Page 99 of Demon Heart: The Complete Series

ROMAN

T he blade pierced the device. I felt it malfunction, grow hot and shoot jolts of pain around my chest.

“Fuck,” I wheezed.

The dagger was buried up to the hilt, golden sparks spitting around it. I tried to touch it, getting a sharp electric shock for my efforts.

He’d betrayed me. Us. Butterfly was a turncoat.

Man, I should’ve seen it coming.

I stumbled back, losing my footing. I landed on my backside so hard I was convinced I broke my tailbone.

Thankfully, I didn’t. Not that it mattered.

Any moment now, I’d die. The fact I managed to go through life without a real heart was miraculous enough.

Without anything to keep me breathing, my minutes were numbered.

Man, what a way to go—by the hands of that purple-haired prick. He should’ve been slaughtered first.

“Well done,” Ismael said, coming up beside him.

“He is too dangerous, Your Majesty,” Butterfly answered, bowing at him.

My body jerked, more sparks fizzing around my chest. Any minute now, I’d black out and be gone.

Right?

Ismael folded his arms. “Clearing up your mistakes, are you?”

More demons circled us, Tanith slithering behind her king.

Past Xavier was nowhere to be seen.

Was he dead like his present self?

“Yes, My King,” Butterfly answered. “I wanted to help Roman, to find a way to reverse time to make things better. Even at my own expense. Yet when I saw him kill the intriguing rat, and then his lover, I understood the gravity of this situation. Remembered who I am. I did this for revenge. I did this for a second chance.” He held up the jar, the storm inside as vibrant as ever. “I have played with time enough.”

“Then destroy it,” Ismael commanded, eyes on me.

So much for them being enemies.

Take me back ten minutes, I tried.

The device sputtered, clawing at my chest. No demon died, my power broken.

“It cannot be destroyed, Your Majesty,” Butterfly responded. “And I will not risk opening the jar in case Roman is given a chance to use it.”

“He still lives,” Ismael said. “Stab him again.”

“No. It is too much of a risk,” Butterfly warned. “I believe his power is now muted. Doing anything else to him may undo that. Keep him alive for now.”

Ismael didn’t look happy. He gave the order to have my throat cut.

A demon obliged as Butterfly protested. The prick dragged a jagged blade across my flesh. I waited for the pain, to feel my skin slice open, for the blood to gush like a morbid spring. But nothing happened.

The demon grunted and tried again, getting nowhere.

What the hell?

“Kill him!” Ismael roared.

“I’m trying!”

Ismael charged forward, snatching the deadly sharp blade from his minion’s hand. He stabbed at my neck, not even making a tiny scratch. Went for my eyes, my belly, everywhere. Nothing landed, didn’t even bounce off me. It was like he attacked air.

“Why won’t you die?” the king screamed in my face, attempting to gouge my eyes out again.

I winced with each strike, bladder ready to give up. The blows might not be making contact, but that didn’t stop them being terrifying. I waited for the moment I turned into a pincushion.

The device fizzed, releasing a series of painful tremors into my bones.

Fuck this. I tried getting to my feet, my limbs having none of it. All I could manage was sitting up, fighting the spiral into all-consuming grief.

Xavier and Darcy were dead. By my hand. Why did I have to be alive? Why couldn’t that blade hit an artery? Let me bleed out, suffer the pain, then lights out. No more of this.

I’m done…

“Die! Die! Die! Die!” Ismael’s calm aura had completely faltered. His pale complexion flushed with crimson rage, his eyes deadly white flames. He spat in my face, tried slapping me.

No contact. Nothing. Somehow, the device worked to keep me invincible. And Butterfly had triggered it. Intentional on his part? Or was he just as pissed off? I couldn’t tell. He watched on without a hint of emotion on his face.

“Allow me to try something.”

I gasped at the sound of Xavier’s voice. For a moment, hope returned, only to die when the shirtless spider demon appeared. Without my Xavier’s scar on his chest, without the love in his eyes.

“You’re alive?” I managed to ask. “But?—”

Ismael grinned, stepping aside. “Surprised?”

“The rules are not as we believe them to be,” Butterfly said.

Past Xavier cracked his knuckles. “May I, My King?”

Shit. What now?

“Of course, My Love.”

“Do not take any risks,” Butterfly protested.

Ismael dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

Mean Xavier grabbed the handle of the dagger in my chest.

“No!” Butterfly surged forward, only to be blocked by two burly demon kings. “Do not touch the?—”

The spider demon grunted as he yanked, the blade not budging an inch.

