Page 172 of Bedeviled

“Come out, little witch,” a low voice croons. “I swear we just want to play with you.”

Next to me, Nero pushes himself into the side of my legs, causing me to stumble into the wall. I barely have time to catch myself when a demon silently slips past us, heading straight for our bedroom. In the darkness, I hadn’t seen him. Only Nero had.

“Thank you,” I whisper softly, just as I hear the ward to my room shatter.

“No use hiding, little witch,” the demon calls. “I can smell you.”

I place a hand on Nero and one on myself. “Hide our scents from all noses,” I whisper.

Deeper in the house I hear items smashing and doors being kicked in. They’re not even trying for subtlety anymore.

I close my eyes, taking in a deep breath.

This is not Panticapaeum. I don’t have to repeat my same mistakes.

I open my eyes, meet the amber-green ones of my familiar. I nod to him, and then I dash down the corridor, releasing some of my power to flick on lights seemingly at random.

I pass a female demon, who turns as we pass. I bite my lip when I realize that she might’ve felt the air shift around her. I hadn’t spelled that away.

Hastily, I gather my buzzing magic in my palm and fling a silent spell behind us, one that careens down the corridor. I don’t see where it lands, but I hear the high, confident sound of my laugh coming from the opposite direction.

The sound has the demon snapping her head toward it, and then she’s sprinting forward, all previous signs of stealth gone.

At the sound of my laughter I hear other footsteps, lots of footsteps, rushing through the house, toward my room.

“Come out and play, witchy-witchy!” one calls.

“Do you want to know what we’ll do with you? What we’ve been allowed to do with you?” another one taunts.

“We won’t kill you,” a demon promises.

Another one adds, “If you come out now, I promise I’ll only fuck you softly.”

There are sick accompanying laughs, and I have to suppress the wrathful magic that rises up in me.

The last time I was ambushed like this, I met my enemies directly. There was a certain satisfaction in fighting them head on, but the act rapidly depleted my magic and injured me in the process.

That’s not how it’s going to go tonight.

I stealthily move to the second-floor landing. On the ground beneath me and Nero a male demon with raven-dark hair ransacks the living room.

As though he senses eyes on him, the demon looks up and meets my gaze.

Shit. My enchantment must’ve worn off.

He smiles cruelly. “Brethren,” he calls out, “I found her.”

From across the house I hear several keening cries. A shudder works its way through my system.

Almost out of time, and my spells aren’t holding like they usually do. I don’t know if it’s me or the demons.

Pulse pounding, I dash across the landing to the bookshelf set into the back wall.

Behind me I can hear the demon below heading for the stairs.

Hell’s spells. I’m going to have to deal with him first.

I turn, magic rushing to my hands. “Paralyze.” I toss my gathered power straight at the demon.