Page 47 of Endless Terrors
Just when I thought I had him, I hooked my foot behind Lucifer’s ankle and yanked with all my strength, pulling the pocketknife out in the same breath.
It was a move I’d done hundreds of times before, mostly in practice, sometimes in self-defense when my admirers became crazed, like Logan Boon.
Lucifer didn’t budge.
Instead, he caught hold of my wrists and used my weight against me. I tipped forward … right into his arms.
I regained my balance, but Lucifer didn’t let go. His hands were like vices, and he wrapped them around my forearms, trapping me there. My chest heaved against his. I raised my chin and looked back at the devil, rigid with fear and defiance. “I’m not sorry,” I said. “Had to give it a try.”
But he didn’t look pissed. Our bodies were still locked together, and I watched Lucifer’s gaze drop to my mouth, our faces so close together I could see the golden rings around his pupils.
“You were worth the wait, Fortuna Sworn,” he murmured.
I was so disarmed that I didn’t wrench free as I’d been planning to, and Lucifer was the one to move away. He released his grip on me, holding the knife I’d tried to stab him with. I hadn’t even noticed him take it, I thought with dismay. Lucifer tossed my weapon away, and it hit the grass with a dull sound. His voice became courteous again as he said, “I’ll arrange for a coven to—”
“No need,” I interjected smoothly. “The full moon. I’ll come then. In my world, that’s tomorrow night.”
There was a pause. The corner of Lucifer’s mouth tilted up again. “It won’t work, you know.”
“What?”
“Whatever you’re planning, whatever scheme you’ve cooked up, it won’t work. But I admire the effort.” He leaned close. “May the best player win.”
I started to respond at the same moment a woman’s scream ripped through the dream.
I jumped, and something moved overhead. Lucifer’s eyes flicked upward. I looked, too, and discovered the entire sky had turned red. Thick, vein-like things crept through the wide expanse above us. They were an even deeper scarlet than the horizon, and the longer I stared at them, the more those delicate strands seemed to … pulse.
What was this? What was happening?
“Fortuna,” someone said urgently, their voice booming. “Fortuna, can you hear me?”
“You should wake up. That could be important,” Lucifer remarked. I started to move away, but then the devil’s arm blurred, and his fingers grasped mine. He bent, keeping his eyes on mine. “Until the full moon, Lady Sworn.”
Before I could respond, Lucifer brushed his lips over my skin. It felt like an electric current traveling through me. I pulled my hand back, resisting the urge to rub it, and hoped he couldn’t hear my wild heart. The devil’s beautiful face was expressionless, but there was a gleam in his eye that told me everything I needed to know. Fuck.
A moment later, Lucifer’s wings snapped open. He shot into the air, sending a gust of wind downward, and my hair blew back. “May the best player win,” I said softly.
And then the sky started raining blood.
CHAPTER TEN
Bloodlust waited for me on the other side of consciousness.
It was a feeling I’d never experienced before, not even in the grips of deepest rage or harrowing pain. This was more consuming than feasting on someone’s fear. A red haze half-blinded me. I was dimly aware that I had my face against someone’s neck. A woman who smelled like expensive perfume and sweat. I was drinking from her, my hands tight on her waist, and I knew I needed to pull back. I could hear her heartbeat. It was slowing, dangerously. Soon, we’d be past the point of no return.
But the thirst … the thirst was stronger. I gripped the woman’s waist tighter and tore even deeper into her flesh. A wonderful, horrible squelching sound filled the stillness. Blood flowed over my tongue, bringing euphoria along with it. My eyes fluttered and the mindless rage began to retreat.
“Hey! Hey man, stop that!”
The voice was familiar, I thought distantly. I kept drinking and forgot about it.
Then something slammed into me.
The blow was so hard that I went flying. I recovered mid-air, twisting to land on my hands and feet. I raised my head, teeth drawn back. The hiss that came from my throat was like no sound I’d ever made before. My eyes focused, and they zeroed in on the face of the one who’d interrupted my feeding.
It was Seth Arthion. Again.
He squatted and put his arms behind him, baring his own teeth in a threatening snarl. I rushed at him, and Seth braced himself. Just as we were about to clash, my name boomed from the sky, exactly like it had in the dreamscape.
