Once Bitten (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #1)(20)

“Is that so?” The demon walked around the energy cage so that Kale had to turn in order to keep an eye on him. “Now, who do you suppose is going to take his position, vampire? You?”

Things were very quickly going from bad to worse. Sweat began to trickle down my back, and I focused to maintain my circle as I tried to think. If only room service would show up right now, I thought. Dammit.

Kale stammered but didn’t speak. He knew as well as I did that a demon will literalize your words. Too easily, they could manipulate your words and effectively use them against you.

“You’ve carelessly allowed for a witness.” At his words, all three of us looked at the sobbing woman in the chair. “She must be eliminated. Do it, vampire.”

With a snap of his fingers the demon’s circle dropped. Free, Kale stood there uncertainly. The demon waited, fully expecting him to do what he was told. When Kale didn’t budge, the demon stomped his foot impatiently.

Oh God, I prayed. Please get us out of this one. The look on Kale’s face said clearly that he didn’t want to kill an innocent victim. He hadn’t lived that way in hundreds of years.

“What are you waiting for? Bleed the bitch or consider kissing all three of your asses’ goodbye.” The demon spoke very matter of fact with a tone that held no room for argument.

“No.” Kale spoke so quietly I almost didn’t hear him.

The tension in the hotel room grew to the point of unbearable, as the demon stared into him, clearly unaccustomed to the word, “no.” I took a deep, shaky breath. We were so dead.

Instead of replying to Kale like I expected, the demon strode silently to the crying woman. As he raised his hands, I realized what he was about to do.

“No!” I cried out. But, it was too late. He snapped her neck with the ease of breaking a dry twig in half.

“Save your enthusiasm, wolf. There is always room in hell for more hounds.” He winked, and my guts shriveled in response.

He didn’t wait for my reaction. He turned to Kale and lashed out with a sudden blow that rocked the vampire back on his heels. Blood blossomed from the fresh wound beneath Kale’s eye, the blue one.

I could clearly see him fighting not to react. To retaliate would most certainly mean a death sentence for the both of us. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until my lungs began to ache.

With another abrupt blast of power, the demon sent Kale flying. He didn’t get up. The demon turned on me with a gaze as black as night.

“How dare you involve yourself in my affairs? You are no more than a lap dog to my kind, werewolf. I’ll show you what happens to wolves who don’t know their place.”

He raised a hand to me, and my blood began to boil as my circle dissolved. An intense heat, worse than anything I’d ever felt, coursed through me. I stumbled and fell to my knees. I believe his intention was truly to cook me from the inside out.

Thanks to Lilah, I never had to find out.

All of a sudden she was just there, framed in the doorway. Dressed in black from head to toe, she wore a long trench coat and army boots. Her unnaturally red hair shone with an ethereal glow. Eyes the color of a pale orange sunset stared into the fair-haired demon as if they could see out the other side of him.

“And, I’m going to show you what happens to demons who mess with my people.” She said only one other word. The lady never even lifted a finger. “Die.”

Those creepy white eyes widened in shock and the demon shouted, “You!” Before he could utter another word, he began to sink in upon himself. There was a puff of smoke and he was gone. Only a pile of soot remained where the demon had stood.

No f**king way. Demons don’t die. They could be banished but with great difficulty. Incredibly unheard of, Lilah actually took this one out. I don’t mess with demons for a reason. They are the biggest of the bad.

I stood unsteadily, dumbfounded, as Lilah went to Kale. I forced myself to move and joined her at his side. My heart beat so hard against my ribs that it hurt.

“Is he alright?” I asked. I looked down at Kale. His left eye was swollen, but otherwise, he didn’t look too bad, just a little roughed up.

“Oh yeah,” she glanced at me with a critical eye. “Are you?”

I shrugged. I’d be fine. Lilah grasped my injured hand gently and passed the blood stained skin beneath Kale’s nose. I was too in awe of her to protest. I could feel the strange power in her touch.

Kale snapped upright suddenly and reached for my arm with a snarl. I jerked back, and Lilah put her hand on his chest. After a moment, he blinked a few times and relaxed. When she stepped back and dusted her hands off, I realized she was essentially wiping the metaphysical remnants from her skin.

She waited patiently, until he was steady on his feet, and then she gave us a nod and the briefest of smiles. It wasn’t exactly friendly, but it worked for me. Before either of us could say a word, she’d retreated into the hall and disappeared.

Chapter Six

I didn’t run as a wolf that night. Instead, I poured a glass of my favorite red wine and sunk appreciatively into a hot bubble bath. Blue bruises decorated my skin in a variety of places. The worst was my back, where I’d hit the mirrored wall. A good sleep would make a world of difference in the healing process, if I could get one. I wouldn’t say that I’m an insomniac so much as sleeping took up time that I didn’t have.