Page 98 of Capturing Sin

Arsen panted in fear, pushing himself up shakily. His usually burnished skin was a sickly pale shade. Blood smeared his throat from the messy bite Sin had used to poison him. The demon backed the man into the cracked wall, leaving just enough space for false hope.

The hunter eyed the oak door only a few metres away, but it might as well be miles.

His glare swung to me next, a sneer on his lips. “Fucking Dozer, of course you’re the first one to turn traitor to the cause. What? Because Leo dumped you, you’re sucking demon dick to get back at him?”

My cheeks reddened like he’d psychically slapped me. Shame rushed in the wake of his words, stunning me. It wasn’t anything to do with Leo, but I’d done a lot more than that with Sin.

A low growl filled the space, contrasting the cheery décor. Sin’s attention locked onto Arsen, a predator sizing up his prey.

It wasn’t aimed my way, yet the ferocity was like a bucket of ice water, breaking me from the heat of embarrassment.

“I don’t usually enjoy causing pain…much.” Sin’s grin was viciously cruel. “But I’m going to take great pleasure in making you bleed for that.”

Arsen whimpered, terror stealing his vitriol.

Violence filled the corridor, squeezing out any air.

Sin caressed the spikes of his tail along the man’s arm. Arsen quaked at the casual threat, but there was nowhere to go. Sin had the hunter trapped against the magnolia wall, his sheer size mocking any hope of escape.

The front door lurked close, taunting us both.

“Just get it over with, vile beast,” Arsen spat, jerking away from the demon’s touch. “Whatever it is you want I ain’t giving you,” he scowled in my direction. “I’m not a traitorous whore.”

This time, I was ready, my mask firmly in place. “I was kidnapped in the raid, you idiot. I’m not here by choice.”

“You sure about that? There’s not a single mark on you. Did you trade your body for your life?” he hissed, shoulders squaring as I became an outlet for his terror. “You’re nothing but a hole. To our kind or theirs.”

The words knifed through me, cutting away the barely healed wounds from Leo’s betrayal.

Sin chuckled, a dark and bloody sound. “By all means, keep insulting her. She’s the only reason your entrails aren’t already wrapped around my claws. If she leaves because of your petty words, I’ll get to play with you for even longer before I finally let you die screaming. I will make you beg for her forgiveness until the last name on your lips is hers.”

My brows shot up. Rage carved Sin’s cruel features as demonic as I’d ever seen him. His tail flicked side to side, the sharp weapon only inches from the cowering human.

“Feeling particularly violent today, parasite?” I asked.

I didn’t know how to process this side of him. Nobody had ever defended me before him. It made zero sense, considering I’d been the one keeping him captive and actively trying to poison him.

His gaze snapped to mine. “How many times do I have to tell you, poison? You. Are. Mine. Nobody will hurt you without suffering tenfold for their stupidity.”

I sighed, all the energy draining from me in a rush.

My emotions were a tangled mess.

One minute, the demon seemed to care for me. He kissed me so passionately I thought I might burn up. He fed me when I was starving. Protected me when I was attacked. Rescued me from my prison.

But was it all so he could keep feeding from me?

Arsen was wrong about me. I wasn’t a hole. I was a fucking vein.

Yet I refused to stay that way. I would break free from all the toxic bullshit and start a new life. One where I lived for myself, and nobody else.

Even though something in me recoiled at the idea of leaving behind the one man who made me feel alive. Who understood the darkness tarnishing my soul and didn’t balk at my violent side.

I watched on in silence, unable to voice any of my whirring thoughts.

Suspicion flashed through his narrowed gaze before his attention returned to his newest victim.

“All you have to do is answer one question, and the pain stops.”

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