Page 98 of Demon's Desire

Onyx ripped the sack from his head, his surroundings so dark he almost couldn’t tell the difference. A cold stone floor lay beneath him. After a second, his eyes adjusted to the faint light outlining a door, barely illuminating the small, bare room.

Nico wasn’t there.

Had Luc kidnapped him and separated him from Nico? Was this what Onyx got for being tempted to trust his brother?

Anger swelled inside him, and tears threatened. He pushed them back. Nico would be all right. Thank Onyx’s damned eternal life that they’d bonded.

Onyx reached for their connection. Yes, Nico was there. Onyx pulled his mate’s soul closer, but Nico didn’t come, so to speak. His presence seemed faint, like he was far away. Distance shouldn’t affect a mated pair’s ability to share emotion. Something was hindering their connection.

At least Nico was alive and seemingly conscious. Faint hintsof fear and panic reached Onyx through the bond, strangling his heart. His mate was hurting.

Onyx scrambled to his feet and lunged for the door. Nico could be in another cell. Onyx had to get to him. His head swam as he stood, and he stumbled, falling forward. Onyx’s knees hit the stone, his head pounding.

What the hell? He had the coordination of a drunk man.

After a few tries, he made it to the door and braced a palm against it, out of breath. Vision tunneling, Onyx sank to the floor. He grabbed the handle on the way down, but it slipped from his grasp.

He blinked, confused. Where was he?

He inspected the empty cell and remembered what happened on the roof.Nico!He had to find Nico. They’d been attacked.

Struggling to his feet, Onyx touched the door. His vision went black, and he awoke on the floor. What happened?

Onyx had no idea how many times he went through the motions before an intense sense of déjà vu had him wondering if he’d messed with the door before.

He hesitated, pulling his hand back. Was touching the door knocking him out and stealing his short-term memory? It was a clever trap. No witch could pull off an illusion like that, but Lucifer could.

Sounds outside caught his attention.

Onyx straightened, trying to gather his wits. His head swam like he’d downed a whole glass of intoxicating potion.

The door swung outward, light spilling into the cell. A figure stepped into the doorframe, and Onyx hastily gathered his power, releasing a bolt of lightning. The spell exploded, filling the doorway with electricity without reaching its target. A shield must cover the opening. Dammit.

Onyx’s eyes adjusted to the glare. The figure was tallbut too wide to be Lucifer. Was this another illusion? Had the cell addled his brain?

The demon, Valac, stood before him. A guy Onyx vaguely recognized from their time in the Realm of the Damned.

Onyx steadied himself. “What the fuck do you want?”

“Your head on a plate.” Valac bared his fangs, eyes flashing bright.

At least there was no misunderstanding his intention.

Valac’s huge white wings extended beyond sight of the doorway. His looming posture was reminiscent of Ash. So was his smirk. “Where are the other Hounds?”

“As if I’d tell you. Let me out of here. There’s no quarrel between us. You’re free. Dante, Ash, and I never wanted to trap you in Hell.”

“Please. You stood by Lucifer until the moment you decided to escape and leave everyone behind. Now, it’s time for all of you to pay.”

Onyx’s head pounded. Valac must have set the bounty. Was he close to finding his brothers? Something had given Onyx away, and it better not have been Rowan’s coven. “How did you find me?”

His captor shrugged. “I got a tip from a man who joined my cause.”

Onyx willed his brain to work faster. Whatever he’d been injected with must have been potent. Unless this was the disorienting illusion addling his mind. “What cause?”

“To rid Shearwater Landing of oppressive scum, and allow the magic community to flourish freely.”

So fucking noble, but anything could be spun to sound good. “My brothers and I have let the magic community flourish freely. I’m not even involved with the damn community. Cut the crap and admit you’re after vengeance.”