any ordinary human who’d foolishly stumbled into his path...on a rooftop.
The frown smoothed out, and while I couldn’t see his eyes, I could feel his gaze drift over me, as if he were sizing me up. I felt the exact moment he dismissed me.
Big mistake.
Suit Demon smiled. “What are you doing up here, girl?”
Surprised that he hadn’t tacked on little in front of girl, I shrugged. “Was about to ask you the same question.”
“Were you?” He chuckled, and the sound grated on my nerves. It was patronizing. “You look a little young to belong to the official roof police.”
“And you look old enough to not say words like official roof police.”
The humor vanished as a blast of hot air streamed over the roof. “Well, you’re obviously not smart enough to sense when to watch your mouth.”
“Funny you would insult my intelligence when you had no idea I was following you.”
His upper lip peeled back in a snarl that would’ve impressed a cougar. “Following me? If that’s true, then you’ve made the stupidest mistake of your life.”
“Well.” I drew the word out, taking a small step back. I was careful to keep some distance between us so that he didn’t get outside my center vision. “I don’t think this would even make the top ten stupidest mistakes I’ve made.”
He hissed, and yep, he no longer sounded like a cougar, but like a very ticked-off lion. “You’re going to beg for my forgiveness.” He sunk into a crouch, hands clawing. “And pray for your death.”
I tensed but planted a smile on my face. “So unoriginal. I’m experiencing secondhand embarrassment on your behalf. Why not get a little more creative?”
Suit Demon stared at me.
“Like how about ‘you’re going to beg me to stop chewing on your entrails’ and ‘pray that I toss you off the roof’? Now that paints a not-so-pretty picture, don’t you think?”
Suit Demon blinked.
“Why don’t you give that a try?” I suggested helpfully. “And let’s see if I move this encounter to the top twenty on my stupid list?”
The demon let out a keening growl, a cross between a wailing infant and rabid hyena. Tiny hairs all over my body rose at what had to be one of the most obnoxious sounds ever. “I’m going to rip out your tongue,” he promised. “And then shove it back through your throat.”
“There you go!” I clapped excitedly. “That’s so much better—”
Suit Demon launched into the air, just as I’d expected, and I bet he thought he looked fearsome enough for me to wet myself. I wished I could see his expression when I rushed into the attack, but alas, I was just going to have to pretend he had an oh snap look on his face.
Dipping down, I slid under him as I reached up and grabbed ahold of his legs. The demon’s momentum and strength worked in my favor as I yanked his legs down. Hard. Harder than I realized. Letting go, I popped up as he slammed belly down onto the roof several feet away, the impact rattling the door on the nearby shed and causing the lights to flicker. Inky liquid sprayed out across the rooftop—from his face.
Damn.
I didn’t realize I was that strong.
Unsheathing the daggers, I stalked toward the demon. I had a different weapon—a far better one. My grace. But it was too risky to whip out here, in the heart of the city, even though it was burning through my stomach like acid, demanding I let it out.
That I use it.
The demon flipped onto his back, leaving the facade of his human form behind. The fair hair disappeared as his skin shifted to a burnt orange marbled with swirling streams of black. He lifted his hand, and the inky substance on his skin flowed to his palm, forming a shadowy ball.
Oh, Hell to the no.
I fell forward, slamming my knee into his midsection as I leveled the business end of one of the daggers to his throat and the other above his heart. Either area would be fatal.
“These are iron daggers,” I warned him. “Whatever you’re about to do with the little ball of nightmares, think twice. You will not be as fast as I will be.”
His pitch-black pupilless eyes widened, and I guessed he was shocked by my strength and general awesomeness. He had no idea what I was, but if he did, he would be trying to devour me the way I’d happily dig into a hamburger. Consuming my grace would not only give