Page 42 of The Daughters of Nyx

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My cheeks ached from grinning, and yet, I couldn’t get the smile off my face.

Definitely not how I expected this evening to go. This was definitely one of my most…interesting retreats to date. I wasn’t going to forget any of that any time soon, that’s for sure.

The streets were mostly quiet, though I wasn’t surprised. The hotel wasn’t in a high traffic area, but that was part of its appeal. Still close to everything you needed, yet you weren’t going to spend half the night listening to taxis and shouting, wishing you had earbuds to block out the sound.

The cold brew was strong and sweet as I took a sip, pausing to check my phone. Thea confirmed she’d gotten the ‘all safe boss’ text, and let me know she was still at work, pulling a late because one of the chefs went home with food poisoning.

Shaking my head, I started for the hotel again. If I was going to meet my goals for the weekend, I definitely needed to pull an all-nighter.

At least you have plenty of inspiration now,Horny Ivy teased.

I sure fucking do, I replied.

A shiver of fear raced down my spine, forcing me to a stop in front of an alley. The hairs on my arms raised, puckering

the skin. I took in the sidewalk ahead of me, letting my gaze flicker over the road to the line of store fronts, searching for the threat that made me freeze. Turning in a slow circle, I waited for something to jump out. My eyes landed on three figures in the alley, warped creatures dredged from the darkness of my nightmares, and froze.

They stepped out into the light of the night and my breath lodged in my throat.

Thethingsgrowled, low and guttural, their white, glowing eyes levelled on me. Sinewy muscle wound around thick bones, hairless, save for a tuft of black fur at the end of each tail, which whipped back and forth with anger.

The creature in front lowered down on its back haunches, ready to strike, but I stopped breathing, coffee slipping from my hand and landing on the dirty sidewalk.

Everything around me slowed as the first beast—because that’s the only thing I could call it—leapt into the air. All I could do was close my eyes, a scream lodged in my throat, as it attacked.

15

ELIAS

I acted before any coherent thought could stop me.

The shift tore through me, claiming my body and mind, ripping away the man and replacing him with the beast.

My body crashed into the first demon, knocking it off its course. A deep, guttural growl reverberated through me as my jaws clamped down on the hellhound’s throat. Thick, sludge-like blood sprayed into my open mouth as I tore into the beast’s jugular. It gave a jerk before going limp.

From the corner of my eye, Grey leapt at a second beast, iron laced blades sinking into the hound’s skull while claws of her own tore out its throat. Releasing the dead hound, I turned to take in the last demon, now cornered by Archer and Grey. Ivy, pressed into Kingsley’s side, watched with horror

as magic whipped from Archer’s hands, electric blue strands striking the remaining hound. The creature howled into the night.

“What do you want done with this one, boss?” Archer asked. There was no amusement left in his eyes, leaving nothing but rage as he stared at the creature born from the pits of Hell.

Grey cocked her head. “Send it to the compound for further interrogation and testing.”

The hound growled again; I took a step towards it, paws slick with blood, and lowered on my haunches. Black eyes found mine, and the hound whimpered as Archer whispered a spell beneath his breath, the ancient words causing a shiver to race down my spine. The beast’s black eyes remained trained on me as its body shuddered before being absorbed by the magic, the transportation spell carrying through time and space, back to the cells hidden beneath the compound.

As the demon disappeared, Grey pulled her phone from her pocket and slipped around the corner. From here, I could make out her conversation with Sir Ya’Dahir, warning him of the hound being transported into his custody. The Queen’s mate gave his assurance that he’d keep the beast contained until our return, before the call ended.

I stalked through the alley, breathing deeply as I crouched low, searching for any sign of the bastard who controlled the hounds. But the magic was faint, hidden away, and though I tried grasping strands of scents associated with the power, they slipped past my senses.

With a growl, I shifted. “I can’t scent anything,” I called out to Grey, turning to find her with her arms crossed and a deep scowl darkening her heart-shaped face.

“I’ve put up a glamour around the alley,” Kingsley said, his arm still wrapped protectively around Ivy. Her body shook with terrified tremors, and I knew without a doubt that the Prince was the only reason she was still standing.

I barely tampered down another growl as I turned from her. Archer cocked his head, then summoned clothes to replace the ones shredded during my shift. “Don’t need to scare her any more than she already is, Wolfy.”

From behind us, Ivy made a strangled sound that almost sounded like a laugh. I allowed Archer this one time, rolling my eyes instead as I ignored the demon blood coating my skin. I’d shower later; right now, we needed to gather evidence and get Ivy back to the apartment where she would be safe.

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