Page 10 of Demon Touched (The Demon Syndicate #2)

“I don’t know how to even do that.” Nova took a step back to get the room she needed. “You have to be compatible to even use someone else’s power and that’s super rare.”

“Not really.” Krista twisted her fingers in a pattern Nova recognized and she didn’t waste any more time.

Sending a blast of magic, she activated one of her runes and a shield slid into place over her skin, instantly dissolving when Krista’s attack spell slammed into it.

Dammit, this was not going to end well.

She should have knocked her out, but Krista had never given her an opening.

Nova sent another blast of magic, and she batted it away effortlessly. Another finger movement from the other witch and Nova felt herself trip over her own feet. This was the kind of magic she was trash at.

Offensive spells were impossible unless she had the runes on her skin to direct the magic with finesse. All she could do was use it as a blunt weapon unless the other witch knew how to defend against raw power.

Nova fired and fired, trying to get up, but there was a magic rope around her ankles, something her hunter blood was useless against. She unsheathed the knife on her boot and cut through the enchantment with her salted blade.

It took too long.

By the time it was done Krista had her up and against the wall with nothing but her orange magic. Nova couldn’t use her own power when she was bound like this. She couldn’t use her knife either and she couldn’t get free.

Her father had trained her how to get out of this, but it was one of those things…she could only use the trick once since it completely drained her magic.

“I don’t know why you think you don’t have very much power,” Krista said as she trailed a fingertip over Nova’s collarbone. “I can taste it on you.”

Then the witch plucked the knife from Nova’s hand and studied it. “Interesting piece, and clever for a witch who can’t perform basic spells. I’ve never seen someone with their own magic quite as tatted up as you.”

Nova considered the witch before her and every possible avenue from her current juncture. Then she studied the bindings at her wrists and ankles. “Why all this?”

“I want to know why you have a binding spell on your back,” Krista told her. “And I want the power I can taste.”

“I don’t know why I have it,” Nova gritted out, mentally sifting through her options as quickly as she could.

When she got free, should she kill or capture the witch? The only problem was she might not be working alone. There were too many unknown variables, but Nova wasn’t going to let this witch kill her either.

“I believe you,” Krista finally said, eyeing Nova’s tattoos. “How about I help you find out why?”

Then she sank the knife into her gut.

The pain was excruciating, and the very last thing Nova had expected from a witch. She watched in horror as Krista slipped her hand inside the wound like she was looking for something.

What the hell was she looking for?

“This binding spell is complex,” Krista murmured as she concentrated. “I wonder what happens if I drain your power. You think it would unlock the spell?”

The way she smiled up at Nova was fucking terrifying.

Then she felt it. Krista was somehow draining her magic.

Nova gritted her teeth against the agony and released the very last bit of her magic right as she filled the tattoo shop with pure darkness. Krista’s magic released her, and she didn’t waste a fucking second. Nova forced herself to stand and pressed a hand to her stomach to staunch the bleeding.

The other witch scrambled for her knife as she whispered the words for a witchlight spell, but this was the kind of darkness that even witchlight couldn’t touch.

She aimed and kicked Krista right under the chin hard enough the other witch dropped to the ground in a daze.

Bending to scoop up her knife was agonizing and a muffled sound of pain escaped her. Blood leaked through her fingers no matter how hard she pressed against the wound.

This had definitely been a mistake.

Nova stepped over the witch and sank to her knees, holding Krista still with nothing but her thighs. “Who are you working for?” she asked, resting the blade against Krista’s throat. “Are you a part of the Black Lotus?”

“I’m a witch ,” Krista spat. “I work for no one but myself and my sisters.”

“Which sisters?” Nova demanded, pressing the blade down until she could smell blood that wasn’t hers.

The witch didn’t answer, but she reached out with her hands, power crackling at her fingertips, and Nova didn’t waste any time. She slit the witch’s throat before that magic could touch her.

Watching the light die from her eyes, Nova sighed.

This was not how she’d wanted this to end. It was messy and she still didn’t have the intel she needed.

Dex was probably busy with work. Nova shouldn’t have texted him at all.

Looking down at her bloody hand, she tried not to freak out about how much of her blood was still pouring out, or how little magic she had left. Every nerve felt raw and Nova knew it wasn’t just the pain.

It was whatever Krista had tried to do to her.

Using a tiny spark of magic, she set fire to her blood. The last bit of power left her with a gasp that tore at her lungs and her shadows ate up the light from the flames.

Fire caught onto the actual building and the heat made her sweat even more. Smoke scratched at her throat and the blood loss was starting to make her dizzy.

Her bike was parked in the front and there was possible footage to deal with. She had a severe wound with no good way to patch it up. Riding would be too dangerous. Maybe she could call a cab.

Why did she think this was going to be easy?

Oh right, because she had no fucking idea there was a binding spell stitched into her skin.

Something slammed into the roof and she heard the ceiling crack. Nova reached up with trembling fingers and removed her scent charm from her ear, tossing it into the fire. It exploded on contact and she flinched.

A snarl filled the parlor and it rattled her bones as well as every bit of glass in the place.

Nova ran a hand over the witch until she found what she needed and tucked the phone into her back pocket. “The footage,” she whispered. “Get the footage.”

It was getting hotter.

She pulled her leg up and slid her bloody knife into the sheath. One hand on her knee, allowed her to push herself to her feet. Instantly, the blood drained from her head and she stumbled.

Dex was suddenly right there and he caught her before she could fall.

“What the fuck is going on?” he demanded.

“My bike. I need to get rid of it.”

“Fuck your bike.” His arms went around her, and she nearly screamed from the pain. “Nova, I can’t see anything.”

“I can’t release it. Just take me home.”

“Where are you hurt?” he practically roared. “The smell of your blood is everywhere.”

“I need to get the computer and my bike. There might be footage across the street…”

Nova pushed away from Dex to get to the front desk. She was the only one who could see, and she needed to find out whatever she could so this mess wouldn’t be for nothing.

She managed to grab the laptop before collapsing, losing consciousness before she hit the ground.