Page 122 of Knight’s Dominion

“This is all very cloak-and-dagger,” she said in as dry a tone as she could manage over her pounding heart. She dropped her block, testing, but the light electric current licking over her skin told her that someone else was taking care of that now, was blocking the demi held here against their will. “I think someone’s been watching too much human television.”

"Cut the shit, demon butcher, or I'll cut it for you,” he breathed right against the shell of her ear.

She gritted her teeth. It was the same name the demon prick who’d shoved her off the side of a building had called her, and the asshole who’d attacked her at the penthouse—and they certainly hadn’t been fans of her work. This new development did not bode well, not at all.

He shoved her into a chair and then took great pleasure, she was sure, in tying her to it securely. So securely it caused pain. “The chains were forged in Hell, your powers are useless,” he said, a smile in his voice. “We wouldn't want our special guest to get away now, would we?”

Fuck, he'd tied her tight enough that there would be no getting free. Bastard. She straightened her spine. "Good to see a demon actually taking pride in his work."

The slap that came was sudden and hard enough to send pain spiking through her jaw.

Oh yeah, that rung her bell. Blood filled her mouth, and she spat it out, in what she hoped was his direction. When he hissed out a curse, she knew she got her target.

Adrenaline buzzed through her, firing her up. She would kill this asshole the first chance she got. “And here I was thinking we were friends,” she said, and grinned.

She braced, knowing the second hit was coming. This time he skipped the backhand and went straight for a closed fist. Her head snapped back when it connected with the side of her jaw, and this time she saw stars.

A door crashed open. "What the hell are you doing? She's valuable, you stupid asshole. More valuable than you.”

Vince was attempting to protect his prize. How sweet.

"If the master doesn't want her, I'm calling dibs. I want to make this bitch scream,” the demon said.

She turned her head to where she thought he was standing and spat out more blood. “You make a lot of females scream?”

He leaned in. “You know it. Can’t get enough of me. I’ll make you scream for more in my bed, then for your life when I’m done.”

“The only way a female would scream in your bed, weasel dick, is if she’s faking it. Screaming in desperation to get the hell away from you, though, I would completely understand.”

There was a crash, the guy no doubt lunging for her, followed by the sound of scrambling feet and some grunting. "Take him the fuck out of here," Vince said.

So there had been more than just the two of them in here, then, because Vince sure as hell wouldn’t have gotten physical with the prick.

“I’m gonna have fun killing you, asshole,” she called when she heard the door open.

She reached out with her senses, trying to pick up the presence of others in the room, but felt nothing, not even Vince's familiar vibes. Someone was most definitely blocking them. “There’s some kind of protective ward here, right? I can't sense you.” Her words came out slightly slurred past the swelling on the right side of her face and mouth.

The scarf was lifted, and Grace blinked at the sudden brightness, and then realized one of her eyes was swollen almost shut.

Vince stared into her one good eye. “Something much better than that, more effective, too." His grin was fucking ear to ear.

"Sounds cool and all, but can you untie me now because I can't feel my hands." The cool and calm act was getting harder and harder to pull off, especially when she was bruised and bleeding, and with every passing minute, she knew her chances of getting out of here alive were decreasing. “Where's Hannah?”

He ran surprisingly gentle fingers down the uninjured side of her face. "I can't untie you yet, Gracie, not until I explain why you're here." He grinned and looked fucking insane. "If you agree to join our cause, you’ll reap the rewards, have the privilege of helping to create a whole new world, a world where our kind will no longer live in fear of discovery, of demons. We will live together in harmony."

She snorted. "Sounds like some kind of hippie commune. Considering a demon just used my face as a punching bag, you'll have to excuse me for being a little skeptical."

"I think we both know why he might be a little pissed at you. But they’ll get over it eventually.”

“I doubt that.”

He shrugged. "Hopefully our leader will agree that your nocturnal activities will work in our favor. A warrior to fight for our cause...and with your new power…" Excitement lit up his whole face. "You could be very powerful one day, so incredibly valuable to us."

"And what about Oden? What's his part in all this?"

Vince tilted his head to the side. "I owed him, but that debt was paid when I provided him with what he needed."

Her throat was tightened, and she struggled for breath. "Tina...Hannah."