Page 16 of Magic of the Damned

In a swift, practiced sweeping movement, Kane had me pressed against his chest, my arms bound to the side by his body and my head turned, exposing my neck.

A shallow ragged breath escaped when I felt sharp fangs press into my neck. They grazed against my skin. His enjoyment from my fear was apparent. He taunted me with it. Fangs pressing hard enough for pain but not enough to puncture the skin. Then they did. Pain made tears well in my eye as they sank deeper.

The hold on me eased and I tore away from him, pressing my fingers to the pierced skin. I pulled back blood but the puncture wasn’t deep. He was just playing with me. Finding a thrill in the terror he invoked. Sick bastard.

Dominic held a sword to the back of Kane’s neck.

What are you doing? That’s not how you sword—or whatever. I knew nothing about swordsmanship but I figured wielding one was similar to swinging a bat. There had to be distance between the sword and the target to allow for momentum to drive in the blade. But maybe he didn’t need that. Malicious intent dwelled in Dominic’s eyes. Unfettered violence showed in his refined movement as he held the sword steady, gliding around to face the vampire. If looks could kill, Kane would have been eviscerated.

“Make no mistake, Kane. They”—Dominic’s gaze flicked toward the others—“may not have believed you deserve to be in the Perils, but I do. This will be just as satisfying.”

Kane’s eyes slid to me. His expression contained the disgust of looking at something that needed to be wiped off his shoe. He was a fickle one: one minute he wanted to keep me like a trophy, the next I was crud on the bottom of his shoe.

“She was seen by both our seers. Whatever her involvement, she is a threat. One that must be remedied.”

“You only confirm how much you should be in the Perils. You’ve convinced them you’re not a monster, but I believe no such thing.”

“Then this must be as if you are looking in a mirror. Monster to monster.” The hostility between them intensified, thick violence lingering in the air. They pinned each other with merciless glares.

“Shall we see which monster survives?”

There was no fucking way I was staying to see what violence could be perpetrated by these self-identified monsters. Nor did I want to continue watching their casual banter about wanting to end each other.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and headed for the end of the hall. There wasn’t an elevator, not that I would have chanced it.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I crashed through the door leading to the main floor.

Safe.

I released a deep sigh of relief too soon.

Anand stood in front of the exit, wielding two knives.

CHAPTER 6

If I learned nothing else from Marvel movies, I knew this was the time to run at him full speed, leap into the air, and scissor my legs around his neck. Hammer pound his face and head until he was dizzied and disoriented. Bring him to the floor by using my positional advantage and shifting my weight. With my super powerful thigh muscles, I’d choke him out.

A woman can dream and have lofty goals. That plan wasn’t rooted in any form of reality since he’d subdued a massive wolf in the time it took me to gasp a breath, and the week before I’d tripped over my own feet. I didn’t possess the agility and mastery of fighting to go hand to hand with this man and be remotely effective.

My best defense was to get the hell away and figure the rest out later. Giving me a taunting look of menace, Anand twirled the weapons with practiced precision before storing them in the sheaths at his waist.

I backed away and ran in the opposite direction, which I guessed was the main exit.

Fuck.

Dominic stood between me and it. Steely eyes, coiled danger, and raw power radiated from him in waves. Whatever transpired between him and Kane had ignited something vicious in him. I scanned the area for an escape route. Nowhere. This building served one purpose: a meeting space for them.

“Go away,” I ordered.

“No.” In an ominous wave of movement, he was close and circling me. Scrutinizing me with narrowed eyes. I turned, following his every movement and returning his considering look.

“I have questions for you.” He bristled, accusation heavy in his voice.

“What?” I wanted to sound challenging and confident, but my words came out in an uncertain squeak.

“How did you do it?” he demanded. “I thought we had rid the world of such magic. Yet here you are.”

“You know damn well I’m not a… witch.” It still felt ridiculous saying it, despite knowing witches and other—worse—things existed. I didn’t understand how he could defend me so ardently to the group and then make such accusations.

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