Of course.
* * *
“You can openyour eyes now, weakling.”
The same voice as before is taunting me as my feet make purchase on solid ground. I fall, my legs unable to support my weight as I collapse onto all fours. Pebbles cut into my hands as I am filled with an overwhelming urge to kiss the dirt-covered cobblestones.
Wincing, I open my eyes. My side burns, and I glance down. My black sweater is matted with blood, sticking to my side.
Two things strike me at once.
I first realize I have no idea where in Lethe these Daemons have taken me. Then, it solidifies that I am in deep, deep trouble. A dozen DaePolice stand before me. Their expressions range from apathy to downright disgust.
Not far from where I’m currently lying, the three gray-skinned males kneel with their hands behind their heads. A pile of weapons is nearby and behind the Daemons... I swallow, my eyes growing wider by the second. A tremor overtakes me before I can tamp it down. At least now I know where I am.
The problem? I probably should have just let them kill me at the bar. Death would have been a mercy compared to what I will face here.
My eyes sweep up the massive obsidian tower, the immense structure reaching high into the night sky. I gulp, shifting onto my knees, as I stare at my captors.
One of the Daemons, presumably the captain I heard talking earlier, steps forward. “Take the Elite inside. Keep them separate.”
I start, “Wait, I’m n—”
“Shut up,” one of the Daemons says before drawing his hand back. My face reels from the impact, and I see stars as black fills my vision.
* * *
My head poundsagainst my skull as I blink. My eyes struggle to adjust to the bright light swinging in front of me, and a moan escapes my lips.
“Welcome back,” the Daemon says. His black wings are spread behind him, taking up most of the room. Everything about his posture screams relaxation as he leans back in his chair, eyeing me.
“Where are we?” I snarl. My eyes widen as I take in my appearance in the mirror behind the Daemon. My black hair is a mess, and a trail of bright red blood has streaked down my face. I’m no longer in the black sweater, though. My brows furrow, and I see a white bandage peeking out from beneath the generic white t-shirt they must have put me in while I was unconscious.
The cop tilts his head, his eyes studying me as he ignores my question. He gestures to my side. “You’re welcome for that, by the way. Our surgeons used some laser tech on you. You’ll heal within a few hours. Be as good as new.”
“Why?” I ask.
“We need you to be in good shape before we interrogate you. There are laws in the Gates of Hell, you know.”
Interrogate.
“I mean, why am I here?” My neck itches, and I go to draw up a hand, only to have my arm snap down. My gaze drops, and I take in the electric cuffs and chains binding me to the table.
A laugh escapes the Daemon as he jolts towards me and bangs his hands on the table. I flinch but maintain eye contact with the male.
Eventually, he speaks again. “A member of the Elite askswhyhe is in custody? I should think the reason is fairly obvious. You and your pack of murderous mates left a trail of bodies a mile long all over Lethe. You lot are a menace to society.”
“I’m not a member of the Elite, man,” I shake my head, raising my hands as far as they’ll go. “They’rehuntingme.”
“Likely story,” he scoffs, crossing his arms. “If you’re not working with the Elite, I’m a Pixie. We have reports from inside The Midnight River that you said, and I quote, ‘This is between the Ice Mer King’s men.’ Did you, or did you not say that?”
Groaning, I bang my head on the table. “Damn.I did say that, but I didn’t mean I’m one of them! I’m serious. They are here to kill me. If you hadn’t picked me up, I’d be dead now.”
The Daemon narrows his eyes. Disbelief is written all over his features. “Is that so?”
I nod. “It is.”
He taps his fingers on the table, watching me closely. He bites his lip, his dark eyes staring into my soul. “Tell you what. If you agree to take a polygraph, we can clear the air right here.”