“In my time, courtship is a little less strict. More for enjoyment than for marriage.” I suppressed a shudder at the thought of marrying José.
Oliver’s eyebrows flew sky-high. “Well, then. So, you have a . . . boyfriend? That sounds like a very pointed hint.”
My cheeks burned, and I self-consciously rubbed my nose. Why did I bring this up? “No, no, I didn’t mean—I just—sorry.” I finished lamely.
The corner of Oliver’s mouth quirked upward in a smug half grin. “I, uh, didn’t give you the wrong impression, did I?”
The blush in my cheeks deepened, and I knew my whole face was red. I glared at him. “Of course not. Besides, it’s pretty clear to me that you and Elena are . . .” I trailed off uncertainly.
Oliver smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are what?”
I blew air through my lips. “Courting.”
Oliver chuckled and dropped his head, his shoulders shaking. “No.”
My heart fluttered. “No what?”
“No, Elena and I are not courting.”
“Oh.” Why did I feel relieved?
Silence. Painful, awkward silence. Well, awkward for me. Oliver still stared at me, his eyes laughing and that stupid smirk still plastered on his face. He was enjoying this.
“So, the Council, huh?” I said, rubbing my nose.
Oliver’s smile vanished. “What?”
I waved a hand at him. “You’re on the Council?”
Oliver rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes darting away from me. “Yes, I am.”
“That must be nice.”
Oliver raised an eyebrow. “And what do you know about it? You’re not on the Council.”
“How do you know I’m not? In my time.”
Oliver laughed and cocked his head at me. “Women don’t serve on the Council.”
I stiffened. “What? Why not?”
Oliver’s brow furrowed, his eyes widening like I was crazy. “They—they just don’t. They don’t hold any government positions either. It’s just how it is, Desi.”
I blinked. “That’s ridiculous! Alba’s the leader of your coven!”
“Yes, because of her connections to the community and the Santería priestesses. But there’s no way the Council would leave the lives of thousands of witches and warlocks in her hands. That would be like . . . a woman becoming a surgeon. Or a soldier. Women just don’t hold that kind of responsibility.”
I scoffed and raised my eyebrows, my blood boiling. “Really,” I said icily.
Oliver’s smile faded, and his face slackened. As if he’d just realized what an asshole he was being.
A loud crash echoed in the cave as an enormous shape collided with the pile of weapons. Fear pressed in on me, suffocating me, as my wide eyes fixed on the massive shape. My hands felt glued to my sides. I was powerless, just like with the vampires.
The shape groaned and shifted. Various weapons fell from its body as it disentangled itself from the mess. It was a large creature as tall as a bus, with thick, knotted black hair that fell below its shoulders. Its mud-colored skin was rough and bumpy. Sharp, filthy claws extended from its huge, scarred hands. Long tusks protruded from its mouth, and the snout on its face reminded me of a warthog. Its animal eyes narrowed at us.
“Humans,” it grunted with distaste.
My mouth became very small as I exchanged a quick look with Oliver. His startled expression melted quickly into a smile as he raised a hand to the creature. “Hello. Uh, actually, we’re Second Tier demons.”
The creature blinked slowly. “Human,” it insisted.
“We practice dark magic,” Oliver said, “which, technically, makes us demons.”
An unintelligible grunt expelled from the creature’s mouth. It cracked its meaty knuckles and waved a large, gray hand forward. “Fight.”
Oliver’s face slackened in surprise. “F-fight you?”
“Fight,” the creature said again, its tone angrier.
Oliver glanced at the pile of weapons, but the creature stretched its hand palm out to stop him.
“No weapon.”
Oliver’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. Then his easy expression returned. “All right.” He raised his fists.
The creature lumbered forward and punched Oliver in the stomach.
I shrieked and covered my mouth as Oliver pummeled backward several feet. Just before a sharp stalagmite impaled him, a gust of wind engulfed him, slowing his momentum and landing him gently on his feet.
Oliver lowered his hands, and the wind vanished. Breathing heavily, he rubbed his stomach and coughed several times. He doubled over and made several nasty gagging sounds before straightening.
“Again,” the creature grunted.
Oliver took a few deep breaths, his jaw tensing with determination, and he nodded. The creature lumbered forward again, but Oliver ducked to dodge the blow. Fire burst from his fingertips and engulfed the creature, but this didn’t deter it. The demon stepped through the flames without flinching.
My eyes rounded as I stared at the creature’s tough, leather-like skin. It’s immune, I realized.
Oliver realized this too, only too late. The creature swiped its huge arm into Oliver, who tumbled, rolling against the rocky ground and sliding against a misshapen boulder.
“Hey!” I roared angrily, raising my hands. I Pushed at the monster, but it lifted a huge hand and absorbed the momentum of my magic. I Pushed again, harder, and grunted from the effort. It was like wading upstream or trudging through molasses. I couldn’t get past the creature’s thick, dense skin.
I Pushed again and again until the creature lumbered toward me. My efforts were useless. And then it stood right in front of me, at least two feet above me in height. Its putrid breath blew the stray hairs around my face, and I resisted the urge to quiver with fear.
It pushed a clawed hand against my shoulder and shoved me.
I yelped and fell hard on my backside. The creature’s gaze bore down on me, and I shrank under its scrutiny.
“Stay,” the creature grunted. “Beat me, then go.” It slammed a fist against the cavern wall. The rocky surface shimmered into liquid. The creature stepped through and vanished.
Chapter 10
I HURRIED TO OLIVER’S side. A trail of blood lined one side of his face, and gravel fragments stuck to his neck and cheek. He coughed and sputtered as I helped him to his feet.
“What the frack was that thing?” I asked, brushing dirt and rocks off
