Fortune Academy: Year Three - J.R. Thorn Page 0,72

me down as he sent Dante flying into the wall with a well-aimed strike.

“What the fuck?” I tried to slash at it, but his tail was surprisingly indestructible.

“Save your strength, angel darling,” Cole said with a silky sweet voice as he sent a wave of fire over Orion.

I screamed, terrified that my demigod would be burnt to a crisp, but Orion deflected with his arm, groaning as he fell to one knee and grabbed his blistered skin.

“Stop!” I protested, only to have my mouth clamped over by the flat end of the demon’s tail.

Cole turned on me, his red eyes glazing over with excitement. “Don’t worry. I won’t kill them so quickly.” He brushed a gentle touch over my cheek. “I’m going to draw this out after everything you’ve put me through.”

What the fuck did I do?

A loud boom shook the tunnels and dust filtered down on our heads. We all glanced up as a steady beat indicated something big was going on in the Arena.

“Hmm, it seems the Dean is here to ruin our fun,” he said as he released me enough that I could breathe.

“We’re on the same side,” I protested. “Come with us to face her, together.” I offered my hand and the demon gave me a raised brow like I’d lost my damn mind.

“I know what you want,” Dante growled, staggering to his feet. I grimaced when I spotted open wounds across his arm where the demon’s claws had gotten him. “Take me in exchange for doing what Lily asks of you.” The Hunter bent and took one of the broken shards of his dagger, dragging a line across his arm and spilling blood onto the floor.

“Dante!” I yelled, horrified.

“Trust me, Lily,” he said, his orange eyes glowing with determination.

Cole laughed, a booming, evil sound completely devoid of humor. “A deal with a demon. Really, Hunter? You’re sure?”

Dante held out his arm. “I’m sure.”

I stared in open disbelief, unsure of what was about to happen, but I knew whatever it was, there would be no going back.

Cole spread his wings and his eyes flared with red Hellfire as the black mist around us unfurled and grew. It closed in around Dante and he went rigid as it invaded the wound in his arm.

“Stop this!” I yelled and used all of my supernatural strength to lunge at the demon. I managed to scratch his wings with my claws, leaving long gashes as he growled and flung me back with a snap of his massive wings.

Orion caught me before I hit the wall and Kaito knelt beside me, his tattoo glowing with the last remnants of his magic. I knew he’d sacrifice himself before he let the demon kill us. “Trust him, Lily,” Kaito said, making me go still.

Kaito seemed to know something I didn’t, but it didn’t change the rolling pit in my stomach as I watched the fog infiltrate Dante’s body, turning his eyes black as he went rigid.

“You’re mine,” the demon growled, closing his claws around Dante’s neck. He ran his tongue up the Hunter’s face, seeming conflicted if he was going to hurt him or devour him.

Dante flinched when the demon released him and he fell to his knees. When he looked up again, a solid ring of red ran around the orange irises I’d come to love.

“Dante,” I whispered, my heart twisting. He’d just let Cole in and I knew that I’d just lost a part of him forever to the fires of Hell.

He groaned as a shockwave of heat ran through him, funneling fire through his veins as his skin turned hot before cooling again.

“My own personal whipping boy,” Cole said, wrapping an arm around the Hunter as he grinned. “And with your regeneration, just imagine the power you’re going to give me. This is the best deal I think I’ve ever made.”

“And you have to keep up your end of the bargain,” Dante growled. “You have to help Lily banish the Dean—and you can’t kill her.”

Cole threw his head back and roared another humorless laugh. “Yes, yes.” He swirled his wrist and dragged the Hunter out into the darkness. “Let’s go catch us a Dean, shall we?”

Chapter 23

The roar from upstairs came as a surreal contrast to the silent condemnation of the Arena’s dungeons.

I took the lead, far too angry with Dante for sacrificing himself as a plaything to a demon I’d sorely underestimated to face him right now. Orion and Kaito walked beside me, keeping an eye on the demon