Free Seducing the Demon Huntress by Victoria Davies

than physical prowess and Abaddon was the strongest of them all. His royal blood gave him all the demons’ strengths with few of their weaknesses, both physically and magically. And against magic, Kerilyn had no defense.
    Abaddon grinned, a vicious twist of his lips, and reached for her. The air froze in her chest as his fingers stretched toward her like claws. She tried to breathe but her lungs refused to work.
    The panic was overpowering. Clawing at her throat, she fought to take in air. Her vision dimmed as she sank to her knees.
    Wicked pleasure lit Abaddon’s eyes as he suffocated her. She tried to think of something, anything, she could do to save herself but drew a blank. Her time was running out.
    Arawn, however, hadn’t left her alone. Rounding on his brother, he wrapped a powerful hand around Abaddon’s throat.
    Kerilyn gasped as air rushed back into her body. The king obviously needed his powers to best his brother. For a moment all she could do was pant as her oxygen-starved body came back to life. She looked up at the fighting brothers and realized just how out of her depth she was.
    Fire flared around them. Wind tugged at their hair as they fought. Both men were wounded and bleeding. Even without weapons, they were doing more damage than she’d ever be able to inflict.
    Kerilyn narrowed her eyes. She couldn’t attack head on. Abaddon had proved that if he saw her, her attack was finished. But maybe she could use Arawn as a distraction.
    Slipping one dagger back into the sheath at her hip, she crept to her feet. She’d have one chance, one blow. Had to make it count.
    Arawn’s dark eyes met hers for a moment as she sidled behind his brother, careful to keep out of his line of sight. She met Arawn’s gaze, knowing all it would take was a slip on his part and she was done. Looked like she was trusting him to choose her after all.
    She stepped quickly to the side, moving with Abaddon like a shadow. Closer and closer she crept.
    When she was in position, she wasted no time on second guessing.
    “Abaddon!” she called.
    The king whirled toward her just as she struck.
    Her dagger sliced through the air to lodge itself in his throat. Red eyes widened in surprise. It’d be a killing blow on any other creature, but this was a lord of the Netherworld. It’d take more than this to put him down.
    But Arawn leaped forward. His hands pressed against the sides of his brother’s face as magical words dripped from his lips. He closed his eyes, concentrating on his spell. Weakened as Abaddon was, Arawn had all the advantage he needed.
    Kerilyn watched the blood trickle from Abaddon’s lips. She couldn’t look away from the hatred in his eyes but even that terrifying emotion couldn’t stem the smile of triumph curving her lips. They’d done it. Arawn would send him back and they’d be free. She’d actually survived the night.
    Red eyes narrowed even as wind whipped around them. Even Kerilyn could feel the rising magic playing across her skin. Every hair on her arms stood on end as Arawn’s power flooded the room. Abaddon started to flicker like static on a bad television set. Soon he’d be out of her life for another year.
    She should have stepped back, should have broken the king’s mesmerizing gaze and moved away. If she had, she never would have been close enough for his hand to strike out.
    Pain flared in her side, so sharp and encompassing it stole her breath away.
    Satisfaction filled the red eyes she couldn’t look away from. Blood ran down Abaddon’s ruined throat, but he smile anyway.
    They both knew he’d won.
    Abaddon winced in pain, dropping his eyes from hers, and the connection broke. Finally able to look down, Kerilyn saw the demon king’s claws embedded in her flesh. A killing blow if she’d ever seen one.
    A metallic taste filled her mouth and she knew it was blood. Her body was faltering.
    Nothing felt real as she raised her hand and grabbed her dagger. With a last vicious twist she tore