Page 120 of When Death Whispers

A groan escapes me as I drag a hand down my face. Figures that me dying would be the way to get Silver rescued. “Fucking fantastic.”

The demon chuckles. “Relax, human. You won’t die.” A pause. Then, with way too much satisfaction, “Probably.”

I glare. “That’s really fucking reassuring, hairy asshole.”

He shrugs. “It should be. I need you alive. Without your connection to Steo, it could take me ages to find him. If I find him at all.”

That shuts me up real quick.

Without me… Parker might never be found. And she’s worth every drop of blood I have to give.

“You can call me Rad. And for the record, my asshole isn’t completely hairy.”

Ha Ha. He’s so fucking hilarious.

I let out a slow breath, rolling my shoulders back. “Alright Rad with a bald asshole. Let’s do this.”

Rad watches me for a beat, something unreadable in his expression. Then, he holds out his hand.

“Give me your arm.”

I hesitate. Not because I don’t trust him—okay,becauseI don’t trust him—but because Iknowwhat’s coming.

But I offer my arm. Parker needs me and no amount of pain will stop me if there’s even the tiniest chance she might survive, might live.

The demon–Rad–flexes his hand, one clawed finger extending with deliberate ease—curved, wicked sharp, catching the dim light like a blade. My stomach twists.

“This is gonna sting.”

“Just do it.”

Rad doesn’t hesitate. A sharp, burning pain flares as blood wells up, warm and thick, rolling in crimson rivulets down my skin. It drips to the floor—dark, pooling.

And then?—

Rad moves.

His claws flex, his own power unfurling as he crouches, dipping his fingers into the spreading blood. A slow, deliberate swirl. The air shifts.

A thin, inky tendril stretches from the puddle, like it’s reaching, drawn toward some unseen force. It writhes and slithers forward, carving a path—leading straight into nothing.

A door that shouldn’t exist.

Rad grins, sharp and knowing. “There. That’s our way in.”

I swallow hard, staring at my own fucking blood being used as a key to hell—or in this case, the Evergloom, I guess.

Rad doesn’t wait. He steps forward, movements fluid, effortless, like he’s walking through smoke, like he’s done this a thousand times.

He glances back at me, eyes gleaming with amusement. “Try not to die, human.”

And then—he’s gone.

I exhale sharply, fists clenching, and follow him through despite every instinct telling me not to.

But for Parker… I’d do anything.

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