A Tor’Oth.
A scream pierces the night.
Sable.
The materialization hurtles me so fast through the manor that my head spins, and I’m unsteady on my feet when I appear in her bedroom.
The mass is on top of her on the floor, blood coating her face, and I don’t hesitate to shove it off her. Then I wrap my arms around the soul sucker and transport us as far as my powers can take me from Sable.
The Tor’Oth’s fangs sharpen and sink into my shoulder, and I feel faint as soon as it tries to drink the soul from my body. In a few minutes, Sable will be free of me. I’ll go back to Hell.
No.
Sable will be stuck here herself, and I’m not done with her yet.
I shove the beast off and smash my fist through its chest, wrapping my fingers around its black, decaying heart as it thrashes, growing still when I yank the organ from its body and crush it in my hand.
If this was a full-grown, mature Tor’Oth, I’d be done for—but it wasn’t here for me. It went straight for Sable.
I stare at the thing as it goes up in flames in the dirt, and I toss the blood-covered heart onto the burning corpse, gasping for air as I fall back a few steps.
My shoulder burns from its bite—I need to pull the venom out or I’m going to be in big trouble. It’s dead, which will only cause more of them to come and investigate. But if I hadn’t killed it, it might’ve killed me then taken Sable.
I wasn’t going to let that happen.
I freeze all over when I realize something.
My safety was never my concern. But hers was.
Tony whistles dramatically. “Hope you’re ready for more of those fuckers. They’ve been searching for the disturbance that caused two demons to escape. Me and you, by the way, if thatwasn’t clear. And then when residue was picked up a few days ago, it was able to be traced. They want the door closed.”
I frown. “The door?”
“The one I can walk in and out of without the big dog knowing because Sable broke the seal on the gates when you were summoned. The big dog wants them closed and fully sealed. Anyone can pass into Hell, but no one’s ever meant to leave without permission.”
“Why did it attack Sable?” I ask, kicking its remains so it turns to ash at my feet.
My head snaps up.
And since the residue is already everywhere and the gates of Hell are wide open, I don’t think twice about materializing into Sable’s bedroom. She’s gasping as she presses a towel to her midsection.
It hurt her. Clawed at her stomach.
Rage bubbles in me, and I try not to let my anger take over as she winces.
My teeth grind to dust, and I wish I hadn’t killed it so fast.
“It’s burning.” She gasps, hunching over.
A curse drops from my mouth as she falls forward, and I catch her in my arms, lifting her carefully and carrying her to the bed. After laying her down, I move hair from her sweating, feverish face.
“W-what was that?” she asks, tears puddling in her eyes.
“A Tor’Oth.”
She hisses as I take the towel from her hands and away from the wound.
“Are you hurt anywhere else?”
