My mind was racing, but I had nothing. I was cornered.
“I almost forgot.” He held out his hand. “Give me your electronics. Now.”
I handed over my phone, and he slowly shook his head. “I know exactly how many of your human devices are in this hovel. And if I feel you use your power, I’ll make sure Amy here dies screaming for you.”
It was a solid threat. I didn’t know if he couldreallyfeel me use my power or if he was bluffing, but I sure as hell couldn’t risk it. Frustration warred with my terror as I nodded, heading into my bedroom. I opened my closet door and closed it a couple of times. Hopefully it sounded as if I was looking for something. I used my other hand to strap on my knife sheath. My hand shook, and it took several tries before I finally covered it with my sweatpants.
I sucked in a deep, steadying breath and grabbed the laptops. It took everything I had to walk back toward the assassin and watch as he turned them to ash.
“Come,” he told me when he was finished burning everything.
Where the fuck was the demon sentry? I opened my mouth, attempting to stall, but Daimonion raised his hand warningly. He’d do it. He’d burn this place to the ground, and Amy would die.
I stepped out of my apartment. Daimonion laughed in delight.
Then he slammed his fist into my bruised face. Not hard enough to knock me out, but hard enough to make my knees give way. The world spun around me, and I was barely aware of him throwing me over his shoulder as he stalked down the stairs and out of my bar.
And there was the sentry. I didn’t recognize him, but Daimonion had burned him just enough to kill him, leaving his face untouched. He lay outside my bar, where he’d clearly attempted to prevent the assassin from reaching me.
I swallowed a sob, and Daimonion shifted me into his arms, his feathers tickling my face. I heard those invisible wings snap open, and we were suddenly in the air.
Was he going to drop me? Leave my body crumpled and broken on the ground for Vas to find? I’d pushed his vision of my death out of my mind, refusing to think about it. Now, it haunted me.
It was after three a.m. The streets were mostly empty. I gazed below us, shuddering as my mind turned blank with fear.
We landed, and Daimonion opened his arms, dumping me on the ground. I hit the pavement with a groan.
He gazed around us, ignoring a human couple who were walking past, hand in hand, likely returning home from a bar. They slid their glances the other way, obviously unwilling to get involved. I reached out with my power, aiming for their phones.
And Daimonion slammed his booted foot into my midsection.
The humans took one look at us and ran for their lives.
I couldn’t blame them.
“Why?” I groaned. “Why are you doing this?”
“Why?”Daimonion stripped off his trench coat. Beneath it, he was shirtless. And his entire upper body was covered in deep scars. Parts of his muscles were…missing, as if he’d caught some disease that was eating away at his flesh.
“Look, witch,” he hissed. “Look at what your lover did to me.”
I understood the trench coat now. The scars wound up his neck, teasing at his jaw. Soon, his face would look the same.
“It was a war,” I attempted. “You killed his uncle.”
Daimonion just cocked his leg once more. I rolled away.
He allowed it. “Get up.”
I slowly got to my feet, taking a good look around. He smiled at me. “Vassago killed a group of humans here. For you. And yet the golden boy had no punishment from hisking,” he spat. “This is a fitting place for you to die. But not before you suffer.”
I glanced to the left. Nero’s house. What was left of it. His rivals had obviously broken in as soon as they learned he was dead. The windows were smashed, the door left open.
My entire body seized, and I took a deep breath. If I panicked, I was dead. I had to stall. Had to cost him time. Time for help to arrive.
“He has hunted me relentlessly.” Daimonion droned on, airing his grievances. “It wasn’t enough that he didthisto me,” he spat, indicating his ruined body. “He also made sure my former allies wouldn’t think of helping me.”
“You killed his parents. And his uncle.”
