answers.
But quickly. He needed to get to Sadie’s side.
Theo stood on the slab of granite surrounded by liquid fire, deep in the bowels of Hades. He hated personally bringing demons here, but he had to get answers.
The black-eyed demon watched him pace a small circle.
“Speak.” Theo’s voice boomed, despite the vast emptiness surrounding them.
The demon rested his head on the granite floor.
“You are in allegiance with Agares.”
The evil being flinched.
Ah, Theo had hit a nerve. He drew out the second Mavet and squatted beside the pile of demon scum. The tip of the weapon pricked the monster’s cheek. A black bead of demon blood formed around the metal, then dribbled down.
“I know the holy blade singes your insides. If you speak, I will make this quick. If not…” He let his voice trail off.
Sure, the vanquishing words he would speak would bring eternal damnation to this creature, but how the thing got there was his choice.
Hopefully, he would talk.
“How did Aggie break the binding and escape from this place?” Another dig with the blade, and the demon grunted. Muscles bunched along his jawline.
“Why did you target the girl?” Theo fully breached the chest cavity with the dagger, piercing the heart. The holy blessings on the blade were like acid to demons. Burning. Tormenting. But mostly making them relive their transgressions fifty-fold.
“You cannot.” He gasped. “Be allowed.” Another sharp inhale. “To join.”
So, it was true. They knew about Sadie, Theo’s fated Ahavah.
He turned the blade, and the demon grunted.
After what felt like hours of unanswered questions and torture, Theo left the mutilated monster with the final words: Reverto ut Abyssus.
The demon vanished, and Theo slid the back of his hand over his sweating brow. Damn it. If only he’d gotten more insight. Aggie was up to something. Found a way out of Hades despite Theo’s binding. Yet he sent this peon demon after Sadie. Why? What could—
Shit. This was a distraction.
Chapter Eight
Sadie had never felt such agony. She’d never had children, but she’d heard how horrific the pain was.
This had to be worse.
She fought the urge to scratch at her wound. It was safely hidden by the sweater she’d snagged from her bag, so she didn’t need to let on to anyone how bad the cut really was. Damn thing didn’t bleed, almost as if it’d been instantly cauterized, but it was deep.
“Calm yourself, Sadie. Breathe.” The stranger she now knew as Justin finally stopped pacing and sat beside her.
“What the hell is wrong with me? What was that thing?” She writhed in the security office waiting room seat.
Campus security was taking their sweet time getting Dasha’s statement. They hadn’t taken Sadie’s yet, but she didn’t think she’d make it at the rate this cut was deteriorating. Those claws had to be poisonous.
Claws and fangs. Sadie knew she hadn’t imagined it, but it wasn’t like she could tell anyone that a creature cut her. No, it was smarter to play this injury down until she could get Justin alone and get some answers.
“I’m sorry for how much you’re hurting right now. I don’t have my brother’s healing ability. And I can’t reach him at the moment.”
“Healing, huh? That’d come in handy about now. What is he, a doctor or something?”
He grunted at her sarcasm. “You could say that. But he can fix your cut. He’s actually the only one who can.”
His coy smile alluded to a deeper meaning, but she was using every bit of her energy to stave off the scream that was scratching to burst from her throat.
“Where’d your brother go? He was with you, then he was gone when that…um…that thing—”
“Shhh.” Justin glanced around. “Not here. Just breathe, Sadie. Focus. I know you can. You’re strong. The way you kicked Theo’s ass, I know you have it in you.”
“Theo.” The name slid off her tongue as if she’d been saying it for years. Like she’d never not
But quickly. He needed to get to Sadie’s side.
Theo stood on the slab of granite surrounded by liquid fire, deep in the bowels of Hades. He hated personally bringing demons here, but he had to get answers.
The black-eyed demon watched him pace a small circle.
“Speak.” Theo’s voice boomed, despite the vast emptiness surrounding them.
The demon rested his head on the granite floor.
“You are in allegiance with Agares.”
The evil being flinched.
Ah, Theo had hit a nerve. He drew out the second Mavet and squatted beside the pile of demon scum. The tip of the weapon pricked the monster’s cheek. A black bead of demon blood formed around the metal, then dribbled down.
“I know the holy blade singes your insides. If you speak, I will make this quick. If not…” He let his voice trail off.
Sure, the vanquishing words he would speak would bring eternal damnation to this creature, but how the thing got there was his choice.
Hopefully, he would talk.
“How did Aggie break the binding and escape from this place?” Another dig with the blade, and the demon grunted. Muscles bunched along his jawline.
“Why did you target the girl?” Theo fully breached the chest cavity with the dagger, piercing the heart. The holy blessings on the blade were like acid to demons. Burning. Tormenting. But mostly making them relive their transgressions fifty-fold.
“You cannot.” He gasped. “Be allowed.” Another sharp inhale. “To join.”
So, it was true. They knew about Sadie, Theo’s fated Ahavah.
He turned the blade, and the demon grunted.
After what felt like hours of unanswered questions and torture, Theo left the mutilated monster with the final words: Reverto ut Abyssus.
The demon vanished, and Theo slid the back of his hand over his sweating brow. Damn it. If only he’d gotten more insight. Aggie was up to something. Found a way out of Hades despite Theo’s binding. Yet he sent this peon demon after Sadie. Why? What could—
Shit. This was a distraction.
Chapter Eight
Sadie had never felt such agony. She’d never had children, but she’d heard how horrific the pain was.
This had to be worse.
She fought the urge to scratch at her wound. It was safely hidden by the sweater she’d snagged from her bag, so she didn’t need to let on to anyone how bad the cut really was. Damn thing didn’t bleed, almost as if it’d been instantly cauterized, but it was deep.
“Calm yourself, Sadie. Breathe.” The stranger she now knew as Justin finally stopped pacing and sat beside her.
“What the hell is wrong with me? What was that thing?” She writhed in the security office waiting room seat.
Campus security was taking their sweet time getting Dasha’s statement. They hadn’t taken Sadie’s yet, but she didn’t think she’d make it at the rate this cut was deteriorating. Those claws had to be poisonous.
Claws and fangs. Sadie knew she hadn’t imagined it, but it wasn’t like she could tell anyone that a creature cut her. No, it was smarter to play this injury down until she could get Justin alone and get some answers.
“I’m sorry for how much you’re hurting right now. I don’t have my brother’s healing ability. And I can’t reach him at the moment.”
“Healing, huh? That’d come in handy about now. What is he, a doctor or something?”
He grunted at her sarcasm. “You could say that. But he can fix your cut. He’s actually the only one who can.”
His coy smile alluded to a deeper meaning, but she was using every bit of her energy to stave off the scream that was scratching to burst from her throat.
“Where’d your brother go? He was with you, then he was gone when that…um…that thing—”
“Shhh.” Justin glanced around. “Not here. Just breathe, Sadie. Focus. I know you can. You’re strong. The way you kicked Theo’s ass, I know you have it in you.”
“Theo.” The name slid off her tongue as if she’d been saying it for years. Like she’d never not
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