Page 21 of Hell Gate

“Her death,” Valerian clarifies, his eyes narrowing in thought.

With all three of them crowding me at once, the air grows thick and hot around me. I strain to draw breath. The alley was bad enough with two of them caging me in, but this…I squeeze my thighs together, mortified by my reaction to their proximity. What is wrong with me? Why am I getting so turned on by the three men I hate? By my kidnappers? By demons?

Get it together, I scold myself. These are my enemies.

Shaking my head to clear it, I ignore Matthias’ cocky stare. Whatever sinful, dirty thought is in his head, I don’t want to know it.

“Would that work to fool your overlords or whatever?” I ask. “And how?”

“Demon council,” Alder corrects with pride coloring his tone. “They oversee the different factions of demons. There are many like us—warriors, guards, hellhounds, and soul reapers. Those that can cross between the realms. Our king, Lucifer, rules the underworld and the council is like his right hand.” His proud expression turns conflicted. “Disobeying our sworn duty to the council is as good as spitting in the king’s face.”

Color drains from my cheeks. “Don’t piss off the Devil’s lackeys in Hell. Got it.”

It feels weird just saying that with a scrap of seriousness. Demons are real. The Devil rules over Hell in the underworld. Yeah, not getting used to that anytime soon.

“You oversimplify our realm. It would be too difficult for you to understand,” Valerian mutters. “This is why humans have such skewed knowledge when it comes to the underworld. Hell is only one part of our realm.”

I scoff. “Politics suck no matter what. Doesn’t seem that hard to grasp.”

The corners of his mouth tighten. He starts to respond, then they all freeze, heads cocked like they’re listening. One of them curses.

Matthias slides off the bed, his languid nature replaced by someone that moves with efficiency. He slinks to the window, flicking the curtain carefully to peer out.

My shoulders tense at seeing him so serious. “What is it?”

Alder and Valerian exchange a glance.

“Too late,” Valerian says. “They’ve come for you.”

“What?” I yelp in alarm.

Matthias closes the curtains. “They’re circling the parking lot.”

“It’s a scout group,” Alder says.

Without another word, Valerian kills the lights. The three of them take up positions in the shadowy corners around the room to conceal themselves while I’m left out in the open. I snap my head back and forth. What’s the plan?

“Hello! Tied up still over here!” I jerk against the restraints, using my free hand to yank on them. I can’t reach the knot. “I’m not playing bait!”

“You are,” Valerian shoots back. “You’ll only get in the way or run off the first chance you get because humans are all stupid, fragile creatures. Stay there.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” My muscles strain with my attempt to wriggle free. “I hate you. I hate all of you so damn much.”

None of them are listening.

I freeze as the doorknob glows red-hot and melts, dripping down the door. It swings open with an unsettling creak and a tall figure steps inside, silhouetted by the lights from the neon motel sign and from the parking lot that stream in. Thick horns curl back from his angular face, his skin is stretched tight over cheekbones, giving his features a gruesome appearance. There’s no mistaking him for human—he’s a demon.

He speaks to the dark room in another language, chuffing in croaky amusement when no one responds. With each step he takes toward me, my heart climbs higher in my throat. Sharp pains cramp my stomach and stab my palms as terror ratchets higher.

Any minute now, guys.

They don’t move from their hiding spots.

Don’t let me die, assholes.

The light from the open door illuminates his face better when he turns toward me and I suck in a breath. His eyes snap to me, intent and eerily bright. I know him. I’ve seen him somewhere, without the horns.

My eyes widen when it hits me. It’s the same grizzly beard. He was in the alley! “Wait—aren’t you—?”

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