The Unlikeable Demon Hunter (Nava Katz #1)(56)

Oooh. Now the lust part made sense. Three boring words spoken in a dark, seductive voice and I’d gone sopping wet. Cuntessa was frantically dog paddling. I flicked my eyes to Rohan’s bulge. This was indeed an equal opportunity demon.

Rohan glared at me but I took it as a bonding moment.

“Where’s his sweet spot?” I asked, speaking low into Rohan’s ear.

“No idea.” Officially fucked now. “Watch him fight,” Rohan said. “See if he shields any part of himself. That could be a clue.”

Asmodeus prowled toward us. For each one of Asmodeus’ steps, Rohan forced me back two. I barely registered what he was doing, my attention fully focused on the demon.

Asmodeus reached the swing set, but instead of batting the structure out of his way or sidestepping it, he ripped the thick metal chain right off the frame, tossing the entire swing aside onto the wood chip-covered ground. The disinterest with which he so casually desecrated a piece of kid’s playground equipment drove home that nothing was sacred where demons were concerned. They would show up anywhere, go after anyone.

Right now, he was after me. I jumped back another step without any prompting from my bodyguard.

“I could be persuaded to keep you as a plaything,” Asmodeus said. “I like new toys.”

“Yeah, but there’d be this whole hook-up with your son between us. Best not.” I could barely hear myself speak over the crackle of my magic and the pounding of my heart.

Reminding him of his son–and by extension, my role in his demise–was not the smartest move. A cruel smile spread across all three faces simultaneously. “It wasn’t up for debate,” Ogre head informed me, reaching one fleshy hand out.

Rohan sprang into action, diving to the ground in a roll. With a sharp flick of his neck, he used the blade along the top of his head to slash the tendons of Asmodeus’ rooster feet.

Black fluid gooshed out as the entire left side of Asmodeus’ body sagged like a landslide, but he didn’t die.

Rohan sprang to his feet, then rushed the demon again.

Asmodeus held up a hand, looking almost bored.

Rohan stopped inches from the demon, lips parted, giving breathy gasps, like he was stuck on the verge of an orgasm.

“Bring me the girl,” Asmodeus ordered. His eyes glowed as he caressed Rohan’s neck with his warty index finger.

Rohan rubbed up against him like a cat. It was the new gold medal standard of creepy. Physical danger from demons was one thing, but I found the psychological threat of being compelled via voice command even more disturbing. Rohan marching toward me with jerky steps, uselessly fighting the demand, unnerved me more.

I sprinted for the section of playground designed for older kids, crossing a small, arched bridge that traversed a blue river painted on the concrete, and swung myself up to the top of a plastic climbing structure. Grabbing the safety rail, I fired a forked blast of electricity at Rohan from my index finger. One day, I’d master this technique from all my fingers simultaneously and have a handy little arsenal going.

It knocked into his right side with a sizzle, but didn’t deter him. Rohan came puppet-like, closer and closer, Asmodeus trailing, limping behind him–almost like a bored parent.

Frantic, I scanned the area for some kind of projectile, but these stupid modern playgrounds were made for safety and all the plastic was nailed down tight. Next option. With a running jump, I leapt onto the fireman’s pole. In my head, I was super stripper personified as I swung my way down–legs out, core taut–around the pole to kick Rohan. To be fair, I was aiming for his chest, but my sweaty hands slid, knocking me off-balance.

The thud as my foot collided with Rohan’s skull jarred me hard enough to rattle my teeth, so no surprise that it was enough to snap him out of his demon-induced spell.

“Wanna not do his job for him?” Rohan bitched, knocking me to the ground as Asmodeus’ twisted ram’s horn slashed the air where my head had been.

“That’s nothing like thank-you.” I scrambled to my feet.

“You got that, did you?”

We backed into the grassy field. “You want her?” Rohan asked the demon. “You gotta go through me.” I shivered at the menace in his voice.

Asmodeus charged, fiendishly pointy horns thrust front and center.

Rohan grabbed the closest horn before it could do any damage, using momentum to swing himself around. He was amazing to watch, all lethal elegance as he struck the demon with short, fierce blows. He swung his leg around in a brutal roundhouse kick, the blade along his thigh jamming into the neck of the ram’s head, lodging there. With a quick jerk of his hip, Rohan popped his leg free, slashing the ram neck in the process.

Viscous goop gushed out in an arc as that head flopped forward onto the demon’s chest.

My jaw dropped. “Whoa.” I defied anyone to say that move wasn’t hot.

Rohan smirked at my reaction.

I narrowed my eyes. No way did he get to have all the fun.

Rohan jumped into my path to block me. “Hey, Dark Menace,” he said, “stay back.”

I’d sidestepped him before the words finished leaving his mouth, intent on my target. I was still terrified, but then again, becoming blasé around demons would be at my peril. Watching Rohan use his entire body fighting Asmodeus had inspired me so I tried pulsing electric blasts in waves off my body. It was too clunky, depleting, and I didn’t yet have the range so I switched it up, flinging lightning balls at Asmodeus, rapid fire like a pitching machine set to eleven.