Page 25 of Hunted By Her Demon Wolves

Hard steel reflected in Hecate’s eyes. “I know he has.”

Still in his big, furry protector form, Tor let out a roar so loud, it rattled the stone walls. “So you expect us to sit around and do nothing while this demon has our Phoenix?”

Hecate turned to him, clasping her hands. “Your job is most important of all, Tor. I need you to return to your dimension and bring Eilea back here. She’s the only witch who can defeat the ruler of the second dimension.”

“How will she get here?” he asked in a deep rumble.

“The same way you did.” She nodded toward Jezebeth. “Through the lamp.”

Tor’s dark, disturbing laughter skittered along her bones. “So I’m just supposed to pull Eilea down here through Jezebeth’s lamp? Her mates will never agree.”

“No, they won’t.” Hecate’s features went flat. “Not willingly.”

Tor’s heavy mouth turned a frown. “Do you know what my tribe will do to me if I kidnap a nursing mother and take her to hell? I’ll be banished or worse, and my pack and children will suffer my shame. Besides, she’ll probably blast me with her magic before I get the chance to take her.”

Hecate threw up her hands in a gesture of surrender. “Then Phoenix may be lost to us forever.”

“No!” Daeva blurted. She refused to accept that outcome. She clasped her stomach at a churning in her belly as a wave of dizziness spun in her skull.

Hecate gave her a sideways look. “Unless Eilea comes willingly.”

Jezebeth’s spirit lurched forward. “How will you convince her?”

Hecate crossed over the striped fur rug and out to the balcony. “We won’t have to if we resurrect memories of her past life.”

Daeva pushed back her nausea and followed. “Do you know how to do it?” she asked at Hecate’s back.

“No.” Hecate’s lips curved in a slight smile as she nodded toward the fountain below. Ethereal mists swirled around it and spilled over the sides like clouds blowing over mountains. “But I know a demon who might.”

* * *

PHOENIX REMEMBEREDhearing a violentcrackwhen she landed, and it took her a long moment to realize that sound was her skull hitting the hard earth. Stars spun in her eyes as she lay there on the scorching ground, waiting for her head to stop spinning.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard aclack, clack, clacksound. Or maybe that sound was coming from inside her cracked skull.

A dry wind blew grit into her face and eyes. She rolled onto her side, rubbing her eyes and spitting onto the ground. When she pressed her palm onto the ground, she pulled back with a hiss. The grainy sand beneath her was as hot as she imagined hell could be. She blinked several times, adjusting to the haze around her, but all she saw were strange moving shadows through the thick air. It was the oddest thing, like a comb with wavy teeth was moving toward her.

Instinct told her to run, but when she tried to sit up, her head spun so violently, she fell back down onto her back.

Clack, clack, clack.

She opened her eyes with a moan. That shadowy comb was growing bigger, getting closer, but this time it looked more like a giant spider.

Great Ancients! The only giant spiders she knew of were jorogumos, demonic creatures that had possessed her wolf friends and turned them into spiders, too!

Clack, clack, clack.

Something grabbed her ankle, and she gave a start, instinctively kicking as magic pooled in her hands. She looked into a demon’s golden glowing eyes and noticed a furry face and triangular cat ears.

“Stop fighting me, Daeva!” the demon with a feminine voice hissed. “I’m trying to save your ass.”

Daeva? Who was this demon, and how did she know Phoenix’s sister? Had they been friends?

Clack, clack, clack.

Phoenix gave a start when the demon tugged on her legs again.

“Stop it, Daeva,” the demon hissed again.

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