Page 32 of King of Night

“Didn’t your hot uncle say this demon was powerful?”Eliza asks, appearing next to Eamon.He turns, eyes meeting hers for half a second too long.Oh, shit.They’re going to end up fucking and lord help us if Lucas finds out about it.

“He did, and I was able to sense the power.”I flick my eyes to Lucas.“Remember the first big demon we fought together?”

“You mean the one that bound you to a tree and almost burned you alive?Oh and then I got a sword through the chest, watched you almost die from smoke inhalation, and then buried the demon’s remains in a grave in the woods?”He raises one eyebrow.“How could I forget?”

Eamon crosses his arms.“I’m considering taking back what I said about you being boring.Here I thought you were all domestic with your Better Homes & Gardens house and picture perfect family.”

“Anyway,” I continue.“She seemed to possess a similar level of power.I was able to handle it then, and I can handle it now.”I blink and get the image of myself standing on some sort of alter.I’m wearing a long black dress, my wings are stretched out behind me, and a crown of purple hellfire burns around my head.And, fuck, it feels good.

No.That isn’t what I want.It can’t be.

“Have you talked to Tabatha about this?”Lucas goes on and I narrow my eyes every so slightly.She’s the only other person than Lucas who could talk any sense into me.“I’m going to guess no and it’s for a reason.”

“We don’t have a choice.”

“Yes, we do,” he said, voice getting louder as he strides forward.I stand my ground, looking at my husband with determination.It feels like ages ago I stood in this very office, gazing at this beast of a vampire for the first time.This time, I let my mind wander.

“You own this hipster place?”I chided and Lucas raised an eyebrow.God, it scared me back then…and made me want him more.

“Yes.It’s one of the many establishments I own,” he said, looking at the vampire who had just attacked the woman.“Do what you want with him.Or leave him for me to deal with.”

I knew even then that leaving the vampire for Lucas to deal with would mean a fate worse than death.I remember taking my enchanted dagger from the vampire’s chest, wiping the blood on his shirt and hitting him with a blast of energy.And that was before I knew why I was able to conjure bright light so easily.

“Hey,” I called after Lucas as he went up the basement steps.“Immortal asshole.”I was a little tipsy as I followed him into this very office, surprising Eliza, who was attending to the woman’s wounds.It was the first time I saw a vampire able to look at blood like that and not go crazy.

“You should go if you know what’s good for you.”Eliza wasn’t wrong.

“The funny thing is, I have a bad habit of doing the exact opposite

of what’s good for me.”

“The funny thing is, I have a bad habit of doing the exact opposite of what’s good for me.”

“I’m beginning to sense that,” Lucas told me and I remember the hair on the back of my neck standing up.I was as drawn to him them as I am now.

“Never seen a witch before?”I teased, not knowing Lucas purposely stayed away from my kind.

“Oh, I have.Drank from one too.But you…you don’t smell like the

other witches I’ve come across.”

Blinking, I pull myself out of the mental revere and exhale.“If there is a snowball’s chance in hell at finding out a way to defeat Paimon, shouldn’t we take it?”

Lucas looks down at Juliet, and I know his mind is going to the same place mine is.He would do anything for our family as well—like becoming a Horseman.Fuck, too much is going on and I get that sickening spinning feeling and now is not the time to magically fly myself out of here.

I focus on my baby, wrapped in her father’s muscular arms and instantly start to feel grounded.

“This could very well be a trap,” Lucas says gently.“I know how badly you want to defeat Paimon, my love, but seeking help from a demon isn’t the answer.”

“Oh, I know it could be a trap and she could be a double-agent for Paimon.Which is why we should question her.Just…if there’s a chance,” I stress.“And I know I’m not talented in the art of divination, but I have this feeling that I should at least hear her out.”

“What would it take for you to trust this demon?”Eamon asks, flicking his gaze from me to Lucas.

“I wouldn’t trust she wouldn’t somehow resurrect from her ashes,” Lucas says and I have to agree.

“If I can bind her powers and she lets me do it willingly,” I offer.“And we meet in the basement where one of those handy jail cells are ready.Oh, and I’ll meet her in astral form.Take a page out of the old playbook Paimon loves to use.”

“Where will your body be?”Lucas asks.

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