Page 57 of Hellish Witch

I caught his wicked grin from the corner of my eye. The falling sensation left my organs up in the clouds, and all I could do was squirm.

Even though that was areallybad idea.

Killian’s rich chuckle smoothed over me. “Relax, Princess, I’ll never let you go.”

You knew your obsession was bad when innocent words like that were enough to snap you out of a panic spiral while literally falling from the sky.

His wings shot out, revealing the rich colours of the forest as he turned our death tumble into a smooth glide. I took a deep, shaky breath and twisted a little to get a better look.

We soared over the pink river, winding towards a rustic inn perched on the riverbank. The redwood structure blended with the tree trunks beyond and was complete with a water wheel for old-school power and a stone chimney coughing smoke.

I’d been to the inn a few times, but Rex, in his classic overprotective brother mode, had banned me from it when I was younger. Apparently, it was a bad place for good girls.

My lips twitched at the memory.

I was a hated combination of demon and mage, with the curses of both. A hybrid raised in a cruel succubus kingdom.

I’d never been a “good girl.”

Killian angled his wings, taking us down to the tavern with a few light wing-beats. I marvelled at the idea of flying. Sure, mystomach wasn’t a huge fan of being scrambled, but it would have taken me a whole day of hiking to get here.

Killian just jumped into the sky, flapped his pretty wings a few times, and dived right back down to where we needed to be.

Lucky bastard.

Killian landed in front of the battered structure with barely a thud in the grass. Like carrying me around was nothing.

I levelled him with a stern look even as a wave of dizziness tried to sweep me under. “You can put me down now.”

An odd sort of weakness seemed to hunt through my limbs, like I was drunk on too much power, but it had tipped straight into the hangover phase.

“Can I? After what just happened, I’m not sure you can stand.” He eyed me with that concerned look I’d always hated.

Like he saw me as a wayward child in need of protecting.

“Kill,” I warned.

He sighed and released my legs, gently lowering me to the ground. I hated how much my knees wobbled, forcing me to grip his muscular arm for support as I tried to lock them in place.

A gasp burst free as I got a real look at the incubus.

Blood, bruising, and split skin covered every inch of his exposed chest and arms. No doubt the damage extended to his back and lower body too.

Once again, Killian was a fucking state.

“Fires-dammit, Kill. When were you going to tell me you were hurt? ThatI’dhurt you?” I hissed.

The unspoken “again” stabbed right through my heart.

Killian shrugged, and his huge wings, now back to their usual pearly white beneath the splattered red and black, followed the rise and fall of his broad shoulders. “It didn’t seem important.”

My eye twitched. “Didn’t seem…?” I blew out a breath, fighting for control and the will not to pass out. I held up a hand. “You know what? Doesn’t matter. Come here.”

I tried to grab him and stopped short. No pale glow wreathed my fingertips, my hand as inert as my healing powers.

The stubborn demon leaned out of reach anyway, eyes flashing. “No.”

Of course he wouldn’t want my magic anywhere near him. That was twice now I’d maimed him with the dark beast lurking inside me.

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