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weren’t close. But if they really did kick her out when she got pregnant, I understand why she wouldn’t want to see them.”
     
    “Well, at least we know why Gran didn’t seem to mind us burying my brother here or the fact that you’re dating a hellhound.”
     
    “I think she’s relieved I’m dating a hellhound, me being marked and all. She’s probably glad I didn’t bring home a zombie.”
     
    His chest shook against my back as he chuckled. “I’m way better looking than a zombie. And I won’t eat your brains.”
     
    I groaned and looked up at the sky.
     
    “Hey. No more of this marked stuff. Who cares that some Prince of Hell laid claim to you when you were a baby? It doesn’t make you evil. It makes you a target.”
     
    “Then how come everyone else is dying and not me?”
     
    “You’ve had your turn with that too,” he said, his voice going hoarse.
     
    I turned in his arms and buried my face in his neck. “I’m tired of people dying.”
     
    “Yeah, babe. Me too.”
     
    I pulled back. “It just makes me more determined to release those souls. Not only will it bring them peace, but it will take away some of Beelzebub’s power. Maybe once some of his power is gone he won’t bother with us because he’ll be so busy trying to get it back.”
     
    “Which means collecting more souls.”
     
    “That could take years and years. Gemma thinks this will set him back for a very long time.”
     
    “I know you’re scared and anxious, Hev, but this isn’t something we’re going to be able to do overnight. It’s going to take time to find them. Hell is a very big place.”
     
    “I know.” I pulled back to start pacing. “But I can’t help but feel this urgency. This need to get it done quickly. Who knows how long Beelzebub and Hecate will stay trapped?”
     
    “Riley has a lot of faults, but I do think he would at least tell us if Beelzebub got out.”
     
    “And Kimber still has no powers, so we know Hecate’s are still bound,” I said, thinking about the fact that my BFF made a deal with Hecate, Queen of Witches, to become a witch. All she had to do was betray me—which she did gladly. When we bound Hecate’s powers, it bound Kimber’s too. Much to her annoyance.
     
    “See?” Sam said reassuringly. “We have some time.”
     
    Yes. But how much?
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Four
     
    The Vile
     
    The sounds of gunshots followed by the tortured wail of a woman were like music to my ears. I smiled, walking down the sidewalk of a rundown neighborhood. The riffraff on the street corner eyed me menacingly, stuffing their hands into the oversized hoodies that hung from their too-thin frames.
     
    I met their eyes in challenge. Let them pull whatever weapon they harbored. It would be no match for my bare hands. I continued by, no one yet daring to cross me. Even though they wanted to.
     
    My fine clothes and expensive watch all but made these hungry thugs drool. These men and women were hungry here. Hungry to feed their empty bellies and their empty souls.
     
    It is here that I collect.
     
    I gather.
     
    I paused at the corner, pretending to bend down to adjust my shoe and allowing the thick black cashmere coat to fall around me, creating a curtain, presumably hiding my eyes from anyone daring enough to attempt to rob the rich guy who didn’t see it coming.
     
    Just as suspected, someone stood from their perch and rushed me. A silver gun glinted in his steady hand. Before he could shoot, I had him pinned on the ground and the gun pointed at his head.
     
    “I… I didn’t mean nothin’, man,” the kid said, his eyes darting between me and the gun.
     
    I smiled, allowing my teeth to show and the glamour that covered them to slip. The kid made an embarrassing squealing sound and wet himself.
     
    I shook my head. “You’re the only one who had the guts to rush me and you ruin it by pissing your