Demon Marked

them. Ash’s trembling increased. In front of them, Khavi’s hellhound whimpered with three heads.
    Lucifer focused on Khavi, spoke. Nicholas didn’t know the language. When he glanced at Ash, she gave a tiny shake of her head. She didn’t know, either.
    “I want Michael out of the field,” Khavi replied in English. She reached out to her hellhound’s shoulder, soothed the trembling beast. “The halfling refuses to exchange places with him, so I’ve brought her to you with the intention of making a bargain.”
    Lucifer’s laugh chilled Nicholas to the bone, started the pounding of his heart. Not fear, but survival instinct warning him of the danger, urging him to flee.
    Lucifer spoke again.
    Khavi shook her head. “She isn’t worthless to you. She has your Gate on her face—which I understand you needed because Michael won a wager that forced you to close your other Gates. You needed her because of Michael; now I need her because of Michael. Her worth to us is equal.”
    Ash’s tremors ceased. Though her eyes didn’t glow, the look she gave Khavi was nothing short of murder. Furious, Nicholas saw. Suddenly so angry that it had smothered her terror.
    Because she hated being the puppet, he realized. Just as she’d hated the Rules that prevented her from acting of her own will, she would hate anyone who jerked her around like a marionette on strings . . . and that was what Khavi did now.
    Lucifer didn’t seem to mind Khavi’s use of a demon, however. After a long, considering look at her, Lucifer gave a short reply.
    Khavi responded, “The bargain I propose is simple: If you release Michael from the field by sacrificing one of your demons, when it is done and Michael has been released from Hell—completely away from this realm—then before one day passes, I will sacrifice this halfling on Earth and open the portal for you. It is a sacrifice for a sacrifice, and we each receive something of value to us.”
    No. Rage pushed Nicholas forward. Before he’d gone a step, Ash stopped him with a hard squeeze of his hand. Her lips moved.
    Opportunity.
    Waiting for an opportunity. She was right. Though almost impossible not to race forward, to tear both Khavi and Lucifer apart with his hands, it would be suicide. Surviving was more important than acting on his anger right now.
    He hardened his rage, fought to toss it away. Fear, anger. He would not be controlled by either. Not when it risked their lives.
    “Yes, with Michael’s release, you also lose something of value to you,” Khavi said to Lucifer. “So it is not completely equal. To balance that loss, I would also offer this novice Guardian. You lose one Guardian to torture, and gain possession of another.”
    Him, Nicholas realized, and then it was his turn to clamp his hand around Ash’s wrist, to prevent her from reacting.
    “No, he is nothing like Michael,” Khavi agreed. “But it will be an exchange of the oldest Guardian for the newest one. There is something elegant about it, is there not? His transformation offered hope and strength to the Guardian corps, belief that our future could be strong. I am giving you the opportunity to destroy that; even Michael’s return will not heal that injury.”
    Lucifer’s powerful gaze swept over Nicholas. He spoke.
    “His Gift has not yet manifested,” Khavi responded. “And I cannot see what I do not already know. His Gift might be useful to you. I cannot say.”
    Lucifer regarded her silently for a long moment. When he spoke, she shifted uneasily.
    “I’m willing to give you a day to consider it,” she said. “But I won’t leave them here with you without a bargain.”
    He spoke again, and Khavi snorted a laugh.
    “You don’t have any goodwill.”
    His gaze moved to her hellhound.
    Khavi went still. “I won’t leave Lyta.”
    Lucifer’s smile said it all. Either she would choose to leave Ash and Nicholas, or the hellhound—but there would be no bargain if she didn’t choose one to stay.
    “Let me take Ashmodei,” Khavi said. “She’s the more valuable to both of us. I’ll leave the Guardian here.”
    Yes, Nicholas thought.
    Lucifer turned away.
    Khavi called out, “Both of them, then! But only four hours to consider my offer. And you’ll return them to me, unharmed , if you do not intend to accept our bargain.”
    Nicholas didn’t know what Lucifer said, but the triumph in the demon’s face told him well enough: He’d agreed.
    Her hand on the hellhound’s shoulder, Khavi