Page 107 of Spit

He moved so quickly, but I was ready. Confined space or not, I wasn’t going to let him win.

My shadow lashed out, and the hidden null blade swiped the demon's cheek and left a line across his skin. I had seen demons heal before, the effect was instantaneous, but I’d never seen a wound made with a null blade. The injury did not heal.

My shadow lashed out again as I gripped the bar at waist height and used it to balance as I kicked out with both legs.

Camio moved to the side, his teeth bared in a snarl. I felt something prick my side as my shadow wrapped around his neck and bit down.

The elevator doors opened. I was bleeding. The needle stuck out of my side. Blood on my white shirt where my skin had torn. I had no idea if any of the contents of the syringe had gone into my body, but the needle had done some damage.

I wheezed, clasping my side.

Camio took that moment to slam his palm into my sternum.

I flew. Rolling in the air and landing in a heap. Camio bared his teeth, his eyes darting behind me as he pressed the button to shut the elevator.

I sat up, and blood dripped onto the concrete floor. The top of my lip was wet. I touched my face, but my hand came away bloody.

At least I had gotten a few licks in.

A growl sounded behind me, increasing in volume as something moved in the shadows.

Whatever it was wasn’t human, and I wasn’t sure it was a demon either.

“Meet Mars, Ms. Boudaire,” Camio smirked as the elevator doors began to close. “I’m sure you’ll have a lot to do before you rip each other apart.” Camio wiggled his fingers, the epitome of patronizing, as the elevator closed.

My shadow slashed at the elevator doors, and sparks flew where the null blade scored the metal. “No anti-demon magic wards,” I whispered, eying the beast in the corner, though it didn’t come closer. I pressed my hand to my side. The adrenaline had started to fade, leaving pain in its wake. Tremors wracked my body as fear crawled over me.

The glowing eyes of the beast tracked my movements. No longer a demon in the way that I knew, but something else.

My shadow returned to me, its hands on its hips as it made a gesture.

I returned the gesture.I don’t know what to do either.

Ah, crap. The beast was stirring.

The cell was similar to the one I had spent the last two days in, except that the lights in the back had been broken, leaving part of the cell in darkness.

I was tired. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to check my wound wasn’t as bad as it felt. I couldn’t do anything of that. I had to be alert.

I’d been drugged. I would also wager that the demon, Mars, had been pumped full of the feeder as well. It didn’t seem to affect me as much as I thought it would.

I had briefly seen Legion's demonic form and Arlo’s as well. Both had been frightening, but they had kept some modicum of control.

Would Mars be the same?

“I’m not going to hurt you,” I told the demon, pressing the heel of my hand to my forehead as I felt pain shoot through my skull. “I promise. Mars, right? I know your brothers. I’m Legion's friend. He’s looking for you.”

The glowing eyes remained fixed on me, but the demon stopped growling.

I moved to the furthest corner and slid down onto my butt. My hunger hadn’t gone away, but I had no idea if it was because of the drug or because my shadow was back—perhaps both.

I had experience with ignoring hunger. I was always hungry. I hated it, but I could live with it.

I wasn’t about to lose my mind and eat someone because of Gluttony.

Camio had no idea who he was dealing with.

I fell asleep, though I didn’t mean to.

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