AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She asked this so casually I would’ve found it funny if it weren’t for the fact that they were here to kill me.
“No. But I feel them.”
“Yes. They’re definitely here. At least three, maybe more,” she calculated, scanning the crowds. “Bamal knows you have protection now, since his last two lower demons were expelled. He’ll have sent higher demons this time, some of his dukes or earls, so be careful. They can shape-shift. And sift you out of here.”
“Awesome. I feel great now,” I said, a tremor quivering down my spine.
Kat glanced at me and smiled. “Gen, you’ve got the leader of the demon hunters, the oldest and strongest demon hunter there is, and me here for your protection. You’re covered, girl. Don’t fret.”
Jude was the oldest demon hunter? I didn’t realize that. I wondered for the hundredth time how one became a demon hunter. This secret was guarded, hidden for dark reasons, I was certain. But what?
“Have you seen Jude?” Kat interrupted my thoughts.
“No. Not yet.”
“Okay. I’m going to mingle. You should move around. Let the demons see you. We need our bait out in the open.”
“Terrific. A lamb in a den of wolves,” I said, tossing back the rest of my wine.
Kat grinned at me, appearing even more like a cat with narrowed green eyes. She glanced at my dress for a second and let out a feminine laugh.
“Just you wait till the alpha gets a look at you in this.”
I knew she didn’t mean George, making me wonder why she considered Jude more dominant. Of course, I knew who was more dominant but found that intriguing, as George was their leader. I shivered, peering out across the crowd.
“On that note, I’ll go mingle. Here goes the little lamb.”
Kat laughed and stepped toward the crowd.
“Kat, wait,” I stopped her. “What about Danté? Could he be here too?”
She shook her head definitively. “No. Now that George has given you his power of protection and Jude plans on keeping you untainted, though I’m sure it’s killing him, you’re safe.” She grinned.
“Stop that, Kat!”
She let out a throaty laugh. “Anyway, Danté will have to come up with some other plan. I’m sure he’s scheming, but he’s less powerful than Bamal and some of his other brothers.”
“Seriously?”
He seemed pretty damn powerful to me. I shuddered, remembering how easily he made me his puppet.
“Just get out there. You have nothing to worry about.”
With a wink, she pressed her way through the socialites laughing near the stairwell and headed toward the balcony on the second floor overlooking the ballroom.
“Let’s go, little lamb,” I muttered to myself, steeling my spine and sauntering out into the open.
While many men admired my passing, they were just men. My VS was sensitive, able to penetrate casts of illusion quickly. I was progressing in power.
I focused to keep my cast of protection from wrapping my body—barring other Flamma from seeing me. Forcing myself to wander through the throng, knowing demons were here, made me feel vulnerable on a painful level.
I circled around the dancers, seeing Mindy and Nathaniel, his hand sliding over her bare back in circles as he whispered something in her ear. Mindy smiled. She seemed to be having fun. Perhaps I’d misjudged the guy.
The singer pulled my attention to the stage. Her voice harmonized with the violins, crooning out a melody of love and redemption. The music tugged on my heart, luring me closer.
I paused near the orchestra, feeling the music vibrate through me, when a hand wrapped around my forearm. In swift reflex, I elbowed back into the ribs of my assailant. I heard an “oof” then felt a large male pressed close behind me, pulling me toward him. My free hand was going for the dagger when a familiar voice halted me.
“Rumplestiltskin,” he whispered.
