“Hmmm.” He glances at me, expression shuttered. “You’re probably more trouble that you’re worth at this point. Not to mention I’ll have to suffer through Wolf attempting to summon me repeatedly to demand you back.” Azazel shakes his head. “Very well, let’s discuss terms.”
I can’t tell whether Grace looks victorious or sick to her stomach. She lifts her chin. “Rescue Malachi, Rylan, and Wolf, and kill Mina’s father in the process. Then I’ll go with you.”
He chuckles, the sound low and unamused. “You presume you’re worth that much, last Cel Tradat or no. Pick one.” He pauses. “And you will pay up front.”
That snaps me out of my daze. “No. You’re not going to take her before you rescue them.”Seven yearsunder my father’s tender care? Unacceptable. “You should rescue them simply because Wolf is a friend.”
“I’m a demon, little seraph. I don’t have friends.”
“How sad for you.” Grace shakes her head. “But she’s right. What’s the point in saving them if they’re broken by the time you do? That’s a shitty deal.”
“Ladies.” He sighs again, even more exasperated this time. “I’m under a deadline and I don’t have the luxury of this song and dance. I will fulfill my end of the bargain within twenty-four hours of time here. The lovely…Grace…will leave now and come to my realm to fulfill her seven years.”
I want to be relieved, but I can’t. Ican’t. Too many people are paying debts that should be mine. I press my hands hard to my thighs and look at Grace. “You can’t accept. You don’t even know what you’re walking into. I don’t care if…” I hesitate. I doubt Azazel is ignorant of the fact he made a deal with Grace’s mother, but if by some miracle he is, I’m not going to be the one to out her. I clear my throat. “You can’t pay this price for us. The cost is too high.”
“I’m not doing it for you.” She says it firmly, but not unkindly. “No offense, but I wouldn’t pay this price unless I wanted to.”
There will be no reasoning with her, then. I turn to the demon. “I want assurances that she won’t be harmed or killed, not by your hand or anyone in that realm. If you can’t assure her safety and comfort, she’s not saying yes.”
“Mina—”
It’s hard to be certain, but I think Azazel actually rolls his eyes. “If you weren’t so busy throwing out accusations, I would have already laid out the terms in detail. There are formalities to a demon bargain, after all.”
“If you try to trick her—”
“Your opinion of me is truly staggering.” He shakes his head. “In three days, you will be auctioned off to one of the leaders of the territories in my realm. You will agree to serve them in whatever way they need, but they will not harm, hurt, or otherwise mistreat you, under pain of death.”
I narrow my eyes. “How can you guarantee that? If they harm her, even if they pay a price afterward, she’s still harmed.”
“I’m ademon. My bargains have meanings.” He sounds so exasperated, I almost forget to be scared. Almost.
“Serve them in whatever way they need,” Grace repeats. “You want me to fuck demons.”
“You will not be coerced against your will.”
She snorts. “Nice dodge, but by agreeing to this bargain, I’m agreeing to the sex.”
Azazel speaks through gritted teeth. “You will allow them the chance to seduce you, but they cannot force you. To do so would qualify as harm.”
It sounds like a sneaky loophole from where I’m sitting. I’m about to say as much when Grace shrugs. “Fine. I agree.”
“Wait!”
“Perfect.” He offers his hand. “We seal it with a kiss.”
“Grace, no.”
But it’s too late. She slips her hand into his. He raises it to his mouth, flips it, and presses a kiss to her wrist. A mark blooms there, black and red, painting itself across her tanned skin in a pattern that seems to shift in a way that defies comprehension.
Azazel glances at me without releasing Grace. “I’ll return to pay my end of the bargain tomorrow. Stay out of trouble until then.”
Darkness surges and I throw up my hand to cover my eyes. One blink and the room is empty except for me, the shadows returning to the normal faded ones from early morning.
Grace is gone.
Fuck.
38