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Still.
Just what did she want?
Knowing I had nowhere to direct my anger, I searched for the next best thing—the demon who brought all this trouble to my doorstep.
Teeth bared, I wrapped my hand around the doorknob and pulled the door open.
A yelp escaped me as Asmodeus fell back against my legs. His shoulders were boulders colliding against me and I fell. My ass slapped hard against the floor, knocking a grunt from me. His eyes were closed as he groaned low, his hand lifting to press over his eyes.
“Your nights are too short,” he complained.
I sat up, my hands planted on his shoulders to shove him away.
Surprise moved through me when he swatted my hands and rolled onto his side. He wrapped his hands around my thigh, pulling me closer to him to use me as a pillow.
“Hey!” What in the hell did he think he was doing?
“Just a few more mortal moments. Healing all your kin drained me. All those tears and breaks and rot.”
My brows dropped. “Rot?” Okay, rude.
“Mmm,” he moaned low in his throat, nestling closer. His grip was like a bear trap. I’d have to give up my leg to get away from him. “I don’t often have to heal beings as I do here. You beings are so fragile. How do you not just drop dead? Surely, she would have anyway.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I needed to be firm with my questions so I didn’t note how cute he was wiggling his face into my thigh.
His sigh was heavy with fatigue. “The rot. It was wrapped around her innards, spreading. Feasting.”
“What rot?” I yelled.
Asmodeus looked up. This was the most annoyed I had seen him, but that didn’t matter to me when he was talking about my Abuela rotting. What the fuck was wrong with him?
He ran his hand slowly down his face. Finally releasing my leg, he sat up. “I don’t know. Growths of some kind.” He gestured to my abdomen. “Here.”
“What?”
“Filled with poison. I don’t know, Eden. I don’t often make it my business to heal humans, so I’m not sure what kind of ailments you have.”
I was immediately on my feet. “Take me to her.”
“What? Why?”
“I need to talk to her.” My heart raced. “Take me to my Abuela.”
28
ASMODEUS
Anxiety was like hollow electricity. It didn’t change or morph the way so many other emotions did. It was constant. It pulsed the same but with an emptiness. How frustrating an emotion it was. My hand rubbed at my chest as Eden stood outside the house I had only just carried her away from. Her eyes were hard as the muscles worked over her jaw.
Squaring her shoulders, Eden marched up the steps and let herself in.
The scent in the air was intoxicating. Aromas blended in a dizzying way making me want to fall into whatever it was.
I followed Eden through the house back to the kitchen.
Gran stood at the stove stirring a large pot. She stood up on a stool, leaning in.
The scent seemed to affect Eden too as she inhaled deeply. Her eyes fell slightly closed as she took it in before she shook her head and remembered her task.
