Demons (Darkness #4)(27)

Dominicous waited a moment for that to sink in.

“That man should be killed,” he continued in a reasoning tone as the man eagerly took Jonas out of his pants. “Instead, you have spared him. Think of the charity you have shown.”

“So, wait,” Ann stepped through the trees with a sour expression. “You’re pissed because that dude was going to rape Sasha, but you’re totally fine when Jonas does it back?”

“But he likes it,” Charles countered in exasperation. “Jonas isn’t even touching the guy. Look. That guy is all over it. Seriously, humans feel like the masters of the universe the next day. Do you know how many  p**n s feature this kinda thing? A. Lot. Let me tell you. Girls dig this whole submission thing, too, don’t say you don’t. I snooped around Ann’s room when we were in the cabins—I know what she reads.”

“You did what?” Ann screeched, losing her calm demeanor.

“Reconnaissance. Romantic comedies didn’t work, so I figured I’d check out the reading material. Kinda dumb, though. If I said some of that stuff to you, you’d punch me in the head. You human women have a screw loose—even the ones that get real hairy, like you.”

“That is a valid point, Ann, regarding mind-altering in order to control for personal gain,” Dominicous said patiently, ignoring the sudden tension between Charles and Ann. “You are making it with the wrong person, however.” Dominicous looked at the pentagram on the tree. “This is the culture, right or wrong. This culture cannot be changed overnight. They have always thought themselves better than humans. They have also held a grudge, since humans are still dominant. Sasha can tell you the stigma a human carries. But these points are extremely valid, and probably need further investigation. The clan needs someone to lead the way. Slowly. Gradually.”

Ah. Yes. Let the sore thumb in the group sort it out. That’d really help my chances of fitting in. I couldn’t help my scowl.

Well, at least some people viewed the situation logically.

“Fine.” I prevented myself from watching as the man jumped up and turned around. This had happened before, sure, but my world had been blown apart then—nothing seemed real, and I hadn’t had time to digest before more crazy happened, like Dulcha. I wasn’t so lamb-eyed anymore, though. Can’t change it in a day, fine. I prevented killing today, and I’d prevent this weird crap down the road.

“At least do it somewhere else!” I shouted at Jonas, losing my control. I threw Dominicous a glare as if to say, that’s a battle I plan on picking every time, culture or no.

Dominicous nodded once, unperturbed.

“You not going to dive in?” I heard Ann ask of Charles with an accusatory tone. “At least then you’d stop pestering me for sex. And spying.”

“I will never stop pestering you for sex, and no. Sasha makes my life hell when I do things she hates. I can abstain,” Charles sniffed.

Ann scoffed behind me, but a glance revealed a small tweak in her lips. A person just couldn’t stay mad at Charles. The guy was a clown at the best of times.

“Okay,” I said softly, careful not to step into that circle. Nothing would happen, but … just in case. I traced the pentagram with my pointer finger, the deep groove in the scratchy bark giving me a pleasant tingle through my fingers.

“That’s odd,” I said, squinting through the darkness to try and make out the lines more clearly. Obviously my logic was still on hiatus. “Does anyone have a lighter or something? I can’t see a damn thing.”

“What happened to the lighter you use for your crack pipe?” Charles asked as patted his pants pockets.

“Charles, stop trying to be funny. You’re no good at it,” I retorted in a wispy voice, feeling along the bark with my palms.

Ann stepped forward, the kush of her feet on the grass in the circle giving me goosebumps. She held up a lighter, her eyes always on the move.

“You smoke?” I asked as I grabbed the warm plastic.

“Nah. But I hang out with a guy that does. Ever notice that smokers never seem to have a lighter on them?”

“What guy?” Charles asked suspiciously. “I’d hate to think you’re giving it up to someone else when you have me to choose from.”

I couldn’t see her eyeroll, but I was sure it happened. At least he had someone new to badger besides me.

Although, Charles had a point. Ann and I weren’t besties yet, but we were working on it, and that was something girls needed to chat about. I scribbled a mental note in my memory.

The click of the lighter echoed in the hush of the night. Flicking light revealed that the scratch in the bark was light brown at the bottom, indicating this was a recent carving. I said as much as I glanced down at the circle. The grass had moved and shifted, as living things do, overlaying a circle that must have been drawn at least a few weeks ago.

“But why would he come back and scratch the pentagram?” I asked as I turned back to the tree. “That doesn’t make sense. And the feel of that symbol is all tingly and lovely. Everything else in the air is…”

“Rank,” Charles helped, letting an exaggerated shiver roll through his shoulders.

“I can’t feel the magic, but it does smell off. Also smells like…” Ann kneeled to the circle, eyes scanning the now empty area. “I’d bet something was killed here. Something small.”