Page 7 of Consume Me
I climb the stairs at a run and hurry inside my apartment, slamming the door behind me. Then I fling the daggers out of their holsters and onto the counter, desperate to gain some distance and separation. But they continue to whisper and hiss at one another as if locked in some private debate.
“What the hell is going on?” I demand. “Who was here, and why do you care?”
They continue to hiss at one another in a foreign tongue.
Assholes.
I stalk into the bathroom and take my time in the shower, turning the water to scalding and letting it wash away some of today’s emotions.
When I emerge in shorts and a tee, the daggers have stopped their strange bickering. They’re calmer now, but that’s almost worse.
“Are you ready to tell me what the hell’s going on?” I ask.
Our ancient enemy has returned to the Earth realm. He searches for us even now.
“What does that have to do with me?” I ask, though I already know the answer.
You will destroy him for us.
“No,” I say, but the resistance feels flimsy. Liketissue paper trying to stop a storm. Because whoever this enemy is, the daggers might have drawn him here, but when he finds them, he’ll find me too. And I have zero illusions about how that will end for me.
A vision flashes in my mind for the thousandth time.
My death, courtesy of a ferocious wolf with gleaming fangs and a white star on his forehead, who?—
I blink, shutting it out.
I refuse to relive a moment that hasn’t happened yet. The moment I stop existing, to be exact.
We sense him. He’s a day’s walk across the river. Isolated. Easy.
“Why should I help you?” I demand.
His power is far beyond anything we’ve fed on before. We will share it with you. And then you will be unstoppable. Like us.
“Not a fucking chance.” My voice shakes. “You can’t make me become like you.”
What’s left to become? You are already dark fae.
They’re taunting me. Great.
“Dark fae is not the same as demon-cursed.”
Your bloodline makes you a killer. Just like us.
“My bloodline had free will,” I snap, thinking of my father. And then Tori. Both gifted assassins.
Being an assassin-for-hire is so much different than what they want from me. And I refuse to let them control me. I grip the corner of the counter and lean on it for support. My knees threaten to buckle.
Our enemy will come for you too. And then you will have no choice but to wield us.
I open my mouth and scream without sound, withoutair. Desperate but defeated. I’ve already lost. The daggers are silent, which means they know it too.
When I open my eyes again, I spot something on the counter in front of me.
A black envelope with my name on the front.
Startled, I look at the apartment door. It’s still closed. My fae senses search through the entire building, reassuring me I’m still alone here. Heart thudding, I look at the envelope again, curiosity winning out over fear.
