Page 19 of Bite Marks & Broken Hearts

“Is it?” Sebastiáncrossed one leg over the other. “Is it really so hard to believe there might be more to this world than what you’ve been told?”

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it again. The events of last night played through my mind… No, it wasn’t impossible to believe. Not impossible at all.

“That guy Rory can really turn into… a wolf?” I whispered. My voice sounded small, childlike with fear. For some reason, this is what my brain was stuck on. Maybe it didn’t want to think about what exactly the “demon” had done to me.

“And his older brother, Kit.” My eyes moved to the note taped to the coffee machine. “They’re from a Scottish Highland pack.”

“There’s a wholepackof them?” I pressed a shaking hand to my mouth, fighting another wave of hysteria.

“Just those two, here. But there are dozens of packs in England, yes.”

“Can I… Can I see him? As a wolf, I mean?” I winced at my high-pitched voice.

Sebastián appeared amused. “That’s not really a priority right now.”

“Right.” I nodded. “Demons and stuff. Ice in my heart.” I swallowed hard, the cold in my chest seeming to spread at the mere mention of it.

I glanced around the basement again. The space felt oddly homey—there were cushions on the sofa, a few potted plants struggling under artificial light, and a collection of mugs by the broken coffee machine, each decorated with terrible puns.

“But… like, what is this place, though? A place for wolves?”

Sebastián laughed—properlylaughedfor the first time—and the rich sound made my stomach flip. “Kit and Rory would love that. But no.” He shifted forward, his expression growing more serious. “Killigrew Street is a specialist response unit. We monitor and manage supernatural threats in London—everything from rogue demons to dark magic practitioners who cross lines. Think of us as… an unofficial taskforce keeping the peace between worlds.” His lips quirked. “Everyone here is part of my team.”

“Christ.” I pressed my palms against my eyes until spots danced behind my lids, my breaths coming quick and shallow. “This is absolutely barking. I’ve gone mad, for sure.”

“Well, you’re not mad alone, Flynn. We’re all a bit…barkinghere.”

When I looked up, the corner of his mouth had curved upward slightly. The tiny smile transformed his whole face, softening the sharp angles into something almost… charming.

I was definitely losing it.

“You saved me.” The words tumbled out of my mouth. “You saved me from a demon.You saved me.” Gratitude hit me like a wave, washing away some of my earlier panic. “I’m sorry I… um… kneed you. In the…” I gestured vaguely at his balls.

But his almost-smile had vanished. “Don’t thank me, Flynn. Because I wasn’t fast enough to save you.”

“What?”

“You’re not the first victim of these lesser demons.” He moved towards me, shadows deepening the hollows of his face. “And yesterday, you were marked before I could stop it.”

The cold in my chest seemed to pulse in response, as if acknowledging its presence. “Marked me?”

“It’s more like… a seed. The demon plants it in the victim’s heart, and it grows. Feeds. Gets stronger.”

A wave of nausea rolled through me.Nope, this doesn’t sound good at all.

Sebastián’s fingers brushed his own chest, the movement so quick I almost missed it. “We suspect something else is at play here, with cambions at their bidding, marking humans for them. We’ve found ten bodies so far. All drained, all with the same frost patterns under their skin. But by the time we find them, it’s too late. The dark magic’s already developed, already been… harvested.”

My lungs seized. A rushing sound filled my ears, drowning out everything else. The cold in my chest exploded outward, a freezing blast that seemed to reach my fingertips. “What are the symptoms?”

“It starts small. The victim feels cold, no matter how warm it is. They have weird dreams. Ice. Darkness.” His gaze grew distant. “But they also feel… more. Everything becomes intense. Emotions run higher. It’s like the magic amplifies everything they feel, makes it stronger, richer…” He trailed off, troubled.

“But I feel fine!” The words burst out of me—too loud, too desperate. “I mean, emotionally. Normal.” Apart from the overwhelming terror currently clawing at my insides, and the occasional panic attack and crushing anxiety.

Sebastián’s dark eyes met mine, and I found myself holding my breath.

“This is just the beginning.”

“So I’m going to die?” I choked out. “Like the others?”

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