Beyond the Veil by Pippa DaCosta

tell us where we can find him. ”
      “ I don ’ t know that man. I ’ ve never seen him before in my life. ” Why was he so insistent? Wasn ’ t I meant to be the victim here? I certainly did not like how he looked at me or how he implied I was lying. Despite the fact that he was right.
      Bergin refused to look away as I deliberately pinned my stare on his. He might think he could bully me. In fact from the sordid gaze, I could tell he wasn ’ t thinking much beyond what lay beneath my dress. He had no idea what he was dealing with.
      “ Are you done? ” My fingers twitched at my sides. I could spill a little power into my touch if I needed to. He ’ d wake with one hell of a headache.
      He snorted a laugh. “ You half-bloods are all the same. ”
      I looked away, plastering a grin on my lips. Apparently there was more going on here than a simple Q and A. Now that he ’ d revealed he knew me, we could cut to the chase.
      He stood, the chair legs scraping across the floor, and steepled his fingers on the table before him. He bowed his head but kept his eyes on me, like a wolf hunched, ready to attack. “ You think Akil can protect you? ”
      I summoned a little heat, pooling it in the palms of my hands. If he noticed any change in me, he didn ’ t show it.
      “ He ’ s not here now. ” Bergin ’ s voice began to slur and grind his words, no doubt something to do with the elongated teeth cluttering his mouth.
      Demon. I had no idea what sort, but knew I was about to find out.
      The exit door stood at about the same distance away from me as Bergin. If I made a dash for it, the table between us would slow him down.
      He straightened, muscles cracking as he shook off his human guise. The bulk of him shimmered indistinctly. My limited human eyesight blurred the full depth of his transformation, but I saw his form expand as though he ’ d gained a few more pounds in a few seconds. His flesh peppered with scales. His mouth and nose stretched outward, elongating into a snout. His curved fangs drooled saliva. A forked tongue flicked.
      He hunched over, arms pinned to his sides as his body stretched. Scales latticed the length of him until nothing of the detective remained. The huge serpent reared up, mounting the table in one fluid ripple of its smooth body.
      “ I shall be rewarded …” Its hideous voice clawed through my thoughts.
      I thrust a bolt of energy down my right arm and cast my hand out, lashing a whip-like tendril of heat across its scaled form, then sprinted for the door. I managed perhaps two strides, before it slithered in front of me, blocking my path. Serpentine eyes blazed green. A black tongue flicked, tasting the air, forcing me back.
      “ You should be dead, ” It quite literally hissed, spittle streaming from its fangs, but I heard the words clearly inside my mind. “… your throat cut the day you were born. That is our way. You are a monstrosity! ”
      “ Look who ’ s talking, ” I snarled.
      I dipped my chin, looking up at the demon through hooded eyes. Thrusting both arms down at my sides, I summoned power, drawing it into me while the darkest part of me spilled into fragile flesh.
    The serpent-demon rose higher, jaws opening into a glistening grin. It lunged forward as I threw everything I had at it. A furious blast of energy funneled through me, slamming into the beast with enough force for it to ripple backward, shaking its whiskered head with a wrenching scream. I backed up again, the power planting itself inside every limb, pooling in muscle, bolstering my fragile flesh. It rushed through me, a burning elixir spilling through my veins, bringing me to life. And this time it had a target.
      I lashed out, casting a lance of power toward the layered scales of the thing ’ s chest. The blanching white heat passed through it, tearing a hole. The demon lifted its head and let out a keening cry that drilled into my skull.
      I staggered. Its cry