She bends over to whisper in his ear. “There’s only one thing I want, and you’re helping me get it.”
Faster than a snake, she pulls his head back, exposing his throat. The slash comes swiftly, and I would have cried out if I could. Calvin begins to choke as blood spills freely from the cut on his neck. Elena smears her face with his blood and begins to recite out loud the spell I wrote down for her.
My knees buckle, and I fall to the ground in a heap. Tears roll down my cheeks as remorse sweeps over me. Calvin is dead and it’s my fault. If I hadn’t been so quick to agree to the blood vow, Elena would have never gotten her hands on the first grimoire.
The wind changes, picking up speed. Goose bumps break out on my arms as a sinister presence, wet and fouled by darkness, approaches. An oily shadow rubs against my skin, then spreads like a stain in the fabric of air, circling around Elena.
“Yes, oh great Ashmedai. You’re here at last.” She raises her skinny arms to the sky, letting go of Calvin, who plops forward lifelessly.
Lightning strikes the midnight canvas, followed by the loud rumble of thunder. The shadow begins to move faster around Elena, becoming a blur before finally zapping into Calvin’s body. At once, I feel the bindings of the blood vow vanish. I can move my arms and legs. I can speak.
“What have you done?” I ask.
Elena ignores me. She’s too busy staring at Calvin’s body. I follow her line of vision, not understanding what’s happening. Then, Calvin twitches, making me gasp.
Oh, no. That’s why the summoning spell required a human sacrifice. Ashmedai can only manifest in this dimension by using a body as a vessel. Slowly, Calvin staggers back to his feet. The gash on his neck is sealed shut, but I know the real Calvin is truly gone. He glances in my direction, and it feels like he’s sucking out all the joy from me. Gone are the whites of his eyes. Two black orbs are in their place. He blinks, and they return to normal.
“You’re here. I can’t believe it,” Elena mumbles, drawing the demon’s attention to her.
I let out a breath of relief as the vise-like hold in my chest releases. I have to get the hell out of here.
“Yes, I’m here,” he says in a smooth voice, different than Calvin’s. “And you are?”
“I’m Elena Montenegro. Your bride.”
I slowly get back on my feet, careful not to make a sound. But my heart is pounding so hard and fast, I’m sure the demon can hear it. Holding my breath, I take a step back, wincing when a sharp crack sounds as the branch I stepped on snaps. Ashmedai whips his head in my direction, raising his arm and freezing me.
“Where do you think you’re going, pretty face?”
“Let me go. You’re free. You don’t need me anymore.”
His lips twist into a perverse grin. “On the contrary, my dear. It seems we never had the chance to consummate our marriage. We can’t have that.”
“What?” I squeak, momentarily taken aback by his declaration.
“Oh, yes. My vessel had quite an unhealthy obsession with you. I can see it all, his memories, his deep desires. He hated you as much as he desired you.”
“What about me?” Elena shrieks. “I’m the one who served you all these years. I freed you. You’re my groom.”
Ashmedai spares her a loathing glance. “You? This pile of sagging skin and bones? You’re no bride of mine.”
“I was once a beauty. You can restore my youth. You have that power.”
“True.” He turns to me. “But I like the young witch better.”
Completely ignoring Elena, he walks toward me. Fear threatens to devour me whole, but I won’t let this motherfucker touch a single hair strand of mine. He might have paralyzed my body, but he hasn’t cut off my magic. I channel all my power into creating a protective barrier around me. Wisps of energy crackle in the air, creating little blue sparks.
The demon stops in his tracks, raising one arrogant eyebrow. “What’s this? A protective shield?” He chuckles. “That’s cute.”
With a wave of his hand, he dissolves my spell. Shit. Now what?
My attention diverts to Elena, who has produced a long sword and is running toward us. I don’t know if she wants to kill the demon or me. Ashmedai spins around just as the crazy bitch raises the