.
Before she could respond, a familiar chime filled the air and the devil pixie appeared at her side.
“Anya, so nice of you to join us,” Petra said, not bothering with so much as a glance in her direction. She flicked her fingers toward me. “I thought you took care of this.” Her voice had a playful edge to it, but the underlying threat was unmistakable.
The pixie’s gaze darted between us. “I did. I sent her back to the beach.” Confusion twisted her features and her wings ticked erratically. “How did you get here?” She turned to Petra. “There’s no way she made it this far without help.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her and tilted my head. “There’s no way I survived a little nature walk? Please. I’ve been to petting zoos that are more dangerous than this place.”
Anya whirled on me, snarling like a rabid ferret.
“Come at me, glitter bitch. I’ve had hours to imagine all the different things I can do to those pretty wings of yours after I rip them off your back.”
Was it smart to taunt a vicious pixie who had an immortal demon as a bestie? Probably not, but I couldn’t help taking a twisted kind of pleasure in how easy it was to get a rise out of her.
Petra raised a hand, stopping the angry little bug from flying at me. “As much as I would enjoy watching you two battle it out, I’m afraid time is of the essence.”
“Give me my brother.”
“No.” Petra’s response was immediate and curt, leaving no room for negotiation.
Luckily, I was prepared for something like that. “Then let him go and take me instead.” Leo stiffened beside me, but I ignored him. “If all you need is a soul, you can take mine, but only if you send him home unharmed.”
Her black eyes narrowed, and she studied me, like she was measuring me up to see if I would make an acceptable replacement. “That is quite an offer. So selfless.”
“Do we have a deal?” I asked firmly. I didn’t want to make the deal. Who would? But if it was the price I had to pay to keep Matty safe, I’d pay it.
Her alluring chuckle sent a chill through me. “I’m afraid you’re not really my type.” She motioned to the frat boy pressing wet kisses down her leg, as if that explained everything.
Which, with a minute to consider the situation, it did. What that meant for my brother though, the implication, set my blood to boiling. “He’s just a kid.”
Petra smiled knowingly. “Not to worry. It takes time to cultivate the young men who come here into these strapping specimens.” She threaded her fingers through the guy’s hair and tugged, pulling him up to look in his eyes. “It’ll be years before I…” She licked her lips like she wanted to devour the guy whole. “Take him.”
Her phrasing made me recoil. Bile threatened again, searing the back of my throat with its bitter fire. The weight of my blade, neatly tucked in my jeans at my hip, grew heavier with each passing second. Maybe if I stabbed her when she was in human form like that it would do some damage. I had managed to hurt her in my world, after all. But then how would I find Matty? I hadn’t seen him anywhere, hadn’t even heard his voice.
I swallowed hard and recentered my focus. “Can I at least see him?” I held out my hands. “I just want to see that he’s okay.”
“Of course,” she said, catching me off guard with the ease of her acquiescence. She let go of the frat boy’s hair and he dipped his head automatically, resuming his oral exploration of the demon in goddess form. She motioned to Leo. “Fetch the boy.”
He turned and stalked off without a word. When he was out of sight, Petra flicked her wrist and a great round table appeared, stacked high with more trays of food than I could count, each more fragrant and delectable than the next. I recognized a few of the dishes, sort of: roasted, stuffed bird of some kind, freshly seared fish, a rainbow-colored selection of every fruit and vegetable imaginable, and four trays fully dedicated to sweets that looked like they’d come from the snooty bakery across town.
My stomach grumbled when the mixture of mouthwatering scents hit me, loud enough for Petra to hear, apparently.
“Please, have some.” She motioned to the table.
Yes, I was starving, but I wasn’t born yesterday. “No thanks. I’m on a pretty strict diet. No sugar, no caffeine, and nothing conjured from thin air by a demon.”
She ignored my rebuttal because Leo was coming back through the trees with my brother close on his heels. My heart leapt at the sight of him. He was walking with another boy who looked a few years older, laughing and smiling, until his gaze landed on the food.
He started for the table, then paused and glanced around. His eyes skated right over me like I wasn’t even there and settled on Petra. “Can I?” he asked, motioning to the table.
Her eyes had changed at some point, lightening to a stunning shade of teal. “Of course, handsome. That’s what it’s there for.” She waved a hand at the others. “Everyone, dig in.”
