by Eve Newton
“Over my dead body,” I snarl, going rabid. “And we both know that will never happen by the likes of you.”
“Perhaps not, but I can hurt you,” Vazna says and gives a nod to the Angel to his right. The army splits out into two groups of five, each group approaching me with caution.
I’m trapped.
I can leave here – alone.
But there is no way that is happening now that I’m seconds away from getting what I want. I hold my hand out to the side and a sword made of Hellfire appears. I twirl it around, aiming it at the nearest Angel.
“Take one step closer and I will fry your ass,” I drawl, gripping Axelle’s upper arm tighter. She is dangling from my fist, her head lolling to the side. I want to rearrange her in a more comfortable position, but I cannot risk diverting my attention. I can wipe the floor with all of these feathered fuckers, but not while I’m holding onto Axelle, and there is no way I’m letting her go. If I take my hand off her, she is a goner.
“You are outnumbered,” Vazna says.
“And you are all out of your league,” I retort.
“While you should definitely leave this Earthly plane, we aren’t here for you,” Vazna says, watching the Hellfire sword with a wary eye. “We only want the Demon whore.”
“You can’t have her,” I say. “She is mine and you have no right to her. You cannot interfere. And call her a whore one more time, and rules be damned, I will end you, unprovoked.”
“We have every right,” Vazna spits out, clearly still sore about Axelle’s manipulation of him. “She is not allowed to be here in that form. It is against the eon’s old rules, and you know it.”
“I have broken so many of those laws for her,” I say, unconcerned. “It really isn’t an issue for me. But I was here to take her back home with me, so your job here is unnecessary.”
“Too late,” Vazna says with a sneer. “She has already been tagged. You can’t take her back to Hell. She’s coming with us where she will be disposed of and you will never get what you want from her.”
“It will flush out of her system eventually,” I say. “All I have to do is wait.”
“Wait? Here?” Vazna asks in disbelief. “Oh no, you are deluded if you think I am going to allow that to happen.”
I give him a triumphant look. “No, not here,” I say, the answer to this problem suddenly hitting me in the face.
In a flash of fire, I’m gone from the hotel room and I land at the gates of Hell but on the wrong damn side.
I’m in the Demonic Wastelands: the place where eradicated Demons go, amongst other unsavory creatures. The place that I sent Evan and Dashel to, separately of course, and without any powers.
I look up at the stone gateway that leads to my domain, shrouded in fog and fire. The shimmer of magick reacts to her, not allowing her to pass through.
I place Axelle down carefully on the ground as close to the gates as possible and lose the sword. I have no need for it here, yet. We will mostly be left alone, but if anything tries it on, I will rip this place apart at the seams, causing more chaos than there has ever been to reign down, all to protect my female.
I arrange her into a comfortable position, and she groans in her slumber. Her eyelids flutter erratically as the poison in her Demonic system works its way through her. She will shake it off eventually, but until then we have to wait right here until I can return to my Kingdom with my Queen safely at my side.
Too much time later, I stand stock still, my eyes never leaving the beast that is approaching us with caution.
My hand tightens on my Hellfire sword.
Every inhuman instinct that I have, is shouting at me to just lunge forward and kill it before it reaches Axelle, still prone on the large rock I found to place her on. But I can’t. That would attract far too much attention and far too much blood. I’ve already had to risk slicing open Axelle’s wrist to bleed her out so that the Heavenly toxin can leave her body quicker.
It is taking far too long, and unfortunately, the smell of her blood has attracted this monster of the Wastelands with a wolf’s body and the head of a bear.
It sneaks forward, not having even picked up on my presence yet, too focused on the scent of the blood. When its head is centimeters from Axelle, I step closer and swipe the sword down. The beast pauses, knowing it is in danger and it flicks its yellow eyes to me.
“Touch her and you die,” I say so softly, bringing the sword even closer to the beast, singeing its fur.
The beast flinches from the fiery sword and blinks once. It knows if it takes one more step it will be a goner. It backs away and slopes off into the foggy darkness and I stand down. But I keep the sword in my hand, just in case.
“Wake up, damn you,” I whisper to Axelle.
She needs to be returned to Hell, where we can finally seal our declaration with a kiss and then she is the one I have searched centuries for.
She shivers involuntarily. It brings me even closer, but she doesn’t wake up. Frustrated, I take her arm and let it drop down towards the ground, watching as the deep red blood seeps out of her. I’m aching for a taste, but her blood is poisoned and while it won’t have the same effect on me as it does on her, I still can’t risk leaving her vulnerable if something unexpected happens to me.
I watch as she shudders and then her eyes snap open. She looks around frantically and tries to sit up, but I push her back down.
“Not yet,” I tell her quietly, the relief flooding through me that she is awake.
“Luc?” she asks, then emits a groan and places her hand to her head, her bleeding wrist dropping little splashes onto her chin. She wipes it off with a startled look. “What happened?” she asks.
“Vazna,” I growl with a tone of utter loathing. I see Axelle flinch from it, and I try to calm down. “You seriously pissed him off. He tranq’d you with an elixir that prevents you from entering Hell.” I indicate the gates behind me.
