Several minutes pass and still no answer from Kane. His piercing obsidian eyes are focused on me like a laser as I contemplate my next move. I can’t go any more demon than I already have, it’s hard to come back from it. I know it seems that I’ve gone full demon, but this is nothing. The torture, the pain inflicted, all of this. Nothing, compared to how bad I can go.

I walk up and yank his arm, twisting it at the same time. Kane wails in pain, which sounds more like a female fox’s mating call. I wince from the excruciating sound that assaults my eardrums.

“You aren’t the first demon I have tortured and you certainly won’t be the last. Now for shit’s sake, tell me what I want to know!”

“Fine!” Kane says, hunches over and pops his shoulder back into place. “We have narrowed down the location of the gate to the Underworld to three locations. The Washington Cemetery, A haunted house on Beckett Street and The Church of Notre Dame. The keys to unleashing Malphas haven’t been figured out yet.”

“The Church of Notre Dame?” Quinn asks softly.

I look up at him, knowing exactly what he is thinking, it’s the same thing I am. What if it is the church, and the demons already know? The main gate to the Underworld would give off a rather powerful energy, like a beacon, and if they have sensed it then all they would need to do is get the book and the three keys. It will be a dark day for humanity if Malphas comes back to Earth.

I didn’t sense anything at the church, so I don’t think the church is it.

Malphas is the most fucked up of Lucifer’s soldiers. His first in command Satan, most commonly mistaken by humans as being Lucifer himself, is a psycho motherfucker, but none matched up to that of Malphas. He is in his own realm of crazy that one.

“Yes, you know that building where God,” he says, making air quotes with his fingers. “lives.”

“I know the church scumbag—” Quinn barks out.

“Ooo, big words for the pathetic human.” Kane turns to face me. “Really? This guy? You’ve turned away from your fellow brethren to help these hapless losers? The others are going to love this.”

“The others aren’t going to find out.” I feel my power curl itself around his heart and with a simple thought I tug on the end of the tether. Kane falls to his knees, struggling to keep himself up as I tug on the tether a little more. I’m uncaring, cruel, I can feel my demonic side rising further up, just like when I had plunged my hand deep into his body, enjoying the feeling of the blood dripping down my arm, his heart in my hand.

Back in the day, I was known as the Black Widow. And no, I didn’t fuck guys and then kill them. I used my assets, my skills, my seductive nature to get what I wanted and then kill with no remorse. I loved the kill, hungered for it. I was one of Lucifer’s best weapons, so kicking that habit took a lot out of me. I was an addict, trying to kick hard drugs.

I fell off the band wagon so many times because I couldn’t handle the pain, the torture and the restless nights, until I came across a shaman. He fixed me right up and gave me a soul. I know, how Buffy the Vampire Slayer does that sound? The only difference between myself and the painfully annoying Angel from the TV show, is that I wanted it to happen.

A soft hand lands on my shoulder bringing me back to reality. I look up at Quinn, and instantly get lost in his beautiful blue eyes. All I can think about is how his eyes are drilling into me, travelling down my face and straight to my lips, quickly, but enough for me to notice and savour the moment. My eyes roam his face, his oh so perfect face. I drink in every inch of him. His strong jaw, 5 o’clock shadow and plump, kissable lips. He is an Adonis that’s for sure. I can’t be thinking about how he makes me feel, the warmth that is quickly spreading, covering every inch of my body, making me yearn for his hard. . . .

Snap out of it!

“You okay there Dee?” Vee asks, amused.

“Yes, I’m fine Vee. Totally okay.”

I release my hold on the tether.

“What do you say? Do I have to worry about you or not?” I ask Kane.

He looks up at me with pleading eyes. I love when they have that look of desperation, begging me to not continue with my torture. I don’t know what he’s worried about. I haven’t gone nearly as hard on him as I did with the first demon back in Spain. I’ve reigned back my torture.

I bend down so that Kane and I are face to face and place a hand on his shoulder. He flinches. “Good, I’m glad I don’t have to worry about you. But, just to be sure,” I start to say before I’m interrupted by Kane.

“Just kill me already if that’s what you plan to do.”

I bring my index finger and tap my lips while feigning deep thought. “I was going to, but I have a much better idea.”

I place my hand on the back of his neck and mutter a spell. He twitches under my touch.

“What was that!” A yelp forces its way out of his mouth. I smother a laugh that is fighting to break free from me. It’s not every day you see a demon yelping like a puppy.

“I marked you. You will act as my little informant, getting me the information that I need from your buddies down in the Underworld and report back to me.

If I find that you have lied to me, double crossed me or, told anyone that you have spoken to me, well, you will be brought to me straight away where I will proceed to torture you. Slowly, continuously, aggressively. All of which will go on for days, making you beg for death. I will slow your healing abilities down slightly, so it takes you longer and you can feel the pain for longer. I am accustomed to torture tactics and will not hesitate to use them before I kill you, cockroach. Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

His Adam’s apple bobs up and down, the classic response to fear in a male. Men are strong and pigheaded, always trying to save face and never wanting to seem weak, but their Adam’s apple can give away so much about how they are feeling. I relish this, bathe in it. Completely satisfied I stand up, help him back up on his feet and release him from the trap. With a wave of my hand, I send him back to wherever he came from.

“We’ve got work to do.”