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“How’d they get here? Are the gates of the Underworld really open? That’s the only way they can get out, right?” My eyes darted around the room There wasn’t a section of the carpet that wasn’t covered in deaze re at my face “What did you do to them?”
He stared at my face, and arched an eyebrow “Do you really want to know?” I shook my head I didn’t want to know I didn’t want to kno many demons there were or exactly how they died It was apparent that he skinned theed back the stomach acid that climbed up my throat I didn’t need details
Eric slid off the altar, looking down atforelse He said, “That’s all that remains of that pack There were more than I could handle So I… did that to thelanced atfor you” Eric h a pile of shining black scales “Do you believe me now? Do you believe he’s after you?”
“No, this wasn’t Collin,” I replied staring at the room My ribs were ready to splinter into a million pieces, as my heart raced in hts “This was Kreturus He’s done waiting We’re out of tiaze shot up to his face His lips were pressed tightly together in a thin line “The Guardian must be dead”
“Why would the Guardian be dead?” Eric shook his head, his eyes co back to life as I spoke
“Apryl said—so through the Underworld alone She couldn’t reht they did so to the Guardian, as well” I turned to Eric “If the Guardian’s dead, then what’s holding the demons in Hell?”
“Absolutely nothing And there’sout” His arms unfolded, as he walked toward me “We need to find Satan’s Stone now We need the last memory Let me take it before it’s too late” His hands slid aroundfor me to answer The look on his face, the depth of the sorrow in his eyes was different I didn’t have tiree to his de me
As the kiss deepened, I tried to think about the things I’d learned about Satan’s Stone But it didn’t seehten and end as quickly it usually did Instead, he pulled ether I could feel the heat of his skin as he pressed hi ue strokedwatched Breathless, I pushed hiers brushed the taste of hi up at Eric
“Did you get it?” I asked
He shook his head, but as Eric started to speak, another voice rang out “So, this is what you do when I’m not around?” Collin Collin stood there at the end of the rows of pews Demon scales were everywhere, but he didn’t seelared ataway Eric’s kiss from my lips
Eric tensed at the sound of Collin’s voice, and slid his arhtly His heart pounded in his chest Eric’s muscles tensed, as he spoke, “She’s mine now, Smith Leave before I make you”
Collin stepped towards me, and with every footfall my heart jurip It felt like ti I could look at was Collin’s eyes dripping with anger and envy
Collin laughed The sound made me skin crawl “You think so?”
Eric’s grip aroundhter He whispered in my ear, “He seems off… ”
And he did Collin’s body was tense, rigidly lined with tightpower The air seeh Thepart wasn’t that the air hissed as he neared us, it wasn’t that the demon scales burned into oblivion under his feet—it was his eyes
Ruthless, dead, wax blue eyes that fixated on my throat
“Leave,” Eric hissed in my ear His arm loosened around ive you a head start” I began to protest, but he only shoved me harder, “Go!”
Collin’s eyes were two pools of burning fire The slant to his shoulders, the step of his foot—none of it seeht I knew hi towards us… I didn’t know at all
I ran Turning on my heel, I ran out the preacher’s entrance and up the back stairs of the church My feet slid across the floor as I tried to get traction and failed Demon scales were everywhere What did Eric do? I didn’t have tilass appeared in front of h head-first