“Stop. Stop.” I wave my hands while fighting the heat building around my collar. I blow out a breath and turn to Valec. “How could a demon be waiting for me to give them something I never agreed to give?”

“You didn’t agree to it. Vera did. He marked her first and you’ve inherited it. And since the bargain was unregulated, this demon could have claimed anything they desired.” Valec straightens his vest. “All I know is that particular mark is strong as hellfire, which means the demon who applied it is ancient. Never seen one carried out over generations.”

“It’s what burned Kizia,” I whisper.

“Kizia?” Valec says. “That trash goruchel always on the lookout for a score? How do you know her?”

“Knew her,” I murmur. “She’s… dead.”

Valec inhales sharply. “Don’t say another word. I need plausible deniability. But tell me how your mark burned her?”

“A lot like it burned you,” I say.

“She feared the Great Devourer,” Sel says, eyes on me. “Said he would find her for unauthorized feeding.”

Valec whistles. “The Great Devourer. You mean the Hunter? You’re sure she said that?”

“Hundred percent sure,” I whisper. My chest aches and burns, as if speaking his name is enough to call the demon’s mark to the surface.

“Bloodmarked by the Hunter himself…. Damn.” Valec rubs his chin. “I need to get back to the Lounge. Put my ear to the ground on this, find out what I can about the Hunter’s last sighting.” He points at me as he moves to the door. “And you need to get to the protection of Volition. ASAP, powerhouse.”

“Wait!” I step to the door. “I saw Vera’s bargain. There was no demon. And she would have said something by now, I’m certain.”

“Some opportunistic demons can piggyback onto a verbal bargain, if you’re not careful,” he calls over his shoulder. “You’re a Medium. Call somebody up and ask.”

“It’s not that simple!” I protest, but even as I say so, I think of Jessie’s warning. Of him—the man following her in the days after she drew on her Bloodcraft with intention.

“Sure isn’t. Not out in the open where any demon nearby might find you. Which is why you need to go to Volition.” And with that, he saunters to the front door and out onto the porch, without looking back.

Mariah mumbles something about Valec being “a damn nuisance” and jogs after him.

After a moment of silence, Alice Chen decides now is the time to stir the damn pot. “I think Valec likes you, Bree.”

“Agreed,” William says, voice amused.

“Valec likes playing games.” I scoff. “I’m a shiny new thing he got to play with.”

Sel turns at that. “Play with how, exactly?”

I flush. “Figure of speech.”

Sel sneers. “He’s a demon. We can’t trust anything he says.”