Marked For Death: A Dark Urban Fantasy Novel by Becca Blake (english novels to improve english .txt) 📕

“Very good!” He clasped his hands together. “Most of you hunters know so little. Though, perhaps that will change after today.”

“Who’s left to know who you are?” Jacob asked. “Your hellhounds massacred everyone.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Raxael said. “I have no intention of fully destroying your town or killing all your people. The attack is already over. Only part of the city is burning, and plenty of Arbiters are still alive.”

“Then, what was the point?” I asked.

Stopping again in front of me, he held out his hand and transformed it into the single bladed limb he used to kill Leader Grayson. “Humans are pathetic creatures, though you all try to pretend otherwise. Sometimes it’s charming to see how hard you try to be independent, but you seem to have forgotten your place. I thought it was time for a reminder.”

“Why bother with us?” Jacob asked. “You’ve already put on your show.”

A cruel smile slithered across Raxael’s face. “I wanted to get a look at the two brave demon hunters who chose to flee the city, rather than stay and fight. It seems that the two of you just broke your oath to protect humanity—or whatever it is you do.”

My attention drifted once more to my bag in the back seat. The amulet was our only hope of fighting him, but with my shoulder injury and only Jacob as backup, I’d never be able to get to it in time.

He followed my gaze to my weapons and laughed. “Don’t bother. You’re not nearly fast enough.”

“Well, if you’re going to kill us, get on with it,” I said.

I did my best to hold his chilling gaze and appear unafraid, even though he terrified me. It had been a long night, and if Raxael intended to kill us, I only hoped that he wouldn’t drag it out any longer.

“Tempting, but I don’t think I will.” Raxael let that hang in the air between us before he continued. “There’s something I’d like you to do for me.”

“Why would we help a demon lord?” I asked.

“Because the second you left town, you became Oathbreakers. Work with me, and I’ll make sure you’re under my protection. The Arbiters of Shadow won’t hunt you down.”

That didn’t seem like a hard choice. I would rather live the rest of my life on the run than in service to a demon lord.

“And if we don’t?” I asked.

“Then, I suppose I’ll have to take you to your Council myself. They can decide your fate.”

“If we agreed, what would you have us do?” Jacob asked.

“No,” I said sharply. “It doesn’t matter what he wants. We won’t do it.”

“Won’t you?” Raxael appeared behind Jacob, holding my sword in his hand. When I didn’t respond, he drove the blade through the flesh of Jacob’s upper arm.

My partner screamed as Raxael released him and tossed the bloody sword back to me.

“Jacob!” I started toward him, but Raxael shifted beside me and stopped me with a rough hand around my wrist.

“You’ll find I don’t have the patience for negotiations,” he whispered in my ear.

I struggled in his grasp, but his fingers dug harder into my flesh. Realizing he was too strong, I stilled.

“Now,” Raxael said, his voice once again taking on a cheerful tone. “I’m assuming you’d like to save his life. If you do as I say, I’ll take him back to Haygrove and make sure he’s given proper care. It’s not an infernal wound, so your doctors won’t have any trouble.”

When I didn’t answer, he pushed me back down and shifted once more, this time sitting on the hood of the car. Jacob writhed beneath the demon lord’s feet as he held his arm, trying to stop the bleeding. There was so much of it spilling out across the pavement. He wouldn’t last much longer losing blood at this rate.

“Or, I can just finish him off now. It doesn’t make much difference to me. I’ll get what I want, regardless. I always do.”

I closed my eyes and let out a shaky sigh. “What do you want from me?”

“I knew you’d come around.” He slid off the hood of the car and sauntered over to me. “I need to locate two Oathbreakers from your organization who have wronged me. I’m rather unhappy with how your Council has handled this matter. So, once you bring them to me, I’ll instruct the Council to free you from your oaths. See? It’s not that bad of a deal for you, really.”

“Who?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“Jay Maki and Alexander Orion.”

The chill that had been creeping up my spine since Raxael’s arrival now spread through my entire body.

“Now, what will it be? I suggest you hurry, before your companion bleeds out.”

If I wanted to save Jacob, if I wanted to live to fight another day, I had no choice but to agree. For now, at least.

“I’ll do it.”

“Excellent,” Raxael said.

“How will I find you once I locate them?”

The air around him blurred as he shifted away once more. When he reappeared beside me, his bladed arm burned red hot. He pressed the tip lightly against the base of my neck at my collarbone. Pain snaked out across my chest as burning lines spread across my skin, winding out in strange patterns like a glowing tattoo. I cried out as it seeped into the infernal wound, and the screaming pain dropped me to my knees.

As quickly as it had appeared, the fiery brand on my skin faded away.

“What the hell was that?” I bit out. The pain was gone, but my entire body still shook.

“I’ve marked you. Touch that spot on your chest when you’re ready, and it will call me to you.” He returned to Jacob and lifted him up. “You have one week to locate the Oathbreakers. If you fail, he will die.”

“Wait,” I said. “You’ll make sure he’s taken care of? He’ll heal?”

“I am a demon of my word,” Raxael said. “That’s more than can be said for your kind.”

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