Encounter with the Devil

by Maya Daniels

  Recalling the conversation we had when we first got in this realm, it hits me that this has nothing to do with me. He thinks I would not accept him for who he is. The whole bullshit story he gave me after I was rescued, keeping things from me that seemed a ridiculous thing to omit, hinting he is not worthy. All that because of his fear that I will not accept who he really is.

  He was not far off in the assumption he made the first night I met him. I would’ve killed him, or at least tried to, the first chance I got. But that Helena, and this one now striding towards a seven-and-a-half-foot demon in the middle of Hell while two fallen angels watch, are two different people.

  Passing the other demon, I realize it’s Colt. He is already back to looking like himself, the creepy long claws nowhere in sight. Ignoring his stupid ass, I keep walking towards Eric. I know if I look away and break eye contact he will be out of here so fast it’ll take me days until I find him in this maze of hallways. His muscles tighten like he is ready to bolt.

  “If you take one step from where you are standing, I swear to everything I hold dear I’m going to stab you in the nose, Eric.” A choking sound comes from somewhere behind me, sounding suspiciously like Beelzebub trying to cover a laugh.

  “Get out!” The shadows darken around him, sneaking on the ground and snapping like chihuahuas at my ankles.

  “Or what?” Not slowing even for a second, I keep advancing on him. “What are you going to do, huh?”

  “I don’t want you, Helena. You need to leave, go home.” His clawed fists clench at his sides. “This is where I belong.” Rage burns in his glowing amber eyes when he takes a threatening step towards me. “This is what I am.”

  “I know who you are dumbass. I was there when I met you. Does being what you are come with a second set of horns or are they optional?” This time, Beelzebub does laugh, the sound giving me the strength to continue. “I can see the advantage.”

  “Get out, Helena!” He takes another step closer, and the temperature around us rises to an uncomfortable level.

  Hatred blazes in the amber orbs that are focused entirely on me. Good thing too, because I’m close enough now to smell the stench of blood, sweat, and dirt coming off of the dismembered bodies stacked in piles on both sides of Eric. Him lashing out to protect himself emotionally I can handle. God knows I’ve done it enough to recognize it for what it is. Sadness makes tears prickle my eyes, but I blink them away. If he sees pity, I might lose him forever. Tantrums I can handle.

  “You wanna deal with this here? Like this?” Tilting my head, I size him up.

  Eric is bigger than me in normal circumstances, and changed like this, he can crush me like a bug with one hand. I’ll have to use my smaller size to my advantage, praying to anyone that listens that we will walk out of this with no regrets and better for it. I might’ve had my misgivings before, but after expending my energy to the point of no return and surviving it, I see things differently. Hell, I’m different since I woke up. It’s time to show Eric just that. Bouncing on the balls of my feet, shaking my arms like a boxer before a match and rolling my neck, I grin at him. His eyes widen for a second.

  “Playtime jackass.”

  Not giving him time to think, I close the distance between us in a sprint. Catapulting myself as high as I can, I push off his chest with one foot, sending the other flying at his head in a perfect round kick. With a backflip, I end up on my toes facing him. He falls back but lifts up faster than I like, shaking his head to clear it. He is not even fully standing when he launches at me, his giant claw-tipped hands reaching to grab me. Pivoting out of his reach, my boot slams at the back of his knee, sending him faceplanting in the dirt.

  “Aww, look at that. This is what I am.” Mimicking his deep, gravelly voice, I taunt him.

  And I shouldn’t have done that.

  He doesn’t want to hurt me, I know that without a doubt, but I’m also aware that the chain of clusterfucks has pushed him to the edge. With a roar, he moves so fast I only see a blur of gray strips, and the next thing I know, my back hits the unforgiving ground, forcing all the air from my lungs out. A crunch tells me at least one rib is cracked or broken, and stars dance in front of my eyes.

