Page 56 of Orion: Galaxy Huntress

Vice’s shoulders sagged at my slicing words. Gold vanished from his eyes, leaving nothing but inky darkness. The wicked smile fell from his lips, replaced with a stony hardness. Gods, I shouldn’t have said that.

“I guess I’ll cower here and wait for your return then, kitten.” Vice poked at the dying fire with a stick, igniting it with his magick, staring into the flames. “Since I’m not a battle-hardened demon warrior or a brave shifter or pussy-whipped vampire.”

Reznor coughed on the last one and went to throw a fist for that when I grabbed his arm and lowered it.

I crossed to the demon and shoved him in the chest, hard and unwavering. He was not going to slink out of this like he always did and fade into the crowd. If he wanted me then he’d fight for me and my other lovers, because we were a team. We worked together or not at all.

“You will not leave him to die,” I said each word with a hard edge. “I’ll never forgive you for being a coward.”

Ice flared in Reznor’s red eyes. I’d knew I’d gone too far when the aloof vampire looked at me that way. This time I didn’t care that I voiced the word or if I hurt Vice’s feelings. It was time for the demon to man up and get bold or stay a coward forever. His choice. I was a hero and I’d find out if Vice was too.

False confidence pumped back into the demon as his eyebrows adopted a cockiness, his lips a smirk, his tail swishing, eyes glowing, hips swaggering as he moved to my side. He was up to something. “What are you willing to trade if I come, kitten? If I’m going to risk this sexy ass, then I want a down payment. A promise.”

I didn’t know what a down payment was, but it sounded like some sort of debt. Damn demon never gave up with the bargains. And over a life. I eye rolled him and collected my bow. “Nothing.”

He grabbed me by the hips and stroked my legs with his tail. “Don’t be like that, kitten.” His tail roamed up my skirt and I batted it away.

“You do it for a friend.”

The demon kept up his seductive strokes, venturing between my legs with his pronged tail, trying his hardest to arouse me, convince me. “How about some knife play? A little flaying?” He gasped and bit his lip, making me nervous about what he had in mind. “Ohhh! Hot pokers up my …”

“I don’t want to know what demons do for entertainment.” I threw my palms up. My threats to cut him weren’t serious. Well… maybe they were when we first met, but not anymore. Now that I’d lain with that gorgeous body, I couldn’t bring myself to slice it or that handsome face.

“Slice me up like you did that heifer and you have a deal.” I shook my head at him trying to make a deal of this. Wicked at heart, he was irreformable, and that was what I liked about him.

Since he teased me a lot, I couldn’t tell if he joked or was serious about the slicing up business. Knowing him though, that was probably one of the few things he was sincere about. We’d have to set some grounds rules. Again, later. I had a wolf shifter to meet up with.

“Fine. But just a few cuts.” My response earned me a tight hug from the demon.

“Come on, vampire.” The demon clapped, calling the vampire over to us. “Let’s go get this business concluded so I can get carved up like a roast pork.”

“By the gods!” I got out before Vice blinked us out of the camp to a darkened forest immersed in a reddish glow from the bloody moon.

Something was wrong and it flared in the pit of my stomach. Silence strangled the trees and land. Not one insect clicked or buzzed about. A strange, burned flesh odor choked me. Eyes burning like coals winked to life. Monstrous growls broke the hush, signaling we weren’t alone. Darkened monsters with claws, wings, grotesque, twisted faces and bodies stomped as they swarmed us like soldiers in an army. Vice’s warriors.

“Boys, glad you could make it.” Vice slapped one on the back, and it grunted but didn’t address him. “Incensum, really appreciate this favor.”

Favor? Vice had done this for Stormy? What did he owe the demon soldiers?

“Stormy?” I called out, searching for his face amid the sea of distorted monsters.

The demons parted to reveal the vampire den leader clutching my shifter by the neck. Stormy barely stood, held up by the vampire’s strength. His eyes fluttered as he struggled to open them. Dried blood caked his neck. Damn vampire had bled and weakened my mate. Vexlel pushed forward, forcing Stormy forward and his feet stumbled to keep up. My shifter spluttered and coughed.

Gods.The vampire had almost killed him.

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