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“Zeke, take Cyn and go sit in the other room. He’s making things worse.”

Boots thudded on the kitchen floor as Cyn left with Zeke trailing him until they were out of earshot.

“Listen, I know you don’t understand.” When I turned at his voice, Ash went on. “You’re not supposed to know about any of this. About us. This book. Any of it. But you need to know you performed a ritual. It wasn’t a game. Whatever you said, whatever the page said, brought us here, probably using your blood as the conduit.”

I shut my eyes, forcing three deep breaths to steady myself before I exploded. When I reopened them, Ash’s somber olive stare met mine. “So, for the sake of argument, if all this insanity is true… why can’t you just go back to wherever you came from? Where are you from?”

Ezra turned and walked into the living room.

It seemed another one wasn’t happy with me. Join the club, pal. I wasn’t thrilled four grown—possibly insane—men lurked in my home like they couldn’t leave.

Ash closed the book and placed it on the counter. “We’re not like you, and we’re not from around here. We come from somewhere far away.”

“Well, I don’t have money to give you for a ticket home.” I grabbed my phone and limped out of the kitchen, passing Ezra who leaned against the wall. I ignored Cyn and Zeke on the sofa and stopped in front of the entertainment center, holding up my phone. “If you’re not gone soon, the police will arrest you when they get here.” I looked at Ash. “Since you were nice enough to help me with my foot, I’ll give you ten minutes before I call them.”

Cyn jumped from the sofa, shaking off Zeke’s hands when he tried to stop him. “You don’t get it!” He charged at me, seizing my arms and yanking me to a stop. Again, the strange jolt I experienced with Ash earlier sizzled up my spine at his touch.

“We can’t leave,” he said, his voice dropping into a threat. “You summoned us here.”

“I didn’t—”

“You did. With blood magic.”

My brows slammed together. “W-what?” I laughed. “Are you shitting me right now? This isn’t funny. Magic isn’t real. What the hell are you talking about?” He sounded like Grandma when her mind slipped.

His hands slid up my arms to grasp the sides of my neck, his thumbs forcing my chin up, holding me in place when I tried to look away. Too close. “Hear me now. It’s real. None of this is funny. I am not the least bit amused.” His thumbs pressed into the hollow beneath my jaw. “We’re real, right?”

“Obviously.”

“We’re not human.”

I scoffed. “Okay, you’re real and insane.” I tensed, ready to pull away, but his fingers stiffened, warning me not to move.

Zeke snickered, and Cyn glared at him, making him fall silent.

“That book over there? It’s demonic.”

“Cyn!”

“Shut up, Ezra. This is the only way we’re going to get through her thick skull without cracking it open, and I think we need her alive to get home or I’d already have done it for what she’s done.”

My eyes widened, and I tried to pull away, but his fingers dug in, forcing a whimper from me. His eyes flashed with something that looked like desire, but he seemed to hate me, so it made no sense. I couldn’t read him.

Leaning in, Cyn’s breath fanned across my face, and I caught a brief glimpse of silver on his tongue. Did he have a piercing? “Listen to me. I’m a Shyrlivi.”

“Shyrlivi?”

“Yes,” he whispered, his fingers loosening a fraction. “Shyrlivi. We all are. Do you know what that means?”

I swallowed, and he grinned when my throat worked beneath his hands. “No,” I whispered.

“It means a type of infernal. We’re infernals. Not human. And your blood brought us here.” He leaned in, his mouth brushing my ear, his whisper only for me. “Do we need your blood to send us home? How much do you think it’d take? A few drops? Waterfalls from your unblemished neck?”

“Please don’t hurt me,” I breathed. My voice trembled, betraying me.

He lifted his head and stared down at me without a word. I couldn’t name the emotions flickering in his eyes, but something in his demeanor shifted, and he stepped back.

“Do you believe him?” Zeke asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs. “That we’re infernals?”