Page 98 of Soul of a Witch

With a laugh, I plunged the forest into darkness, surrounding the three of us in swirling shadows. The demon was quick, but not quick enough. My claws ripped at him, tearing through flesh and cracking bone. My breath quickened with excitement, rabid energy filling me. The woman was still struggling for her weapon, but I seized her hair, my other hand wrapping around her jaw.

Her death would be quick, if not entirely painless. I could practically taste her blood in my mouth already. How sweet it would be to see the light go out in her eyes.

But her demon wasn’t giving up. He slammed into me, knocking me off her, and we tumbled across the forest floor. His claws tore into me, teeth snapping viciously toward my throat.

“Why don’t you fucking stay still?” I snarled and threw him off, and the moment he hit the ground, I slammed my foot into his face, crunching bone and sending blood spattering across the bright green grass.

Poor fool actually thought he could save the woman.

Comfortably cracking my back, I hummed a cheerful little tune as I approached the woman again. She looked at me as if she was witnessing Lucifer himself; eyes wide, mouth agape. The certainty of impending death settled coldly in her eyes. In an act of mercy, I knocked her unconscious before I wrenched her head back, extending my claws to rip open her throat —

“Callum! Callum,STOP!”

Everly’s voice froze me. She was scrambling toward me through the trees, her feet bare, her hair wild and tangled from sprinting through the forest. Her eyes were wide with horror as she came upon the scene, a gasp leaving her as she saw the woman in my grasp.

“Put her down.”

She didn’t understand.

“Go back to the house, Everly,” I said. “It isn’t safe for you here.”

“I SAID, PUT HER DOWN!”

The command in her voice was undeniable, and I winced, furiously baring my teeth as I refused to release the woman in my grasp. Snarling, I said, “They mean you harm, Everly. They came here with weapons. The woman brought a demon with her. They intended to kill you.”

“You don’t know that.” Her jaw was tight, her eyes brimming with unexpected, angry tears. The sight of such emotion shook me, and my grip on the woman relaxed, her head dropping to the ground.

“My duty is to protect you,” I said, shooting a cautious glance at the groaning, writhing demon. Stepping over my unconscious victim, I extended my hand to Everly, hoping to comfort her, to ease her fears.

But she stepped back from me and shook her head. Blood was dripping thickly from my fingers, drenching my hands, my arms. I could taste it in my mouth, sharp and delicious. I wanted more.

I wanted her in my arms. I wanted her understanding, her acceptance.

But she was looking at me in fear.

“Everly…” My voice was too loud, too fierce. “I’m protecting you.”

“No,” she said firmly. “You’redisobeyingme.”

The words hurt. They pierced deep and sharp into my chest, tugging at the very strings of our bond. Anger and confusion wrestled within me as I stared at her. Her eyes kept darting around the scene.

I wanted to calm her, reassure her. But with every step I took toward her, she backed away.

“Stop,” she said, and I went still. “Don’t hurt them. We’re taking them back to the house. I need to talk to Juniper. Just keep her demon restrained while I do, butdon’t hurt him.”

Her commands were a riddle I couldn’t unravel. Restrain, but don’t hurt. Let enemies into our house, let a murderous woman near my witch.

I wanted to defy her.

“Why do you wish to speak to her?”

“Because I think I know why she came back to Abelaum,” she said. Her voice didn’t waver this time. “She wants revenge against the people who hurt her, who murdered her brother. If she goes after the Libiri, if she keeps them distracted, we might gain a little more time.”

Finally, I was able to see the sense in her words. But I still didn’t like it. We didn’t need anyone else’s help. If she needed something done, I would do it. She only needed to give me the command.

Yet there I was, resisting her orders because I didn’t agree. She wasn’t backing down either. Her eyes still glistened with unshed tears, and frustration made me pace. I could kill them quickly, just get it over with, eliminate the problem.

But I couldn’t disobey her. The idea of doing so repulsed me.

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