on my heel, giving the portal my back. It feels fucking strange, and a tiny voice in my head screams at me to turn around and step into its silvery blue depths. Allow all of my problems to fade away…
My eyes snap towards Akor as cold fear skates down my spine.
Because the dumb fuck isn’t alone.
Standing slightly behind him, giggling into her hand, is none other than Katrina.
White hot rage makes me forget the portal at my back for a split second. Because the only thing more powerful than its pull is my Center’s.
“What the fuck?!” I bellow, and both Van and Zolroth spin to see what has captured my attention. Both of their faces crease with confusion, before that emotion is quickly replaced by stone-cold fury.
“What the bloody fuck were you thinking, wanker?” Zolroth demands of Akor. He looks seconds away from lunging forward and ripping the pain demon’s spleen out.
“Why did you bring her here?” Van’s voice is heady with horror and disbelief.
Because he’s an idiot, I think. But I don’t say that aloud. Because Akor might just knife me for it, and we can’t pull this mission off with in-fighting.
Akor merely chuckles, wrapping an arm casually around Katrina’s shoulders. Katrina, for her part, looks appropriately contrite, a dark blush rising to her face as she ducks her head.
“Because our girl is more badass than you idiots give her credit for,” Akor replies, and though he keeps his voice light, there’s an undercurrent of anger audible. “When we agreed to make her our Center, we also agreed to make her our equal.” His eyes roam over all three of us, his gaze hardening almost imperceptibly. “And if that’s true, then she comes with us.”
“But it’s dangerous!” Van protests immediately. Turning towards Katrina, he beseeches her with his gaze. “Trina, please—”
“I’m not going to allow you guys to put your lives on the line if I can help. I hired Sasha to babysit Adam, and I told Akor that I’m coming, whether you guys like it or not.” The meekness from earlier dissipates as she raises her chin, daring any of us to object. “Akor told me that there are some places only pure souls can go. And Heaven only knows—pun intended—that you guys are as dark as they come.”
“I just creamed my pants a little bit,” Akor murmurs. “That’s right, cherry. We’re dark. So dark. Say it again.”
Zolroth rubs a hand through his buzzed hair, irritation etched onto his face. “She’s right, dammit. We don’t know what precautions will be put into place in that castle. We might not be able to get the information we need without her. Especially if certain rooms only allow pure souls entry.” He turns an accusing glare onto Akor, who merely grins in return. “But I wish we had discussed it as a group.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, reminding myself to breathe. Just breathe. I can murder Akor and spank Katrina when we get home from this mission, which has suddenly become ten times as fucking scary.
Death Canyon in Hell? No problem.
An angel attacking us and my Katrina getting hurt in the process?
I can’t even think about it. Not gonna happen.
“Fine!” I snap, gesturing towards the portal. “Get the fuck in there. Kastros is alone.”
Van and Zolroth step through as I level my furious stare first at Akor and then at Katrina. “We will talk about this when we get home.”
“Ohhhh…are you going to spank me, bossman?” Akor winks, spinning around and pulling down his pants to give me a view of his pasty white ass. Fucking asshole.
Literally.
Katrina blushes crimson, volleying her gaze between the two of us, and stutters, “I-Is that a thing?”
“Raz always spanks us when we’ve been bad,” Akor purrs in a singsong voice. “Or sometimes he’ll just whip his cock on our faces—”
“Enough!” Fury radiates through me as Akor snaps his mouth shut, pantomiming zipping his lips closed and throwing away the key. “Katrina, come here.”
That blush returns to her face as she stumbles a few steps forward, only stopping when she’s directly beside me. I grab her waist and pull her flush against my body, staring down my nose into her slightly flushed face.
“You are in so much fucking trouble, baby girl,” I murmur darkly as I begin to walk us towards the portal, still holding her in a vise-like embrace. She gulps, her pulse hammering in her neck, but meets my stare defiantly.
“Akor’s right,” she says stubbornly. “We’re a team.”