Page 2 of A Study of Blood and Ichor

She nodded and then turned to lead us past the other cells that lined the hall. A few guttural growls and scraping of claws from the lesser demons within darted around us as we walked past, but I kept my eyes trained ahead, focused on the looming doors of the Hull.

Lena shoved open the large iron doors. The hem of her robe trailed behind her, grazing the floor with a gentle hiss as she strode into the Hull with dominant authority commanding every step. I raised my chin in an attempt to exude even half the confidence she radiated.

I’d never liked this room, even in the few times I’d been inside. The circular chamber felt cavernous, too large and too empty. The open space always brought on a prickling sensation of anxiety that was impossible to ignore.

Our footsteps echoed around us, bouncing off the worn stone floor and up to the high, rounded ceiling. Suspended above the center of the room were three enormous rings—gold, iron, and silver—intertwined in an endless rotation and humming with power from the binding spells etched into their bands. The metal glinted off the light coming from the five bronze braziers lit around the edges of the room.

The hair on my arms stood on end, but it wasn’t just from the magic emanating from the rings overhead. There was another force present—a power that radiated from the center of the room, both dark and ancient.

An icy chill ran down my spine, and my gaze flew to the tall figure standing shackled in the middle of a pentagram etched onto the floor.

The demon looked surprisingly human at first glance. There were no obvious indications of horns, no tail protruding from its backside, and no claws nor any other physical abnormalities that their kind commonly possessed. Its skin was slightly tanned, and strands of dark hair fell over its face as it stared at the floor with its hands clasped together at the waist. Someone had already bound each wrist in a set of iron manacles fitted with heavy chains that bound the demon to the floor and restricted its movement.

It was often the demons who appeared more human than monster that were the most dangerous. I kept that thought in the back of my mind as we approached it.

Lena stopped at the outer circle of the pentagram, leaving a healthy distance between herself and the first line of wards. She nodded to Thomas who broke away and circled the demon trap.

Lena clicked her tongue as if to catch its attention. “Hello, demon.”

Slowly, the demon lifted its head, and I stifled a gasp when I looked upon its face. Eyes of pure onyx peered back at Lena. The whites had been enveloped by fathomless dark voids so deep that they glinted whenever they caught the firelight from the braziers.

It was not merely a demon. No, the man who stood before us was possessed.

A sick twist of uncertainty formed in my gut.

Why hadn’t Lena warned us? Warned me.

The demon curled the human male’s lips into a wicked grin that was all teeth, directed at Lena. “Hello, witch,” its voice purred, smooth as silk and laced with a malevolent hunger.

Thomas nodded his approval after finishing his inspection of the wards and Lena returned his motion. He took his place beside me, and I thought for a moment that I caught his hands trembling before he forced himself to still.

I looked back to the possessed man. He couldn’t have been much older than me, mid to late twenties if I had to guess. Tattoos covered both his arms, starting at the wrist and stretching upward until they disappeared beneath the sleeves of his tight, black T-shirt. Above the neckline of his shirt, there was another tattoo that stood out from the rest—a V on the left side of his neck, a few inches below the edge of his sharp jawline.

“Has the High Witch come to finish me off then?” the demon asked playfully. Its voice sounded unnatural, almost warped as it came out of the human’s mouth. Too low and too dark. “Or have you tasked one of your pupils with the deed?”

“You will be dealt with in due time,” Lena promised.

“Oh, I should hope so. Please tell me what you have in mind. I want to know all of the viciously delightful ways you’re going to make me suffer.” The demon licked its lips and eyed Lena hungrily.

My mouth curled in disgust, but I forced myself to regain a neutral expression before the demon noticed.

Show no weakness.

I triple checked that my mental shields were still firmly in place.

“Release this human from your possession,” Lena ordered.

“Rude of you to demand such a thing without even the proper manners.” The demon raised its chin. “I don’t think I will though. It’s warm in here, and I’ve made myself very comfortable. I won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”

Onyx black eyes flicked from Lena, to Luke, passing over Thomas, and then landed on me. They lingered for far longer than I would have liked, and my hackles rose in warning.

Primal instincts screamed for me to look away, but I continued to mask my horror, praying that I was feigning enough confidence to mirror Lena’s stony demeanor. However, in the presence of this demon, it felt as if my mirror was nothing but an empty frame, allowing it to see right through me and glimpse the terrified, trembling girl behind it.

The demon let out a languid laugh. “On second thought, that one looks tempting.” It cocked its head to one side as it studied me. “Perhaps I’ll slip out of this vessel and into hers instead.”

A sharp tongue peeked out from the corner of the human’s mouth before it mused, “She looks delicious. Pretty too.” The demon’s head snapped toward Luke. “Tell me, mortal. How well did she fuck when she warmed your bed? What sweet little noises did she make when she—”

Heat rushed to my face, and I snapped, the words spilling out of me before I could stop them. “Shut your mouth, demon.”

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