The woods on the other side of the portal were definitely on Earth. The smell was so natural and distinct—dirt and trees and the fresh scent of water from the burbling river to my left. The sun was right where it should be—glowing orange and familiar. I didn’t know if Underworlds had suns, but this had to be Earth. The trees were big, and thank magic, they looked like the ones native to Oregon, where I lived.

My muscles relaxed the tiniest bit, and my chest filled with bright, clear joy. I was almost home.

In the silence of the forest, I could hear my heartbeat.

I was grateful that the old ticker was still beating away, but it was also a reminder of how weird I was. I’d escaped hell and I was alive, complete with heartbeat.

That shouldn’t be possible. And that was dangerous.

But I was back. And I was going to take it.

Somehow, I’d escaped the Underworld.

Did that make me immortal?

I shivered as goosebumps prickled my skin.

I didn’t want to be immortal, watching all my friends die of old age. But I also didn’t want to be in hell. And if I didn’t get out of here soon and cover my tracks, I might be dragged back.

I turned to see what the portal looked like and winced.

A glowing green scar sliced across the air in front of me, a segment of the portal hanging loose like a torn curtain. Through it, I could see the beautiful garden.

“Dang it.” There was no way this was how the portal normally looked. A human could walk right through it.

Still in my Phantom form, I grasped the edge of the portal and tried to tug it up so that it covered the hole in the ether that led to the unknown Underworld. If I could just knit the seam back together and return it to normal, it should be good.

The edges of the portal stuck together, kind of. It didn’t look as neat as it had before, with the glimmering green seam outlining the haze of the portal, but it was better than before. If you didn’t know what you were looking for, it could pass.

I stepped back and resumed my human form, delighting in the feel of the cool breeze against my skin.

As I turned to head toward town, something massive hurtled out of the portal and slammed into me. It plowed me into the ground, swiping out with its claws as it struggled to its feet.

Pain sliced through me where its razor-sharp claws had torn into my upper chest. I struggled up, my skin chilling as I caught sight of the massive demon in front of me. It was the biggest, meanest looking one I’d ever seen—pale gray with massive horns. His magic smelled like a garbage fire.

This was the Warden!?

He roared and surged toward me. Panic thundered in my chest as I called upon my power, desperately reaching for my Phantom form. The icy magic flowed through me, turning my body blue and incorporeal just as his clawed hand swiped out again.

It passed right through me. His eyes widened at the sight, something strange flashing through them.

He shoved his hand into his pocket, then threw something to the ground. Glittery gray smoke poofed up, and he stepped into it, disappearing.

A transport charm.

What the heck? Why would the Warden run from his prey?

Oh shit.

That hadn’t been the Warden. It’d been some random demon, and I’d let him escape.

Some demon hunter I was.

Pain welled at my chest now that some of my adrenaline had faded. I staggered, glancing down at the wound.

Green fluid dripped from it, glowing bright despite my Phantom form.

Oh no.

Poison?

I sucked in a ragged breath, wincing. I had to get out of here.

I spun and hurried away from the portal, calling upon my dragon sense as I went. More than anything, I wanted to find my home in Magic’s Bend.

Magic shivered through me as I ran through the forest. When my dragon sense latched on, I almost jumped. I hadn’t realized how close I was. Not more than twenty miles. I must’ve been in the woods on the outskirts of town.

An expanse of brown caught my eye, and I glanced over. A beautiful house sat nestled amongst the trees, overlooking the wide, glittering river. It was a modern marvel of wood and stone, with massive windows that would provide a gorgeous view. The whole place was beautiful, and totally unexpected so close to a portal.

Not my business. Certainly not now. And no way I’d knock on that door for help. Who knew what lived there.

I raced away from the house and the portal, following my dragon sense toward town. I zipped up my jacket to cover the wound on my chest and resumed my human form. As I ran, I reached up to touch the comms charm at my neck, but it was gone.

