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“Okay.”
“But not from you.”
“Rude.” She smiled though her words were harsh.
Remembering how important these women were to Eden, I cleared my throat. “It’s not that…” I tried to think of how best to explain myself. “It’s just that there are things about this witch that I need to delve into and I don’t think mortal women with no knowledge of witches or demons would be the right assistance. I need to get her back.” The desperation in my last sentence surprised me.
I felt empty without her. Hollowed out.
She nodded. “Okay. So what can we do?”
A wave of familiar heat pressed into my chest and I almost stumbled over my feet. There it was. The place I was looking for. It was so close to Eden’s house. I could still see it through the trees as I dropped to my knees and shoved my fingers into the dirt. I scooped out a handful before I tore my wrist with my teeth and let the blood pool in the small bowl in the earth I’d created.
“What the fuck?” Vi shrieked.
“Shut up! Let him do whatever he needs to do,” Sarika hushed.
All the women gathered around, Imani’s phone call forgotten as I sat back on my heels.
“Arzen,” I called.
“Who—”
Sarika and Alicia slapped their hands over Vi’s mouth.
The ground cracked. Veins of fire lit the earth and breathed smoke. Puffs burst out and the women yelped and danced back. My eyes were glued on the blood that boiled. I waited until bubbles lifted from the bowl and floated in the air. The scent of my world sweetened the air as the macabre sight of bloodied bubbles floated toward one another. They morphed in the air, growing and sizzling until they finally joined. A bloodied bubble as large as me formed, something pushing at the inside, begging to be freed.
It popped and there she stood.
Her red flesh was as deep as mine. Her hooves were ornate with filigree patterns carved into them to her knee before they transitioned into thick pitch fur that climbed up her shapely thighs. She wore leather shorts that tied at the sides, leaving her red flesh on display through the laces. Obsidian gems decorated around her bare belly button and leather pieces were similarly fashioned over her heavy bust, the straps thick though the small shirt offered little support. She was short compared to me. Her horns added to her height, pushing forward from her brow before they curled toward the back of her head and then spiralled up. Her black hair was short, her crop of curls slicked back, ending at the nape of her neck. Her silver eyes looked over the women before they settled on me. The menacing look on her face transformed, her smile beaming. She hopped on her hooves before she charged at me.
“Asmodeus!” Lulu released Catalina’s arm to run toward me.
I held my hand out, ready to stop her as Arzen tackled me to the ground.
“Oof!” The breath left me.
She made quick work of wrapping her arm around my head and pulling me back into her, her legs wrapped around mine, rendering them useless as she squeezed until my throat closed.
“I should kill you, summoning me to this vexing place.” She inhaled me, releasing a scowl that transformed into a rumbling growl in her throat. “You reek of filth and rot.”
A rock hit her square in the forehead.
The harsh look on Arzen’s face morphed into surprise as she looked up at Lulu who tossed another rock into the air and aimed those threatening eyes at her. “You will let that boy go before I make you, you hear?”
I felt her grip tighten. “You have mortals fighting for you now?”
“I—”
My words were stolen as Lulu threw another rock — bigger than a mortal fist — that hit Arzen in the same place as the first. The matriarchs had amazing aim.
“Ouch! That hurts!” Arzen whined.
“It does not. Don’t be a baby.” I rolled my eyes as I wiggled, trying to get out of her hold. As though a mortal rock could harm her.
“I’m not being a baby,” she defended. “This mortal is throwing stones.”
Stones would hurt her just as much as Eden’s fists hurt me. Not at all.
