Page 141 of Savage Blood
A lump clogged my throat as a tiny piece of hope expanded in my chest. “It was all an act?”
His lips twitched. “World’s best actor.”
I wanted to throw my arms around him. “Does Fane know?”
He shook his head. “I risked murder for this. He would have killed me if Roxie hadn’t brought in Hawk. Unfortunately, theraven wasn’t supposed to be part of our plan, but Barric insisted she grab him.”
So that little skank was on my side too.
“You need to drink this now.” He lifted my hand still clutching the bottle.
“What is it?”
“It’s a very concentrated sample of Soulvation,” he said. “One of the least balanced formulas.”
My stomach dropped as an icy wind rolled across my shoulders. “Won’t this make me crazy like it did those demons?”
“Ugh, kind of.” Ruin gave a nervous laugh. “But it’s exactly the kind of crazy that will draw the Infernal Sol in.”
Chapter
Thirty-Five
I shook my head,examining the swirling mist in the bottle. “But I didn’t kill Roman, and once I’m strapped to this table, I won’t get the chance.”
“You don’t need to kill Roman.” Ruin reached into his pocket and withdrew a delicate golden ring, which he slipped onto my ring finger. “The ritual will severely weaken Barric’s hold on the Infernal Sol, and you’ll be able to take it.”
“And I’ll be lost forever to the amulet.”
“No, you won’t,” Ruin said. “Not if we do this while he’s performing the Admordum Nexia Covenant. The ritual also diminishes the stone’s defenses. Now hurry, drink the formula, and I’ll explain while I get you ready.”
Trusting Ruin—such a weird thing after all that happened—I uncorked the bottle and gulped the Soulvation. What other option did I have?
Tingles overwhelmed my body, and the room spun as a heady rush hit my system. I was suddenly floating on a warm, gentle breeze, bobbing like a balloon. A giggle slipped out of me when my skin hummed and buzzed.
“I can see why demons like souls so much—I mean, besides having to consume them to remain on Earth.” Another giggle tumbled from my mouth, and then I hiccupped. “What’s the ring?”
After Ruin hauled me up onto the table, he grabbed a paintbrush and a small container of black paint. “Cyria Vassali gave it to me.”
My lips parted once he said the last name, and the pieces fell together. “Your demon friend from the other night? That was the demon queen of Chicago?”
He nodded as he dragged the tip of the paintbrush across my arm, drawing ebony lines and swirls. “The one and only.”
“She gave you this ring?” As I analyzed it, the symbols etched into the metal twisted and writhed across the gleaming band.
“Her father did. And Drogan is one of the oldest, most powerful demons I know.” He blew out a deep breath and traced more shapes across my skin. “He might have even known some of the original demons.”
My quiet gasp sounded through the room. “As in, possibly the one who made the Infernal Sol?”
“Because you already have a bond with the Infernal Sol and part of it still exists inside you, the Soulvation will blur the lines of reality to bring you closer, mentally, to the amulet. The ring, also an ancient demon relic, will give you the strength to merge with the amulet without losing yourself.”
I licked my numb lips as memories of being deeply lost in the dark bubbled up. “But giving myself over to the amulet, bonding with it again, will steal all my control and shove me down. I won’t bemeanymore.”
Ruin drew an intricate symbol from the book onto thecenter of my chest. “You’re not giving yourself over, Tate. You aremergingwith the Infernal Sol. Completely.”
Cold, sharp panic sliced through my heart as my pulse spiked at Ruin’s ominous words. “What does that mean? How is that different?”
The high demon lowered his head until his nose touched mine. “It means that once you do this, there will be no more amulet. Youbecomethe Infernal Sol.”
