She stiffens, shock flashing in her eyes, and the world goes dark.
Ishould be dead.
That’s usually what happens when someone’s hit by lightning. Except I’m perfectly fine. A little energized, perhaps. My skin tingles and my heart thrums in my chest, but it’s still beating. It could be from the adrenaline of hitting a demon over the head with a cast-iron skillet. It’s not as easy to wield as the movies suggest.
I drop the heavy pan and lift my hands in front of my face. “Sparkly. Huh.”
Dimitri screams out my name, anguish and despair wrapping around his words and filling the void between us. I should tell him I’m okay. I open my mouth to reassure him. Instead, black clouds swirl around me, then pour down my throat. Coughs wrack my body, and I double over until I realize I can still breathe.
I straighten and realize Dimitri’s still raging. I can barely make out his shadowy form. Wood splinters as he crashes hisway toward me. A chair flies through the air and I duck, though it’s way off to my right.
“Would you knock it the fuck off?” I snap, brushing sparks off my arms. They just reform, creating a web over my entire body.
Dimitri freezes, squinting through the darkness. “Mari?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’re welcome for saving your life. You’ll be a good little demon and take care of the body, right?” I prop my hands on my hips and tilt my head as the smoke clears from the room.
He stumbles toward me, his gaze bouncing around. “You’re…you’re…”
“Electrifying? Why thank you.” I give him my most dazzling smile, but he doesn’t notice.
“You should be dead.”
I pinch my arm and wince. “Nope. Still here. Listen, I would have cast a spell to take him out, but I was afraid of pushing it after using one to open this portal. Ishedead?”
I poke him with my toe, and he groans. My eyes widen and I snatch up the skillet once more. Dimitri rushes forward and grabs my wrist, stopping me from whacking the demon on the head again.
“They’ll need Ludo at least a bit coherent, spitfire. I appreciate you saving me, though.” He grins as he takes the pan and drops it on Ludo’s head anyway.
He cups my cheeks, and he kisses me lightly. It shouldn’t be enough for my body to light up like a freaking Christmas tree, but damn if it doesn’t.
“You look beautiful filled with?—”
“If you say cum, I’m going to whack you with that thing,” I grumble, and he chuckles.
“My magic. Filled with my magic, spitfire.”
“Same difference.”
He kisses me again, and my eyes flutter closed. I don’t know why his magic didn’t take me out, but I’d rather not question it. Maybe it’s because we slept together or I’m some rare badass witch. I snort and he pulls back, raising an eyebrow.
Pressing my lips together, I shake my head. I’m definitely not explaining. He’d agree I’m the least badass witch in all the dimensions, and it would hurt my feelings. Then we’d be bickering, and I’d rather not do that right now.
“Fuck,” Dimitri growls and drops his hold on me. He spins to Ludo, still passed out on the floor, then back to me. He grimaces and I grab his shoulders, forcing him to focus on me.
“Explain.”
“Your sister. She’s in the cages. We have to—Ludo…I don’t have time. I can’t do both.”
I nod, glancing down at the magic still skipping its way across my body. “Send me. I’ll get her out. You take care of this, then come get us.”
He’s already shaking his head. “It won’t?—”
“It will work. You think I can’t take care of myself?” When he doesn’t answer, I grab the skillet and flames lick along the rim. It takes everything in me not to drop it and pretend this is totally normal.
His mouth flaps as if he’s searching for another argument. I spin around and step toward the portal. Dimitri grabs my wrist, and I glance over my shoulder.
“Can I help you, sir?”
