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It was a legitimate fear.

“Just don’t piss it off,” I said.

She eyed it nervously, then she peeled the pizza slice up from the rug, plucked off the lint, and raised it to her mouth.

“Lana, don’t eat—”

She took the bite.

“—that. Noo,” I groaned, cringing.

As she chewed, she gave me a weird look—likeIwas the crazy one.

Where she came from, they didn’t have herpes or HIV or cholera.

Food that fell on the ground was still food.

Maybe I was the crazy one.

“So how much longer until we get to America?” she asked, between bites.

“CentralAmerica.” I dropped down next to her and unfolded the map so she could see. “We’re already in America.”

Her eyebrows pinched together. “I thought we were in the United States.”

“OfAmerica. Look, it’s right here—” I pointed out the US on the map. “We’re in Tennessee now, which means we’re about eighteen hours away from the Mexican border. That’s two days of driving.”

“And where’s the portal so we can go—soIcan go home?” She leaned closer to see, and I felt her hair brush my shoulders.

My nostrils flared. “Not so close, okay? Please.”

She edged away, and I swear hurt flashed in her eyes.

“My guess is near some ruins or in a cave somewhere.” I peered sideways at her. “Where do you think it is, Lana?”

“I don’t know, Jame.” Her voice carried a hint of attitude, which I ignored.

“You know where it is. You’veknownwhere it is. You just need to get past the spell blocking your memory.” The spell that only allowed her to remember two of the portals at any one time.

“I don’t know how to. I don’t control that. The primus dominus does.”

“There must be some residue. When you delete a computer file, you’re just erasing the pointer to the data so the computer can’t find it anymore, but the data’s all still there. I’m guessing it’s the same with your memories.”

“My brain is not a machine.”

“No, your brain is far too irrational to be machine,” I bit back. I was being mean to her for no reason. A defense mechanism. Because I wanted to push her away. Prove to myself I still hated her.

“Ugh, it’syourheart that’s the machine.” Her violet eyes took on a predatory glint. “When I cut it open, Jame Asher, will I find gears and cogs and oil inside?”

She was seeing how far she could push me. There are few things I hate more than people testing my boundaries.

I moved too fast for her to react. My hand wrapped around her throat, pinning her to the bed. “Threaten me again,” I said slowly, moving my face inches from hers, “and I will burn you, and burn your portal, and burn your world, and burn every demon I find—man, woman, or child—until there is nothing of your species left but the ash stuck to the bottom of my boots.”

Her upper lip curled, and I half expected her to hiss. Instead, she stared mutinously back at me.

Several seconds passed, the two of us glaring at each other, before I released her. Warily she moved away from me, rubbing her neck.

It was my fault. I’d let her get too close, I’d lashed out.