  When my vision clears, and I’m not gasping, I blink into clarity the worried face looming above me. Eric is still in his demonic form, but the shadows seem lighter, like they are struggling to hold onto their shape. Clenching my jaw and bracing for the pain, I jackknife my legs, trapping his ankles and sending him crashing to the ground next to me. Rolling on top of him, I press my dagger under his chin.

  “The big bad demon fell for the oldest trick in the book.” I don’t sound as cocky as I would’ve liked when I wince from the sharp pain in my ribs, but whatever. He gets the point I hope.

  “Hel?” He is searching my eyes, and I let him see how much I care. That I know exactly what he is doing, and no matter what, I’m not going anywhere. How much it hurts me to see him pushing me away. The demon under my thighs gradually gives way to my Eric.

  “You know humans have this thing called communication. It solves a lot of unnecessary problems. You should try it sometimes.” Removing the dagger and sliding it at the small of my back, I give him a lopsided smile. And then I hit him one last time.

  The sound of the slap is like a gun going off in the silent arena.

  My palm is tingling from the force of the hit, but the look on Eric’s face is priceless. When he turns his face back to me, those deep green eyes are shimmering with unshed tears, and I’ll never tell him that I saw it. I will cherish seeing that emotion for the rest of my life and remember it in moments when he tests my patience. It seems all of us are dealing with emotional issues, no matter what species we are.

  “Don’t you ever do that to me again, Eric! We good?” I hold my breath until he nods.

  Folding my body over his, I wiggle my head between his shoulder and neck, inhaling his scent. My body lifts up with the amount of air he drags in before he sighs, his arms closing around me.

  “We shall leave them be.” Lucifer’s voice floats to my ears. “They know where to find us.”

  Their footsteps grow fainter before disappearing completely, leaving us alone, laying between piles or ripped up demons. Not the romantic setting I would prefer, especially with my ribs smarting, but I’ll take it. The way my life is going, who knows? Maybe this is the best romantic setting ever when your mate is the prince of Hell, his father is Lucifer, and you are apparently Satan’s daughter.

  “Yeah,” Eric kisses the top of my head. “We are good. I’m sorry, Hel.”

  I think I mumbled he should stop apologizing, but I can’t be sure it wasn’t just in my head. I feel suddenly so tired the darkness claims me from one thought to the next.

  Eric

  “If you don’t back off, I’ll skin you.” Snapping at the Haltija, I keep my voice low not to wake Helena.

  The damn thing has been whimpering and pulling his hair out in fistfuls ever since I brought her to our room. I’m not sure if he thought she was dead, or if the smell of blood, dust, and a dead demon got him into a frenzy. I had to restrain him after placing her on the bed when he tried to crawl in there with her.

  I might be an asshole for not talking things through with her, and for trying to get her to hate me, but I’ll be damned if I let anyone in bed with her. The Trowe is more like a pet than a male, but that’s beside the point.

  “You let her get hurt, Shadow.” Hissing at me, he claws the blankets at the foot of the bed. “I will sip your soul slowly if she doesn’t wake up.”

  Feeling Helena stir next to me, I look at the Trowe contemplatively. “She is fine, just needs rest.” Baring his teeth, he keeps pulling his hair in clumps. “But if you want to punish the one that hurt her, I can tell you who it was.”

  “It was you. I know it.” But doubt is plastered over his wrinkled face.

  “Okay, I won’t tell you. I’ll go punish them myself after I’m sure she is healed and well.”

/>   “Who?” Grabbing my arm, he yanks on it. “Who was it, Shadow?”

  Pretending to be angry, I fling him off me. “If was Colt. The bastard will pay when I get my hands on him.”

  “I will make him pay, Shadow.” Jumping off the floor where I pushed him, he bolts for the door. “You look after the mistress.” The door closes with a bang, and I bite my lips not to laugh.

  “You’re such an asshole.” Chuckling, Helena turns to me.

  “He was throwing hair everywhere and annoying the shit out of me.” Pushing the hair off her face, I smile at her. “Colt deserves to deal with it.”

  “What’s his problem anyway?” Stretching her arms and legs, she tests the stiffness of her limbs, nodding appreciatively when she realizes she’s not in pain. “I’m guessing this is your doing?”

