Page 100 of The Devil's Waltz

With a deep breath, I nod.

It’s time to send the devil back where she belongs.

When we pull up the long, winding stone driveway to a massive house, my breath hitches. It takes me a few beats to force enough deep breaths to calm the rising anxiety.

I was knocked out the last time I was here, so I never saw the outside. Even in the dark, this place is stunning. The driveway is lined with perfectly manicured hedges and elegant bronze lampposts that light our path to the house. It exudes an air of sophistication that is impossible to ignore, even as my pulse thrums beneath my skin.

The car slows to a stop at the bottom of the stone stairs, and Xander shifts into park, turning off the Camaro. He gets out and walks around the front, stopping to open my door.

I blow out a shaky breath and take the hand he offers me, stepping out of the car.

As we climb the steps, Xander wraps his hand around my forearm, as if he’s worried I’ll try to bolt. Granted, I very much want to, but I steelmy expression and square my shoulders, projecting an air of confidence I definitely don’t feel.

Just before we reach the dark mahogany double doors, one swings open, revealing a few demons all dressed in dark gray attire.They look like uniforms. The thought comes and goes quickly as they nod at Xander and step aside.

As we move past them, my eyes immediately go to the stunning chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, casting a glow over the marble-floored foyer.

The other demons follow us as Xander leads me down a seemingly endless hallway. My shoes echo against the floor, and I keep my eyes trained forward, taking note of the closed doors on either side of the hall. The walls in between are empty of any artwork or decorative wallpaper, making the atmosphere colder.

Finally, we stop at the end of the hall in front of another set of double doors. I peek over at Xander, but he doesn’t look at me. His posture is tall, almost regal.

It sends a chill down my spine as I stand straighter.

The doors in front of us open to a large room. I squint at the light cast by several chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling. That’s pretty much the only architectural thing I notice before my eyes land on Lucia.

She sits atop a throne-like chair on a raised platform.

If I wasn’t so terrified, I’d laugh. This scene is absolutely ridiculous. I’m pretty sure Lucia turned the living room of this place into a throne room. The chair she’s sitting in is the only piece of furniture in here and the walls are crimson red. Heavy black velvet curtains, draped from the ceiling to the floor, cover the windows.

Her eyes glimmer wickedly before turning completely black. “Camille,” she purrs in a honey-sweet voice, “I am so pleased you could join us.” Byus, she must mean the demon guards lining the room.So much for a limited number. There are already more than we expected, but I can’t let that send me into a spiral. I have to stay focused.

“Where is Harper?” I demand, wrenching my arm free from Xander’s grip. Violently. As if he really brought me here to save Harper.

Lucia sighs. “Skipping the pleasantries, I see. Very well.” She waves her hand in the general direction of one of the demons, and he disappears through another door behind him.

I suck in a sharp breath when the demon comes back, dragging a bruised Harper along with him. She’s limping, and there’s blood dripping from her lip and a cut above her brow.

“You hurt her,” I growl, starting forward, but Xander is faster, quickly pulling me back with his fingers wrapped firmly around my wrist.

The queen rolls her eyes. “She is alive,” she says in a bored tone.

“I’m here,” I say, my voice trembling with very real terror. “Let her go. That’s the deal—her for me.”

She cocks her head, her endless black eyes staring into my soul. At least, that’s what it feels like. “You are surrendering yourself to me?”

I swallow hard and nod. “So long as you promise her safety.”

Lucia smirks. “The hunter will remain alive,” she grants in an icy, smooth voice. “Even I can show mercy, Camille.” Her eyes shift to Xander. “I would not kill one of the few blood relatives my son has.”

My eyes pop wide and my jaw drops as Harper makes a strangled sound and shoves away from the demon holding her. “Shut the fuck up,” she snarls at Lucia, spitting blood onto the floor. “Stop saying that!” Her puffy, red-rimmed eyes flit to me. “She’s lying!”

Lucia chuckles, folding one leg over the other and clasping her hands together in her lap. “You do not wish to hear it, but that does not make it any less true.”

“What are you talking about?” Xander demands in a tight voice, stepping toward where Lucia is seated.

Her lips twitch briefly. “You mean you could not sense it?” Shetsks. “Once more, I am disappointed by you, Xander.”

He shakes his head, his expression straining with thinly veiled confusion. “Mother—”

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