If he felt like an endless abyss of nothingness, hatred, and ice, then yes. “What did you do to me?”

“Allowed your inner desires to surface. Some call them sins.”

I shivered, feeling violated in a way I’d never known and hoped to never experience again. I’d almost shoved a blade through my heart. If my tattoo hadn’t stopped me, I’d be dead. I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d been wrong about witch hunters; maybe Nonna had been right all along and humans weren’t to blame.

It definitely felt like this demon was responsible for the bodies with missing hearts.

Envy had affected me even with my cornicello. My little charm had been no match for a prince of Hell. I wasn’t even sure if he’d used all of his power, or a small part of it.

If he’d done that while I was in the kitchen with my family . . .

I closed my eyes, not wanting to even think about what he could have forced me to do to them. And how powerless I’d be to resist him. I wondered if any of our precautions and spells or charms truly worked, or if they’d only succeeded in giving us a false sense of security.

With creatures like Envy roaming the earth, I didn’t believe we’d ever truly be safe. I had the sudden urge to cry. No wonder Nonna told us those stories and tried to hide us.

These demons were worse than nightmares. And now they were here.

“Strange.” Envy set his animal-like gaze on me, curious. I glanced down at my tattoo, startled to see snakes now twined around the crescent moons, forming a larger circle around them. I’d been so distracted by fear, I hadn’t felt the burning in my forearm. Envy’s attention cut to the dagger now safely tethered to my hip again and a slow, cunning smile touched his lips. “How very interesting indeed. Such tangled, tangled webs. Summoned through hate, bound by blood.”

“What do you mean?”

He shoved gloved hands into his pockets. “You have something I want.”

“If it’s my still-beating heart, I’m afraid I must decline.”

“No, but I imagine you’ll end up giving that to my brother one day.”

His tone was flat. I wondered if Wrath knew how jealous he was, but said nothing.

“Perhaps we can strike a bargain. If you agree to sell your soul to House Envy, I will help you find what you seek.” His expression was inhuman and ice cold as he waited. The hair on the nape of my neck stood at attention. “I covet unique things. You would make an interesting gift to my court. Do you sing?”

“I’m not unique.” Nor was I a “thing” or a “gift” to be passed around like a curiosity at a party.