25. Evalee

EVALEE

H unter is here to save me! Hunter, the guy I trust!

Or, well, used to trust.

My elation goes down a notch as I realize I might not be able to trust him anymore.

“Demon, step away from her,” he says, inching cautiously into the room.

He’s wearing the same outfit as the last time I saw him: black jeans, a matching shirt, and boots. I wonder if he’ll ever go back to dressing like the Hunter I knew before all the secrets came spilling out. Then I wonder why on earth that is the first thought that crosses my mind at this moment.

Seriously, get your head in the game, Eva!

I move to shove Max so I can run to the portal and escape, but he sidesteps out of the way.

Then I spring to my feet, ready to make a run for it. Sure, I’m not too thrilled to return to Mystic Willow Bay and deal with the truth, but being held captive in a demon’s lair by a demon who may or may not want to slurp me dry of my questionably strong power isn’t a better alternative. A demon wanting power is never a good thing.

But neither are you, Eva. You’re a demon and a succubus and a witch and demon feeder.

While I’ve never heard of such a combination, they all share one thing in common—they have a lot of power. So, if Max is telling the truth … I shudder.

What if he’s telling the truth, though? Think about the stuff you can do!

An almost violent shiver rolls through my body at the possibilities.

“Eva, go through the portal now!” Hunter cries, reaching for me.

I start to run toward the portal, but Max grabs my arm and hauls me back toward him.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he hisses, sounding very unlike the Max I’ve been talking to.

“You said you weren’t going to keep me here forever!” I yell, throwing my weight forward.

He snakes his arms around my waist, holding me against his body. “Hate to break this to you, sweetheart, but all demons lie.”

My heart thrashes inside my chest. “You were lying to me?”

“Not about everything.” He kisses the back of my ear. “Just about letting you go.” Another brush of his lips, and this time, a very not so good shiver vibrates through my body. “Like I would ever give something like you up. Besides, if you go back, you’ll be in danger.”

I laugh hollowly. “Like I’m safe here?”

“Safer than you are in Mystic Willow Bay,” he whispers in my ear, moving backward as Hunter runs at us with his wand poised to cast a spell. “Now that word has gotten out about you, every demon and hybrid in the underground is going to come after you.” He backs up around the bed. “There’s a reason I told you to stay away from The Illuminating Horror House of Truth. Because there are demons plotting to capture you and use your power. For what, I’m not sure. But trust me when I say it won’t be good.”

“How can they even use my power?” I make my body go limp in an attempt to get him to stop moving. “I thought it killed them?”

“It does. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a way around it. Trust me; I know.”

He knows, as in, he’s found a way?

Panic flares through me, potent and scorching.

I need to get out of here.

“Let her go!” Hunter shouts as he chases after us.

Max laughs as he continues to drag me deeper into his demon lair bedroom. “Or what?”

Hunter screeches to a stop with his wand out in front of him, the tip sparkling silver. Then he opens his mouth and starts to chant a spell. “Alofor?—”

Max cuts him off as he begins to yell the incantation to a petrifying curse.

My panic doubles, knowing that if Max gets all the way through the curse, Hunter will die. Just like Ryleigh.

Wait a second. This is the second time I’ve heard Max throw a petrifying curse. It’s not a very common curse, either. Most demons use the torture spell to kill their victims.

Did Max kill my sister?