Page 44 of Savage Blood
“Tate!” Ruin jerked on his chains. “As much as I love seeing you indulge your dark side, we don’t have time for it right now.”
“Don’t worry, Ruin.” Roxie winked at the high demon. “I’ll play with you in a little bit.”
A laugh, terrifying and intoxicating in equal measure, spilled from the demon. “Oh, I can’t wait, little raven. But I get to be on top this time.”
Red flooded her cheeks as a wave of desire wafted off her. While she was distracted, I slammed my elbow into her ribs and struck her shin, forcing her to her knees. Roxie cursed and sliced her blade across my arm.
Searing pain spread over the cut, and I sucked in air. “Are you kidding me? You doused your blade in Devil’s Nightshade?”
“I’m not against cheating.” Roxie hopped back to her feet and charged me.
My heart crashed against my ribs as I spun to dodge her sword. “You can’t beat me without cheating.”
Ruin yanked on his chains again, trying to rip them out of the wall. “At least toss me the damn key for these, Tate.”
I reached into my pocket to grab it, but the dungeon suddenly spun in a whirlwind of stone, iron, flickering lanterns, and grime.
Oh shit.
My subconscious tore from my body, zoomed through the manor at breakneck speed, and halted in the disheveled ritual room.
Well, this is bad.
I couldn’t leave my damn body in the middle of a fight!
Sub-demon parts littered the floor, and black blood splattered the scarlet walls, the gothic furniture, and nearly every surface. The Collective members had tossed off their cloaks and masks, looking like they’d just returned from battle.
“Where is she!” Barric stood in a circle of dead demons, his nostrils flaring and eyes darkening with every breath.
Roman curled his fingers into fists to banish the electric bolts of magic crackling on his palms. “You told me to get Tate out of here, so that’s what I did. I locked her in her room. You said nothing about Alicia.”
The former head alpha marched toward the empty table where Alicia had been, the chains dangling over the edges. “How did she get out?”
Roman shrugged. “How should I know? She was there when I left with Tate.”
Rage pulsated from Barric, and his muscles twitched, his wolf longing to tear free from his human form. His powerful, scarred hands gripped the table and flipped it over, the loud crash erupting through the room.
“Start searching the manor for Alicia,” he ordered his faithful followers. “She couldn’t have gone far.”
Dread spiraled in my gut and stifled my breathing. Escaping would be even more difficult with members roaming the manor. They’d probably search the dungeon last, but we’d have to travel through the upper levels to access an exterior door.
“And will someone please kill that thing!” Barric motioned across the room to where the bull sub-demon struggled on the floor, wrapped in Roman’s Vulcrum ropes.
Puddles of black blood pooled in the area around the beast, glistening under the lights, but he was still bucking to get free.
“I’m trying,” Amelia shouted, a mixture of black and red coating her face and clothes. “He just won’t die.”
“Cut his fucking head off.” Barric dragged his fingers through his russet hair. “Where is Roxie with that damn sword?”
I stumbled back and then flew through the manor again, crashing into my body. My heart drummed out a frantic beat as sweat glided down my temples and into my hair. Blood perfumed the air.
Cold, hard stone pressed against my back.
How long was I gone? Did I fall, or did Roxie knock me down?
“Tate! Get up!” Ruin called, shaking the bars of his cell.
As my vision cleared, the pointy end of a blade arced toward my neck, Roxie’s fury-filled appearance looming above.
