Read Online Demon Heart (The Darkworld Series Book 3) by Emma L. Adams - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Emma L. Adams
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open.”
“Bitch,” he said. “Fuck, my head kills.”
“You probably need painkillers.” Berenice snapped into caring nurse mode again in a rather disconcerting way. “Are there any in here?”
“No, just natural medicines,” said Leo. “It’s like I said―I think the fortune-teller made them herself.”
“I have ibuprofen in my bag,” I said.
Howard practically snatched them from my hand.
I frowned. “Hey, a thank you would be nice.”
“Thanks,” he muttered, dry-swallowing two painkillers.
Well, that’s friendly.
Not like we’d dragged him all the way from Redthorne or anything.
Leo looked like he was going to say something, but without warning, the entrance to the tent blew inwards and the fortune-teller entered. Her fair hair streamed behind her, and she wore her usual long, black coat.
“About bloody time!” said Berenice. “Howard’s injured.”
“I’m fine,” said Howard unconvincingly. Although the wounds had sealed somewhat, bloody lacerations covered his face. But it could have been much worse. A shiver went through me at the thought.
The fortune-teller moved to examine him, kneeling down beside the bench. “You’re lucky they used the right solution,” she muttered. “Did you have any idea what you were doing?”
“What choice did we have? You weren’t here.” Berenice glared at the fortune-teller. “Is he okay?”
“He should be, but he was lucky. You shouldn’t use these medicines lightly.”
“There was a
hole in his face
.” Berenice looked positively vicious. “Where the hell were you when we needed you?”
The fortune-teller gave her a cold look. “I was protecting this town from a shadow-beast attack.”
My heart missed a beat.
“You what?” said Howard. He, Leo, and Berenice all stared at the fortune-teller.
“It’s worse than that,” said the fortune-teller, and looked at me grimly. “Jude was there, and he was possessed.”
hat
?” Leo stared at her. “Jude? He let one possess him?”
“I do not know how this happened,” she said. “But the Venantium have finally sorted out the evidence from the robbery the other day. They tracked the magic down to one person. It was Jude who broke in and stole the demon heart.”
“But… why?” I said. The thought of Jude wandering around free after he’d nearly killed me had never filled me with confidence, but possessed by a demon? That was… I hesitated to say
worse,
because as a human, Jude had tried to kill me, tried to burn the demon out of me. He was as pitiless as a demon himself. And yet… demons had powers even Jude, as a sorcerer, didn’t.
Either way, cold fear struck my heart, and the demon inside me seemed to shrink away at the memory of the pain when Jude had set my demon heart ablaze.
“I have reason to believe that he isn’t acting alone,” said the fortune-teller. “Someone is playing him, and I fear they intend to attack the Venantium.”
“How?” I said. “I thought their security was up again.”
“It is. That’s how they were unable to get through tonight. Jude must still have been human when he broke in last week. But when I saw him tonight in the tunnels―”
“You were in the tunnels?” I said.
“Patrolling. The Venantium don’t like it, but ever since the crypts…” She shook her head. “Something’s been wrong. The spirits are enraged, and now the heart of one of the most vicious demons I’ve ever met is out in the world again. Mephistopheles―”
With a sharp intake of breath, Berenice stumbled, clutching at the bench.
“Did you say―Mephistopheles?” Her face was ashen, genuine terror etched on her features.
The fortune-teller looked at her, gravely. “Yes. He is a known manipulator of humans and has managed to get out of the Darkworld numerous times, but his true heart contained the majority of his powers. Now that he has it back, he is the most powerful demon in existence.”
“You call a demon ‘he’?” said Leo.
At the
“Bitch,” he said. “Fuck, my head kills.”
“You probably need painkillers.” Berenice snapped into caring nurse mode again in a rather disconcerting way. “Are there any in here?”
“No, just natural medicines,” said Leo. “It’s like I said―I think the fortune-teller made them herself.”
“I have ibuprofen in my bag,” I said.
Howard practically snatched them from my hand.
I frowned. “Hey, a thank you would be nice.”
“Thanks,” he muttered, dry-swallowing two painkillers.
Well, that’s friendly.
Not like we’d dragged him all the way from Redthorne or anything.
Leo looked like he was going to say something, but without warning, the entrance to the tent blew inwards and the fortune-teller entered. Her fair hair streamed behind her, and she wore her usual long, black coat.
“About bloody time!” said Berenice. “Howard’s injured.”
“I’m fine,” said Howard unconvincingly. Although the wounds had sealed somewhat, bloody lacerations covered his face. But it could have been much worse. A shiver went through me at the thought.
The fortune-teller moved to examine him, kneeling down beside the bench. “You’re lucky they used the right solution,” she muttered. “Did you have any idea what you were doing?”
“What choice did we have? You weren’t here.” Berenice glared at the fortune-teller. “Is he okay?”
“He should be, but he was lucky. You shouldn’t use these medicines lightly.”
“There was a
hole in his face
.” Berenice looked positively vicious. “Where the hell were you when we needed you?”
The fortune-teller gave her a cold look. “I was protecting this town from a shadow-beast attack.”
My heart missed a beat.
“You what?” said Howard. He, Leo, and Berenice all stared at the fortune-teller.
“It’s worse than that,” said the fortune-teller, and looked at me grimly. “Jude was there, and he was possessed.”
hat
?” Leo stared at her. “Jude? He let one possess him?”
“I do not know how this happened,” she said. “But the Venantium have finally sorted out the evidence from the robbery the other day. They tracked the magic down to one person. It was Jude who broke in and stole the demon heart.”
“But… why?” I said. The thought of Jude wandering around free after he’d nearly killed me had never filled me with confidence, but possessed by a demon? That was… I hesitated to say
worse,
because as a human, Jude had tried to kill me, tried to burn the demon out of me. He was as pitiless as a demon himself. And yet… demons had powers even Jude, as a sorcerer, didn’t.
Either way, cold fear struck my heart, and the demon inside me seemed to shrink away at the memory of the pain when Jude had set my demon heart ablaze.
“I have reason to believe that he isn’t acting alone,” said the fortune-teller. “Someone is playing him, and I fear they intend to attack the Venantium.”
“How?” I said. “I thought their security was up again.”
“It is. That’s how they were unable to get through tonight. Jude must still have been human when he broke in last week. But when I saw him tonight in the tunnels―”
“You were in the tunnels?” I said.
“Patrolling. The Venantium don’t like it, but ever since the crypts…” She shook her head. “Something’s been wrong. The spirits are enraged, and now the heart of one of the most vicious demons I’ve ever met is out in the world again. Mephistopheles―”
With a sharp intake of breath, Berenice stumbled, clutching at the bench.
“Did you say―Mephistopheles?” Her face was ashen, genuine terror etched on her features.
The fortune-teller looked at her, gravely. “Yes. He is a known manipulator of humans and has managed to get out of the Darkworld numerous times, but his true heart contained the majority of his powers. Now that he has it back, he is the most powerful demon in existence.”
“You call a demon ‘he’?” said Leo.
At the
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