  “As much as I want to take credit for it, and the fates know I can use anything I can to my advantage after the shitty move I pulled, you healed on your own.” Laying on my back next to her, I stare at the ceiling. “Hel, I’m not sure what to say. You didn’t deserve to be treated the way I treated you.”

  “No, I didn’t.” Her voice is level and calm.

  Sighing, I close my eyes, wishing I was better with words. “You deserve to know the truth. To make your own mind up whether you find me repulsive or not.”

  “Yes, I do deserve that.” Not a hint of how she feels about it can be heard in the tone of her voice.

  “If I stayed here, I must punish those that have tainted their souls. You see, what my father said was the truth, but not the whole truth. They really are not fallen from grace. They are tasked to rule their domains. Taunting and tempting the humans is part of that. When the human succumbs, their souls are tainted. When they finally come here, they will have to face me. I’m their shadow self. Everything they hate about themselves, everything they fear or are ashamed of…I show them that. Not just physically torturing them until they pay their penance, but mentally as well.”

  Helena says nothing. I decide to push through this and get it out in the open once and for all. Swallowing thickly, I clench my fists and brace myself for whatever reaction she is going to have.

  “He trained me for it by showing me how it needs to be done. By doing it to me for a century until he was certain I was ready.” The beast inside me is still close to the surface, and I feel my claws lengthening and piercing the skin on my palms. “What you saw in there, Hel, that’s what I am.” Her small hand wraps around my fist, and it startles me out of the dark memories clouding my mind.

  “You didn’t hurt me.” Her soft words are gentle, and guilt shreds my black heart.

  “I was that beast for a long time.” Determined to get it all out, I continue ignoring the hope her words are trying to give me. “This male you see, the one you know was nowhere in sight. I was mindless, cruel, merciless, just like my father. So, beyond the edge of sanity that he used to keep me restrained, chains spelled by his powers, holding me back from ripping everyone apart. Be it in this realm…or any other.”

  Letting the silence stretch between us, those days flip in my mind’s eye like a horror movie come to life. The rush and euphoria bubble in my veins, the alluring song of power calling no matter what I do to ignore it and pretend it’s not there.

  “Maddison was the only one that would survive to be near me. She is the one that brought me back long enough to take me to the human realm with her. When my father found me gone, he was furious. Lilith promised me that I would not be kept here if I come to face him one last time. To tell him I’m staying in the human realm.”

  “It’s when you lost your wings.” Propping on her elbow, she finally looks at me, but I keep staring at the ceiling.

  “It wasn’t a bad trade, Hel. Without the wings, it felt like part of me was missing, but it was much easier to keep the beast locked deep enough inside to pretend I’m something else.”

  “You keep saying beast. There is no one else inside you but yourself, Eric.”

  “I know that now.” Grinding my teeth, I can hear the sound of bone scraping loud in my ears.

  “You know shit.” Placing her hand on my face, she turns my head so I have to look at her. Anger blazes in her green eyes, shocking me enough that all I can do is stare at her. “Whatever he said and did to you was his way of making sure you can do your duty. Was it a good thing to do? No. Was it necessary? How do we know? I was shitless scared of your father. As stupid as it may be, I thought that just seeing him or being in his presence would make me evil. Because no matter what kind of a beast you are, I’m still the hybrid. An abomination.”

  “You are not…” She places a hand over my mouth.

  “Hector hired you to kill me, remember?” She searches my gaze. “The man that raised me and made me who I am looked specifically for you to be the one to end my life. Don’t you find that strange? If anyone would know what kind of mindless beast you are, I’d think it would be Hector. Or maybe God, fates, or whatever you want to call it, has a screwed-up sense of humor putting us together like this?”

  Removing her hand from my lips, I kiss the center of her palm before setting it on my chest. “Where did this come from?”

