The demon smiled at me and then sliced down the inside of Samael’s arm.
Samael leaned close. “You smell familiar, little witch.”
I swallowed. If he connected me to the witch who stole from him six months ago, I’d soon be begging for death.
“Yeah, I get that a lot. Guess I’ve just got a generic scent to me.”
Silence stretched between us. I loathed demons. Always had, always would. Yet something aboutthisdemon made everything feminine and needy inside me sit up and take notice.
That’s what demons do. They take your desire and twist it, until you can’t tell where you end and they begin.
Samael gave me a slow smile that was all twisted sheets and hot, sweaty bodies. “There’s nothing generic about you.”
I didn’t needSamaelfinding me interesting in any way. “I’m just a basic witch,” I mumbled.
He inhaled my scent again. “There’s nothing basic about you either.”
I was pretty sure that wasn’t a compliment, but before I could ask, he pressed his arm to mine, and I was engulfed in fire.
It ripped through me and I fell to my knees, my arm still in the demon’s hand. His eyes burned into mine, his expression hard as tears dripped down my cheeks. I grit my teeth and forced myself to stand, glowering at him.
The demon’s eyes glowed. “I’m going to enjoy this,” he said. He removed his hand, and I breathed around the urge to puke.
Gold twined up my left forearm in an intricate design. It danced in the dim light like it was alive. On anyone else, the shimmering color would be beautiful. Onmeit marked me as Samael’s. My hands itched with the urge to grab the knife and slice it off.
“It would reappear on your scarred flesh,” Samael said softly, warning dripping over every word.
I was barely holding onto my sanity. I stared at my arm, my whole body trembling. “You can read my mind?”
He shook his head. “I can read your face, little witch. You’ll have to do better if you are investigating creatures who’ve been alive since before your great grandparents were born.”
With that, he glanced at Sitri, who nodded. Samael swept out, and Sitri’s gaze dropped between me and the body.
“Samael’s second will be in touch tomorrow,” he said. “For now, I think it’s time for you to leave.”
I stayed where I was, glancing down at the body on the floor.
“I want the arrow.”
The demon tilted his head, and I stared him down. “Whoever killed Vercan did it so he couldn’t answer my questions. I need to find out who it was.”
I had the other arrow, safe at home. But I wanted this one too. The more evidence, the better.
“I don’t think so. Vercan may have been an annoyance, but he was one of ours.”
Sitri crouched down and cut the arrow from Vercan’s body. Fine. At least I had the other arrow. And I sure wouldn’t be mentioning it to these guys. The demon clutched the arrow in his hand, ignoring the dripping blood as he gestured for me to follow him out of the alcove.
My face burned. Every eye was on me, and I forced myself not to hunch my shoulders, wishing I had a jacket to cover the mark on my arm.
I’d bet there was another exit closer to that back alcove. Samael was using me as an example to anyone else who thought to cross him.“See what happens to people who fuck with me? They’re publicly humiliated.”
I breathed out, staring each demon in the eye as I passed. For the next two weeks, they couldn’t touch me.
“It had to be done,” Sitri said. “This protects you too.”
I sneered at him. “Protects me? My reputation is now dirt.”
“But you’re alive.” He shook his head at my expression. “Humans. Your constant emotions must be exhausting.”