Had it been torn off in the fight? Or during one of my many falls?

However I’d lost it, it looked like I’d be getting home the hard way.

* * *

When I finally staggered onto the street that held Ancient Magic, the shop I ran with my deirfiúr, tears prickled my eyes. I knew I’d be happy to see this place again, but crying? That was new.

The wound at my chest wasn’t deep enough to cause massive blood loss, but the poison was becoming a problem. I could feel my limbs growing heavier and weaker.

It hadn’t helped that I’d had to run the whole way home. Not a single car had passed me until I’d reached the city limits, where our shop was located. Though Magic’s Bend was the largest city of supernaturals in the country, where fae walked around with their wings out and Shifters stalked around on four legs, it still wasn’t big. We were hidden from humans by a massive spell, so the only traffic through town was supernatural. Hitchhiking wasn’t easy when your town had so few cars going in and out. Most times it was impossible.

I stumbled down the main street of Factory Row, which was wide and nearly empty. Factory Row was usually pretty dead since we were at the edge of town. One side held a park, and the other a row of old factory buildings from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They’d been converted into shops and apartments in the nineties. The shops were mostly antiques places, so our own shop, Ancient Magic, fit right in.

The rent was low and the company odd, which made it ideal for me and my deirfiúr. We rented the entire building above our shop, each of us taking a floor for our apartment.

The windows of Ancient Magic glinted in the light of the setting sun, welcoming me.

I was home. And not a moment too soon. My legs were starting to feel numb. I shoved aside the panic. It did no good in situations like this.

I shivered in the chill autumn air as I hurried toward Ancient Magic. When I stopped outside the window, my gaze immediately zeroed in on Cass and Nix, who stood behind the counter. Shelves stocked with all kinds of artifacts and replicas covered every wall. The treasures filling the space might draw most people’s gazes, but I had eyes only for my friends.

They were here. Safe.

Cass, with her red hair and usual brown leather jacket, stood next to Nix, who was her opposite in many ways. Nix’s brown hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and she wore a T-shirt with a cartoon cat on it. She hovered her hand, which glowed blue, over an ancient Greek amphora. An identical vase stood by its side on the counter. In addition to being a FireSoul, Nix was a Conjurer who could also transfer magic.

Looked like they were transferring a spell from an artifact to a replica, which we would then sell. Selling only the decayed magic in artifacts was how we stayed on the right side of the law.

Cass glanced up, her gaze widening at the sight of me. Confusion was replaced by pure joy, a light so bright that I grinned.

Nix let out a shriek of delight. I stumbled into the shop, colliding with my best friends, getting lost in a tangle of arms.

“Del!” Cass cried. “You’re alive!”

They squeezed me so hard that I almost saw stars.

“I’m so happy to see you!” Tears prickled my eyes.

Ten years ago, we’d woken in a field with no memories and only the ratty dresses on our backs. We hadn’t even known our own names. Since then, we’d made our way in the magical world, three FireSouls lying low from the government that hunted them.

I pulled back, my gaze devouring them. They were alive. Really, truly alive, having survived the battle that had killed me. The magical world, which existed secretly alongside the human one, was a dangerous place. There were fights all the time. The one that had killed me had been a doozy, but only unusual in the fact that I had died.

“Where have you been?” Cass demanded as she shook me by the shoulders.

Pain streaked through my chest, and my knees weakened. I stumbled.

“I have a problem.” In my joy, I’d temporarily forgotten my wound. I winced as I unzipped my jacket. The wound was still bleeding slightly, with the green poison oozing from the cuts.

“Shit!” Cass cried.

“Oh no.” Concern clouded Nix’s eyes. “That looks bad.”

“Yeah.” I gasped as my heart started to race. “It’s poison.”

Cass and Nix caught me under the arms and turned me to the door, helping me stumble along.

“Come on,” Cass said. “We’re getting you to Connor. He’ll know what it is.”

