“Samael did. As soon as he saw me land without you, he almost killed me.”
“I handled it.”
Vas shook his head and turned away as the elevator doors opened. We were on the floor with the gym. The floor where I practiced my wards. I didn’t have it in me to argue. I just followed Vas into the room where Samael liked to get under my skin.
I pushed my hair off my face. “Ramiel… he was trying everything he could to fight against the impulse. Someone was using him like a puppet.”
Vas lifted his gaze from where he’d been examining the floor, retribution stark in his eyes. “Yes.”
“How much power would it take to do that to a high demon?
“A lot. Samael could do it. He probably wouldn’t even break a sweat.”
I shivered at that. “Who else?”
“Maybe Ag, before he was weakened. Bael couldmaybehold a demon for a few minutes, but I doubt he could make one attack like that. I’ll ask around. Find a list of demons. But anyone powerful enough to enslave one of us is loyal to Samael. At least in this realm.”
I nodded absently. “So it’s definitely the witches then.”
“Witches can’t enslave us.”
“They’re doing it, Vas. The descendants of the McCormick coven have figured out exactly how to enslave and kill demons, and it’s only going to get worse if we don’t stop them.”
A dull flush worked its way up Vas’s face and his hands fisted. “We’ll stop them. You can count on that.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I need to get back. Samael asked you to wait here,” he said. I didn’t argue, walking to the window where I stared down at the demons gathered below. Their heads were bowed as two of Samael’s men lifted the body.
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Kill me.
I flinched and turned away. All I could see was Ramiel’s face as he begged me to kill him. I couldn’t sit, so I paced the room restlessly. It took an incredible amount of power to bespell a demon. The McCormick descendants had an end-game in mind, so why waste that power attempting to kill me?
Was it less about me, and more about damaging the demons’ reputation? The recordings of that fight would be streamed around the world. Anyone watching it would see a huge, feral demon attacking a much smaller woman. Never mind that I could’ve killed him several times before Samael stepped in. Optics were everything.
“You were nearly killed today.”
I froze. Something about Samael’s voice warned me to tread carefully.
I turned as he entered the room. His wings were hidden once again. “I incapacitated the demon who attacked me. I could have killed him at any time. Maybe you should consider that a warning.”
I’d never treaded carefully in my life. Why start now?
Unsurprisingly, Samael paid no attention to my tough talk. Instead, he prowled close, catching my chin in his strong fingers.
“Hey!”
“You’re only alive because that demon was too young to have come into his powers.”
I didn’t bother pulling against his hold. Samael was in amoodand the winged menace would let go when he chose to.
“If he’d been able to control his powers, the compulsion spell wouldn’t have worked on him. I’m guessing there’s a limit to the witches’ spell, otherwise they’d be trapping demons like Bael andyouin their compulsion.”
“You still can’t control your wards.”
“I’m getting better. I used my magic to throw him away from me.”
He scoffed and I suppressed the urge to headbutt him.
“Not good enough. If you’d tried harder, that demon wouldn’t have been able to get close to you. You’re barely making any progress. Your fear continues to get in the way of your potential.”
“I’m not afraid of my own power.”
