Descent - Tara Fuller Page 0,68

his arms. “You wanted a game. Let’s play.”

The imp’s eye twitched and he snorted, wiping his mouth with his wrist. “Stakesss.”

“You want something more than your precious stones.” Easton smirked.

“I want her.” He extended a slimy clawed finger toward me and grinned, licking his lips.

“Not going to happen,” Easton said, taking a step closer. There was a dangerous edge to the way he moved. The imp seemed to notice. He scowled and retreated back, closer to the safety his demon goons provided.

“I don’t want the other one,” he said, casting a disgusted look at Tyler. “He’sss all usssed up. But her…I want her.”

“You win, and you can have me,” Easton said, holstering his blade. “I win, you give me Scout and help us get the hell out of here.”

“No!” I started forward, and Easton held out a hand to stop me. He cocked his head and raised a brow, never taking his eyes off the imp.

“What’s it going to be, Cyril?” he asked. “Don’t tell me you couldn’t make good use of me. Just think of all of the paying customers down here who would hand over a limb to get a crack at me.”

The imp stroked his chin, and a triumphant grin spread out over his hideous face.

“Deal.”

He turned and shuffled down the alley, his demons trailing behind him. Easton followed. I ran after him, grabbing his arm, allowing his heat to singe me. That heat meant he was still safe. Still with me. But for how long?

“What do you think you’re doing?” I whispered.

“I’m going to win a card game,” he said, simply, confident. Almost cocky. “Then I’m going to get us the hell out of here.”

“This is insane. What if he wins? You can’t expect me to just leave you. I won’t. I can’t.” Tears burned my eyes, and I was thankful for the darkness concealing my face as we turned a corner. Thankful for the fact that Easton couldn’t see how afraid and weak and helpless I felt inside.

Stopping at a door, Easton turned to me. His violet eyes burned a path through the dark to me, fierce and unwavering. “I play him all the time, Red. I never lose, and I’m not going to start today. This is our only way out of here. You have to trust me.”

“I want to,” I whispered. “But…”

He leaned down and captured the rest of my doubts between his lips in a brief kiss, infusing me with his heat, his love. For once, he was the one giving me comfort. Taking my worry and pain. He brushed the hair back from my face.

“It’s going to be fine.”

I reluctantly nodded, and he grabbed my hand, pulling me through the dark doorway ahead of us. I cast a quick glance over my shoulder to check on Tyler. He followed close behind. He didn’t want to. His fear made that clear. But his need to not be alone on the streets of Hell likely drove him forward.

We entered a room lit by the flickering glow of torches. A stainless steel instrument table like I’d seen in hospitals sat in the middle of the room. Cyril raked an arm across the surface and bloody surgical tools scattered to the floor. Easton nudged a pair of grimy forceps and a syringe away from me with the toe of his boot and raised a brow at the imp.

“You should really look into hiring a new housekeeper.”

“What’sss the matter, reaper? Don’t like being on my turf?”

“It’s not your turf I mind as much as the general company.” Easton cast an amused look at the demons surrounding the table. “Not that you aren’t pretty, ladies. The slime…it’s charming, really.”

A hulking demon draped in patchwork skin growled and stepped forward, slamming a meaty fist down on the table. Cyril frowned at the dent he left behind and clambered atop the table to push him away.

“Calm yourssself.” He looked hungrily at Easton, and the demon’s nostrils flared. “You’ll get your turn with him ssssoon enough.”

Easton leaned on the table watching them. “I didn’t mean to offend your girlfriend, Cyril. My apologies.”

“We’ll see how funny you are when he has you sssstrung up by your sssspine!” he sneered.

In the corner, a demon dropped Scout’s limp body to the floor. I chewed on my bottom lip and willed him to wake up. To do something about this before it was too late. Easton may have been confident, but I wasn’t. These demons weren’t going to just let us walk out of