Page 9 of Grave Revelations

Rebecca shivered; whether it was from the decreasing temperature or the idea that he truly was invisible to humans, she wasn’t sure. “Or I can go, and you can stay here.”

“No!” His voice thundered through the room as he shot to his feet. “Where you go, I go.”

She rolled her eyes. “You left me on that patio a few hours ago.”

“You were safe during the day but would never make it to town and back by yourself before dark.”

Rebecca chewed her bottom lip. “What do you mean you’re not a demon?”

“Come, we can discuss on the way. Time is not on our side. You’ll freeze before the night is through.” Not waiting for a reply, he slid his arms apart, and the wall parted, revealing the forest surrounding them.

She stepped out, protesting mildly before allowing him to scoop her up and lift them into the air.

This time, he hovered just above the trees, gliding down the side of a steep mountain on what appeared to be a mostly uninhabited island.

“What’s the plan? I assume you have one,” Rebecca asked.

Azazel may have been convinced Simon was gone, but until she saw a body, she would not give up hope, and if she couldn’t shake her new bodyguard, she’d just have to convince him to help her.

“When I returned to the cell where she had imprisoned you, she and her made creatures were gone. We’ll wait out the night to see where she attacks next.”

“We can’t do nothing all night! She could kill Sophia and the rest of the coven.”

He dropped to the ground between the trees, setting her down beside him. “It would be too dangerous for you to face her now.”

Rebecca’s brow raised. “You know, don’t you? About the prophecy.”

He said nothing, moving past her, sliding along the shadow of a tall cedar tree. Was it her imagination, or did he melt into it?

Rebecca stopped, planting her feet firmly. A warm burst of earth magic ran up her leg, lending her strength. The hunger pains in her stomach diminished. Wasthis how she was surviving without food for so long? Was her magic sustaining her?

Azazel continued forward as if he hadn’t noticed that she’d stopped. Rebecca held her breath, waiting to see if he’d turn back.

When he’d disappeared from view, she stepped forward, wincing as leaves crunched underfoot.

Nothing moved. Had he left her?

She took another step. The forest was eerily quiet. If he was marching down the side of the mountain, this could be her chance.

When she was sure he was nowhere in sight, she bolted for a tree in her periphery and caught the bark, swinging behind it. An ache in her chest quickly sharpened into something hard to breathe around.

“Not again,” she groaned. She righted herself, took shallow breaths, and moved slowly to the next tree. Pain tore through her, cramping her stomach, and she fell to the ground, moaning.

“Make it stop, please.” She squeezed her eyes shut, wrapping both arms around her middle, praying for it to end.

As quickly as it had come, the searing agony receded, leaving only an echo of it lingering in her chest.

“Have you listened to nothing I’ve said?”

Rebecca blinked, staring at the beast of a creature towering over her, wearing pink swim shorts with bananas on them. Laughter bubbled up her chest and exploded from her lips.

It wasn’t funny. Nothing about her situation was funny. But right now, a seven-foot demon with pink banana-patterned swim shorts was the funniest thing she’d ever seen.

He tossed a thick wool coat at her, and she caught it, snorting as she stifled the next bout of laughter.

“What are you wearing?” Despite herself, she burst into another round of giggles, sliding the coat over her shoulders.

“You’ve done nothing but complain about my displeasing physique since I brought you to this island,” he said. “I grew tired of it.”

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