“You almost killed her.”
“Please. At most, I rattled her. Though she was tricky to steal from. Took me a few tries to feed from her at first.” Vex gave Natalya a cocky smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Didn’t want her to notice I was there, after all.”
If Natalya hadn’t been bound by her circle, she would have tried to tear Vex’s head off.
“Youfedon her?”
“I didn’t take anything she’ll miss. Some hours of sleep. A memory here and there.” Vex sneered and looked away. “She had plenty of painful ones. Enough that she won’t notice I stole a few.”
It took Natalya a moment to understand what Vex was saying. The rage of knowing this fiend had been near Evie forweeksdidn’t wane but understanding that Vex had acted with restraint all that time meant the anger pivoted somewhat.
“You were ordered to kill her?”
Vex shrugged, looking annoyed. The expression seemed to be a semi-permanent part of her face. “I was ordered to watch and listen. Then to getyoubefore the East Coast and the Chains moved on Varro. Offing your human was something to do inaddition to that, if I could. For some reason, I found myselfunable to follow my Master’s request.”
Vex looked at the other fiends in their lineup. Her annoyance changed into anger.
“Dominic likes toys. He likes making me get them. He hasn’t made me steal a greater fiend before, and I didn’t feel like giving him more than I needed to.”
Natalya’s anger lessened to be nearly insignificant at those words. Vex was a prisoner as much as any of them. And not only that, but Dominic had used her to imprison others of their kind. To capture slaves for her Master.
Her restraint and the excessive time she’d lingered in the apartment had come from pushing her orders. As had the information she’d given Natalya. She couldn’t say who sent her. She couldn’t not attack Evie, and she couldn’t not record Natalya’s marks. But she had taken her time, and she’d let Evie live, pretending to be too overwhelmed by the power of a greater fiend to keep attacking.
She’d even taken Evie’s sight right when Natalya talked about where she could send Evie for safekeeping. She’d interrupted the conversation, so she couldn’t relay the information to Dominic.
“You look prettier with violet eyes,” Vex said coldly.
Natalya inspected her in more detail. Now that she wasn’t just a threat to be torn apart, it was easier to look at her as an equal.
Time didn’t visibly change greater fiends like it did most other creatures. They entered the world looking the age perfect for their purpose, but there were signs that could reveal how long they had been outside the realm of Sin.
Vex’s eyes were evenly green with no variation, and her visage reflected the time and place she had been summoned in. She was thin, mean-looking, andyoung. Younger than Drago and much younger than Natalya. If Natalya was to guess, she’d been summoned into the world by Dominic and had been bound eversince. Her only view of the world was from the perspective of a slave. It made sense she was mean.
“Thank you for sparing her. And for helping, how you could,” Natalya said.
Vex narrowed her eyes, looking angry and suspicious. She’d probably never been thanked before.
“You’re convincing. But save the act for Dominic and that freckled bitch you have wrapped around your finger. At least you picked a hot one to bond with, so that’s—”
“I’m notacting,” Natalya said, cutting her off. “Not with you. Not with Evie.”
Vex laughed at that. A cruel sound, void of humor or enthusiasm. Then her expression changed to one of surprise when Natalya stayed serious.
“Don’t tell me all that lovey-dovey stuff was genuine.”
Natalya didn’t say anything. Vex laughed again, this time mockingly.
“This is too good. A being of Lust, falling in love with a human. How does that work exactly? Did she beg you long enough, and you convinced yourself her desire for you was more than just summoned, sinful emotions? Or did your bond with her make you believe in true love’s kiss?” Vex leaned closer, looking intrigued. “How did you manage that anyway? Infernal bonds are supposed to be impossible.”
Natalya frowned. “Infernal bond?”
“So you did it by accident. Fantastic.” Vex spat on the floor again. “A bond is just another cruel trick. A prize just out of reach.”
“Evie is not a prize.”
“No, she’s justspecial,” Vex said, voice shrill and whiny. “What’s her deal? She resisted me. I didn’t like that.”
“If you swear not to mock her again, maybe I’ll tell you.”
