Pamala ignored the question. Footsteps sounded on the pavement. She sighed. “Looks like it’s two hostages then.”
Something shifted behind Harper, and Nico launched out of the dark, a broken piece of wood in his hand. There was a squelch and a grunt of exertion. Labored breathing.
Ollie couldn’t take it. He looked.
Nico had run Pamala through with the wood, lodging it firmly in her chest, below her breasts, blood spreading across her shirt. She snarled and ripped the wood out, tossing it away.
Nico frantically wove his magic, hands flashing.
Something hot flared over Ollie’s skin, and he jolted.
“Sorry,” Harper whispered. “That heat is a shield. I don’t know how it’ll hold up against a demon, but it’s better than nothing.”
Pamala spat blood. “Missed my heart. You could have had me out for a good minute if you had better aim.”
“Run,” Nico called.
Ollie wanted to run, but he couldn’t leave Nico behind, even if he had no magic or hope of fighting a demon.
Harper didn’t flee either. Instead, he raised his arms and water from the gutter flew into the air. He said something too fast for Ollie to make out and the water rushed toward Pamala, transforming with a hiss.
Steam hit her face and she yelped, her yellow magic flaring. Nico hit her with whatever spell he’d been working, but the blow was met with another yellow glow, seeming to deflect whatever Nico was trying to do.
A shout sounded from above. In a rush of air, Dante landed beside Ollie, followed swiftly by Ash, carrying Onyx. Dante’sgaze ran over Ollie, relief written all over his face, but he didn’t linger. In a flash, he had Pamala in a headlock.
“Keep away from my mate,” Dante growled in her ear.
“Mate?” Pamala squeaked, sounding scared for the first time.
“Yes, you heard me. Ollie is my bonded mate. Why are you attacking him and his companions?”
“I’m sorry.” Pamala struggled, but Dante didn’t let her up.
Nico retreated, grabbing Ollie and checking him over while Harper rushed to Ash’s side.
Was Onyx unconscious? After what Pamala had endured, that seemed impossible. What had happened? Dante was covered in flecks of blood.
“I didn’t know he was your mate. I swear,” Pamala said desperately, a curtain of hair obscuring her face as it fell out of Ollie’s carefully placed pins. “You sent the shearwaters to protect him the day Lillian and Maxwell disappeared. I followed the birds and figured he must be important enough for you to make a trade, but I never…”
“A trade for what?” Dante asked, his gaze finding Ollie, eyes burning.
“Your human—your mate—said you banished my friends to the Realm of the Damned. I want them back. We just want to be free. You’ll never hear from us again, I promise.”
To Ollie’s surprise, Dante released Pamala. She straightened, brushing back her hair, but made no other move.
Dante crossed his arms. “You wanted to trade Ollie for your friends’ return?”
“Yes, but I’d never have done so if I’d known he was yourmate. A connection that sacred shouldn’t be exploited. Even knowing you have a mate is… It’s a miracle. After so long, it didn’t even cross my mind. I thought we were doomed.” Pamala’s whole demeanor seemed to change, looking between Dante and Ollie with frantic awe.
Nico took a bold step toward her. Or at least it was bold to Ollie. Pamala might have had a drastic change of heart, but she was still dangerous.
“How did you get into the casino?” Nico asked.
Pamala blinked, focusing on Nico like he’d pulled her from the depths of her mind. “It wasn’t difficult. I hypnotized the bouncers into believing I was on their approved guest list.”
“But they’re vampires,” Nico argued. “They aren’t susceptible to hypnosis like the rest of us.”
“They aren’t susceptible to othervampirehypnosis,” Pamala corrected. “I’m a demon. The bloodsuckers may have stolen the power from us, but they never could achieve our strength.”
