Page 50 of Necromancers Don't Raise

I almost shot him just for looking at me like that, like I was part of the Daphne collection.

“No,” Mercury said coldly. “You aren’t allowed in my auction house. Leave now while you have the chance.”

“Come, Mercury. Surely you wouldn’t refuse such a generous bid.”

“Miss Nova, feel free to shoot him. Between the eyes or in his heart would be ideal.”

The demon’s eyes glimmered as he gave me a bow, then stretched his hands out, giving me a clear target.

“Leave now,” I said, frowning at him. “If you were banned from Mercury’s auction house, you shouldn’t have come.”

The demon cocked his head and studied me for a long moment. “If you wish me to leave, I will do so, Miss Nova. You don’t mind if I call you Miss Nova, do you?” The demon’s eyes glowed red and his teeth shone threateningly.

Mercury slashed a hand, and a portal opened beneath the demon, swallowing him with a crackle of dark magic that left everyone in a six-foot radius with hair standing on end.

“The auction has ended. Feel free to leave at your earliest convenience. Miss Nova, shall we?” he held out his hand to me.

“I’m not finished,” Philip said, walking towards the platform, like the surrounding monsters weren’t there. He shoved past a terrifying vampire woman like he didn’t notice her, and she bared her fangs at him.

I pulled my hand out of Mercury’s and jumped off the stage, landing in the crowd that parted automatically for me, like they knew the gems were spelled to only let the auction winner touch them. I reached Philip, who looked at me, bewildered, while I slipped my hand in his arm. He automatically took the proper pose, gentleman that he was.

“Why don’t I walk you out?” I said with a polite smile.

“Why would you?” he murmured, but he didn’t resist me subtly dragging him through the crowd.

“You shouldn’t have come here,” I murmured as I glanced up at a man with blue skin and tusks who was eying my jewels and my throat with a good amount of hunger.

“Shouldn’t I? Why is that? You don’t want your master’s auction disrupted? I’m afraid that’s impossible, considering his usual clients are the worst kinds of monsters.”

I gave him an exasperated look. “Because you’re a human in the midst of the worst kinds of monsters. You take more than your life in your hands when you come here. Do you want to wake up as a vampire? Maybe a werewolf?” I shook my head andcontinued my path towards the nearest side door. “Neither of those would suit you.”

“Wouldn’t they? How peculiar.”

I glanced at him, and then pushed through the door, still holding his arm. He covered my hand with his, securing our position as he stepped through the door and into a checkerboard hall.

“Pardon me for clinging to you, but Mercury’s house isn’t welcoming to my kind,” he said, glancing around at the nearest painting.

“Yes, well, he doesn’t like anyone living, so I wouldn’t take it personally.”

“No? He likes you, so you must not be living. How long have you known the necromancer?”

“A few weeks. Yes, we met when I was dead.” I winced after I’d said that, because who says those kinds of things to polite and respectable gentlemen like my former fiancé? Who I was walking through Mercury’s house with, looking for an exit.

“How interesting. And you were saving the innocent human from all the many monsters? That is the most tragic thing I’ve ever heard.”

I looked up at him, confused. “Interesting or tragic?”

“Both. Interestingly tragic.” He leaned forward and peered deeply into my eyes before he pulled away, shaking his head. “Remarkable. I can’t tell that you’re dead at all.”

“I’m not dead, currently. I’m not even undead, but the particulars are very confusing, involving demons and whatnot.”

He nodded wisely. “Demons and whatnot indeed. I should kill him, but he’s keeping you alive. What a monstrously difficult decision to make. I suppose I’ll have to let him be, and not rescue you from this hole of misery you find yourself trapped in. At least not this very moment.”

I laughed and shook my head. “That’s very kind of you to want to save me, but…”

“Only you’re allowed to rescue others. Yes, I remember that well enough.”

I stopped walking and stared at the checked floor in front of me while my skin got cold and weird. I glanced up at him, and he was also staring ahead, but at a painting.

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