Page 4 of Nightmares and Numerology

I wedged as much of Vin’s palm into mine as I could and then bit down on it with as much force as I could muster. When he staggered away from me, shock in his expression, I expected to see a perfect bloody imprint of my teeth on his skin. It was worse. So much worse. A chunk of flesh about the size of a silver dollar was simply missing. And, I realized after a moment of nauseated confusion, I still had the flesh between my teeth.

I collapsed, bending over the nearest trash can and spat the lump of his hand out of my mouth at the same time that I vomited the breakfast smoothie Angelo had made for me that morning. It was less delicious coming back up. I ended up dry heaving at the sight of that bloody chunk bobbing in the trash can like a fleshy cork.

My head felt like a struck bell, vibrating with unpleasant emotion. Vin had been angry when he’d locked the door, trapping me in here with him. Now he wasfuriousthat I’d maimed him. He’d heal the damage eventually, but he’d need to drain the life force from some poor person to hasten the process. I could almost see the calculation in his eyes. He was an incubus. I was a woman. He could take what he needed, and I would be too drunk on pheromones to know it was happening.

“Don’t even think about it,” I said, my voice hoarse. My throat burned, and the feeling of blood running down my chin made me want to bend over the trash can again. “I’m not sleeping with you.”

“As if I’d let you get into my head that way,” he said with a bitter laugh, clutching his injured hand to his chest. “I suspectedyou used your witchy magic to snare him. I didn’t realize you were using a Koloth’s pheromones to double your control over Angelo. If you think I’ll let you make him your bitch, think again.”

I stared at him, uncomprehending. Make Angelo my bitch? Where did he get the idea that was my goal? If anything, I was Angelo’s, not the other way around. I mean, I planned to let him do unspeakably sexual things to me later that night. I didn’t want to fight Angelo’s control. It felt too good to be pressed against him.

I wiped the blood from my chin with a grimace. “I mean this as literally as possible: whatthe hellare you talking about?”

Vin’s lip curled in disgust. “Don’t deny it. I know you witches think you’re superior to the rest of us. You think it’s funny to lead Angelo on and force him to crave you, just to keep denying him.” I started to shake my head but he glared at me. “I’d smell him on you if he was bedding you. Clearly, he’s not.” He took a deep breath. “It stops now. Whatever spell you’ve put on him to keep him in your bed, lift it. And if you plan to put a mate mark on him, I will kill you. You don’t get to—”

I’d never be completely sure what I wasn’t allowed to do. The door burst open hard enough to crash against the wall. Angelo stood in the doorway, his face flushed scarlet, not with embarrassment, but with rage. The heat of his anger was blistering. Vin was so focused on me that he didn’t see the strike coming until Angelo slammed his hands into Vin’s chest, sending him sailing over the conference table andthroughthe opposite wall. The drywall folded like a thin paper cup beneath Vin’s weight.

But Angelo wasn’t done.

He strode past me, horns curling into being at the crown of his head. It should have made him look scary, but paired with the sculpted beauty of his face, it only made him look exotic. Heseized a folding chair from around the table and brought it down with a grunt of effort, right onto Vin’s groin. Vin wheezed, his face blanching with pain. He scrambled awkwardly backward, barely dodging Angelo’s next shot for his family jewels.

“Stop!” Vin pleaded, but this time, his voice was weak and threaded with fear. Nothing like a nut shot to humble even the most sex-crazed demons. “Ang, stop it! I’m trying to protect you, you moron!”

Angelo paused, holding the chair aloft. “Protect me against what?” he demanded, voice coming out in a growl.

“The witch has you under a spell,” Vin explained. “She’s made herself immune to me. Probably to any incubus.”

“What’s your point?” Angelo growled again.

“She’s using you, man.”

Angelo’s snarl made my teeth rattle, filling the room like localized thunder. The heat of his power was less oppressive than Vin’s, feeling like a feverishly hot wing draped over my shoulder. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel it like a phantom limb. I curled closer to it, using it to siphon off my terror.

“She doesn’t have me under a spell, dipshit,” Angelo ground out.

“Then how—” Vin started.

“—there was a magical accident. Only my pheromones affect her now.”

Angelo reached for me by demonstration, power twining around my limbs. I knew I could resist his call, but I didn’t want to. It felt good to press against his chest. I shivered when he lifted my chin and slanted his mouth over mine. He poured power down my throat, and I went up on tiptoe, my back arching. I let out a soft whimper when he pulled back, leaving me dangling on the precipice.

When I could blink back to reality, I found Vin staring at me in shock. Had he really been so upset that I didn’t respond to hisdemon that he’d concocted this ridiculous story in his own head? Convinced himself he was protecting Angelo by figuring out my secret?

“She’s part Koloth,” Vin said quietly, sitting up and shielding himself with his knees. “We don’t bother with them for a reason, Ang. You know how serious they are about the commitment thing.”

“I’ll date who I want,” Angelo countered. “And Lydia’s heritage is her business, not mine.”

“Angelo,” Vin started, his tone of voice a warning.

Angelo turned to look at me. “I’ll take the chance. She’s worth it.”

The comment made my insides glow. I was sure Indigo would have popped my happy bubble, reminding me that Angelo was an incubus who wanted inside my pants and that was the extent of his interest in me. Thankfully, the potion that kept her quiet also meant this entire confusing affair was my secret. I didn’t have to tell her it had happened. Phew.

“Idiot,” Vin said, but there was less contempt in his tone now. “You’re being a damn fool, Angelo. She’ll get her hooks into you, and you’ll end up like your sister—trapped in suburban hell.”

Angelo lifted the chair he was still holding in one hand. “Call my sister a freak again, Vin. See what happens.”

Vin’s gaze darted to the door. He looked shaky and was bleeding from a few cuts on his face, as well as the chunk I’d taken from his hand.

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