The Devil's Claim

around Elena like a second

hind her, its engine a

d the safe house-old

once been. The rotting wood, the broken shutters, the vi

ressing the weight of t

ill had bee

This one w

hoi

ette dangling between his fing

. Her heartbeat was steady.

f that scared her

y, she

n, princess. Let's see if

ward and kicke

he quiet street before the he

llowed h

-

Firs

dust and dampness, the scent

light flicke

a chair, bound and blo

her the moment she entere

e

atted with sweat. His face was bruised, his lip split, ev

lena, his entire

is voice hoarse. "You

ay. The weight of the gun a

se she wa

e she

uilt. She expe

she fel

r maybe the lack of something. Hi

ds quick, stumbling. "He wouldn't have

p on the gu

fa

eved in honor, in

been too soft.

had that g

t in th

spike. Her breath

ause his voice cracked, frantic. "Elena, plea

g against the far wall, his arms c

t what

ng he

t someth

hing

ca, pleading. "You don't have

his cigarette to the floor an

His smirk was lazy, am

k to her, realiz

sion shift

fted t

d didn'

r found t

l. One

ch

barely made a soun

rp in

Marco slumped forward, b

om wen

ushed off the wall, stuffing his hands i

rm lowere

rt didn

if that was a go

nothing for

nally, h

wing curve

al. Someth

ses

lways where she

ost terri

t sure he

-

n of S

Dante's office, the smell of aged

feel Marco's blo

But somewhere

his desk, watchin

ned forward, his elbo

s voice was low, deep, dan

held h

what he

tr

loud, she knew there

didn't l

dn't h

e tol

lt...

ed between the

smirk

was in front of her. His fingers br

was ligh

his

ned with som