Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
There was a lot of grunting and grumbling as we got him into the backseat. But we managed it.
After that, we quickly emptied the room of all of our items, then climbed in the car ourselves.
“What happened to this window?” Aggy asked.
“Demons. Lesser demons,” I clarified as I drove, praying I remembered the way back to Arick.
Even if he couldn’t help, he could point me in the direction of Daemon’s friends and brother.
“Wow,” Aggy said as we drove, watching the changed world around us, the displaced people, the distraction.
“Yeah. It’s not good. You’ve missed a lot.”
“I’m almost glad I didn’t have to watch the world start to fall apart.”
The drive to Arick’s place felt like it took twice as long with the nearly-lifeless body of a man I loved in the backseat.
I flew up the driveway, parking the car just a foot or so from the front door.
It flew open nearly instantly.
“Wow,” Aggy said, looking at Arick. “You’re buzzing,” she added, looking at him.
“We need help. Something is wrong with Daemon,” I told Arick, climbing out to open the back door for him.
“I’m… not a healer,”Arick told me, his tone apologetic. “That’s never been what I’ve specialized in. I could… research,” he told me. “But I don’t know if I’d even have enough power to fix him with how much I am using on guarding the house.”
“What can I do? He can’t stay like this. He’s not healing. It’s been hours.”
Arick took a deep breath, looking over at Aggy. “You don’t do healing work either?” he asked.
“No. Protection work is more my thing.”
“Do you know anyone who does healing work?”
“Everyone is in hiding. Except…”
“Except who?” I asked, belly swirling.
“Lenore.”
“Wait… Lenore?” I asked, the name conjuring up a memory. “The witch who is with Lycus?”
“Yeah. Lenore was raised in a coven that focused on more nature-based work. She can heal. I mean… this might be a challenge even for her. But she’s the only one I know the location of right now.”
“Where?” I asked. I needed to go. Right then.
Arick gave me an address and general directions to follow.
“Aggy, we have to go. Now.”
“Actually, I hate to do this, but…”
“You’re staying?” I asked.
“I kind of wanted to talk to him about my plans,” she said, waving toward Arick.
I knew I shouldn’t have felt disappointed, like I was losing a good friend. I’d just met the girl. But there was a small rush of sadness that I hadn’t anticipated.
“Okay,” I agreed. “But… if you change your mind, maybe Arick can let me know?”
“Of course,” Arick agreed. “Do you need anything for your ride?”
“No. No. I just need to get going,” I said.
We said our goodbyes, and I climbed back in the car, hoping Aggie was in good hands but knowing she could handle herself.
“I’m going to get you some help,” I told Daemon, reaching back to pull the blankets back over him more. He felt cooler than usual. And he still hadn’t healed up at all. “Lenore is going to know what to do,” I assured him, even if I had no freaking idea if that was true or not.
It wasn’t a long drive from Arick’s to the demon clubhouse.
Though, ‘clubhouse’ was a pretty absurd way to describe their home. Estate.
It was a mansion made of gray stone and impossibly large windows.
There was also a ton of privacy, thanks to the woods that surrounded it.
Honestly, it was gorgeous.
If I were a stupidly wealthy immortal, it was the kind of place I would want to live in.
But there was no time for admiration.
I flew up the driveway and rushed out of the car, going into the back to grab Daemon.
He grunted as I shifted him around, making my heart soar. I mean, sure, he was probably grunting in pain. But it was the biggest reaction I’d gotten out of him since Nemesis dropped him in the motel room.
“That’s it. Come back to me,” I demanded as his arms flailed and his legs kicked. “If you could… just… help me get you to the door…”
As if understanding me, or maybe just reacting instinctively, his legs did a little walking—though a lot more dragging—as I carried and pulled and dragged him to the front door, where I laid on the doorbell.
It opened almost immediately.
Then there he was.
Bael.
There was no mistaking the family resemblance, even if Bael definitely had a moodier look to him.
“Daemon?” he asked, his gaze landing on his brother.
How could I explain everything we’d been through? What he’d endured? How we’d gotten here? Without waxing on for an hour?
“I… didn’t know what else to do,” I told him. “I got him free.” That was… true enough. Even if Nemesis had technically done it the last time. “And I just… I brought him home.”
“Ace!” Bael roared, the force in his voice making his horns poke out of his dark hair.