Siren's Mark

Chapter 71

𝔸𝕧𝕒

Zane and Asmodeus continue to struggle against each other—their grunts and heavy breaths punctuated by the sounds of every object they break along the way.

I pull Kami's weakened body up onto the couch as she wheezes, then lift Kieran up into a nearby desk chair. For magical beings in extraordinary shape, they're both a lot heavier than they look.

Either that or I'm way more out of shape than I thought.

Let's go with the 'heavier than they look' theory.

A vibration shakes the room and knocks me over. My balance was already pretty terrible, but the residual effects of alcohol are not making anything easier.

I turn to see Asmodeus land a heavy blow to Zane that sends him backward, his head snapping hard against a concrete post. In a flash, I feel a cold hand around my neck, pulling me back into a firm body.

Asmodeus laughs softly as his lips just barely touch my ear. The feeling of his breath on my neck sends chills throughout my body and I feel nausea wash over me.

"Don't fucking touch her, Asmodeus," Zane growls.

His eyes are as vibrant green as they've ever been but the black smoke around him masks any other expression. There's a slight quiver to his voice that most people probably wouldn't notice, but I recognize as fear.

"A little late for that, isn't it Zane?" he asks. "Or did you not have a chance to watch our little video?"

Video?

Oh god. That was Asmodeus.

I kissed Asmodeus. On video.

I want to wash my mouth.

Is there such a thing as mouth sanitizer?

"I swear to god, you touch her again and it will be the last bloody thing you ever do," Zane snarls.

"Well, I was going to kill her..." Asmodeus says, his claws extending slightly into my skin. "But now I've got a better idea."

Zane is seething, but Asmodeus has the upper hand now and he knows it.

Asmodeus reaches into his pocket, keeping one hand around my neck. He pulls out the vial he took from Kieran and pops the cap off.

Lethe.

The stuff that made Zane forget me. The stuff that I suggested they use.

I mean, sure, that's not good. But lethe is temporary.

Right?

The smoke around Zane dissipates just enough that I can see through it.

"Don't," he says to Asmodeus. It's not his usual threatening tone, but rather an almost pleading one.

The way Zane is reacting makes me think this isn't nearly as harmless as I had hoped.

"You prefer I kill her then?" Asmodeus asks.

"No, please," he begs. "I'll do whatever you want."

"Ahh, sweet Zane," Asmodeus says, holding the vial to my lips as I close my mouth tightly and struggle unsuccessfully to free myself from his grip. "This is what I want."

In a split-second decision, I go for the only thing that makes sense to me at the time: I elbow him in the stomach.

I seem to have caught him by surprise, as the bottle is jostled from his hand to the floor. The liquid splashes onto my face and mouth in the struggle. I quickly spit and sputter in an attempt to avoid swallowing any.