This was the realm of the mother goddess that Lark spoke of. I felt her approval and power run through me while the hot spring heated my body.

The water broke over my face and I sucked in a deep breath, already forgetting the words, already focusing on the two figures in front of me on the sandy shore.

One was Jonathan, flat on his back and naked as the day he was born. The other was a female demon on top of him. Also naked.

He let out a soft groan. “I thought she liked me.”

“I’ll bet you did, dumbass,” I snapped as I sloshed out of the water. For once, I was glad I wasn’t wearing my leather coat. The demon looked up at me. I gave her a wave with my fingers as she snarled. Standing, her body was more than lithe; it was emaciated to the point of her hips and ribs protruding at angles that were anything but healthy.

“Well, hello. I’m guessing you’re Famine? Shall I call you Fanny Famine?”

Famine strolled toward me, her hands slipping over her body, touching the bones that jutted from her hips, ribs, and shoulders. “Call me whatever you like.”

“All righty then, Fanny it is.” I swirled my two swords, loosening my wrists. The slosh of water to my left was the only indicator I had that Lark was out of the water; I didn’t dare turn my head to check.

Fanny stared at me, then narrowed her eyes. “You have a mark on you. The mark of the Hoarfrost demon.”

I touched my breastbone with the handle of one sword. “That was the first demon I killed, snaggy bitch. And you are about to be yet another in a long list.”

Her snarling lips tipped upward. “You should be dead already, but I can remedy that.”

She lunged at me, her hands outstretched, going straight toward my chest. I stepped back with one foot to brace myself and drove both swords through her stomach, all the way to the hilt. Her body sagged and I put a hand on her forehead.

“Go back to where you’re from, Fanny.”

Her head snapped up and she laughed at me. “Not that easy with me, Slayer. Not that easy at all.”

Her hands slammed into my chest and threw me back into the water. I sunk to the sandy bottom and then pushed myself up, or at least, I tried to. I heard Lark roar through the water.

“She’s tied to the water. Get the hell out, Rylee!”

If only it were that easy. I pushed off the bottom again, my lips just breaking the surface long enough for me to gulp a breath down. Barely.

Motherfucking hell, I was not going to be drowned.

But how was I going to get my ass out of this?

CHAPTER 19

LARK

RYLEE WAS STILL under the water. I dropped my spear and rushed the demon. Weapons were obviously not going to work on this bitch. I grabbed her around the throat even as she tried to repeat her move on me that had sent Rylee into the hot spring.

“Keep trying, ugly,” I snarled as I dug my thumbs into her windpipe. If I could knock her out maybe—

Both of her feet came up hard and fast, kicking into my stomach as her toes lengthened into six-inch long claws. They slashed at my belly and I fought to dodge each blow even as I clamped harder on her neck.

Her eyes bugged out and her tongue purpled and flapped at me, but I wasn’t fooled. It as an act. Her arms flailed at me, clawing at my skin, opening me up. To the left of me, a torchlight flickered.

“Let my friend up,” I said as I dragged her toward the open flame.

“Fuck you,” she spit out.

Yeah, that was about what I’d expected. I yanked her sideways and stuffed her head into the open flame. Fed by a natural gas pocket, the fire was hot and couldn’t be snuffed out.

Fanny—as Rylee had named her—screamed and writhed, her hair catching fire, burning off her head in a flash with the scent of charred skin.

A burst of water and Rylee was slogging back out.

I didn’t pull Fanny from the flame, but held her there until Rylee caught up to me, dripping wet and panting. “Bring her out. We need information, and she’s fucking well giving it to us.”

I pulled Fanny out of the flame, twisted her around, and tied her hands behind her back with my belt. Of course, I made sure to push her head hard into the gritty sand, knowing how it would stick to the burns.

She was a demon, I didn’t have to play nice.

Rylee grabbed her and spun her around. Yeah, the sand had ground in good, the charred and sticky skin holding it like glue.

“I’m going to ask you a question. Yes or no. That’s all I need.”

Fanny laughed, though the sound was strangled. “And pray tell, why would I help you?”

I was impressed that Rylee leaned in as close as she did, putting her nose right to the weeping stump that had been Fanny’s nose. “Orion has threatened my daughter, has killed my friends and family. He’s taking everything I love from me. You do know he’s afraid of me, don’t you?”

“He’s terrified,” she said. “But I’m not.”

Rylee smiled and I could see the edge of it, and I was proud of her. She’d grown up a lot, and the look on her face said it all. Fanny would not like what was going to happen to her.

“Do you know I won’t be sending you back to the seventh Veil when I break you apart from this body? You will die. Cease to exist. Pfft. Gone.”

Fanny shrugged, but I could see the tension in her. I swayed on my feet, feeling the fight in my whole body. I put a hand to my head and went to one knee.

“Rylee, something is wrong.” I looked up to see Rylee’s eyes widen with horror and Fanny lunge toward her, the burns gone.