Page 25 of Magic and Mayhem

Heat radiates from the still-as-stone creature. It feels as if everyone and everything around me is holding its breath to see what happens next.

Walking around so that I come face-to-face with the creature, it seems that its fiery gaze looks right at me. My hand reaches out, landing over the spot between its eyes. A thrum of energy courses through me, and a purple flame whooshes to life in the creature’s mouth.

I know this fire—it won’t hurt me. Just as I know this creature won’t. It may seem strange, but I can feel the life inside of this ride. It’s not just a statue for props.

There are no kids riding this, and no one seems to have touched any of the other animals if their shimmering handles and pristine condition are anything to go by.

“Hello there, Little One,” a voice says from behind me,startling me. I nearly jump out of my shoes to turn and face him.

The man is strikingly beautiful but menacing. Black hair sweeps into his face before he pushes it back and his eyes flash red, the tattoo on the side of his face seeming to burn for a moment. I should be terrified, but my heart slows in his presence.

For some reason unknown to any man on the planet, I reach out and touch the burning wing on his face. The red glow inside of it flashes to purple before the two colors seem to mix within the ink, dancing around each other.

The man’s eyes instantly widen, his mouth falling open, and the dark curiosity he exuded turns to awe. Though I cannot understand why.

A strong arm pulls me back into a hard body, one much larger than any human should be.

“Mine,” Eryx growls. I turn my head to look up at his hulking demon form.

The way his fangs are bared in challenge, his muscles rippling with tension, and his stance set for a fight…they’re all clear indications he is ready to pounce.

“Eryx,” I say gently.

Suddenly, his shimmering eyes shift to me, staring deep into my soul.

The purple is clouded over with a burning silver. I can feel his power rippling through the air as he prepares to go to war for me. But the stranger in front of us didn’t hurt me, and I don’t think he has any intention to.

“He isn’t trying to harm me.”

“He could try to take you,” his deep voice insists, and I can feel his body trembling.

“Nothing could take me from you,” I assure him, reaching up to stroke a finger over his powerful violet jaw.

Some of the tension in his features fades. I have no idea why I said what I did, but I know for sure one thing is true—this stranger can’t have the part of me that belongs to Eryx. Our deal is set into my flesh and as binding as life itself.

I can feel the truth of it every time he touches me.

“Yo,” the stranger says. “Chill, dude. You know I have no interest in your girl. Her power just surprised me.”

Now it’s my turn to look confused, glancing over at this man.

“Power?”

Eryx narrows his eyes at him before shifting back into his human form and adjusting the tie on his perfectly-pressed suit. Honestly, the fact that he can look so flawless in a matter of seconds is kind of annoying.

“Evolet, this is Kieres. He’s the shifter I told you about, the one who craves chaos.”

Eryx’s burning eyes turn towards Kieres. “Forgive me for assuming you would try to start a fight overmyhuman.”

Kieres chuckles, a wicked tone to his voice that seems to rumble in the air all around us. “I’m not my brother, dude. Zavian might try to have a go at her though.”

I can feel Eryx readying for a fight again, his ether seeping from his pores as he prepares to shift, but I don’t want anyone to get hurt. There is still a lot that I need to know about this place and everything that it can offer, as well as the rules that govern it.

While it’s clear Eryx is powerful, someone else is calling the shots. I need to understand who that is if I’m going to make sure I’m safe here. Putting myself between the two men, or rather demon people, I look between them.

“You said they were twins?” I ask Eryx.

His face turns hard, angry even. “Yes, aside from the tattoos and the color of their eyes, they are identical.”

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