Page 85 of Savage Hunt

“They would be much worse if I did this.” Instead of fighting, they’d run for their lives or curl into a ball to escape their fears.

As Ruin’s expression hardened and a luminescent glow eclipsed his irises, power throbbed around him. “Logan, Nik, help me detain them.”

The three demons jogged toward the melee while I leaned against the deformed tree with macabre faces protruding from the knots. I’d probably make things worse if I intervened. The Infernal Sol craved more fears.

My gaze traveled over the cemetery and landed on a tree as a memory overwhelmed me. Fane had kissed me against it, his mouth and hands so demanding I’d almost lost all sense of control. If Ruin hadn’t interrupted us, I would have let him screw me right against the trunk.

A body slammed into mine, tackling me to the cushy ground and shattering the memory.

“I knew you savages—” The man’s voice cut off, his mouth hanging open. “Tate?” Brown eyes penetrated mine as waves of dark blond hair hung in his face. A familiar face.

I reached up and stroked his jaw, the stubble rough on my fingers. “Strawberry Shortcake,” I whispered. He used to call me that.

Before he tossed me aside.

Lines creased his forehead. “What’s wrong with you? I mean, besides the obvious part about turning into a shifter.”

A manic giggle slipped out, and my pupils thinned. “I’m much more than a shifter, handsome human.”

I bet his soul tastes like maple syrup.

“L-Lord Ruin Bacchus?”

I tilted my head at the feminine voice, and a flood of rage pummeled my system when I met that deceptively angelic blue stare. A growl clawed up my throat, and the man above me flinched.

The woman’s attention shifted in my direction. “Tate?” A dramatic scowl pulled at her lips as she scrutinized me with so much disgust I was surprised she didn’t puke. “What are you doing, Hawk? That’s not your friend anymore.”

I couldn’t remember how I knew this woman, but the hatred in my veins didn’t care. I wanted to crack her skull open and pull out her fears. Maybe taste her soul too.

A rush of adrenaline hit me, and I kicked the guy off. I shot to my feet, lunged toward her, and slammed her against a tree.

“I’m going to enjoy killing you.”

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

As the raven lifted her sword, I snatched it out of her hand, stepped on it, and broke the blade in half. The color drained from her face.

“How did you?—”

I tossed the broken metal fragments aside. “Did you really think that would stop me?”

“Uh, Ruin, maybe we should break this up.” Logan stood a few feet away while the demon lord blocked the other raven—Hawk—from coming to the woman’s aid. The crazed dux demons were either dead or knocked out.

A wicked smile twisted Ruin’s lips. “Just let Tate have a moment.”

“Hawk, do something,” the female raven demanded.

He cursed when Ruin wouldn’t budge from his path. “What exactly do you want me to do, Roxie?”

Ah, Roxie.

Faint memories tugged at my mind, ones that left me—or the other me—hurt and crying. “You’re going to suffer,” I whispered.

And then I attacked.

She expected me to claw like a shifter, but I relied on my demon strength and grabbed her neck, quickly taking her to the ground. Roxie shrieked as I crawled on top of her.

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