Page 10 of Living Legend

I rolled my eyes, hard.

“Either of you try anything, and you’ll see the other end of my fucking bow,” Reese threatened, pushing back the chair and standing.

Elise looked up at him, in no way intimidated. Pure curiosity was there instead. “I can’t tell if this just some big dick energy, or if you’re just overcompensating for a small one.”

Reese gripped the back of the chair, his knuckles turning white. I clapped my hand on his shoulder, bringing him back, reminding him we weren’t the only ones there. He nodded, face now completely red. Jonah motioned for the sentries at the door to collect thedemons, and they stood, hands in front of them with the golden handcuffs. They shuffled towards the door when I stopped them, silently letting the sentries know everything was alright.

I walked over to Dani, who showed no signs of confusion or worry, Jonah and the others distracted in their own conversation. She simply looked at me and smirked. Her lips were pink, her bottom lip full and pouty. I was close enough her to know she smelled like pure, raw cinnamon.

“If you are going to hide something—” I whispered, reaching down around her waist. I eased my index and thumb into her back pocket, her eyes popping wide at the intrusion. I felt the small hilt of the weapon before anything else, easing it out of her pocket and dangling it in front of her. It was small and compact, clearly not its original size, but it had weight for something so tiny. “Make sure you do a better job next time.” I dropped the weapon into my jacket.

She only continued to smirk, leaning in to whisper back. “I think you just enjoyed feeling me up, Nicholas. I knowIdid.”

The sentries pulled her towards the door and out into the hallway.Ariel and Markus nodded their goodbyes, exiting the room, while Jonah stayed back with us.

“We’re counting on you. This could look very good for you both if you succeed.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “And if we don’t?”

Jonah narrowed his eyes, the corners crinkling. “You’ll succeed.”

Chapter Three

DANI

“You really believe they’re going to just send us back once they’re done with us?” Elise asked, the condescending tone in her voice loud and clear.

They’d removed our handcuffs once they’d locked us in. I guess they assumed their threats were enough. Neither of us had any reason to use our powers here anyways -- well, at least I didn’t.

“I never said I believed it. I also think you are a huge pessimist.”

Elise grumbled over to the large armchair in the corner. The space was massive, although anything was big compared to Purgatory. Four delicate light fixtures dangled from the ceiling, dispersing light all around the room. Navy blue covered the walls, sterling silver covering the trimmings. The floors were vinyl, no creaking sounds as I walked. A gray loveseat sat next to the entrance door, a six-foot mahogany dresser against the adjacent wall. It had two, full sized beds on opposite ends of the room, one near the window facing the loveseat and one perpendicular to the door.

The sentries had to push me inside, since I’d stopped to take the whole room in at the threshold. Elise had walked in as if none of it phased her, which I’m sure it didn’t. She didn’t like the idea of being here, and the mention of staying overnight almost sent her over the edge.

“Just being here is making my skin crawl, and that right there is saying something,” she stated, huffing as she fell into the chair.

I raised my eyes to the ceiling, considering my words. “Like I said, you didn’t have to come.”

She waved her hand, shushing me. I let myself relax as I sunk into the most comfortable mattress I had ever laid on, closing my eyes to replay the last hour.

A demon got through an “impenetrable” portal.A team of two demons and two angels are meant to fix it. We had to work with angels.

Angels.

I saw the uppity attitudes Elise always grumbled over. I got wind of the distaste of having to even be near us, even if itwasto save their own kind. The pungent smell of frustration seeped out of the blonde one Elise toyed with. Still, I did catch a whiff of something else.

Intrigue. It was a light scent, so light, I might have missed it, but it was there.

Nicholas.

“Dani!” I shot my eyes open to see Elise standing over me, her hands around my shoulders. “Wake the fuck up. You aren’t going to get any sleep until we talk about this.”

“About what?” I asked, pushing against the bed and pulling myself up against the headboard. Elise sat at the edge, giving me a knowing look.

“You know what.”

“I don’t want to talk aboutthat.”

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