Page 77 of Dancing With Demons

“And even if they don’t, they can narrow down the options,” Radu said. “Without a doubt, the dryads are your best option.”

This news cheered me up immensely. Who knew a single phone call with my bloodsucking stalker would be all it took to turn my day around?

I sighed. “But, hold on, I have to ask. If you know the dryads are my best bet, why doesn’t Lucifer know that too? He’s been searching for thousands of years longer than I have.”

“If you had a real teacher for History of Hell who was interested in filling your heads with knowledge instead of propaganda, you’d know that Lucifer cannot go anywhere near the dryads. They’re under the protection of the Greek gods, and the Greek gods hold no love for Lucifer Lightbringer.”

“They don’t? Why?”

“Remember I told you Lucifer has tried to become a god in the eyes of man before. It just so happens that he made one such attempt by appearing before mortals disguised as the god Hades. Lucifer seemed to believe that tricking them into worshiping him under guise of another was close enough. And since the Greek gods aren’t as powerful as they once were, he figured Hades couldn’t do anything about it.”

I gasped. “Is he nuts? Even I know that’s a terrible idea.”

“That red-eyed angel is a megalomaniac. He doesn’t think he has terrible ideas,” Radu replied wryly. “Anyway, the result was Hades tracked him down and dealt him a defeat so brutal, Lucifer needed decades to recover, and in that time, Zariel, Mammon, and Leviathan led a revolt that overthrew his subjugation of hell.

“Lucifer hasn’t gone near a Greek god or their descendants or servants since.”

My low whistle cut through the silent hallway. “Now I am wishing I had a real history teacher. All of this is fascinating.”

“No, honey, you’re fascinating. Is there anything sexier than your love of knowledge? It makes me want to fuck you on a bed of books.”

“Annnd you’re back.” My voice was dry as I pulled up to the mess hall doors. “Thanks for the tip, Prof. I’ve got to go.”

“Goodbye, honey. Send me naked pictures of yourself.”

“Like hell I will!”

“Oh, yes, you’re right. Belphe might find them on your phone. Don’t worry, I’ll just take a few tonight when I’m watching you in the bath.”

“Don’t you dare—!”

Click.

“Bastard!”

Sucking in a deep, steadying breath—or five deep and steadying breaths—I pushed all the creepy nonsense Radu said out of my mind, and focused on the bit that was actually helpful. Nik and his dryad mothers could point me in the right direction of the hallows.

The part of how I’d get their collective power and keep it out of Lucifer’s hands was also something I was hoping they could help me with, because I still had no explanation for why everyone was so certain I was a powerful Avos witch, when I’d never performed a drop of magic in my life.

Is it because I wasn’t trained? I mused as I stepped inside and cast a glance around the half-packed mess hall. There were demons lounging at and on the tables. There were demons carrying food out of the kitchen. There were demons posted up on the walls, messing around on their phones. There were demons flirting it up and making out hardcore everywhere the eye could see. But none of those demons were Nik.

Maybe it’s like reading. I was born with the capacity to read, but I couldn’t actually do it until someone taught me. No one taught me how to use magic, but once I start practicing, I’ll learn how to control it and protect it, so that Lucifer can’t take it from me.

Or maybe it’s a goddess thing. My thoughts were churning as I made for the kitchens, and helped myself to two plates of spinach quiches, some fruit, and a couple of apple cider donuts. I’d never had an apple cider donut before but I was seriously looking forward to it. If magic is a gift from a goddess, maybe the giver of blood magic is a bit peeved that I’ve been ignoring her for over two decades. She could be denying me the gift because I’ve never bothered to ask for it.

So many theories, but no answers. If I wanted to know the secret to harnessing my blood magic... I’d have to ask the mother who murdered my sister right in front of my eyes.

I left the kitchen, my bad mood returning. Across the hall, Nik claimed a seat at a table farthest from the Sins Gang. In this case, distance indicated social status, and Nik was considered the bottom rung.

Thinking of the Sins Gang dragged my attention to the left. Ronin was exactly where I expected him to be, but shockingly, he wasn’t asleep. Even more shockingly, he was deep in conversation with Raven and Sauda, instead of barely acknowledging their existence while they humped and slobbered all over him.

All of a sudden he looked up and locked eyes with me. In that moment, memories of the night before flooded my mind and heated my face and neck. Ronin did things to me that no one had ever done. Positions I never tried before. Kinks I’d long ago decided weren’t for me. And as ridiculously, mind-blowingly amazing as it felt—

Rage burned in my chest, feeding the heat spreading through my body.

Every “stop” was ignored. Every “no” was discarded. Every boundary I put up was knocked down. The whole night, as Belphe had his way with me, Raven’s words taunted me—telling me his remark about making me his queen was a silly joke. Laughing at me for thinking it meant something when Ronin said he belonged to me. Over and over, Raven’s voice drove the point home—I was nothing to Ronin. No more than a cum bucket in a long line of cum buckets, and I’d be discarded just like all the rest.

I tore away from Ronin, fixing on Nik. That’s why I can’t afford to put it off any longer. Ronin and his twisted brand of protection will be over the second he gets tired of playing with the new, shiny mortal. I’ll need my and Dora’s ride out of hell booked by then.