Page 37 of Fallen Demon

“Yes,” Drake answered.

“Then let’s keep going.” Rage set out on his fast-paced march.

And we followed.

But ten steps later, the landscape changed again. It wasn’t a large, flat expanse of dry, dead forest anymore, but a small island surrounded by a cliff.

“This is not what we saw from the other side,” I said.

Just as I spoke, a zing rushed through us, and shadow walls emerged from the ground, surrounding the island.

“This is a prison,” Zad said, his hands glowing with his magic.

“A prison within a prison?” Jasmin pondered.

“Another one?” Farrah said.

“The question is, for whom?” Rage said, his spear poised in front of him.

We fanned out a few steps, our backs to where the bridge had been, and everyone ready for a fight.

Laughter came from the other side of the island. I squinted but couldn’t see anything. Slowly, a shape took form against the shadow wall, and the laughter became louder … like a cackle.

The shape wobbled forward and away from the wall, and finally, we could see her better.

The woman looked disturbing. Smooth, dark skin, and full dark curls that were in desperate need of a brush. But the most disturbing feature of all was the huge wound in her chest, the empty hole where her heart should have been, and the river of blood across her ragged, white gown.

She lifted her head, most of her hair falling over her face, and she sniffed the air. “What is that smell? Hm, so many supernaturals together. Two angels, a fae, a wolf shifter, a witch, some demons, and my favorite …” She smiled wide, half of her pearl-white teeth peeking through her hair. “A DuMoir vampire.”

We all glanced at Drake.

His hands were tight fists, and his jaw could cut glass. “Sarki.”

“You know her?” I asked, confused.

“Know me?” Sarki stopped far from us and cackled again. “His lover sent me here!”

“Lover?” Zad asked. “Thea?”

“Yes, that bitch,” Sarki said.

“Thea killed you.” Drake’s jaw hardened. “You’re supposed to be dead.”

She tilted her head and a black eye appeared from beneath her hair. “I am dead … and I’m not.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Lacey said.

Sarki fixed her eyes on her. “Doesn’t it? You’re a witch. The queen of a coven is usually the most powerful of all. Isn’t your queen one of the most powerful witches who ever lived? If someone tries to kill her, do you think she’ll die easily? And if she dies, do you think she just disappears?”

Lacey opened her mouth but closed it again.

“Are you saying you were a witch queen?” Wyatt asked.

“I don’t need to be a witch queen to be the most powerful.” The corner of her lips tugged up. “I just need the heart of one.”

“Someone should tell her she’s stuck in the underworld,” Barn muttered.

A jolt of power ran through the walls surrounding the island. “Am I stuck here? I might be … for now.” Sarki zeroed in on Jasmin. “I can feel your magic. You’re one of the rulers here.”

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