Page 189 of The Demon's Pet

He looked up into my eyes. “Comforting a vampire. There really is something special about you. Do you really think you’re the Morningstar?”

“I don’t know what it even is,” I said.

“A prophecy,” Simon said. “About a being born in the celestial realm, with both celestial and abyssal blood, gifted with the power to bring balance. And right now, with the celestials going to the demon realm to do whatever they want, unstopped, there’s no balance.”

“I don’t know if I truly am the Morningstar,” I said, letting go of Simon to run my hands through my hair. Using my teeth, I pulled a ponytail holder off my wrist and tied my hair up, leaving it in a messy bun. “I’m ready to learn if I am and try my best to live up to the prophecy, though. I won’t let what he did go to waste.”

“What Sam did or what Cayne did?”

“Both,” I said.

“It’s a legend to us. Sacred to demons. Cayne was always obsessed with it.” Simon moved his neck to the side, cracking it slightly. “I don’t even know what I believe about the whole Morningstar idea. It seems too good to be true.” His gaze narrowed on me, long lashes shading his red eyes to bordeaux. “But there is something special about you, Cleo. That’s for certain.”

“You aren’t drawn to me, though, are you?”

“I don’t feed on demon blood anymore,” he said. “I’m interested in Griffin because he smells amazing.”

I just laughed. “Good luck with that.”

“Come on, tell him it’ll be good. No feelings involved.”

I shook my head. “That won’t work for Griffin. He’sallabout the feelings. Plus, he’s already in love with someone else.”

I looked over to the courtyard where Griffin was talking about something with Mor. Mor threw her head back in a laugh at something Griffin said, and he just looked at her in confusion.

“Come on. Let’s go back over. I need to train.”

“Sure,” Simon said.

We crossed the road, gravel and broken pavement crunching beneath our feet.

“Some interesting creatures, huh?” Mor asked. “I told Griffin he should see if that winged tiger is a shifter like he is. They could make ligers.” She laughed again heartily.

Griffin narrowed his eyes. “It’s just a tiger with wings.”

Mor tilted her head cockily. “And you’re a lion with wings. It’s perfect.” She pouted. “I want to see a liger.”

Griffin just shook his head and came over to me, putting an arm over my shoulders. “She’s so weird. How are you doing?”

I shrugged him off, not feeling like being pitied any more than I already was. “I’m fine. Ready to get stronger.”

To show Sam he was right about me.

To show him I could still fight without him around.

After all, I’d been fighting alone my whole life. I could get used to doing it again. Sam had gotten me here. The rest was up to me.

Mor looked at my collar, nodded, and walked back a few paces from me, getting into a fighting position with her hands up guarding her face. “Come on. Let’s spar a bit. Get your speed up.”

I put up my hands, ready to guard.

She motioned for me to come at her. The second I moved forward, I felt a burst of power unlike any before. I was in front of her in a split second, as though I’d flown. My fist moved out, hitting her in the stomach and making her fly back, rolling over to land on her face.

As she pushed herself up, she flashed a thumbs-up. “Wow. You really improved.”

I touched the thin chain at my collar. Was it the lack of suppression or the way Sam had awakened my demon last night?

Either way, happiness welled within me at the power I had. Finally enough to fight back.

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