Chapter 21 · Debt in Blood

"Take your hand off the card, Cole. Now."

Eve's fingers locked around my wrist before I could tear the Ace in half.

The card burned between us. Not hot like paper near a flame. Hot like a brand pressed straight into bone. Red lines crawled across its black surface, forming the same words that had been waiting for me inside the deck.

MIDNIGHT CONTRACT: ACTIVE.

"Let go," I said.

"No."

"Eve."

"You rip that card, and the contract rips you back."

I jerked hard. Her grip tightened.

She stood close enough that her coat brushed my knuckles. Her breath touched my cheek, warm and quick, but her eyes stayed cold. She had a knife tucked under my ribs, one hand on my wrist, and the cursed deck sat open on the table between us.

She had planned for this.

That pissed me off more than the pain.

"You knew I could void it," I said.

"I knew you would try."

"Same thing."

"Not even close."

I shoved my free hand against her shoulder. Eve barely moved. The room snapped with red light.