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The carsickness I was used to never came. Perhaps it was the gum. Perhaps it was not being trapped in a windowless cage like some animal, or perhaps I was just getting used to these metal beasts.

Now that my panic had subsided and my car sickness hadn’t set in, I was actually beginning to enjoy myself. My hair began to float up and around me, glowing blue, then violet. I pulled my feet onto the seat, only belatedly realizing my boots smeared the Slurpee onto the upholstery.

Eventually, I allowed my gaze to venture away from the horizon to a photo taped near the car’s digital clock. It was of a woman with blonde hair, blue eyes. She had a glorious smile—the kind that made you want to join in—and she held a small child with ruddy cheeks and equally bright blue eyes. My eyes slid to Asher. His mate?

Whatever I’d been thinking, whatever interest I found in the photo, vanished immediately at the sight of the hunter.

His eyes were glued to the road, the edges of them red.

Only now did I notice he’d been crying earlier.

Brad. Asher’s comrade and friend. His brother. He hadn’t made it out of the fire.

It was hard to see any mercenary, human or demon, undone by sorrow.

Asher had lost a friend and saved an enemy’s life all at once. Hadn’t I seen the same thing as a medic on the battlefield before? The Infernari, with all their complicated oaths, often ran into this very situation.

“The gods have welcomed the great warrior Brad home,” I said quietly. “He is at peace.”

“Don’t feed me that bullshit,” Asher said.

I watched him for several seconds, my hair beginning to resettle with his somber mood, before I decided to let it go.

The road ahead of us was long. No need making it longer.

But it was Asher who broke the silence.

“Do you know why Brad died?”

“He died trying to save you, trying to save his brother, which is the most honorable way—”

“That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking why?”

“Because of the fire, because Azazel—”

“Yes, I agree, that’showhe died—no, tell mewhy, Lana.”

I hesitated, his icy calm scaring me. “Because of you, then? I don’t know. Because you got him involved when he was perfectly fine living his own life...” Seeing Asher’s lips begin to pucker, I trailed off. Best not to provoke him when he was like this. If he needed to express his grief as anger, fine.

“Brad died...” the words came out in a menacing whisper, “...because you culled his blood, and when you culled his blood, you cursed him. That’s why he died, Lana. That’s theonlyreason he died.”

At his accusation, my chest seemed to tighten into a knot.

“Do you understand that?” he asked.

I fidgeted in my seat, picking at my skin. “You imprisoned me,” I murmured. “You left me no choice. I didn’t curse him on purpose.”

“No, you didn’t... you never do it on purpose, do you?” He fixed me with a hateful stare now, and he bit out his next words. “When they culled my wife’s blood, you think they did it on purpose?... Nah, they just needed their fix, needed their next hit, just a couple of junkies out for a good time, little shits probably had no idea what became of her... See, it doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter how cute and innocent you pretend to be, doesn’t matter if you use it to heal, or get yourself off, or whatever the hell else you want, because at the end the day, that’s what you are, and that’s what you always will be... ademon.”

Chapter 10

Asher

I was usuallygood for long stretches of driving. I could get in an almost Zen-like state, and the miles would just fly by.

But not today. Not with Lana spilling food everywhere and chatting my ear off and having to pee every five seconds. Damn Slurpee.

The milesinchedby.