Page 3 of Bad Demon

He looked down at me but said nothing as the sound of footsteps echoed from the other side of the door.

“Mommy’s dead, isn’t she? And it was my fault?”

“Yes,” he said.

“What’s an abomination?” I asked him.

“You are, Fern.”

ChapterOne

FERN

PRESENT DAY

The truck bounced over potholes,and I gripped the steering wheel tighter. I wouldn’t be able to drive much farther. Pretty soon, I’d be forced to go on foot. The forest was oppressively dark, my dull headlights doing a shitty job of illuminating the horror show that was Oldwood Forest … or what was hiding in it.

The next pothole was so deep that my head almost hit the roof.

“Fuck.”

If I didn’t stop now, I’d get stuck, and I wouldn’t be able to drive back out. That wouldn’t be good, not at all.

The demons who lived in this part of the forest were always on the lookout for breeders. Females went missing all the time in Seventh Circle—the demon part of the city—and were brought out here. If they had no one in their lives who gave a fuck—like, for example, me—then no one went looking for them. Unfortunately, not all the demons who lived out here were idiots. They might not be able to pass as human, but they weren’t stupid. There was a thriving black market for orphaned demon females of breeding age for a reason.

Was I taking a huge risk coming out here? Fuck yes. But there was no way I was giving up or going home now. I had to protect myself. I wasn’t going to end up in another prison with a different jailor. Sadly, strolling through a forest full of sick and twisted demons was the only way to make sure that didn’t happen.

Pulling the truck over, I turned off the engine, and the cab was submerged in darkness.

Don’t freak out. Don’t do it. Breathe.

I fucking hated the dark.Hated it. And as soon as it closed in around me, my mind tried to fuck with me, throwing up memories—so vivid that I was sure I could hear that slow drip, that I could feel the coldness against my skin, that I could hear the screams. I bit my lip hard enough to break flesh, and the flash of pain chased the memories away. Forcing myself to keep breathing slow and steady, I sat still and utterly silent as I listened and let my eyes adjust to the pale moonlight.

You’ve got this. You can do this. You need to do this—

A groan from the back of the truck interrupted my little pep talk.

Time to move.

Quickly getting out, I bounded up onto the cargo bed and pulled the pouch of herbs from my pocket—a mix I’d created that was strong enough to take down an elephant. Speaking of the creeps who kidnapped and sold females, I crouched beside the bound demon, flailing against the bindings around his wrists and ankles.

He hissed, cursing me out. “That wasn’t very nice,” I said and pinched his nose closed. His eyes widened, and he started jerking and twisting. Climbing on his chest, I slid forward, using my thighs to keep his head still, and waited him out. Finally, he opened his mouth for a desperate breath. I quickly sprinkled my special tranquilizing mix onto the back of his tongue, and he gasped it right on down his throat. He coughed, and I snatched up the water bottle from my bag and poured some into his mouth. He gulped greedily to wash away the nasty shit.

Success.

I smirked. “Night-night, fuckface.”

His eyes flashed red, a growl tearing from him, and then he slumped. Out cold. Thankfully, before he could fully recover from the first dose I’d given him and use his powers to take me out.

Following this prick and slipping my sedative into his drink had been the easy part. Getting him out to the truck before he passed out had been a little trickier, but I’d gotten there in the end.

Jumping down from the cargo bed, I opened the tailgate, unfolded the tarp I’d thrown back here, and laid it on the ground. Then, grabbing the demon by his ankles, I hauled him off the back and onto the tarp with a thud. This prick wasn’t your average run-of-the-mill demon. He was powerful, strong, and high up on the food chain. If Rune caught me doing this, I’d be fucked. Lights out, all over for Fern—or worse, I’d be sent to Hell. Rune was in charge of the demons who’d been granted sanctuary and given permission to remain topside. There were rules, of course, and I was currently breaking a big one.

But that couldn’t be helped, and this asshole deserved what he was about to get.

As for why I’d chosen this particular demon? Well, his function, for me, was threefold. First, I’d seen him talking to a couple of demons who’d been hanging around my street, creeps who had been watching my store. This slimy fucker had sent breeder scouts to watch me. It was only a matter of time before they made their move, and I wasn’t going to just sit around and let that happen. No fucking way. So, I’d gotten in first.

Second, I needed an offering of value if this was going to work, and third, he was my ticket to get safely through this forest. With the stench of power rolling off this prick, along with the come-closer-and-die demon aggression seeping from his pores, even while unconscious, the others around here would stay the fuck away.

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