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I reached into the inside pocket of my jacket to grab my lock-picking tool as a firm grip fastened on my arm, yanking me around.
“What the hell are you doing?”
My neck craned back to peer up at the giant demon as his muddy yellow eyes, brimming with menace, bored into mine.
ChapterTwelve
The desire topermanently maim me throbbed off the demon whose fingers dug into my arm, those bottomless, slitted pupils attempting to trap my soul in a prison of torment and pain. He towered over me at nearly seven feet tall, and powerful muscles bulged beneath the black, tailored suit.
“I, uh—” My free arm slowly drew toward my belt, my hand brushing over a knife.
“There you are.” Furic jogged down the long hall from the other side, his grin bringing out those dimples again. “I chased you up the stairs and then lost you.”
I tried to mask my shock with a smile. “Playing hide and seek.”
Furic slipped his hand in mine, and I ignored the shudders rippling through my body. “She’s with me, Mykel.”
The colossal demon reluctantly released his grip. “Karn doesn’t like guests in this portion of the house unless he invites them himself.”
Furic waved over his shoulder as he towed me back to the party. “Whatever you say, big guy.”
I tried to escape his grasp, but Furic wouldn’t let go, setting off warning bells in my head. “Thanks for the save. I thought that guy would haul me out of the house or worse.”
“Mykel would have definitely tortured you.” He jerked a door open and pulled me inside a bedroom straight out of a bordello with satin, lace, and velvet draped everywhere. “I’m not against a little torture fun, but it wouldn’t have been very entertaining for you.”
Frost slithered down my nape at his easy use of the term.
Furic backed me up until I hit the edge of a bar, rattling the glasses. “What do you say we have our own little private party? I can round us up some toys.”
I tensed at the desire in his eyes, and as his fingers slid over my side and under my shirt, I couldn’t help but think of the demon shifter from last night. His touch had been scorching, like flames licking my skin. Maybe it had something to do with him being half shifter.
Or maybe it was just him.
Furic’s touch chilled my blood to arctic levels, and I wanted nothing more than to snap off every one of his fingers. He moved forward, his gaze zeroing in on my lips. The thought of kissing him, a demon, sent acid curdling through my stomach. I wanted to vomit all over him.
Instead, I slammed my boot into his shin hard enough that he stumbled back.
“What the fuck did you do that for?”
As he hunched over—he made this too easy—I grabbed the back of his head and thrust my knee into his face twice. Furic released a garbled cry and then collapsed to the ground, out cold.
I grimaced. The guy was kind of an idiot. Not very high on the evil scale. I almost felt bad for knocking him out.
Almost.
I stepped over him, yanked the door open, and peered outside. The hallway was clear, so I dashed out and sprinted back to the door the dust had led me to, snatching my lock-picking tool out of my pocket.
After quickly disengaging the lock, I slipped inside the room and closed the door. Sleek black floors met charcoal walls, and simple white covers wrapped the bed on the left. Silver pendant lights hung from the ceiling, casting a glow over the clean lines and contemporary style, a far cry from the rest of Karn’s mansion.
A dribble of sweat ran down my neck and disappeared into my shirt. This didn’t look like the type of room that held a highly dangerous and sought-after amulet, especially when it was so easy to break into.
I blew another dose of Venari dust into the air. Hopefully, I wouldn’t need much more because the pouch felt nearly empty.
The green mist hovered and then shot to the left. I dashed after it just as the tail end disappeared into a crack in the wall. Was the Infernal Sol hidden in a secret compartment?
I wiped sweat off my forehead and ran my hand over the wall for a latch or release. My limbs shook with adrenaline as I checked my watch. Two hours had already passed since I crossed the gate into the Underworld. These fae runes didn’t have unlimited magic, and now I had Furic to worry about. He could come to any moment and send Karn’s guards after me.
Finally, a click echoed, and a door swung open, revealing a narrow staircase climbing into the darkness.