They all but dragged me down the dark street toward Potions & Pastilles, the coffee shop owned by our friends Connor and Claire. They were a brother and sister pair who had immigrated from England about six years ago. Claire was a mercenary, while Connor was a hearth witch with an extraordinary knack for potions.

Please know what to do about this poison, Connor.

Nix and Del helped me stagger up to the glass door. Massive windows on either side revealed the warmly lit interior of our favorite hangout spot. Mason-jar lamps and artwork of questionable quality completed the very hipster-Oregon picture, and it was perfect. I just hadn’t thought I’d be in this condition when I saw it next.

By the time we stepped through the door, my head was spinning slightly.

“Del!” Claire hurried toward me, weaving through the small tables that cluttered the coffee shop. “Oh my gosh! You’re back. How?”

“She’s injured.” Nix turned to the back of the shop. “Connor, get out here!”

“I’ll shut the shop.” Claire hurried behind us and locked the door, then turned the closed sign.

At night, P & P switched from being a coffee stop to serving craft beers and fancy whiskey. Fortunately, no one had yet stopped in for their evening drink besides our new friend Emile, who sat in the corner. I smiled wanly at him, or tried to, at least.

“Come, come.” Claire’s British accent had grown thick with worry. She guided us over toward my favorite corner of P & P, where the comfiest chairs were clustered.

Emile sat in one of them, gazing at us with concerned eyes. He was an Animus mage who had the power to communicate with animals. Two black and white rats—Ralph and Rufus—sat on his shoulders. I grinned at the sight of his furry little companions.

“Hey, guys.” My voice sounded hoarse. The poison was really kicking in now.

“What’s wrong?” Connor’s concerned voice drifted from the other side of the shop.

He hurried closer, and I squinted at him through my blurring vision. His dark hair was flopped over his brow, and he wore a band T-shirt dusted lightly with flour. Today it was Jump, Little Children, a band I’d never heard of. As usual.

I clung to that inane detail, as if the normal would push aside the fact that I was succumbing to some mysterious poison.

Connor was about five years younger than my twenty-five, but he was a potions mastermind. I wouldn’t trust anyone more when I was in a pickle like this.

He knelt by my side, inspecting my wound. “Looks like death didn’t treat you so well.”

“I’m back, aren’t I?”

His gaze met mine. “And we’re going to keep you that way.”

I grinned, then winced.

Connor frowned as he leaned his head down and sniffed at my wound. He reared back, his eyes wild.

“What is it?” Panic laced Cass’s voice.

“Ubilaz poison.” He surged to his feet, then darted away, running through the door to the back of the cafe.

My heart thundered. “That sounds bad.”

“You came back from the dead,” Nix said. “This isn’t going to get you.”

“Though we’re going to want answers on how you did that,” Cass said.

“Yeah. Handy trick,” Claire added.

“Neato,” Emile added.

They were trying to distract me. I didn’t know what an Ubilaz demon was, but it must be bad.

I tried not to hyperventilate while waiting for Connor to return. Ralph and Rufus hopped off Emile’s shoulders and climbed onto mine, sniffing at my cheeks. Their little whiskers tickled.

“Ralph and Rufus have always been fond of you,” Emile said.

I grinned. I was fond of them, too. Fond of all animals. “They’re not saying goodbye, right?”

“Nah.” Cass shook her head. “You’re too stubborn to die.”

“And it’s not like dying stuck to you the first time.” Nix grinned.

“I’ve got it!” Connor cried as he hurried out of the back of the cafe, holding up a small vial of dark green liquid. He knelt at my side and poured the stuff over my wounds.

It sizzled and burned, and I yelped. Ralph reached up with little paws and patted my cheek.

When I glanced down, the wounds were knitting themselves back together. Blood and poison had soaked into my once-lucky shirt, but my flesh looked entirely healed.

“Am I better?” I asked. It sure didn’t hurt anymore, and I suddenly felt a lot stronger.

“No. Definitely not.”

