Esther started to pull away from Jesse, ignoring Scarlett’s protests that he shouldn’t push himself like that. She froze, her gaze caught by what looked like a dried spot of blood at each pulse point. “What-” She broke off, not sure she wanted her question answered.
“Each time you sever all a demon’s ties to existence, you take a little piece of their power for yourself. Possibly corrupted power that will, in turn, corrupt you.” Jesse let go of her arms.
Esther continued to hold them up, her gaze fixed on the marks. “I don’t feel any different.”
“One minor demon won’t make a noticeable difference.” Jesse shrugged. “It could take five, or ten, or only a single demon more powerful than you expected.”
“When did I get the marks?” Esther met Jesse’s gaze, finally able to draw her own from t