  “Ever since I woke up, I’ve been thinking about it. I keep replaying every detail from the moment that rogue raked its claws on my arm. The more I think about it, the more everything looks planned. Like every moment, encounter, and problem is carefully planned to lead us to something. Even when other things seem most important, we get sidetracked and pushed in a different direction.”

  “What are you saying, Hel?” Everything she says slowly starts making sense, moving pieces of the puzzle around and putting them together.

  “When I think about all the choices we’ve made so far, I came to one conclusion. There was never a choice, Eric. It seemed we made a choice one way or another, but when you look at the bigger picture, they were made for us. We just followed along blindly under the assumption that we had no other option.” My chest swells when I see determination set on her beautiful face, her hair falling around us like a curtain. “I decided not to play the game anymore.”

  “I’m not sure that’s an option, Hel.”

  “The way I see things it is. We are both being used. They manipulate us, yet, we are still alive. But, earlier in that arena, I realized one thing. I almost lost you.” Unshed tears gather at the corners of her eyes, and I feel sucker-punched in the gut. “Beast or not, it is you. Only you. And you are the only thing keeping me grounded in this crazy world I find myself in. Even feral you didn’t hurt me, Eric. You lashed out, yes but didn’t really hurt me. You came back from that mindless state like I knew you would. And that, to me, means everything. You have killed? So have I. I’m a hunter if you forgot. I finally saw the gray you were talking about. I know that not everything is black and white. And I accept both. You and that beast, because you are one and the same. At least to me.”

  “I don’t deserve you.” Voice thick with emotion, my hands tremble when I take her face between them.

  “You don’t, but you’re stuck with me nonetheless.” Her lips press to mine gently. I roll on top of her, pushing my tongue past them and tangling it with hers.

  Helena

  The taste of Eric overwhelms my senses. Caged between his arms, I sink into the thick mattress, surrendering to the pent-up tension that’s been festering inside me every time he even looks at me. His tongue glides around mine in slow, sensual strokes, caressing the fire in my lower belly. I can tell that he is holding back, his body trembling beneath my fingers, while I’m clawing at his back.

  Pulling back, we come up for air. I chase his lips, but he keeps just out of reach, frustrating me enough that a growl reverberates through my chest. The hunger in his eyes is tinged with hesitation, vivid enough that my brain gets out of the gutter, enough to function sufficiently. He is still unsure of how I feel about him after seeing him in his true form.

  “I want you, Eric.” Tracing his lips with my thumb, I hold
his gaze. “I will always want you, horns and all. Just never change who you are in your heart.”

  Those words unleashed the beast. The human-looking one I’ve missed more than I was aware of. He kisses me wildly, our teeth clashing, the taste of blood mingling with our tongues. Frustrated that after all the time I’ve begged him to find a shirt and is finally wearing one now, I claw at the fabric. Chuckling in my mouth, he lifts slightly, helping me to pull it over his head.

  When his skin touches mine, I moan low and long, spurring him on to rip at my shirt. With open-mouthed kisses, he travels down my neck and shoulder, nipping at the skin where they meet. His calloused fingers lift the weight of my breast, leading the stiff nipple to his waiting mouth. When he swirls his tongue around it, my back arches off the bed. He closes his teeth on the hard peek, lashing it with his tongue while his other hand glides over my shoulder and back, wrapping around my hip and pulling me roughly to him.

  The sounds I’m making should embarrass me, but I’m too far gone to care even if Lucifer himself is standing just outside the closed door. Eric’s appreciative grunts and moans only feed my mindless need while my legs shift restlessly between the sheets.

  “Off.” I’m pleading more than demanding, but I don’t care. “Take everything off now.”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Grunting, he releases my breast and starts tugging my pants over my hips. Lifting my butt off the bed, I help him as much as I can, my fingers yanking on the buttons of his pants. Impatient, he jerks mine down in one move, throwing them somewhere to the side. My panties are not so lucky when he rips them off me with both hands, his upper lip lifting over his teeth like a snarl. It would’ve looked terrifying if I wasn’t snarling myself while unsuccessfully trying to get him as naked as I was.