Page 8 of Rites of Passage

“The Sorcerer King always knows what happens at our covensteads,” Abraham explained at her expression. “We’ve long assumed he has spies planted at every magical convention.”

Mae’s scalp prickled. She felt Brimstone and Hellreaver’s disquiet through the bond that connected them.

“So, you’re worried I’ll get attacked if I go?”

“Yes.” Bryony rubbed her forehead, looking weary all of a sudden. “From what Nikolai’s contacts in Europe have told him, Oscar and his father are lying low.” She met Mae’s cautious gaze. “Things may have gone quiet in Budapest, but that doesn’t mean the Dark Council isn’t up to something. Nikolai thinks the same and so does Vlad. The Annual Grand Meeting would be an obvious place for them to set a trap for you.”

Mae digested this with a frown. “Vlad’s been looking into the Dark Council?”

“Whether we like it or not, he’s involved in this fight,” Bryony said. “His primary affiliation may be to theBlack Devils,but he is a half demon half magic user, like you. His blood will always call him to battle. It’s why he first approached the New York coven and the reason we’ve been working together behind the scenes these past few years to curtail some of the Dark Council’s more nefarious activities in the city.”

Vlad’s handsome face and devilish smile flashed before Mae. TheBlack Devilsheir acted like a carefree playboy most of the time, but there was no denying his instincts and his sharp intellect. Or how viciously good he was at fighting, his white, Bengal-tiger familiar Tarang an equally daunting presence during their clashes with the Dark Council.

Mae had glimpsed the darkness that lived in Vlad’s soul. A darkness that called to the demon blood within her. It was the reason she was torn between him and Nikolai, a man who possessed white magic similar to Ran Soyun’s, despite being the scion of the Sorcerer King.

Darkness and light. Sin and temptation.

Somehow, Mae suspected she would still be struggling with this decision in the months ahead. Vlad had made it inherently clear he wanted to be the consort of the Witch Queen. Although Nikolai hadn’t expressed the same wish openly, his competitive streak with Vlad and his not-so-subtle jealousy indicated he was similarly interested in the position.

Hellreaver stirred.I sense burgeoning lust within you, my witch. You should just fornicate with the sorcerer and the incubus and get it over with.

Brimstone growled at that suggestion.They’re not good enough for our mistress!

Heat flooded Mae’s cheeks.No one is fornicating with anyone!

Hellreaver spoke again.Don’t mind the fox. That fool is just being picky. Those two are your best options to release some of that sexual frustration you seem to be suffering from. Seriously, you need to let your hair down. All that pent-up desire is bad for your health.

Hellreaver’s vocabulary had expanded a lot since he’d awakened. In fact, he was starting to sound more like a regular New Yorker than a demonic weapon that was thousands of years old.

Mae scowled.That’s it. I’m banning you two from watching TV.

Hellreaver groaned in protest.

What did I do?Brimstone objected, his tails thumping the floor agitatedly.

“Why is your face red?” Violet asked Mae curiously.

“Because I’m bonded to two idiots,” she snapped. “Anyway, when and where is this Annual Grand Meeting?”

“It’s in three days,” Bryony replied somberly. “In Philadelphia.”

Mae stared. “What?!”

CHAPTER6

Sweat trickleddown Nikolai Stanisic’s temple as he pressed his hands against the belly of the figure lying on the gurney. The man screamed and arched his back, muffled voice underscored by the screech of the demon clinging to his soul and skin blanching where he fought the leather restraints holding him down.

Nikolai focused, his heart thumping heavily against his ribs.Just a little bit more!

A grimace twisted his mouth as he drew on the white magic coursing through his veins. Though it didn’t exactly cause him pain, he could feel an unpleasant tugging in the middle of his body. He knew it was because the fiend was trying to feed off his energy.

Exorcisms suck.

Alastair’s eyes blazed where he perched on Nikolai’s shoulder, the crow familiar amplifying his powers.

A dark, twisted shape finally emerged from the body of the possessed man. Nervous murmurs broke out among the New York coven members and the soldiers supervising the purge. Though it wasn’t the first time they’d witnessed this in the past few days, it still made them skittish. Nikolai could hardly blame them. He wasn’t thrilled about what he was seeing either.

At least they’re not the ones touching the damn thing.

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