Monster Baiter (An Obscure Magic Book 6) by Viola Grace

into the human world again. How delightful.”
    He stepped toward her, grabbing her by the front of her tunic and pulling her up against the wall. “What a pretty little thing you are. I have my freedom and a pet, all in one.”
    A low growl came from the side of the room. “Put her down, Father.”
    Dazed, Sophia looked over toward Magnus.
    He was standing tall, his dark hair flowing down his back, shoulders wide, and two long spiralling horns emerged from his forehead.
    “You are one of mine? How delightful. Give me a moment while I break her in and you can have a turn.” Arion licked down her neck and over the front of her tunic.
    Her senses were screaming so loudly she was deafened. This was a true monster, and she was acting as bait whether she intended to or not.
    Magnus was a foot shorter than Arion, but he still managed to spin the demon around.
    Sophia dropped to the floor, and she landed hard but got herself together. She couldn’t use defensive spells, but she could use protective spells for someone else. She concentrated on Magnus as he attacked with fists and horns.
    The wounds that the demon inflicted were healed seconds later, and Magnus was goring and slashing at Arion with fury. He was getting stronger with every step.
    She focused on him and pushed herself to dump as much power into Magnus as she could manage. His skin turned the same glossy pearl as his horns, and Arion’s attacks skidded off his skin.
    The demon fell back and dropped to his knees. Finally, he began to beg for relief.
    Magnus growled. “You should not have touched her.”
    He reached up, cracked off one horn and ran it through Arion’s chest.
    Sophia had never seen a demon die before. The light went from his eyes, and the power in his body flared outward in a cataclysmic explosion that flung her back once again.
     
    She woke up being carried out of the workshop. “What happened?”
    Magnus was looking like himself again. “You managed to remove the curse on the flute case.”
    She smiled and leaned against his chest. “Oh good. I think it gave me a hallucination. Shit got weird.”
    Magnus pressed a kiss to her temple. “Yes, it did. I am surprised you aren’t complaining about me being a quarter demon.”
    “Oh. That. That was real?”
    He was carrying her into the house and heading for her bedroom.
    He set her down in her bed and smoothed his hand over her head. “Yes, it was real.”
    She smiled and touched her head. “I think I got a concussion.”
    “Likely. You hit the wall a few times.”
    She blinked. “That was real?”
    “Yes. I think I should use a healing charm on you while I tell you the story of my family.”
    She looked up at him. “You are going to tell me a story?”
    He shook his head with a smile. “Yes, I am.”
    He lifted her up again, turned and sat on her bed, propping himself against the headboard before he began to tell her about his family. She was settled across his lap.
    “I come from a long line of unicorns. Nine generations were all unicorn shifters. Each member found their match and donated their horns as necessary for healing spells.”
    He hugged her. “My mother told me that she was on her way to heal some locals when Arion appeared in front of her. What followed was short and violent, but he couldn’t keep her because of her nature, and the demon blood became the recessive gene. She got away, and I was the result.”
    “You look human. Your aura registers as that of a mage.”
    He chuckled. “Yes, it does. That is how I was able to be in the guild for hundreds of years before I faced off against Arion in a public place. I managed to wound him but exposed myself in the process. That is what instigated my time in amber.”
    “You got taller and you have horns.”
    “Yes. I only need that form to fight.”
    She looked up at him. She pressed her hand to his cheek. “Still not a monster.”
    He blinked rapidly. “That is not what the guild thinks.”
    “They aren’t cursed to