Page 28 of Capturing Sin

A serene smile tugged at his chapped lips. “Thanks, Doc.”

“Join your family, Fane,” I whispered. “And be free.”

His breathing slowed within minutes, eyes fluttering before falling shut.

I wanted to scream until my voice gave out.

Chapter 12

Idrew in a steady breath and pressed the plunger.

It reminded me a little too much of what I’d done to Fane two days ago, and I had to swallow down the thickness narrowing my airways.

The chemical hit my bloodstream with a faint tingle, which I may or may not have imagined. I pulled the syringe from my scar-laden arm, ignoring the brightness of the tiger-lily tattooed on my wrist, and carefully disposed of the needle in the sharps bin.

“I hope that’s poison,” the demon sneered from his glass prison.

A smirk twitched my lips at the bite in his tone. I hoped so too. Just not one that would hurt a human.

Of course, my first suggestion to Cara and Martin had been garlic. Just to enjoy watching them share a loaded look and question my intelligence. Before they questioned theirs, since there might actually be a kernel of truth to the myths about it repelling vampiric beings.

I’d silently laughed as they debated the merits of garlic testing for almost an hour before I could make my escape.

I already knew demons could eat garlic, since last week I’d fed Fane my lunch of a cheap tomato pasta.

Neutral mask firmly in place, I turned to the snide parasite. It should only take forty-five seconds for the substance to circulate through my blood, but I waited an entire minute, watching my captive.

Since the demon had first bitten me, I’d been both dreading this moment and oddly eager to get it over with. Two days felt like an eternity.

He looked much the same as before, spiky and imposing. Watchful. Hateful.

So eager to hurt me.

I crossed the gap between us and unlocked the hatch in the demon-proof wall.

Understanding dawned in his silvery eyes. “So you are trying to poison me.”

I pressed my forearm to the narrow slot, baring my wrist to him like before. “I’m not a walking buffet for kicks.”

“And now why would I bite you after watching you play mad scientist?” he sneered, showing off a wicked fang.

He had a valid, and now embarrassingly obvious, point. It would have been smarter to inject myself in another room, then come in here to feed him. But after everything that had happened lately, I’d been a scattered mess.

I wanted to slap a palm to my forehead, but I already looked like an idiot.

Either way, it was too late now.

I matched his hateful expression. “I’m the only food you’ll get, powered source or otherwise.”

“So it’s eat poison or don’t eat at all?” he mused. “How very hunter of you.”

I shrugged. “It probably won’t kill you.”

A derisive chuckle shook the demon’s lethal shoulders. “So reassuring.”

“Are we bitching or biting?” I huffed. “I’ve got better things to do than waste my breath on a fussy parasite.”

“Oh, so sorry, am I keeping you from a vital cult meeting? Are you sacrificing a small child in a few minutes? Or is today just a mass bloodletting?” Sarcasm dripped from his raspy tone.

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