Page 53 of The Devil's Trials

Ten minutes later, we turn onto a dark, quiet street, and the faint sounds of fighting reach me. Blake pulls over, and I’m out of the car before he has it in park. I find Harper in an abandoned park, facing off with a group of demons.

Her heart pounds as she surveys the scene, her dagger gripped tightly in her hand. Her opponents are low-level demons who appear human, save for their all-black eyes. They’re practically salivating as they close in on her, and a growl tears from my throat as an odd sense of possessiveness comes over me.

I’m moving in an instant, putting myself between the group of demons and Harper.

“Get the fuck out of my way, Kane,” she grumbles from behind me, and feeling her fist connecting with my shoulder blade makes my lips twitch. Even when I’m saving her life, she wants to fight me.

I ignore Harper as the demons in front of me exchange wary glances with one another. “You know who I am?” I check, and once they all nod, I continue, “This hunter is off limits. Is that clear?”

There is hesitation, but slowly they each acknowledge what I’ve said, though none of them appear too happy about it. Confusion and resentment roll off them in dark, smoky waves, making their expressions grim, though I don’t acknowledge it.

“Good. Now leave.”

The demons disperse in a matter of seconds, and I turn to face Harper, who’s sliding her dagger back into the holder at her thigh. When she lifts her gaze to mine, her eyes are narrowed, and she crosses her arms over her chest.

At least she isn’t pointing her dagger at me. I’d like to think that means we’ve made progress in the her wanting to kill me department.

“What the hell was that?” she demands, her pulse still racing.

I dip my face to meet her gaze. “I think you mean ‘thank you.’?”

“Fuck no. I needed that hunt to expedite my graduation.”

My brows lift. “You were going to take on all six demons yourself?”

She scowls. “I’ll try not to be insulted by the surprise in your voice.”

“My apologies for evidently underestimating you.”

“You can take your apologies and get the fuck out of here.”

I ignore that and say, “Aren’t hunters supposed to work in pairs?”

Several beats of silence pass between us before she says, “I’m not working…officially.”

“Interesting,” I muse.

Harper’s posture straightens as she glares at me. “How am I supposed to hunt demons if you have them refusing to engage with me?” She exhales an annoyed sigh, letting her arms fall back to her sides. “I mean, it’s certainly not impossible, but it’s far less fun when they’re running away because they’re more scared of pissing you off than being hunted by me. You see my problem?”

I press my lips together in an attempt to mask my laugh, and she shoots me a murderous glare. I hold up my hands in defense. “And here I thought you’d be grateful to have your big brother’s protection.”

Harper glowers at me, and the fury in her eyes almost makes me regret baiting her. Almost. “Don’t hold your breath.” She cocks her head to the side, her lips twisting into a cold smile. “Actually, go ahead.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “Oh, come on, Harper. You don’t truly want me dead.”

Hunter-in-training or not, Harper is still human. Thereshouldbe some instinctive part of her that recognizes me as a danger, and yet it’s clear she isn’t afraid of me. If it were anyone else, that’d be a problem I would swiftly be fixing, but with her…I’m glad she doesn’t cower or tiptoe around me. It’s entertaining, to say the least. It also gives me hope that perhaps down the line we can have some kind of relationship that doesn’t involve her itching to dagger me with an obsidian blade.

“No?” she challenges.

I arch a brow, shrugging. “That would be far more convincing if your dagger was in your hand instead of strapped to your thigh.”

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Aren’t you supposed to be off ruling the demons or something?”

“Or something,” I say wryly, not offering any details. Harper is my enemy, same as I’m hers, and information is a powerful thing that I can’t let slip into the wrong hands.

The distrust in her eyes claws at my chest. It feels wrong. More so is knowing there’s little I can do to change it.

“Are you stalking me now?” she asks in a cold tone. “How’d you find me here, anyway?”

---