Her eyes go quickly to the enormous iron gates and then back to mine and then down to her wrist. She gets what I’m trying to do.
“Where are we?” she asks, looking around fearfully.
“The Wastelands,” I reply.
“Oh,” she says faintly and then closes her eyes again.
“Axelle! No!” I grab her hand, not wanting her to slip back into a coma.
“Need…rest…” she stammers.
“I know. But not here. Let’s go home,” I declare.
“Home,” she murmurs with a smile on the beautiful face that I gave her to please myself. Too bad it also seems to please a fucking Reaper and worse, an Angel, as well.
But it makes me smile at her in return. In fact, it makes me want to shout from the top of Hell that I’ve found the female who will conceive my child and that I actually want her to stick around after she has given me everything I’ve wished centuries for: my son. My true heir that will give me more power than even I can fathom.
I’m prepared to let her have her pets because she will give me the one thing that I have needed for centuries. As long as she realizes that I am the one that gets her where I want her, how I want her and whenever I want her, then she can keep the other two men she cares about. I’m not threatened by them in the least. She has done all of this for me. She has shown me her love and her loyalty and has endured literal Hell for me. For us. It is the least I can do to make sure she is happy and treated in the way that she deserves. I will give her back her men in good time. And actually, watching her make her Angel fall will be something I will delight in and insist on being a part of. It has never happened in the whole history of Hell. Not in my father’s time and not even in my grandfather’s time. With his exception, of course. Dashel will be the first and it will be my Queen that succeeds in this much sought-after accomplishment. For that alone, she can keep him however she wants him.
I let the sword disappear and I bend down to pick up my female to carry her across the threshold into my domain, that will shortly become hers as well. As we have
been sitting out in the Wastelands, I’ve come to a decision. One so outrageous that I know it is right. I’m going to bind her to me for all eternity, in a ceremony so dark it will turn her into my true Queen.
I will be able to be myself around her, and she around me, and no other. Together we will rule from my cavern deep in the bowels of Hell, causing torment and mayhem amongst my – our – minions. It excites me to the point where I feel myself go hard.
“Yes, home,” I murmur, scooping her up and walking over to the gates.
I expect them to open up for me, but instead they stay impenetrable.
“What the fuck?” I mutter.
I walk closer, but nothing.
“It’s me,” Axelle says weakly. “This isn’t out of my system yet.”
“Dammit!” I exclaim.
I tap my foot impatiently and then take Axelle back to the large rock. I sit her down and stare at her while I wait.
“Is there anything else I can do?” she asks. “To speed it up?”
I shake my head.
“You need to go,” she says, straightening up.
“Excuse me?” I ask with a frown.
Her blue eyes look up at me with a strength that I’ve come to expect from her now. “You have been away for too long. You cannot risk mutiny. Go, I’ll be okay.”
“Axelle, I’m not leaving you here,” I say earnestly. I scowl wondering when the hell I developed a sense of earnest about anyone other than myself.
When I fell in love with this beguiling creature.
“Luc…”
“Axelle,” I snap. “I’m not leaving you here.”
“You are such a stubborn son-of-a-bitch,” she says with a half-smile. She places her hands either side of her thighs and pushes herself to her feet. “See, I’m okay.”
I can see the sweat develop on her forehead, along with her shaking legs, but to her credit, she lifts her chin up and gives me a defiant glare. “Go.”
I narrow my eyes at her. She is astute enough to know that my prolonged absence will be noticed, and it will start rumblings from the stronger Demons under my rule. I need to go back, I know that, but every instinct I currently have is telling me not to leave her. If anything happened to her because I fucked off to make sure my rule wasn’t put into question, it would destroy me.
I’m as close as I can get to impregnating her without actually doing the deed right here, and I’ve come through so many disappointments.
“Very well,” I say eventually as her gaze never wavers from mine. “But if I come back and find you mauled to death, or worse, I will never forgive you.”
She giggles at my threat. “I can handle a bunch of eradicated Demons,” she says arrogantly. “Even in this state.”
“There are monsters in here that you cannot even imagine,” I inform her quietly. “Do not be cocky about this, Axelle. I’m leaving you in danger, the second I leave your side.”
“I am a monster,” she says, prodding herself in her chest with a grim look on her face. “They should be fucking scared of me.”
I grin at her. I can’t help it. “You make me so proud, my Demon Bound.” I fist my hand in her hair, dragging her closer to me. I’m about to seal our love with the kiss that is needed, but she puts her hand up to my chest to stop me.
“Save it for when I meet you back at home,” she says with a seductive look that makes my loins burn for her.
I close my eyes and breathe in deeply. “I have resisted you for so long, Axelle. You’re making this very difficult for me.”
“Imagine how I feel,” she says. “You at least have been screwing around.”
My eyes open quickly; I can feel them go blacker as I look at her. “I have been completely celibate. You on the other hand…” I say darkly.
She rolls her eyes. “You know what I am, and you know that I love them both. Out of this body, yeah, I screwed around. But this body…oh, Luc. This body has been in need for you.”
“I look forward to sating it, then,” I whisper against her lips, making her bite her bottom one enticingly.
