Angie Fox - The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers

Dimitri seemed to know I was up to something. Still he answered, reluctantly. “Hunters kill demons, but they aren’t born to it, like slayers. They’re chosen. And with each kill, they lose a part of their humanity. The one I met tonight is no better than the demons he slaughters.”

I found that difficult to believe. Anything or anybody willing to slay a demon got a gold star in my book. “How can you make a blanket statement like that? How do you know that hunters—”

“I’ve met my share of them, Lizzie.” He drank me in like a cat contemplating a particularly tasty snack. “I learned about this one years ago when I was looking for a slayer—you.”

Of course. Back when Dimitri would have done anything to kill the demon who’d attacked his family. Now he’d shifted that loyalty to me.

“You attacked him, didn’t you?” The old Dimitri would have tried negotiation first. I wasn’t so sure about this new man in front of me.

He snarled at the memory. “Actually, he went after me. He seems to think I’m bad for the neighborhood.”

The truth of it shocked me to the core. “He knows the succubi are feeding off you.”

It drove me nuts that he felt he had to be here—defenseless and alone—for me, when facing the hunter was probably the one thing I could have done right tonight. I was a demon slayer, and curse it all, I might not know the ins and outs of the magical world, or who did what, but I knew how to throw a switch star.

This was another area where I could—and would—take charge.

He eyed me suspiciously.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I demanded.

Dimitri secured a small, ornate box from the table next to the bed. It reminded me of an antique snuffbox. “Stay away from the hunter,” he said, his back to me as he clicked the box open.

He rubbed an ointment along the scratches on his neck, down the angry red slashes on his chest. My throat went dry as I watched his fingers glide lower, over muscle and skin.

I forced myself to look away.

“We lost Phil,” I told him.

I explained how we’d had him and how Serena had stolen him back right from under us.

“We need to do something,” I told him. “Figure out their plans, even if it means forming an alliance with this hunter.”

“No.” He shoved the box back onto the dresser. “I know how much you want to act immediately, Lizzie,” he said, choosing his words carefully.

He should. Dimitri was the king of barreling off. I’d seen him go after black souls, possessed werewolves, you name it. He brushed back a lock of my hair, and I almost felt like I was speaking to the real Dimitri, except for his possessive grip, and the roughness in his voice.

He rubbed his thumbs over my palms and I detected some sort of oil. “Did you get this from Battina?” I asked, catching a faint hint of aloe and spice.

“It’s an old family recipe. I told you I could handle this,” he said, his eyes fading to amber.

They still weren’t brown, and I still didn’t believe him.

“You need to understand,” Dimitri continued, as if he wasn’t in mortal danger, “it’s suicide to chase a succubus in this city, especially if she’s gained an immense amount of power. We wait for them to act.”

I wanted to say something snarky, given who was dishing out that particular piece of advice. But deep down, I knew he was right. I wasn’t stupid. I was desperate.

Tears welled at the back of my eyes. If we’d focused on freeing Phil this afternoon… If we’d acted faster… I dropped my head, trying to collect myself.

Now I was about to fail with Dimitri. “I’m going to ask you this once, with everything I have. Please, for the love of… us. Leave this city.”

Dimitri drew his shoulders back, like an immense Greek wall. “I can’t,” he said, resigned.

“I don’t want to lose you,” I pleaded. Surely, he had to see the logic.

He took my hands, warming them. “I can do some things that other griffins can’t,” he said. “I’m pure-blooded, and from a royal line. That gives me extra strength.”

I wanted to believe.

“You do realize I belong to a clan with some standing.”

“But I thought your clan died out.” I cringed as I said it. Like he needed to be reminded he and his two sisters were all that remained of their family.

“When I realized what we’d be facing here in Vegas, I pledged myself to the Domonis clan in Rhodes. They have numbers, and the power of an old family,” he said. “We lend each other our strength.”

“Is that what they get from you too?”

“When I have it to give. They also get my loyalty and my bloodline. I’ve been too busy to start a family of my own.” He fingers caressed my arm, leaving goose bumps in their wake. “Now, I’m ready. Well, as soon as we finish here.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk about the future, not with what was happening in the here and now. “You’re being corrupted, Dimitri. I can see it.” It was more than the yellow eyes; he’d fed off me. When I thought of how pale he’d looked before our lovemaking and how robust he was afterward…

Dimitri’s fingers found the sensitive nook behind my ear. A trickle of warmth threaded through me and at that moment, I couldn’t think of a better place to be than in his arms. He grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he pulled me toward him.

Like a dash of cold water, I realized what I was doing and drew back. Whatever he was using to treat himself seemed to be holding off the succubi for now, but if the she-demons were feeing off his arousal, we didn’t need to make it worse.

He watched me, as if he knew. “I don’t have much,” he said, stretching like a cat against me. “Except my pure griffin blood.” His thumbs traced circles along my spine. “But that will be enough.”

I let him fold me into his arms. I found an unmolested part of his chest and rested my cheek there as we lay back down. It seemed like he’d generated a measure of strength from my closeness, at least that’s what I told myself as he leaned close and nibbled my neck, my earlobe. Mmm… I felt myself go limp then delightfully stiff with anticipation as his fingers trailed through my hair, found my scalp and pulled me toward him for a scorchingly perfect kiss.

“This is temporary, Lizzie. I meant it when I said I could handle it.”

Bless his loyal streak, I almost believed him… if not for the yellow eyes.

“We’re going to find a way to retrieve your uncle, and his power,” he said like a promise.

I touched the edges of the raw pink wounds slicing across Dimitri’s chest. “I wish I knew how,” I said. “And why she needed to marry him.”

“They seem to need more from him. There’s something big going down,” he said. “I’ll bet your uncle is involved somehow.”

I didn’t understand how. “My uncle wouldn’t cooperate with demons.”

“You don’t know him,” Dimitri reminded me.

He would have to bring that up.

Still, I saw those marriage vows. Phil had been forced. Besides, in a way I couldn’t quite explain, I felt like I did know Phil. He’d always been there for me, even if he hovered on the sidelines. He saved my life, but more than that, he’d been a part of it. And I’d make sure he’d keep being a part of it. I’d build my family, one member at a time.

“Listen, Lizzie. Whoever’s behind this, they’ve got the nonmagical world involved too.”

Holy Hades.

I wished I had the power to stop all of this. Some demon slayer—I couldn’t even stop one demon without being swarmed, much less the multitudes feeding on Dimitri, or the devil that married my uncle. If I didn’t figure out something fast, I had a feeling someone I cared about was going to get hurt even worse.