Oh. Interesting.

“Slippery witch,” he mumbled, pulling again.

Ha! You wish it was slippery.

“What is happening, Xavier?” Ismael demanded.

“I don’t know. It won’t come out.”

“Leave it.”

“It might kill him if I can just?—”

“He might kill us if you do. I think we should listen to Butterfly.”

Xavier stopped, his face close to mine. For a moment, I held his stare, longing for my version of him to break through and kiss me. Tell me everything was okay, that he didn’t hate me for killing him because he wasn’t really dead. Just a silly blip, all better now.

Instead, he snarled, “I hate what you did to me.”

“Are you in there?” I whispered, fresh tears rising.

He blinked, releasing a shuddering breath into my face. “What did?—”

“Please tell me you’re in there.” Maybe his present soul would connect with his past one. Merge, make him the Xavier I’d fallen in love with.

He blinked again, his meanness melting away. “I?—”

“Get away from him!” Ismael barked.

The mean vibes returned. He growled. “Disgusting witch.” He spat in my face.

The blob of saliva didn’t hit, landing behind me.

Huh?

“I will discover a way to kill him, Your Majesty,” Butterfly said.

Bingo! Traitor status confirmed.

“Safely,” he added. “Without consequence.”

Mean Xavier backed away, joining his king. Ismael kissed his cheek.

I want to kiss your cheek…

The demons holding Butterfly released him. “Thank you.” He fixed his vile eyes on me. “You are the worst conduit, Roman. If only the original target had survived.”

A young witch girl died before the device chose me.

“I hate you,” I countered.

“I know. But I am sure you hate yourself more after killing two people you love.”

I wanted to vomit then tear his head off his shoulders. “You?—”

“Save your retorts, Roman.” He shook his head. “I had planned on wooing the intriguing rat. A true beauty indeed. Alas, he is gone. Because of you.”

His words were darts, each one landing a perfect bull’s eye. This torment was magma, everything too bright and harsh and cruel for me to live much longer.

But so was my rage. It simmered, ready for me to crank up the heat. I might be muted right now, but I’d find a way to take him out. If I couldn’t have love and hope, I’d wrap myself in hate.

In revenge.

No giving up yet. Dishing out death came first.

“I’ll destroy you all. I’ll—” I stopped myself, having a brainwave.

Could I remove the dagger? Could I end my own life?

The demons laughed together as Ismael crouched before me.

Ugh. His face hurt my retinas.

“Kill us all, witch?” He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “Impossible. This is the end. I will find a way to make you die, even if I drop you into a volcano. Which sounds like a wonderful idea.” He clapped his hands together. “Seize him. We are taking a trip to Level 222.”

“Hot! Hot! Hot!” a few demons cried, sparking a round of laughter.

But no one managed to lay a hand on me, not even the dagger now. Their hands passed through me.

I was basically a ghost.

Ismael snarled in frustration. “I will not allow you to escape.”

We’d see about that.

I grabbed the dagger’s handle, channeling my inner King Arthur.

Unlike for him, this blade didn’t budge.

No Sword in the Stone moment for me. It really wasn’t going to budge anytime soon.

Great. So, what now? I got to spend the rest of my days with it sticking out of my chest?

Yeah, that would go down so well with airport security.

Only, there might not ever be such a thing as airports again once these demons spread into Earth. And I’d being going nowhere without the two most important men in my life.

There’s no life when you’re not here…

I couldn’t bring myself to look at their bodies. I tried another wish, sinking deeper into despair. My tears stopped on the outside for the time being. I took my sorrow and spun it into determination. If I was dumped in this life to murder, I’d murder. Hard.

My violent epiphany seemed to work. Warmth flooded my veins, my limbs buzzing with new energy—all without a wish.

I flexed my fingers, the device firing off some shocks.

Ignoring them, using the pain as fuel to get me on my feet, I prepared to move.

A cat ready to strike, these demons a bunch of mice primed for the slaughter.

Maybe one of them would manage to land a killing blow. Fine. I couldn’t give a fuck. Just as long as I took out Butterfly first, possibly Ismael second, I’d die a happy bunny.

I’m sorry, Darcy.

I’m sorry, Xavier.

My stupid brain decided to drag me through the key moments of my relationship with Xavier. From rescuing him from those silver-clad human creeps who wanted him to use The Word to free Ismael, to our first night in that French motel, and our date in the conservatory before everything went wrong.