I jerked my head up. “What do you mean?”

His dark gaze was serious. “I’ve never seen an Ubilaz demon before. They aren’t supposed to be able to leave the Underworld. But you can buy their poison on the black market for use in potion making. It’s one of the strongest there is.”

“Strongest as in deadly?” Cass asked.

“No,” Connor said. “Worse. It’s old school horror. In diluted forms, it does other things. But in pure form? It’ll turn you into one of them.”

“What?” I jolted up in my chair, and Ralph and Rufus tumbled into my lap. “Turn me into an Ubilaz demon?”

He nodded. “That’s what’s supposed to happen. The transition is slow. It’ll take about a week. But there’s an antidote. I can make it if you can get me some of the demon’s blood.”

Relief coursed through me, turning my muscles to jelly. “So I just have to get you some of its blood.”

“Yeah. Or another Ubilaz demon’s blood. Doesn’t matter. And you have to take more of the potion I poured on your wound. Drink it every day, and it’ll delay the effects of the demon’s poison until we can make the antidote.”

I sagged back against the chair, adjusting so that the sword scabbard strapped to my back didn’t poke me.

“But you have to get the demon.” Connor’s voice turned grave. “The potion I give you will only last about a week before your body becomes immune to it.”

Great.

“It’s not a problem,” Cass said. “We’ll get the demon. It’ll be fine.”

“Knock on wood.” I knocked on my head. “Don’t jinx us.”

Cass knocked on her head, too.

“Now that you’re not staggering, I want a proper greeting.” Claire threw her arms around me, careful to keep from touching my poison-stained shirt.

My heart leapt to see her again, and I hugged her tight. Claire was a Fire Mage, and she, too, was dressed in leather, her usual wear for her job as a mercenary. She worked part time at P & P with her brother Connor when she wasn’t off killing monsters.

I pulled back and took in her familiar dark hair and eyes.

“How are you back? It’s impossible,” Claire said.

I opened my mouth to explain, but I honestly wasn’t sure what had happened.

“Quit hogging her,” Connor said.

Claire stepped back. “Fine. Fine. I’m going to get you a snack. You need to get your strength up before you go out looking for this demon.”

Connor stepped forward and gave me a big squeeze.

“So good to see you.” I hugged him tight.

“We thought we’d lost you.” He mumbled against my hair. “Had us worried.”

I pulled back. “Had myself worried.”

“Well, you’re back now.” He grinned. “No idea how, but I’ll take it.”

“That’s about where I am.” My mind raced with what lay ahead of me. “Connor, do you think you could whip me up a couple defensive potions?”

I didn’t have my sword, and if I was going to go hunting big game like the Ubilaz demon, I’d need some weapons.

Connor saluted. “On it!”

“Thanks.”

He spun and headed back behind the bar.

Claire bustled past him, bringing a tray. She set it down on the table. “Vegetarian quiche and a cup of boxed wine. Your regular. Eat that now.”

“Thanks. You’re the best.” P & P’s specialty was the Cornish pasty, a savory treat usually made of meat and potatoes wrapped in pastry, but they tried to keep quiche on hand for me. It was my fave.

Ralph and Rufus had climbed back onto my shoulders, so I gave each of them a bite. I met Claire’s gaze. “Thanks for the wine, but it’ll have to wait since I need to track down that demon.”

“How about an espresso?”

“Amazing. Thank you.”

“Not a problem.” Claire bustled off.

I went to work on the quiche, suddenly famished.

“Okay.” Cass’s voice drew my gaze to her. “Time for some answers. How are you here?”

“I saw you die.” Nix’s gaze was stark, sending a small streak of guilt through me at making her worry.

I’d had no choice—I hadn’t wanted to kick the bucket, but I had. And I’d ended up in hell.

“Yeah, that happened.” I swallowed hard, the memory making my skin prickle.

“Were you in the Underworld? How did you get out?” Nix asked. “That can’t be possible.”

