“Why?” She narrowed her eyes, looking between the two demons. “How does it work?”
“You’re not going to like it,” Ash said warily.
“Just tell me.” She raised a brow. “You already told me a bunch of stuff I didn’t like. What’s one more thing?”
His mouth twisted, but he obliged her. “Hellgates are Sheolic magic, which means only demons can use them. But if a human ingests demon blood, they temporarily take on some demonic abilities, which means theycantravel by gate.”
Eva’s mouth dropped open. “You’re not telling me I have to... drink your blood?”
His expression said it all.
She looked at Belial. He nodded. She looked over at Meph and Raum. They shrugged simultaneously, which would have been funny under any other circumstance.
Horror filled her. “No way!” she exclaimed. “That’s disgusting and so freaking wrong on so many levels.” She jabbed a finger at Ash. “There is no way you’ll convince me to drink your blood, so go on and give up that idea right now because it isneverhappening!”
21
All Gates Lead toHell
Eva drank the demon blood.
She actually opened her mouth and swallowed a mouthful of blood that had come from Ash’s veins after he made a sizable cut in his arm right in front of her. And then, of course, she immediately sprayed it everywhere and gagged so hard she almost threw up her breakfast.
At least she didn’t have to worry about diseases—apparently, demons were immune to everything.Yay.
They’d repeated the process. Three more times.
Only her guilt about Ash having to cut himself again when the wound started healing motivated her to keep it down the final time. It was the most disgusting thing she’d ever done.
Strangely, however, the moment she swallowed back the last wave of nausea, a strange sense of satisfaction filled her. Deep inside, the whispers went silent as something shifted on a fundamental level. That questioning, longing, and emptiness went silent, as if it had finally found the answers it sought in a mouthful of iron-tasting hemoglobin straight from a demon’s vein.
Which made no sense whatsoever.
When she shook off the effects and straightened her spine, she felt taller. More powerful. In control and connected to herself for the first time in as long as she could remember.
Damn, she thought, rubbing her temples to clear the bizarre thoughts,apparently demon blood is potent stuff. She supposed she could handle a mild high as long as she didn’t turn into a vampire.
After sufficiently recovering, she grabbed her backpack, coaxed Thelonious back into his carrier—apparently, cats were more demonic than anyone realized, because they could travel through hellgates with no problems—and then followed everyone into Bel’s bedroom, where an intricate design was drawn on the floor.
“Ready?” Bel asked, and they nodded. “Doors are locked?” More nods. “Dishes done?” Nods. “Windows clo—”
Meph shoved him hard. Bel stumbled into the circle and disappeared.
“Oh my god,” Eva breathed, staring at the empty space. “He’s gone.”
“Gates are cool like that.” Meph grinned and stepped into the sigil. He, too, disappeared.
“Oh my god,” she said again. It didn’t seem any less miraculous the second time around.
Raum went next, carrying Thelonious in the carrier, and then she was alone with Asmodeus. Since it was her first time, they would travel together. She hoped it would be her last time too; she wasn’t keen on a repeat of the blood-drinking experience.
Just thinking the word “blood” had her stomach churning. Drinking blood was not sexy. This experience had cured her of any illusions she may have had about that.No sparkly vampires for me, thanks.
“Ready?” Ash asked, and she nodded.
He held out his hand.
She hesitated, staring at his open palm and intuitively sensing this signified something more than just stepping into the sigil with him. This was one of those point-of-no-return moments.
