She looks familiar. “Jenny?” I question. The girl Harrison brought home for dinner? If the demon thinks she’s important—oh shit.
“Anora Paige Benson,” she coos. “How nice for you to come see me.”
“You’re the demon.”
“Ding-ding-ding, we have a winner. Took you long enough to figure it out. I guess I can see why. I am trapped in this, this disgusting vessel.”
“Asaroth.” My voice shakes. Rage burns in Jenny’s eyes. She rushes forward and is in front of me in the blink of an eye.
“How dare you say my name, you filthy little witch!”
She slaps me, extending her fingers and dragging her nails across my face, cutting my flesh. She steps back and licks the blood off her fingers. “Mmmm.” She closes her eyes. “I can taste the power.” Her eyes fly open, and they aren’t the pretty blue they had once been. Cold, black eyes threaten me. “I want that power.”
“I’ll never give it to you.” I slowly move my hand to the dagger, gathering heat around both hands. I need to buy time and keep her talking until I can find Harrison and Ethan. If Hunter is here, then they have to be too.
“That’s what they all say.” Her Pricolici comes to her side.
I take a step, eyes darting behind Asaroth. “Why me?” I ask, inching back another step. “Why go through all this trouble just for my powers? Why not just kill me?”
“I do like that idea, but it would be too easy.” She strides forward. “You see, years ago, Estelle Fowler took my powers. Bound me to this hideous, powerless vessel. I swore I’d break her hold and get my revenge. Not on her, though, but on you, the person she cares most about in this world. But then I couldn’t find you, and I looked and looked. I thought it might be your idiot brother—”
“Hey, Harrison isn’t an idiot!” I spit out, too offended to be scared. She comes to a sudden stop. The Harvesters are watching her, waiting for her command. They won’t attack unless she orders them to. She controls the Pricolici too. If I can take her out first, maybe I’ll have a chance.
It’s now or never, and hitting her with a surprise attack might be my best bet. I bring my hand up, summoning fire. It burns hot around my hand, and I bend my fingers in, shaping the flames into a ball. Bringing my arm back, I throw the fireball as hard as I can. Embers spark as it flies through the air, and it hits Asaroth in the chest, sputtering out.
“Such power!” She’s suddenly right in my face. The pretty purple stone pendant she had on before dangles off her chest.
Amethyst.
Amethyst has many properties: courage for travelers, stress relief…and blocking witchcraft. Since she has Ryan’s powers, those properties are magnified. My powers aren’t going to work on her.
Asaroth cocks her head, looking intently into my eyes. “Give me your powers, Anora.”
“No. You’ll have to kill me first.”
She licks the blood that’s dripping down my cheek and shivers in delight. “Well, there’s a problem. Your powers die with you.”
“Then I guess you’re not getting them.”
“I knew you’d say that,” she rushes out. “So, I brought insurance.” She motions for the sheet behind Hunter’s cage to be torn down, and I scream.
Bound and gagged, Ethan is tied to a chair, bloody and bruised. “Ethan!” I make a move to rush toward him. Jenny throws out her arm, stopping me with unnatural strength. I can’t break free from her grasp.
“Can you imagine my luck?” she says and pushes me back. “I was looking for a witch and stumbled upon a member of the Order of the Mystic Realm. Stupid humans messing with powers beyond their comprehension. Talk about a thorn in your side. But then something interesting happened, and I saw how much you cared for him and how much he cares for you.” She rubs her hands together. “One little hex was all it took to capture a big bad demon hunter.”
She stands behind Ethan, hands going to his neck. “Give me your powers now, Anora.”
“Don’t say yes,” Ethan yells, his voice muffled by the dirty gag. Asaroth moves around and hits him hard in the face.
“In case that wasn’t enough,” she goes on and waves her hand, bringing two more sheets down. “I brought extras, and threw in your precious pup as well,” she says in a voice meant to mock my own.
Harrison and Laney huddle close together, bound and gagged as well, on the dirt floor. Laney is crying, and Harrison looks terrified.
“So, here’s the deal,” Asaroth continues, her voice thick with venom. “You can choose one, just one, for me to let live in exchange for your powers.” She runs her hands over Ethan’s chest. “Who’s it going to be? Your boyfriend, your brother, your best friend, or your precious dog?”