Chapter 27

He loved her. Lying on the floor, dying, he let himself admit that he loved her.

And that he'd turned on her because he was jealous of Killian. Tears squeezed out of his eyes, streaking the face of the body he'd stolen.

I'm just another demon. Unless I do the right thing.

That thought hit him hard, and he let it be in his belly. Just another demon. Which meant . . . he was just as capable of stopping Gardreel. Of saving her.

The gun was screaming. She didn't want to do something. "No."

He sat up, wrapped his arms around Bazixal and let himself fall. Not in the sense that he fell to the ground, but he gave up the last of his connection to believing that he was not a demon.

The circle cracked and opened up a vein to the realm of demons in the floor. Bazixal beat at him, his flames crisping the skin on the body he held onto.

"No. I will save her," he said, softly. "The only thing I can give her that she will accept."

Gardreel bellowed, his power slamming into Eligor's back. But it was too late. He let himself tumble into the crack along with Bazixal, the flames consuming them both.

"Be well, Nix," he whispered as he fell. "Make good choices. Better than those I made."