ChaPter 2 - Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

2
Sudden displeasure on his face made her pause, but she’d
come too far to hesitate now. “I am not ruling class, but I’ll find
a way to pay. Information. Pleasure. Blood. I’ll do whatever you
want if you protect my daughter.”
“Marchosias is her sire? You swear on it?”
“I do.” Even if she wanted to lie, she couldn’t: she was a
daimon held in a witch’s summoning circle. Adam was one of
the oldest witches; he’d been one of the witch children who
escaped several centuries ago when the wars ended. He could
probably compel her without a circle, but he’d been given
her name to summon her into his world and into a binding
circle—at her request.
Adam continued to watch her with his unnatural witch’s
eyes, and Selah couldn’t decide if bowing her head submissively
or holding his gaze was wiser. Witches might look like
daimons, but they were a different species, tolerated in her
world only if they were weak or under Marchosias’ control.
Here in the human world they might hide from the other
mortal creatures, but every daimon knew that they were terrifyingly
powerful. She opted for kneeling and holding his gaze.
“What’s her name?”
“Mallory,” Selah whispered.
“Swear that Mallory is given freely into my care, that if I
accept your offer you will obey me in all things.” Adam paused
and stepped as close to the circle as he could without breaking
it. “Swear that you will accept death before endangering her
or me.”