Page 30 of Infernal Bindings

He hesitates before answering, peering over both his shoulders like someone—or something—might be listening in. “Fine, but this conversation stays between us. It doesn’t spread to any of your light witches, including your mate. Can you guarantee that?”

I nod, and it’s the truth. I would never say or do anything to hurt Daemon. He should know that by now.

The booth squeaks as I meet him in the center of the table, our foreheads just inches apart. “Tell me.”

“Human souls don’t go to any of the seven kingdoms,” he says. “No one knows what happens to them. The only humans in Salios’s realm are the living playthings the incubi bring in, and the dead witches we’re bonded to.”

My brows furrow.

I don’t understand.

Demons don’t torture evil humans? What the fuck?

I open my mouth, then close it as Daemon strokes my wrist and my tattoo thrums in response. Even through the white shirt, his touch sets my arm hairs on end.

When he looks at me, his eyes are smoldering. “The only way you’re getting inside Hell is if I disguise you as my pet—and you’d have to be very, very convincing at it. The moment someone realizes you’re a light witch, we’d both be royally fucked.”

“But that doesn’t make sense. I’ll still be a light witch when the contract comes due, and I’ll be in Hell then.”

“Yes, but you’ll be dead,” he says. “The rules are different then. Dead witches can’t spy on us or send messages back to their covens. Trust me, Annie, you don’t want to get caught in there. It’s not worth it.”

“So you’re saying I can’t go?”

My stomach twists into defeated knots. That stone is all we have. Without it in play, our investigation has already failed.

“I’m not saying you can’t go,” Daemon clarifies. “I’m saying you can’t go as you are now, and I don’t think you’d like what I’d have to turn you into.”

His plaything.

His pet.

His.

My heart thuds against my chest, my throat so dry it feels like chalk. I remember that demon then—the one I saw outside of Daemon’s window. Her metal collar. The leather outfit. The cuffs.

Fear threatens to consume me, but there’s no room for that. I don’t have a choice. This is the only plan that might—emphasis on might—save both Daemon and me. Otherwise, we’ll both be tortured forever, and I won’t be Daemon’s plaything, I’ll be Salios’s.

Squaring my shoulders, I level him with a determined stare. “Tell me what I have to do.”

15

FALSE IMPRESSIONS

Christopher removes his necklace and places it in a jewelry box, the delicate golden chain gleaming. The grounding stone attached to it looks just as plain as ever—cloudy and gray and entirely unmagical. Shutting the box, he places it in my outstretched palm, then gently closes my fingers around it. “You’ll be careful tonight?” he asks, voice laced with worry.

“Of course.” I set the box in my purse and loop it over my shoulder. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

At Daemon’s insistence, Christopher knows very little about what tonight will entail, just the basics—undercover investigation work at an incubus club in Hell. Even that was more than what he wanted to share, not because he’s ashamed of it, and not because we’re trying to be sketchy, but because Christopher is a light witch who isn’t even supposed to know there are incubus clubs in Hell. Technically, I’m not supposed to know that either, but Daemon trusts me.

I only wish the feeling was mutual.

My stomach aches from nervousness, and even though Christopher has offered several times to feed me dinner, I’ve refused. Together, we sit alone in his condo, counting down the minutes until Daemon arrives.

“The undercover work,” I hedge, because it doesn’t feel right keeping things from him. What I’m about to do with Daemon while Christopher—my mate—risks his position by searching the witches for infernal tattoos, fills me with guilt. “It requires that Daemon and I—”

Christopher holds up his hand, stopping me. “You’re going to a demonic sex club, Annie. I can fill in the basics. You don’t need to give me any details. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t.”

“I’m sorry,” I say instead, and it sounds just as lame out loud as it did in my mind.