Page 17 of A Study of Blood and Ichor

A shiver of pleasure flooded through me as Vain regained his full awareness.

Having fun with my pet? he asked. I gave him a mental shove in return.

“I can promise that you and the demon were the last thing on my mind when I dressed myself.”

I pursed my lips. “That’s a shame. Vain says he likes that shirt on you though. I agree, it really accentuates your…” My eyes flicked to her cleavage, then back up to her face and found her mouth had turned downward into a scowl. “Assets.”

The small smile I gave her caused her nose to wrinkle. She was cute when she got angry—beautiful actually. There was no mistaking the way she cast her eyes over my face, the way her attention lingered on my tattoos or the stretch of the shirt over my chest. And I thought I caught a hint of…

“Oh my god, are you blushing?”

The flush of Ava's cheeks deepened from pink to crimson in a heartbeat, her frown intensifying.

I couldn’t believe she’d actually been checking me out. “I’m not blaming you,” I said through a laugh. “I mean, I’m very aware of my irresistibly charming good looks.”

It was such a damn shame she was probably going to kill us eventually.

As if reading my thoughts, she asked, “Do you want me to kill you?”

I let out a bemused laugh. “Vain was right about you. You really do get off on inflicting pain. Cruelty suits you, I guess.”

The look she leveled on me was one of unbound fury, and the sadist in me wanted her to unleash it on me if only it meant I might find some comfort in the aftermath. But that fire in her expression guttered not a second later, and she let her gaze fall to her feet.

“We’re attempting your exorcism tonight,” she said softly.

My whole body pulsed with cold dread. I had known that the day would come eventually, but I didn’t want to believe it was real.

“The High Witch will be here soon, and you should know that the process is not going to be easy. It will be painful, possibly excruciating, especially if the demon is unwilling to leave. But as awful as it may be for you, when it’s done, Vain will be nothing more than a bad memory. Whatever happens after, I'll be here to help you through it. I’m here to face this with you.”

I wanted to lash out at her and shove her self-righteousness back in her face. But Vain gently tempered my storm of emotions, quieting them with a simple thought.

Let me speak with her. It was a request, but Vain didn’t wait for my answer. He yanked me back and pulled himself forward to face her.

“While Rory appreciates the warning, I’d like to offer you a deal.”

Ava stiffened at his unwelcome resurgence. “Not interested,” she said.

“I can make it worth your while. I can offer you a favor in return.”

“I don’t want or need your favor, demon.”

“That’s not true,” Vain said sweetly. “Everyone has need of a favor. I just need to find your price.”

This is pointless, Vain. She’ll never agree to it.

Patience, Vain silenced me as he stared her down, cocking his head to one side. “From what I’ve sensed, you’re full of ambition, driven by some need to please others, and yet…you push them away.”

Ava bit back a snarl. “Stop.”

“Does it exhaust you to have to guard your heart the way you do?” Vain continued. “Tell me, who was it that made you feel so unworthy of yourself? Of the ability to be loved? I know what you want, even though you’re too afraid to acknowledge it.”

“You don’t know shit about what I want,” she seethed at him through bared teeth, her voice hoarse and shaking.

I didn’t know what exactly Vain had gleaned from her, but it was obvious he’d struck a chord.

“Let me pose a question to you,” he said. “When your High Witch finds that she no longer has a use for us, what will she do?”

“She already determined you’ve expended your usefulness to this coven. That’s why we’re exorcising you.”

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