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Fane moved in my line of vision. “Nice try with the Draught of Serenity. That’s like trying to stop a waterfall with mesh.” He blocked me every time I tried to move around him, and I ended up with my back against a marble column.
“Why are you here, Maverick? My nightmare may have brought you last night, and my pain in the lab earlier could have called you, but this is all you now. Don’t deny it.”
“Maybe I’m trying to stop you from doing something stupid like screwing Ruin.” He leaned his arm on the column over my head, bringing his body so close that his delicious heat spread over me. “You’ll regret it.”
A bitter laugh slipped out. “You have no business telling me who I can and can’t sleep with.”
His mouth pulled apart, baring his teeth. “He’s a high demon lord, more powerful than you can imagine. And believe me, this fun, exciting part of him is only that—a very small part. The rest is all demon.”
“He’s a demon. So what?” Did that really just come out of my mouth?
Fane leaned closer, his head lowering as if he might kiss me. “Are you drunk enough to forget what a demon did to your friends and that little girl?”
Like I’d been slapped, I flinched, and my stomach fell to the bottom of my feet. By even casually hanging out with Ruin, had I sullied Jayla’s memory, her worth? A demon killed her, and I was dancing and flirting with one.
What the hell was wrong with me?
Still, nothing gave Fane Maverick the right to make me feel horrible because of it.
I slammed my hands into his chest and shoved him off. “Screw you, Maverick. You don’t get to make me feel like shit because you hate me. You don’t know anything about Jayla or what really happened that night.”
He took a step back and let me slip away from the column. “I didn’t say it because I hate you. I’m only warning you against Ruin. He’s not as nice as he seems. Why do you think he wants the Infernal Sol? I can tell you it’s not world peace.”
“If he’s such a bad guy, you shouldn’t have sold me to him.” I bumped his shoulder as I passed him on the way to the couch to grab my shoes. He did have a point, though. Ruin had to be diabolical if he wanted to use the Infernal Sol.
Fane jammed his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t sellyou.”
“Semantics, Maverick.”
He suddenly appeared in front of me and grabbed my arms before I could stoop to get my shoes. “Don’t let them give you that potion again. Now that it’s already been in your system, it’ll be worse next time.”
When I tried to jerk out of his grip, it tightened. “I’ll do whatever I have to.”
“Do you want to die?” he snapped, his fingers digging in. “Because that could very well happen.”
“Maybe it’s better that way.” I never should have survived. “Then the Infernal Sol dies with me, and no one can use it.”
A low rumble echoed from the demon shifter. “You’re just going to give up?” His lips curled in derision. “I thought you were stronger than that, but you’re a weak little girl who would rather give up than fight.”
Hot fury filled my veins, and I reared back, punching him in the jaw so fast he didn’t have a chance to block my hit or move with it to lessen the pain. “I am many things, but weak is not one of them.” He should know, better than anyone, what I’d faced in my short life. He’d seen all my nightmares. I would have crumbled a long time ago if I harbored any weakness.
When he turned back to me, surprise streaked his expression. “Those reflexes are getting faster.”
“Can you just leave me alone?” I yanked the leg warmers off and shoved my feet into my sneakers. “I’ve had enough of your—”
Fane shushed me, and his head cocked to the side as he listened to something. His nostrils flared and lips curled into a snarl.
Before I could ask what he sensed, the door crashed open, and a giant bear barreled into the room, releasing a bellow that had every hair on my body standing on end.
“Why is a bear in here?” I jumped up, adrenaline and panic pulverizing my veins.
The brown grizzly rose on his hind legs, reaching eight feet, and let out another vicious howl.
A threatening growl rolled out of Fane, and his shoulders shook as his beastly form tried to break free. “He’s a shifter.”
“No shit.” My fingers dug into the arm of the couch as I steadied myself. Maybe I shouldn’t have had so much to drink. “Why does he want to attack me?”
Fane stomped toward the bear. “No idea.”
