Page 26 of Savage Fate

He could suck my soul—and choke on it.

I gathered my strength and pushed through the anguish just as the misty, white cloud of my soul undulated out of my mouth. The dux demon inhaled a sip, and while he was momentarily lost in ecstasy, my hand arched up, and I jabbed my claws into his cheek.

His shriek nearly busted my eardrums, but he released his hold on my soul.

“I’m notthateasy.” I shredded his orange flesh, tearing a huge chunk of his cheek off, revealing his jawbone.

He grabbed his face and fell back on his ass. “You’re going to die slowly for that.”

Hot demon blood oozed over my fingers as I scrambled toward him, violence pumping through my veins. “Tell me what you know about that dead shifter you threw into Corvin Manor.” My claws pressed against his throat, drawing more blood. “What do you?—”

My tattoos tingled seconds before slick, black talons tore through the demon’s neck, and his head was ripped from his body.

Fane crouched in front of me, black blood splattering his face and hands as he held the demon’s decapitated head.

My mouth dropped open. Normally, I would have been happy—and possibly turned on—to have my beast take part in the violence, but he killed my only lead.

“Why the hell did you do that?” I hissed, my nostrils flaring. “I was trying to get answers.”

“And he was trying to kill you.” He tossed the head aside and pointed to the blade clutched in the dead demon’s hand, my blood on the tip.

Chills scuttled down my scalp. I hadn’t even noticed it.

Now a sting registered, and warm, wet blood slid across my stomach.

Shit.

I’d gotten so used to relying on the demon amulet in fights that I’d lost my edge.

“I wouldn’t have died,” I muttered, earning a scowl from the demon shifter.

He held his hand out for me. “I’d rather not test that theory.” He helped me up, his expression hardening when he noticed the bruise forming on my temple. “Answers aren’t worth your life.”

Marissa gloweredas Hawk and I entered the large meeting room in Alpha Camus’s basement from the huge glass French doors in his backyard.

“Why are they here?” She shot a finger in our direction. “This is a pack meeting, and last I checked, Tate and her little raven boy weren’t pack members.”

Hawk’s deep, honeyed laugh spilled out. “Boy?”

“Are you ever going to get over yourself?” I sighed, not in the mood to deal with the alpha’s daughter. If she stopped being such a spiteful bitch, maybe her life would turn around.

“Are you ever going to realize you don’t belong here?”

Camus had called a pack meeting after the third shifter body had turned up, and members piled into the room, taking their seats among couches and chairs that had been brought in. The long table usually at the front had been moved to accommodate more seating.

Not everyone was here, but at least one representative from each family needed to attend. Fear was spreading through the shifter community, and Camus wanted to reassure his pack.

That would be difficult when we didn’t know who was behind these recent murders. Not all signs pointed to The Collective Hunt now that a dux demon had dropped off another corpse.

“Marissa, haven’t you learned by now not to provoke Tate?” Mina strolled toward her friend and passed her a drink.

Ice clinked against the sides of the glass as Marissa took it. “I’m only trying to figure out why my father has such a soft spot for this little freak.”

I rolled my eyes. “You are the literal definition of a petty mean girl.”

“Hi, Mina.” Hawk winked at the strawberry blonde, paying Marissa and me no attention. “You’re looking ravishing, as always.”

Mina peered down at her oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. “I think you’ve taken too many bumps to the head, raven. You’re delusional about several things, including thinking you have a chance with me.”

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