Page 47 of Demon Huntress
She looked back to the demon, and he had his eyes half closed as he huffed through his nose. The sight of him inhaling her scent made her feel just as violated as if he had actually touched her.
“Beautiful blood,” he muttered. “I can’t wait to bathe in it. I’ll paint the walls with it. I know I won’t be able to control myself for long. If I were you, I’d pray for me to lose my mind quickly. Then I’ll kill you sooner. If I manage to hold on to my wits … I could torture you all night.”
Cass flexed, ready to fight the chains again, but stopped herself at the last second.
“I will not be your sacrifice,” she replied. “And I’m not going to let you hurt anyone.”
Crenshaw dipped his head to look through the bars at her. After regarding her for a few seconds, he began to laugh. He laughed so hard that he had to grab the bars of the cell to hold himself up.
“Oh, my dear. I admire your spirit, truly. But how, exactly, do you hope to get away?”
Cassandra struggled for a moment. She had always gotten herself out of even the worst situations by using her wits. No matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn’t see a way out of this situation.
No magical gear, no weapons. Tied by ever-tightening chains.
It looked pretty hopeless, but her mind turned to the only place left. It was as if her heart whispered to her that the truth of love would beat the deceit of evil every time.
“My wolves will come for me,” Cass said. Her voice was strong with the power of her love. “They won’t leave me here to die. Flash and Slade will come, they will rescue me, and they’ll tear your sorry ass to shreds when they do it.”
Ba’al watched her, an inhuman smile stretching across its face as if it had been cut open by razor blades.
“Why should they come for you?” the thing hissed. “You don’t even want them. You told them you didn’t love them.”
“How do you know that?” Her eyes narrowed on him. “How the fuck do you know anything about me?”
Crenshaw laughed. “I’m sure you know about demons. We can see pain and fear. We can look right into people’s hearts. You, my dear, are dripping with fear and pain. You told them it would never work out between you. Tell me, why would they come for you?”
His words hit her with so much force it was as if they were physical weapons that cut straight into her. She tried to stay strong, but fear and loss rose in her, and she sagged against the chains.
I knew it. I knew it. I started to rely on them. I got complacent. I knew I should never have gotten involved with them.
Tears fell as her chin rested against her chest. Crenshaw laughed, and she knew he would wring as much pain out of her as he could before he tortured her to death.
As she closed her eyes and submitted to her horrible fate, she felt warmth growing in her heart. With every beat, strength grew inside her. Cass kept her head down and her eyes closed so the demon wouldn’t suspect anything and tried to tune into the feeling to see what it was.
With her eyes shut, trapping her in darkness, visions appeared in the abyss within. She saw horrible demons going down, one after the other. She felt the fists pounding flesh, the blood on knuckles and hands.
Flash?
The vision swirled, and she found herself looking out of Slade’s eyes. As well as his physical sensations, she could feel the love and determination in his heart.
They are coming...they are both coming for me.
Cass fought to control her reaction, not wanting to alert the demon, who was still laughing like a maniac. The contact between her and her mates flickered in and out, but it was undeniable. Her two wolves were fighting to save her, and they were doing it because they loved her.
Completely and unconditionally. I’ll never let them go. I’ve seen into their hearts!
“As fun as this is,” Crenshaw said, snapping her attention back to him. “I must be off to begin the ceremony. It’s going to be a busy night, and timing is everything.”
Ba’al waved as he left the room. Cass watched him go, waiting until she was sure he was gone before focusing on the cuffs that held her.
She knew, now, that all she wanted was to live with her two wolves. Cass could see a future stretching out before her that was full of love and happiness. She would do anything to make that future come to pass.
Finally, I have something worth living for...something worth fighting for!
With a groan of pain, Cass popped her thumbs out of their sockets so she could slip her hands from the cuffs. She dropped the chains to the floor and wiggled her thumbs back into their joints.
She searched through her hair, praying for lady luck to be on her side. When her fingers found the hard pin at the nape of her neck, she laughed softly, relief flooding her bones. It only took her a few seconds to pick the lock on her ankle cuffs and head to the cell door.
