Read Online Things Forbidden by Raquel Dove - Free Book Online

release any debt that was currently held over her.  Apparently she had to actually fight for her freedom.
    “I’ll let you choose your weapon first ,” Salem said, “ I want to use my bare claws.  I am going to enjoy the feeling of ripping through your flesh.”
    Zoe looked down at the table of shiny metal objects, with a heavy swallow.  She was in way over her head.  There were swords of different styles, a spear, a mace , a few other things she didn’t even know what to call .  She had no idea how to use any of them.
    “I don’t suppose you have a gun,” she said, mostly wishful thinking to herself. 
    “Guns have no effect on demons,” Salem said, watching Zoe with wicked pleasure in her shit brown eyes.  She was looking forward to putting this human in her place.  It was unfortunate that she wouldn’t have a slave anymore, but the thought of killing her was almost as satisfying.  “Choose your w eapon.  Quit stalling .”
    Paris looked on in a mild shock, something that was a very foreign feeling to him.  There was no way he could let this happen.  The girl was going to die, and it was entirely his fault.  Well, not entirely his fault.  Her stupidity played a rather large part of it, but Paris could have stopped this a long time ago.  He did not think it would play out in quite this way.  Despite what many w ould think, demons actually have a conscience.  They are just better at suppressing it than most.  But for some reason the thought of her death , and that it was at least in part his fault , was more t han his conscience could bear. 
    Salem barely gave Zoe time to blink from the time she picked up a broad edge sword.  The demon princess attacked her with everything her robust form could muster.  Zoe tried as best she could to deflect the attack, raising her sword to block the swipe of the demoness’ claws.  She managed to block to strike, but the force of it knocked her backwards onto the floor.  Salem pounced on top of her, straddling her torso , the force of her weight knocking the wind out of Zoe. 
    The already dim light of the ballroom began to fade from Zoe’s eyes as the breath was slowly forced out of her.  She had to do something, she couldn’t die like this.  Her mind was too fuzzy to think, and the only defense she could muster was to flail her arms about, hoping to hit something.  Salem reached back, her razor sharp claws extending in preparation to slice through Zoe’s flesh.
    Zoe slammed her eyes shut, unable to watch her own impending death.  But instead of the pain of claws ripping through her, she felt a calming warmth engulf her body .  Her eyes opened to see Salem, her heavy brow scrunched in confusion as a soft blue light emanated from Zoe for just a moment .  She could feel the air coming back into her lungs, and her mind began to work.  She looked around her for something, anything.  Her eyes fell upon the sword she had originally chosen, just inches from her.  Without another thought, she scooped it back up, plunging into the chest of the demoness.   Salem screeched in pain, slapping at the sword in her chest as blood spewed all over Zoe, before finally keeling over dead.  Zoe managed to squeeze out from under the mass of dead weight.  She rose shakily to her feet, the shock of what had just happened still plastered o n her blood covered face.  
    The ballroom exploded in mass confusion.   This was an unprecedented occurrence.  No human had ever actually killed a demon, much less the daughter of the Grand Elder.   Nobody knew what happened, or how to react.  It all happened so quickly.
    Paris knew what had happened.  He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before.  There were always fail safetie s in this business .  Zoe, although nobody but Paris knew, was an Untouched.  His contract with her would never validate, and he had known that from the moment he had drawn it up.  She was off limits.  No demon would ever have the power