“I don’t really know. But I tore through a portal and ended up outside of town.”

“That’s so weird.” Confusion coated Nix’s voice. “That’s not even possible.”

It was. Somehow.

“What the hell took you so long?” Cass demanded. “We’ve been terrified. It’s been two weeks!”

Two weeks? It hadn’t felt like that long.

“We’ve been searching for you everywhere,” Nix said. “We were onto our last clue back at the shop. If the spell in the amphora didn’t work, we were going to go to the Order of the Magica and the Alpha Council for help.”

“No!” The Order and the Council were the two factions of magical government. The Order oversaw the magic users—Magica—and the Council oversaw the magical beings—Shifters. The Order was a fine organization—they kept us hidden from humans and ensured law and order—but they weren’t so fine if you were a weirdo with unknown powers. Then they thought you were the threat. And in that situation, you never came out ahead. Unfortunately, they would consider my deirfiúr and me to be a threat.

“We can’t let them know what we are.” I wanted to shake them.

We were all FireSouls, and we were all at risk. A few people knew about Cass, but we trusted them, unlike the Order and the Council.

“I know, dummy.” Cass rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t going to tell them the truth. Our secret’s ours. And your new can-escape-hell talent is definitely a secret.”

Emile’s frightened gaze met ours. In addition to being an Animus mage, he was also a FireSoul and was hunted by the Order of the Magica. Just like us. He was one of the very few who knew what we were. We’d rescued him from the Prison for Magical Miscreants about a month ago, and he was still skinny from his time there. His eyes had a haunted look that twisted my heart every time I saw him.

Emile shuddered hard, no doubt remembering his time in prison. His bleak gaze met mine. “Don’t let them discover that you’re different. Don’t. Being a FireSoul is bad. Coming back from the dead is worse.”

“I know,” I said. “I’ll be careful.”

Only the people who’d been at the battle with us knew that I’d died. They’d have my back. My deirfiúr, Connor, Claire, Emile, and Aidan definitely wouldn’t turn me in. I even had faith in Aerdeca and Mordaca, our friends over in Darklane.

“Where is Aidan?” I asked.

Cass’s boyfriend was a serious badass and respected by the magical governments because of his massive wealth and power. He descended from the first Shifter and could turn into any animal he pleased. Griffins were his creature of choice. Cass was just as tough as him, though. She was a Mirror Mage who could mimic any supernatural’s magic, and she also had a whole bunch of stolen powers from her rocky past as a FireSoul.

“Aidan’s okay, right?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Cass nodded quickly. “He’s fine. Everyone is fine. Connor, Claire, and Emile. Aerdeca and Mordaca, also. You were the only one who…”

“Died,” I finished for her. Calm settled over me at the knowledge that all of my friends were okay.

Cass threw her arms around me again and muttered into my hair, “I was so scared. You were such a hero.”

Nix’s hand rested on my back, as if she couldn’t help but touch me to confirm I was really back.

I squeezed Cass, then pulled away. “We all were. Another fight, another day, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Dangerous world out there.” Nix tipped her chin toward the window. “But you went above and beyond. And now that you’re back, it’s safer for the rest of us.”

I grinned. “It was easy.”

Nix hugged me.

When I pulled back, I asked, “Where’s Aidan?”

“Off following a lead about a portal to the Underworld, but I’ll text him now that you’re back.” Cass pulled her phone out of her pocket.

“Yeah, I found that portal, thank fates.” I swallowed the last bite of food and leaned toward Emile so that Ralph and Rufus could jump off my shoulders onto his. “We should get out of here.”

Claire came over with a to-go cup and handed it over. “I figured you’d want to take this on the road. I added a boost.”

“Thank you. You’re a life saver.”

In addition to the Cornish pasties they served, P & P’s drink specialty was enchanted coffees. I didn’t know what they added, but the special boost was like a shot of Red Bull in your coffee, without the jitters. I didn’t always add it, but today… Totally necessary.

