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Adrenaline pumped through my muscles, and I kicked her off as easily as lifting a blanket. She crashed against the opposite wall, shaking the entire balcony. While she crawled out of the pile that used to be a table, I rolled to my feet, crouching and digging my nails into the hardwoods.
The desire to taste her blood, to feel her life fade as I squeezed it out of her, consumed me.
Venna plucked glass out of her hair, her irises no longer blue but bottomless black.
“Clearly, I underestimated you, Tate.” She brushed wood dust from her arms as she strolled forward. “I won’t make that mistake again.” Her mouth looked like two gashes across her face as her lips spread into a smile that had chills tattooing my spine.
The door on the left burst open, and Logan marched in. “I didn’t think you were stupid enough to show up in Wrath & Ruin, Venna.” He gripped my arms and hauled me up, shoving me behind him.
“I know you’re not trying to protect me,” I grumbled.
“Just trying to shield you from the nasty fumes coming from the princess of trashy skanks.” His chuckle held an unusual sharp edge. “You don’t want to get too close. You might catch something.”
Venna flicked her hair over her shoulder. “I forgot how annoying you are, Logan.”
Nik, the head of Ruin’s security team, stormed in with a few other demons dressed in all black and sporting earpieces. They encircled Venna like sharks smelling blood in the water.
“Oh look, Ruin had to send the calvary to kick me out of his club.” Venna snorted. “He couldn’t be bothered to do it himself.”
Logan turned to me, his eyes widening. “Get control of your inner hellion before the wrong person notices.” He tapped a finger against the sun tattoo hidden beneath my shirt.
A string of curses lashed through my mind, and I ducked behind him, concentrating on shoving the power back down.
“Careful what you wish for, Venna.” Ruin slinked into the room from the secret stairs Logan led me up earlier. “Shouldn’t you be running Vlehull instead of causing trouble in my domain?” His gaze slid toward Logan, narrowing infinitesimally.
Venna jerked her finger at me. “I’ll be on my way as soon as I get what’s mine.”
Ruin’s laugh, like chocolate laced with arsenic, cooled my blood. “She’s in my domain. And like I told you before, you have no rights to anything here, including her.”
Nik gripped Venna’s elbow, but she jerked away from him, her chin lifting into the air. “You’re going to regret protecting this little ex-raven. I’m older and stronger. And royal. Iwillhave what’s mine.”
Ruin wiggled his fingers at her as Nik and his team led her toward the door. “Not while she’s in my territory.”
Her black stare zeroed in on me as she trekked by, something horrible within it trying to grip my soul. “I’ll see you soon, killer.”
Ghostly fingers raked down my skull, still giving me the creeps after Venna vanished out of the door.
I wiped sweat from my forehead and moved from behind the high demon. “Don’t be mad at Logan. It’s my fault. I wanted to come here.”
Ruin scoffed. “I’m sure this was a hundred percent Logan’s idea.”
He shrugged. “Guilty as charged, but it was sweet of you to try to protect me, Tate.”
“When Logan wanted to visit you, I expected him to break the rules.” Ruin dragged his fingers through his hair. “I just didn’t think Venna would get involved.”
I rubbed my neck where the imprint of her fingers still throbbed. “She really wants to get her hands on Fane and me.” I choked back the shiver as those images of a dead Fane tried to assault me again.
Logan patted my back. “Don’t worry. She can’t touch Fane.”
An exasperated sigh burst out of my lungs. “I’mnotworried about him.”
He snorted. “Sure.”
Ruin rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles. “Venna will become a problem if she isn’t put in her place and sent back to Vlehull.” He studied the bruises already forming on me, his jaw ticking. “If she’s not out of my territory by tomorrow evening, I’m going to rain hell down on her.”
ChapterTen
The head alchemistunleashed chains from beneath the cold metal table I lay on, shooting ice through my veins. I glared at him as the candles Nadia placed all over the counters in the lab flared brighter from her chanting.
