Demon Marked by Meljean Brook Read Free Book Online Page A

didn’t. Almost dismissively, she looked away from Nicholas and scanned the room. “Are any of Rachel’s things still here?”
    â€œNo.” He had a few items, including the overnight bag she’d packed for the weekend they’d intended to spend together—Madelyn had shot her before they’d left town. The rest of Rachel’s belongings had been returned to her family. “Her parents took them back to the States. Why?”
    â€œIf you can’t help me, perhaps they can.” She touched the steel collar. “So let me go, and I’ll leave you alone.”
    Not a fucking chance, especially if she truly meant to see Rachel’s parents. Goddamned demons. If this was a threat, she’d chosen the perfect one.
    Unlike the police and the press, Rachel’s parents had believed Nicholas. When he’d told them that Rachel had thrown herself in front of him, they hadn’t asked what Nicholas had done to deserve such a sacrifice; they’d only said Rachel’s selfless act was exactly what they’d have expected from her. And though they hadn’t understood how her body had disappeared any better than Nicholas had, they’d believed that, too.
    And they were still looking for her. If this demon showed up at their home, no doubt they’d welcome her with open arms and call it a miracle.
    The Boyles didn’t deserve that. They’d suffered enough. No way in hell would Nicholas let a demon arrive at their house wearing their dead daughter’s face. But he couldn’t let her know that he felt the need to protect Rachel’s family from her, because she’d use it against him.
    Nicholas focused on how he intended to use the demon, instead. “So you want me to just let you walk away?” He shook his head. “The way I see it, you’re the last person to have contact with Madelyn. That means you’re my best chance of finding her. Where is she?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    And he wouldn’t get anywhere as long as she kept lying. All right, then. He’d call her bluff. She wanted to know who she really was? He’d discover how much she’d risk to find out.
    â€œOkay.” He lowered the crossbow. “Then I propose a bargain: You help me track Madelyn down, and I’ll help you discover who you are.”
    She hesitated. Damn right she did. A bargain was the most dangerous agreement a demon could make. Any party to a bargain that didn’t follow through on the terms would find their soul trapped in Hell’s frozen field when they died, tortured for eternity. A human who didn’t fulfill the terms would be trapped, too, but Nicholas was willing to take that risk to find Madelyn.
    An emotion that might have been wariness entered her voice. “What would the bargain entail, exactly?”
    â€œAs I said. You use the knowledge you have to help me find the demon who impersonated my mother. And no lying to me for as long as we’re bound together—that’s part of this bargain. You can’t conceal information about the demon who pretended to be Madelyn, or anything that might lead me to her. Every relevant bit of info, no matter how trivial, you give to me the moment you think of it. In return, I’ll help you discover who you are.”
    â€œI won’t be of use to you. I don’t know where Madelyn is,” she said.
    Hedging, delaying. Nicholas hadn’t expected anything different. He raised the crossbow again. “So that’s a no .”
    â€œNo, I didn’t say that.” She pressed her fingertips to her forehead, as if forcing herself to think. Rachel used to do the same, but her eyes had never begun turning crimson as this demon’s eyes were. “I just . . . I’ve entered into a bargain before. I don’t know what . But I know that it’s not something I should do quickly. So I’m telling you now that you’ll be disappointed,