Page 119 of Baking and Angels

“And what are you going to do to stop me?” Vassago laughed.

Just like that, Rafferty realized the piece of all this he had been missing, so caught up in everything that he almost hated himself, it was so obvious.At least, if he hadn’t violated his agreement with Vassago.

“She’s sacrificed herself to take Eleanor’s place,” Rafferty said, standing up to face his demon, while keeping his hands steadilyon Helena.

Vassago’s whirlpool eyes went impossibly large and wide as his demon understanding followed Rafferty’s implication.

He then whirled on Eleanor, growing bigger as he did so, the claws sliding out of his fingers. “You made another deal with an angel!” he growled.

Eleanor whimpered as she backed away from Vassago’s true self, the long teeth inside the overlarge mouth making it more difficult for himto speak.

Angel?Vassago’s admission set Rafferty back on his heels. The sly old demon had known what Helena truly was. Had known this whole time that angelswere real?

“Leave her alone! It was my choice to make!” Helena pleaded, pulling out of Rafferty’s arms, only to drop again to the ground, her weakened legs unable to hold her and her ungainlywings up.

“Wh-what’s the problem?” Eleanor stuttered out. “You’re still going to get your soul food… or-or-orwhatever.”

“I can’t touch her!” Vassago roared. “You stupid bitch! You tricked me!”

“I… I… why?! How?!” Eleanor asked, stumbling onto her back as Vassago’s teeth dripped with acidic spit. She cried out as a bit plopped over her forearm.

“No! Stop!” Helena shouted.

“She didn’t trick you!” Rafferty roared, his voice thundering over all of their cries.

Vassago twisted his head back nearly completely around in an uncanny spin.

“Rafferty, don’t!” Helena pleaded, but he stepped around her to place himself between them.The demon’s aura washed through him, but the mortal man didn’t care nor heed it. He just wasn’t afraid anymore.

“He can’t hurt me,” Rafferty said, statingit calmly.

“I could kill you in one bite. Swallow you down whole,” Vassago threatened.

Rafferty leaned in, breathing in the foul odor of Vassago’s teeth. “Do you feel like the deal between us has been broken?” he asked, pitching downhis voice.

The stench washing over his face grew stronger as Vassago began to pant, the realization of how badly he had lost the game dawning on him. Rafferty could see it now, his own lack of control over his form. As much as he wanted those watching him to think this was a threat, Rafferty knew it wasn’t. Fur had broken out over Vassago’s skin, mixed in with brown, broken feathers, all pulling toward the back of the room with an invisible wind. The demon’s muscles were straining, resisting a pull. His whirlpool eyes darted toward the far door, now standing open since Rafferty had pushed it in and leftit there.

The circle was calling him back. The price had to be astronomical.

“They’re calling you,” Raffertywhispered.

Vassago flinched, then growled.

“There is nothing you can do to stop this,” Rafferty pushed.

The demon’s eyes flicked back. “Yes, there is,” he ground out.

Without a deal, the demon couldn’t take any of the desperately needed energy to pay his price, not from any of them. But he could kill Eleanor trying. Or out of spite. Rafferty’s bargain didn’t extend that far to protect her.

As if realizing that same thing, Eleanor bolted.

While he had the demon’s attention, she had gotten to her feet and was now making a run for it. Why she chose the furthest away door, Rafferty couldn’t have guessed; panicked minds didn’t always make the most logical of choices.

Vassago immediately leaptafter her.

“No!” Rafferty and Helena criedin unison.

Rafferty attempted to grab for the back of Vassago’s coat, but the oily fur and feathers slipped through his mortal fingers.

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