Page 19 of Hunted By Her Demon Wolves

“No,” Boris boomed. “Demons aren’t welcome among the Amaroki.”

Phoenix looked to Tor, whom many Amaroki thought of as the leader of all tribes. His eyes were surprisingly cold and devoid of feeling as he focused on the folded chairs behind her. She clutched her chest, feeling as if he’d struck her heart with a hammer.

Daeva laughed, cocking a hand on her hip. “Only when you need to steal our souls?”

“So why did you let us come here?” Horatiu demanded.

Tor finally cleared his throat and stood. “You were Amaroki first, and we welcomed you for an initial meeting, but it is yet to be decided if we will continue to allow your visits.”

“How can you be so prejudiced?” Phoenix blurted, gaping at the wolf who’d been a father to her these past few years. He hadn’t just crushed her heart, he’d pulverized it.

“How can you forget what the last demons did to our race?” Magnus asked.

“Those were succubi,” Daeva hissed, “and we already told you they weren’t our friends. We’re nothing like them. Neither is Hecate.”

Magnus clucked his tongue. “She’s not like us, either.”

Horatiu threw up his hands. “She’s the creator of wolfkind!”

Tor shook his head. “She’s the creator of hell’s wolves, but our Ancients are the creators of Amaroki.”

Just when Phoenix didn’t think she could be any more disgusted by the Amaroki chieftains, they sank even lower. “Well, it seems you’ve already made up your minds.”

Horatiu folded his arms across his chest. “I wonder why you allowed this meeting at all.”

Boris nodded toward Daeva and then Horatiu. “To see if you were Tori and Beniamin or demons possessing them.”

Phoenix wanted to scream. How could they be so ignorant?

“And if we’d been possessed by demons?” Horatiu asked in a voice surprisingly as smooth as steel.

Boris shrugged. “Then we would’ve banished you to hell.”

“Don’t bother. We’ll go willingly.” Daeva tugged on Phoenix’s arm. “Come on, sister.”

Magnus shifted within a blink, glaring down at them as a mammoth protector covered in brown fur. “She stays with us,” he boomed so loud, it shook the ground beneath their feet.

Every muscle in Phoenix’s body tensed. “No.”

The other alphas shifted into huge protectors, roaring down at them while pulling dart guns from beneath the table.

“Phoenix, this isn’t up for debate.” Tor pointed the gun at Horatiu’s chest. “Both of you back away from her,” he said to Daeva and Horatiu.

Phoenix instinctively stepped in front of her sister and Horatiu while she focused on Tor. “You were like a father to me.” Her voice cracked with watery emotion as tears blurred her vision. “I trusted you.”

His heavy mouth turned a frown. “Do you think this decision was easy? I love you like a daughter, Phoenix. I only want what’s best for you.”

When she heard a motion behind them, she knew they were out of time. She lunged for Daeva and Horatiu while summoning the darkness. Their howls filled her ears for a heartbeat before they were back outside, standing by their rental car. Phoenix shivered, and not just from the chill wind that blew back her hair. Low, dark howls resonated from inside the tribal lodge.

She turned to Daeva and Horatiu, who were leaning against the car, looking disoriented. “We have about five seconds before dozens of angry wolves armed with amethyst guns come through that door. Tor will never give me permission to go with you.” She gave her sister a pointed look. “So are you going to take me to hell or not?”

Daeva shared a look with Horatiu. With a grimace, she pulled the crystal out of her pocket and whispered, “Reserare.”

Phoenix jerked back when a dark tunnel opened up in the center of the parking lot. It swirled like a sideways tornado, whipping up gravel and dirt.

“Come on,” her sister called, tugging on her arm.

With a huge sigh of relief, Phoenix followed her sister into the vortex when the double doors to the tribal house slammed open and a dozen angry protectors came barreling outside. Phoenix’s heart twisted and ached as Tor’s agonized howl rent the air, just as the portal closed behind them.

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