“No, that would be me.” Connor approached from the back. He handed me a small black pouch. “There are a few helpful potion bombs in here. Red are Portlothian acid bombs. Deadly. Gold are freeze bombs. Blue unfreezes whatever you’ve frozen. The dark green is your potion. Take it every day. They’re labeled, so you don’t get them confused. Do not drink the acid bomb.”

“No problem.” I grinned and took the bag. “Thanks.”

Connor looked at me hard. “Don’t forget to take it every day. The poison is still in your system. You’ll start looking like an Ubilaz demon if you don’t take it, and that’s just the beginning of the transition.”

Okay, yeah. I wouldn’t be forgetting this potion.

“Thanks. You’re a life saver. Literally.”

“Come on,” Cass said. “You need a shower, then we’ll come up with a plan for getting that demon.”

“Yeah.” I looked at Claire, Connor, and Emile. “Thanks again, guys.”

“Let us know how we can help,” Claire said.

I felt almost entirely normal as we said goodbye and left P & P. The night was cool and dark, the silence punctuated only by crickets.

“The best thing we can do is split up,” Cass said. “Use our dragon sense to try to find a different Ubilaz demon. That increases our odds of catching one.”

Nix nodded. “Smart.”

We neared Ancient Magic and Cass said, “Let me duck inside and get my bag.”

“Yeah, I left mine too.” Nix followed her in.

I trailed them into our shop, soothed by the familiarity of the place. It was filled with all sorts of magical artifacts that we sold to the highest bidder. But we were totally legal.

My deirfiúr and I might hunt ancient artifacts for a living, but we didn’t keep them. Our goal was to retrieve the magical spells encased in the artifacts. The magic decayed with time, becoming unstable and dangerous. We removed the spell from the artifact and transferred it to a replica, which we then sold. Once it was all done, we returned the artifact to its original resting place.

It was how we stayed on the right side of the law and kept our consciences in the clear. None of us wanted to steal from the dead, or disrupt archaeological sites.

Cass held up her bag. “Right! I’ve got it. We can go.”

As I turned to leave the shop, the air vibrated around me, something I’d never felt before. I snapped my mouth closed and glanced around.

“You feel that?” Cass asked, her green gaze darting.

“Yeah,” I muttered.

It thrummed against my skin, a strangely soothing feeling. At least, it’d be soothing if it weren’t so unusual.

Then the power hit me. The signature of a supernatural who was so strong it made my breath come short and my ears hum with a low buzz. The scent of sandalwood filled my nose, and the taste of a fine red wine exploded on my tongue.

“Ohhh shit,” I breathed as I turned toward the door.

The man who walked into the shop made my heart pound like I’d run a marathon.

This was the Warden. No question. His power was so immense I felt like I’d been hit by a truck.

I just couldn’t get a break. First the Ubilaz demon, now this guy.

Worse, he was everything I’d feared and nothing I’d expected.

For one, he was too damned handsome. Probably the best looking guy I’d ever seen, which would normally make me say something stupid. Particularly since his was the strong, dark type of handsome. Like a freaking fallen angel.

But I couldn’t focus on his looks when his power was sucker punching me. His magical signature was so strong that all five of my senses registered it.

The scent of sandalwood and the taste of wine were familiar, but the feel of his magic—a caress that made me shiver—was entirely unexpected. And the sound—a low growl that was as seductive as it was threatening—was a signature I’d never heard before. His aura was bright blue, a rare cobalt that I suspected was unique to him. Few supernaturals had auras—those who did were one some of the most extreme magical signatures.

With it, this guy hit up all five of my senses. No, six, I realized. He was lighting up my dragon sense, which only picked up things of value.

My heart raced as my dragon sense pulled me toward him.

No, no, no. This guy was not valuable to me. He couldn’t be. I didn’t even know him.

But my dragon sense did. And it didn’t seem to care that he was the Warden, come to drag me back to hell.