He sighs, glancing away. “We’ve known each other a long time, Dimitri. You think I didn’t notice your little display when you left? It’s either incredibly childish or completely unintentional. Explain. Now.”
I hold up my hands in surrender. “Told you I was cursed. Nothing to do with nothing. It’s fine. I’m getting it sorted.”
“How, exactly? Because the last time I checked, it’s been a long time since a demon was cursed. It’s more likely you’re getting punished for…something. What’d you do? Did you rig Ludo’s room to play bagpipes again? Or fuck with the Fates down in Underworld? You know how they hate that.” He huffs as he runs his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, you didn’t link dimensions again so they’d all have electrical storms every thirteen minutes, did you?”
I sigh with a grin. “Ah, those were good times. But no. Sadly, I haven’t done anything other than help Triton with the newbies, run interference for you with Ludo, and be sent topside every other hour. Other than that, I ain’t done nothin’, I swear.”
He doesn’t buy my act. He gives me a stern look and his nostrils flare. I brace myself for the lecture or the yelling. I’m never quite sure what I’ll get with Omen. He’s got a short fuse, and his patience lasts about seven minutes before he’s done. Instead, his brows pull low.
“As someone who just went through the pain of hopping dimensions with no recharge in between, I know you’ve got to be running on empty. If you keep going?—”
“I’mnot going anyway. It’s not like I have a choice. Hell, half the time I was up there was spent in a godsdamn closet, Omen. This isn’t a case of summoning. The universe is just knocking me around. Something’ll give soon, and I’ll be fine. You just worry about what you’re going to do with your little witch. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a?—”
My stomach lurches, but I’m already in the void. I crumple to the floor in front of Mari and groan. She screams a curse at me, and my hearing goes out. There’s a slight hum, yet nothing else. I stare up at her from my back, unable to move my limbs. It takesme a minute to realize she’s on her knees, tears streaming down her blotchy face.
I croak out what I think is a question, but I’m pretty sure it’s just grunts. Whatever happened between now and when Omen called, it wasn’t good. I roll my eyes around the room and take in the destruction.
Was she robbed? Attacked? Punished because of my presence?
Storm clouds gather on the ceiling, and I inhale deeply through my nose. I still can’t move, but my magic can. Flickers of lightning dance within the shrouded darkness. When rain splatters across my face, I squeeze my eyes shut. I couldn’t stop this if I wanted to. And I desperately want to. Flooding Mari’s house will only add more bullshit to her plate.
A crack of thunder has her flinching. She throws her body over mine, though I don’t know why. I forget how much she doesn’t know about demons. Clearly, she has no idea this is all me. The storm can’t hurt me. I could swim through an electrified pond with no repercussions. She, on the other hand, could die.
My fingertips prickle, the sensation traveling slowly up my arms. Wind whips around the room, sending her hair flying. Her scent washes over me, and I groan internally. I need to break this curse if only to keep her away from me. She’s temptation wrapped in a prickly exterior. If I keep getting thrown in her path, I don’t know where things will lead. While I don’t have the same reservations as Omen about witches, Mari doesn’t want to even associate with me, much less do anything else.
Bitterness crashes into me, and the rain stops, the wind dies away, and the lightning fizzles out. Black clouds laced with purple roil overhead. The thunder rumbles constantly. I can’t turn everything off at once. I don’t really know if I want to. It’s comforting in a way little else is. Too often my mind takes off, never allowing me a moment’s peace. The calming presence of astorm gives my thoughts breathing room. It allows me tothink—to just be.
Mari’s nails dig into my side. The small bite of pain allows logic to sneak back in. I can’t leave her to be hurt merely because I find the circumstances calming.
I pull in a deep breath and focus on the strand of magic careening inside me. Seizing it with my mind isn’t easy, and I lose my grip on the rain. Mari’s voice filters through the low hum, and I can finally make out her muttered curse. Or maybe it’s a spell. Either way, there’s a lot of fucks thrown in.
She sits back and stares at the ceiling. Somehow she’s created a shield between us and the wetness. At least her house won’t flood now. An ache blooms in my chest, but I can finally move my arms. I press the heels of my hands into my eyes and concentrate on pulling the magic back. Loud pops echo through the space, but I refuse to look until every last piece is contained within me.
Silence blankets the room. Not even my harsh breath can be heard. I don’t know if Mari fled. She should if she hasn’t. I open my mouth to tell her to go, yet nothing comes out. Electricity coalesces within my gut, forming a ball of magic that spits and sparks. I won’t be able to hold it back for long before I need to expel some.
“Mari,” I croak as pins and needles shoot up my legs.
I drop my hands to peek at the damage I caused, and I’m met with total blackness. No moon. No sun. No lights. We must be in the deepest part of the night. Exhaling gently, I loosen the tiniest bit of magic and let it illuminate the room. It takes me longer than it should to sit up.
If I thought the place looked destroyed before, it’s nothing like it is now. I wince, both at the tightness of my muscles and the mess I caused.
“Fuck. I’m sorry,” I say, then glance toward where I last saw her.
My heart stops.
Sprawled across the floor with purple strands covering her face is Mari. And she isn’t moving. I thought she ran. It would’ve been the smart thing to do. I shake off the shock and rush to her side. Gently, I roll her over and breathe a sigh of relief when her chest rises and falls shallowly. Humans have pulses, but I have no idea how to check them.
“Fuck,” I snarl.
Her skin shimmers as a web of electricity covers her. I don’t know how to help her. Now would be a great time for my curse to work in my favor. I could whisk her off to Hell and find someone to wake her up.
Clara. She’s a witch. She’d know what to do. Except I can’t leave this plane without a path through the void. My hands hover over her, indecision rendering me useless.
“Come on, spitfire,” I whisper, my fingers brushing hers.
Her eyes fly open with a gasp. I jolt away as her back arches, a strangled cry leaving her. Her gaze snaps to mine, rage flaring to life, and I hold up my hands in surrender.
“Bastard,” she spits out. “Fucking demons.”
