Page 33 of Corrupt Shadows

“He seemed to be more concerned about the demon and didn’t say anything about the Order.” My thoughts drift to the demon stalking me. Lorcan. Right now, he’s the only lead I have. He’s been trying to scare me, but now it’s my turn. After all, a demon’s name is his biggest weakness.

***

I kiss Rosa on the cheek and she pulls me into a hug, then squeezes me tighter. “Call me first thing in the morning, and keep those mirrors covered!”

“I will,” I lie. She closes the door behind her, and I throw my bag onto the countertop. Gomez is asleep on the sofa, his little chest rising as he snores. He doesn’t stir in my presence, and now I understand why he was shit at alerting me when Aiden must have broken in.

I imagine his anger as the demon stands behind the blanketed mirror. A devious smile plays at my lips, and I grab a marker from my drawer. I can’t use the mirror to see since I want it to be a surprise.

I mark his name on my skin, just above my left breast. If that doesn’t get his attention, I don’t know what will.

I admire the lettering—Lorcan—in black marker.

If he wants to play games, then who am I to rob him of a challenge? Now that I know he’s behind Aiden breaking in and inserting himself into Rosa’s life, it’s time to get some real answers.

Forming attachments with demons is dangerous, but it’s all I have. Besides, he’s already in my dreams. A bond has already formed. If he won’t talk to me, I’ll never know why the Order hasn’t already tried to kill me, whether my former parents are wrapped up in this, or even if I need to leave this town for another.

Furthermore, I want to know why a demon is tied up in this.

The tattoo on my arm has grown an extra rose since my magic came close to killing Aiden tonight, but the benzos numb any fear that threatens to surface.

I peel off my clothes one by one until I’m in nothing but my lace black bra and panties. My heart races, warning me to stop, and I press my lips together as I stand in front of the mirror.

I tug the blanket down and turn around, purposely averting my eyes. I run a hand along my chest to draw his gaze to the name written on my skin.

Slowly, I unclasp my bra and let it fall to the floor. My gaze darts to my reflection, waiting, but he’s not showing himself.

Coward.

With a scoff, I pull on my tank top while tiredness stretches through me, pulling me onto the bed. I crawl under the covers, hearing Gomez’s wings as he flies into the room. He sinks onto the bed next to me, and I nuzzle back, sensing the demon’s eyes on me.

He can’t do anything to me anyway, I tell myself. He can only watch, and if this is the only way to get his attention, to get him to speak to me again, then so be it.

SIXTEEN

Lorcan

I stand in the mirror of Evie’s bedroom, my erection growing as I stare at my name marked on her breast. Surprise widens my eyes when satisfaction peaks in my chest. She thinks she’s won, that she has some kind of control. As if I’d be stupid enough to give anyone my true name, especially an idiot like Aiden. So, you like to play games, witch.

I walk to her office. Time is running out. With Solomor possessing a human in Evie’s realm and my family clearly behind it, I must provoke Evie into using her magic.

Anticipation builds as I pace back and forth in her office, then glide my fingers down the ornate frame of the mirror that locked me in here. Today, I will taste my little witch. The air around me seems to buzz with my mania and deeply rooted anger for her.

Her magic begs for mine to free it from its unwilling host every time I’m close to her. The intrusive but comforting feeling of my loathing for the witch wraps around me like a warm blanket, reminding me of my true purpose. No matter how tempting she is, I must not lose focus. She’s too cautious, keeping her powers inside, buried too deep.

I drag my fingers through my hair and inhale sharply. She keeps her death magic inside to keep everyone else safe, but she doesn’t realize it’s rotting her from the inside out. Eventually, she’ll be the one to explode into a thousand pieces.

Her magic calls to me, and she’s useless to me until she embraces it.

My shadows coil around me, like a viper ready to attack. Every mirror is covered with blankets except the one in her bedroom. She knew exactly what she was doing. She’s playing games far more dangerous than she realizes.

I can’t do anything without an attachment, whether it’s through fear or lust. But little does my witch know that with an attachment, the portal between us thins and I gain a foothold in the Human Realm. Most demonic bonds start with oppression, by demons using humans’ emotions against them, but with my witch, it goes deeper. The more she obsesses and thinks about me, the deeper it goes. With us both having shadow magic, it’s more intense than normal.

I shake my head. The things I could do to her… She gets off on fear and danger, and today I will show her exactly how addicting it can be to indulge in her darkest fantasies.

I take a deep breath to center my thoughts. The risk of losing myself is real; I could easily take it too far and fuck her, but failure has never been an option. I squeeze my eyes shut, attempting to calm my conflicting emotions.

I focus on the portal and push my fingers through the mirror. They slip through, and I grin. I reach back, then pull my mask over the upper half of my face while I wait for the mirror to settle. The smooth surface ripples gently like a pond, then dissipates seamlessly. Goose bumps cover my arms when the knowledge hits me. My reality will change irrevocably the moment I breach the veil.