Aurora was out the door in a split second. But Rosalind stood rooted to the spot. She was a Hunter, damn it, and this was her chance to prove herself. She wasn't going to leave Caine to fight alone.

On top of that, it wasn’t like she could run that fast. Bileth would stop her in a second.

In the next moment, the high demon was before them. Caine squared off with him, muscles tensed.

The demon opened his mouth, revealing jagged teeth. “Is this Hunter with you?”

Oh, shit. Hadn’t take long for him to suss her out. His fetid magic coated her body, roiling through her blood like a poison. But Caine's magic was there, too, cool and silvery. With their auras blazing, the two demons seemed to be gearing up for a serious battle.

“Her? A Hunter?” Caine asked, obviously stalling. He glanced at Rosalind, his eyes burning into her. “She's a mage, and she was just leaving. Though now that you mention it, she may have accidentally ingested—”

Bileth gripped the mage's throat with both hands, and long, ivory nails pierced Caine's neck. Crimson tendrils spiraled from the demon's fingertips, wrapping Caine in a web that pinned his arms against his body, binding his legs, sealing his mouth shut to stop his magic.

Chapter 14

The silver glow around Caine began to weaken, and fear screamed through Rosalind’s mind.

Bileth's power only grew stronger, and his red magic exploded from him like a dying star. He was about to murder Caine.

She grabbed Aurora’s champagne flute, smashing it over Bileth's head. She plunged the fractured stem into his back.

His pale eyes swiveled to her as she grasped for another glass. This time, he grabbed her wrist, crushing it in a death grip. Holy hells, he was breaking her bones.

In another split second, he pinned both her wrists, black talons piercing her skin. He pulled her closer, so close she could smell the blood on his breath.

He smiled, and the sight of his long, white teeth made her shudder.

“I like touching your things, incubus,” he growled.

Revulsion welled in her gut as his inky red magic swirled around her head. It coiled into her mind, whispering through her own thoughts, until her body was no longer quite her own. She gaped at him, her heart beating fast as a hummingbird’s.

The demon released her hands, but she no longer controlled them. Touch him, a voice whispered in her mind.

She watched in horror as the demon’s magic forced her to reach out for his chest, hands sliding over his skin. Revulsion rose in her throat as Bileth propelled her closer, forcing her arms around his neck until she was practically grinding against him.

As he growled, his magic forced her to lurch away from him. Grab the broken glass. Her hand flew out for a broken shard on the bar, and her blood roared in her ears. She gripped it hard, slicing open her flesh. Blood dripped onto the floor. The vamps gasped, scenting fresh blood.