Forged by Fate by Reese Monroe

College campus sleeps late. Those who do witness, they’ll be mind-wiped.”
    “Shit.”
    “Exactly.” He dug out a dagger. “It’s not a Mavet, but you can do some serious damage if you can behead them.”
    “Did you say behead ?”
    “Doesn’t end them permanently like the Mavet, but it gets them out of your face for now. And if they’re first-timers, never been to Hades, it’ll send them there.”
    Holy hell. Beheading? She wasn’t ready for this. How could she— No. She shook the negativity out. She had to. It was either that or die.
    Hairs stood to attention at the base of her neck, and she ducked, pivoting and leading with her dagger.
    Rancid breath flooded her senses; the weight of the being tumbling into her forced her weapon into his gut as he knocked her to the ground. She tensed, bracing for pain as the demon leaned in to chomp on her neck, but the creature vanished in a poof of dust.
    Justin looked down at her. “Nice move. Just swipe the neck next time. Daggers to the heart don’t do much but slow them down…a little.”
    “Enough for you to behead.” She coughed through the soot and hopped to her feet in time to greet the remaining two attackers.
    No hiding the fangs now.
    She spun and kicked one demon in the gut in Justin’s direction, then faced the other, legs bent, weapon pointed.
    “Toughest Ahavah yet,” the demon said through his fangs.
    “You don’t know the half of it, asshole.”
    He lunged, just what she’d wanted. Another spin and duck had her behind him. She kicked out the knee to get him down to her level, then cinched her arm around his neck, blade to skin.
    In the next breath, Justin stood before her, wiping demon blood off his hand. One scan of the area showed there were no more.
    “Where is he?” Justin asked, adding to the metal blades to the demon’s throat.
    The monster grunted, offering nothing.
    “So, how do I do this vanquishing thing?” Sadie asked, ready to inflict some pain on this asshole. “Just slide this across here, right?” She inched the blade through the skin. Blood spurted. “Oh. That’s not right, is it?”
    Justin laughed, playing along like he could read her mind. “A little harder. Try again.”
    She sawed a little, and the demon groaned. “Tell me where he is,” she said.
    “If you’re really his Mate, you’ll find him.” The demon closed his eyes and sagged against her blade. She finished swiping, and he vaporized.
    “Well, shit.”
    “He wouldn’t have talked anyway. But I never would have guessed you were so devious.” He held out his fist for a knuckle bump. “Serious badass karate chick.”
    She stood, shaking off the fear starting to rattle through her again. No, it wasn’t fear. It was power. Strength.
    From Theo.
    “Where are we going now?”
    Justin grabbed her bag, then motioned to his car. “To the house. That’s what Theo said to do if things went wrong.”
    “So you two planned all this out? Decided he would go to Hades to…research things? Decided what to do with me? Decided everything…” Son of a bitch .
    She hated nothing more than not being in control. And it seemed Theo and Justin just took control whenever and however they wanted.
    “Uh-oh.” Justin’s hands went up in surrender. “You’re about to blow, aren’t you?”
    She glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest. He had no idea.
    “Look. Theo—we both—just want you safe, so we made a plan in case you were in danger. And Theo missing, demons coming after you right on campus, yeah, that constitutes danger.”
    “And what? I’m supposed to just go quietly and sit at your house for God knows how long it takes for Theo to get himself out of whatever mess he’s in down there?”
    “Um…yeah?” Justin sheathed his dagger and glanced around.
    Sadie dipped her chin and worked to give her best “so not gonna happen” look.
    “He would kill me if I let you go in and get him.” Justin shook his head. “I might as well slit my own