I step back from her and with a nod, I make my way over to the gates. She follows me, to my surprise and leans up against the solid stone pillar, shoving her hands in her jean’s pockets.
“I will be back for you soon,” I say and then step through the iron bars of the gates, allowed access now that I’m not carrying Axelle.
I see her nod stoically and then I turn away from her. I can’t bear to think of her all alone out there.
~ CHAPTER NINETEEN ~
Axelle
I watch him go with a sinking heart.
For all of my bravado, I’m actually a little bit scared of this place.
Not that I would ever admit that in a thousand years. Luc needs to see me strong and powerful, not as some scared little rabbit.
I slide down the pillar, bringing my knees up so that I can rest my chin on them. There is nothing for it now but to wait until Vazna’s curse wears off.
“Bastard,” I mutter.
He is such a pious asshole. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to corrupt the living daylights out of him. Not so sure my Angel will appreciate that though.
I sigh as I think about Dashel and Evan. I hope they are both okay. Luc said they were, so I have to believe him. I have no choice. I understand why he has separated me from them, but it doesn’t make it any less painful. I feel less without them.
I know that Luc thinks we are at the finish line now, but I’m still in phase five. I haven’t passed these trials yet. Anything could happen to me, especially while I’m sitting out here all alone, drumming my fingers, and waiting for whatever happens next.
I stand up and start to pace, back and forth, like a caged tiger.
I nearly jump a mile when I hear a scuffle behind me.
I spin around with my hands up ready to punch whoever, or whatever, it is in the face, but I draw up short when I see it’s Darius. Hitting him in the face will be like hitting a brick wall. I don’t relish the thought of shattering my hand on his ugly countenance.
“What are you doing here?” I ask warily. In theory, he can do whatever it is he wants to me out here without Luc around to stop him.
“The master sent me to watch over you,” he replies and turns his big head to the left, sniffing wildly. “Stay here.” He lumbers off and I watch him go.
The next thing I hear is a sickening crunch, a loud howl of pain and then silence.
Darius returns, dragging something so large and hideous behind him that my eyes nearly pop out of my head.
“What the fuck is that?” I ask, pointing at the monster, that looks a bit like a centaur, but in a Demonically revolting way.
“A Horseman of the Wastelands,” Darius replies and lets go of the leg he was dragging the creature by. “A warning for others to stay away,” he explains, as I gape at him.
“What is a Horseman of the Wastelands?” I ask, in spite of myself. For all of my time as a Demon, nearly two hundred years, I’m ashamed to admit that I know fuck all about this place. And about the inner workings of Hell.
My life has been lived above ground and I think I prefer it that way. Too bad Luc can never go back to Earth in this lifetime or risk starting a war that will end the world.
Although, if everything Dashel has told me is true about the baby I’m supposed to conceive, well, then, that’s going to happen anyway.
I don’t know how I feel about that.
“He protects the gates,” Darius says, interrupting my thoughts.
“These gates?” I point to the Gates of Hell.
“No, the other ones,” he says, but I can’t tell if he is being sarcastic or not.
After a beat, I risk it. “Other ones?”
Darius gives me a scathing look. “The Earth ones,” he says derisively.
“Oh,” I say and scuff my foot uncomfortably, feeling the reprimand. I know what he's thinking. I’m not fit to be Luc’s chosen one, that’s what.
“What a
bout these ones?” I ask, just for something to say in the awkward silence that follows.
“They are protected from our side,” he says after giving me yet another disgusted look. “Don’t you know anything about the Wastelands?”
“Apparently not,” I snap at him, embarrassed.
“Humph,” he snorts and turns his back on me.
Conversation over.
Luc
I thunder through my domain, slaying my Demons left and right.
My cloven hooves thud into the ground as I waste no time in showing anyone who thinks my absence means I couldn’t care less anymore.
My tail swishes around as I spin, fireball ready in the palm of my hand and throw it at another time waster. Breaks aren’t for the workers of Hell.
I enjoy the screams for a moment and then I catch Roberta’s eye, shaking her head at me. She isn’t afraid of me, even though I have chosen to reveal myself in the ‘Devil’s Disguise’. Not my true form, of course, but that which everyone assumes is how I really look.
“Now what am I supposed to do for the rest of the shift?” she tuts at me.
I snort with ill-concealed delight. “I don’t give a rat’s ass,” I growl at her.
“Very well, sir,” she mutters and then sighs. “And Evan? Where is he? I’m a Reaper short and it is making the rest of the Reapers pissed off by picking up the slack.”
“He’ll be back soon,” I tell her. I’ve stripped him of his powers for the moment, but I will return them once I let Axelle resume control of her pet. She won’t stand for having him weak and pathetic. Or will she? She does seem to prefer them that way, but of late, her choices have shifted to the more forceful. It will be interesting to see how she interacts with them, and they with her. Do they defer to her or do they stand up to her?
“Fine,” Roberta grumbles and I vanish from her sight.
I land back in my bedroom in my residence with a sigh. I shift to look human again. Naked, I shrug my shoulders, trying to get used to the skin again. I do prefer to be a monster. Much more in line with how my essence craves to be.
