Page 316 of Bound (A Faery Story 1)

---

“So, the little bitch made it back.” The hag’s voice boomed

through the forest. “I wonder how much that cost you. What did you

have to pay the demon for the trip back, little Meg? And he gave you

some form of magic as well. You must have given him a lot.”

Meg nudged her head up, peeking over the log. Dante was still in

his hiding place. He was crouched down, his eyes seeking something.

The cat prowled not far away. Her nose scented the air with predatory

grace. The hag paced back and forth as though the pain from her arm

was bugging her. Her black eyes scanned the area up and down,

seeking any sign of where her enemy had gone.

“I had to sacrifice a virgin to that damn demon,” the hag admitted.

“And look what it got me.”

Meg clenched her fists together. She knew what the witch was

doing. She was trying to force her out. The hag had killed Bri, and she

knew that would make Meg crazy. The voice inside her head was

urging patience.

“I slit that stupid girl’s throat, and you’re back anyway,” Liadan

said with a sigh. “Do you have any idea how messy that can be? She

had a lot of blood in her. It should have gotten me something better

than this. Ah, Ain found your friend.”

There was a loud hiss and then something that sounded like a five-

year-old girl’s scream. Apparently, Dante really didn’t like cats.

Dante landed on his back as the cat pounced. Ain, as Liadan had

called her, was a hissing mass of claws and sharp teeth. Blood

streaked across Dante’s face as the cat’s claws found purchase in his

flesh. Dante wrapped a hand around the cat’s throat and squeezed.

298

Sophie Oak

“I changed my mind,” Dante yelled. “I’ll take the hag. You take

the cat.”

---