Lethal Blow: (Succubus Hitwoman Book 2) by Eliza Hendrix (best motivational books to read TXT) 📗

down the drywall. “You gonna talk, or would you prefer to get your vocal cords crushed?”

Her face is now three shades darker than it was seconds ago.

“Okay, okay,” she mumbles.

Shoving her one last time, I let it go.

She grabs at the back of her head, then reaches for her inflamed cheek.

“My name’s… my name’s Cassidy.”

I don’t give a shit about your life story. Get to the point.

I should feel bad for hurting her, but I don’t. Being used by someone is something I don’t tolerate. If there’s one thing I hate more than being lied to, it’s being made to feel like a moron. The stunt she pulled made me feel both, not to mention frustrated beyond belief.

How did I not see this coming? I’ve had demons approach me to get a taste of my sex, but not like this. It wasn’t the sex she wanted—it was the orgasm. I should have sensed what was going on.

“Get to the point, Cassidy.”

She stretches her neck sideways, and that’s when I notice it.

Her hand.

Where’s her ring? The only people who should be present in this place are Devania’s people—those she’s vetted through a series of trials to determine their trustworthiness.

I should know. I had to go through all that shit myself.

I clench a fist, prepared to pin her to the wall again, but she must know what I’m thinking. At once, she raises her hands, palms out, to her crimson face. “Easy. I’m not a bad guy.”

“Then where’s your ring?” I say sharply.

“It’s complicated.”

“Then uncomplicate it for me.”

She sighs as if the story she’s about to tell me is too farfetched to believe.

“There’s a new spell going around,” she says. “It mimics that ring’s magic.” She points at my hand, where my Battalion ring sits. “Basically, the spell lets me in on the meetings. Some people are even replicating the actual ring. If I’d had more time, I might have done that, but I didn’t.”

I narrow my glare to get her to talk faster.

“Listen, I’m not here to cause any trouble. I only wanted inside the meeting to find a succubus.”

I’m not sure what’s throwing me off the most—that Devania’s rings can no longer be trusted as proof of alliance, or that this witch specifically sought out a succubus to cast some outrageous spell.

She opens her mouth before I can threaten her. “Word has it that these meetings are all about inclusivity. I tried my luck at meeting succubi at the Dark Hall, but then, well, everything went to shit. That’s when I found out about the Battalion.”

How would she even know about the Battalion?

Her protruding brows meet in the middle of her forehead. “Why do you look so shocked? Haven’t you noticed what’s going on? There’s chaos everywhere. People are panicking. Whoever’s running this underground thing is a quack if they think their big secret is still a secret. You can’t trust anyone. There will always be traitors.”

I don’t want to believe her, but deep down, I know she’s right.

Everything’s gone to shit, and if Zerachu herself can be kidnapped and taken out of the Dark Hall, the bad guys have most definitely found a way to infiltrate Devania’s Battalion.

“If you knew about the Battalion, why not become a member?”

“I tried, but it turns out I’m too hung up on my own needs.”

So, she let the Cerberus maul the girl. For what?

“Say I believe you,” I retort. “What spell were you trying to cast? What is it you want so badly? Because if you aren’t one of the bad guys, what the hell are you doing chasing after so much power in the middle of a Battalion meeting?”

She looks away, and I can’t tell if she’s ashamed or heartbroken.

“I’m trying to cast a resurrection spell,” she mumbles.

I’m about to slap her across the face, so instead, I bite the tip of my tongue until it hurts.

“I don’t need to hear your speech,” she says, no doubt sensing my disapproval.

“Good,” I say. “I’m glad you already know you’re an idiot.”

“He was my one and only,” she says.

A lover.

I should have known.

Admittedly, I do feel a bit sorry for her. I know what it’s like to get hung up on wanting to bring a loved one back from the dead. I considered it more times than once with Jamal, and with several other people from my past, but everyone knows resurrection spells don’t work. At least not in the way people want them to.

“It wouldn’t be him,” I say.

She knows this—that’s why she looks like she’s been caught cheating on an exam.

“I know,” she finally breathes. Her lower lip trembles, so I grab her by the face.

“Listen to me,” I say.

Minutes ago, Cassidy looked like she didn’t give a shit about anything other than getting her lover back. But now, as I stare her cold in the face, it’s obvious she’s terrified and desperate for help.

“You need to stop chasing after the dead. When your time on Earth is up, you’ll see him again, you hear me?”

With her cheeks deflated between my fingers, she scoffs. “How would you know anything about the afterlife?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m immortal. Well, my body is. I’ve been thrown out of it more times than I can count, and I can assure you that there’s more to life than this physical bullshit.”

A glimmer of hope sparkles in her eyes, so I let go of her face.

“Now, will you stop with the sex magic and live the only mortal life you have?”

With watery eyes, she nods.

Would you look at that? I helped someone despite my anger. Surprisingly, it doesn’t feel too bad. Clearing my throat to rid the awkward silence, I stiffen my stance. “Now that I’ve