by A C Wilds
“Give me a moment.” Starting to put on a fresh pair of clothes, I slip on my boots. I open the door to find a spread of meat and cheese laid out on the table, grateful he thought to put a cloth underneath.
“I thought you only drank blood.” It’s an honest statement. I really did believe that. All I’ve learned from my coven seems to have been wrong, though, especially when it comes to the princep.
“Blood sustains us on earth. It allows us to live on the Mortal Realm, but it isn’t our total diet. I need fuel as much as you do, and food is the best way to get it.”
“There are a lot of things it seems I’m not aware of.”
“Eat, and then rest. Tomorrow is a new set of problems. Finding the guide won’t be easy. He’s been hidden for a long time.”
I squeeze myself on the chair between the wall and the table. The first piece of cheese is like heaven. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was. “Why would finding him be difficult?”
“Uriel likes to stay hidden. He won’t be happy to see me. He won’t want to take us to Nox either, but if we can get him to listen, he’ll do it. The one thing he hates more than Nox and me is someone who isn’t supposed to be using holy magic.”
“You are shit at planning quests. There are so many things that can go wrong. You’re counting on someone’s hatred to get what we want. To see a demon who probably wants nothing to do with you. Am I right?”
“You are correct. Nox and I are at war…or we were. It’s been a while, so I’m not sure of the terms. And since the Blood Demons have been on the Mortal Realm, he may not consider it a war any longer.”
He pops a piece of meat in his mouth, chewing around a devilish smile. I’d like to throttle him.
Trying my hardest, I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Exactly how many people are you at war with?”
“Just in the Demon Realm?”
“This isn’t a joke, Torque. We’re already fighting for our lives. If we have to add to that, we won’t be able to make it back to the Mortal Realm. Rahna will win.”
His smile melts off his face, and he returns to our reality. “You’re right. Being home has given me some unexpected feelings, and it’s only right I forget them. The Realm calls to me. Its power strengthens me, making me into the demon I was before. It’s an intoxicating feeling when you’ve been without for so long.”
Mulling over his words, I take a sip of water from the canteen he placed in front of me. My eyes sweep over him as I begin to think about just how powerful Torque Sanguis might be.
“You’ve starved your powers being in the Mortal Realm?”
“I’m not the bloodthirsty demon you make me out to be. The other kings may be ruthless, but I’ve always prided myself on being more of a benevolent king if you obey the rules of my land.”
I chuckle, shifting in my seat. The door behind Torque squeaks slightly. I have the instant reaction to pull my knife, pushing the chair against the wall.
Torque continues to eat, waiting for me to catch onto something. “What are you doing?”
Not bothering to look at me, he continues eating. “I’m waiting for you to catch up.”
A crackle of magic shifts through the door, coating my skin. My body instantly relaxes. Putting my knife away, I open the door. Apparently, the giant tyger wants to be inside rather than out.
He plops onto one of the beds, not bothered by the conditions of the room. “The hunt went well, I take it?” Chuffing in agreement, he closes his eyes.
“He’s a good familiar,” Torque says, continuing with his meal. “Finish eating so we can rest. In the morning, the real journey begins.”
That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.
21
Anima
Waking up to a mouthful of fur isn’t something I’d ever expected to happen. Still, the warmth of Namir makes taking on this shitty nightmare better.
When I push him off, he growls. I laugh as I make my way to the bathroom. It’s quiet except for the soft snores from the other bed. It took a long time to fall asleep last night. I gained magic in a realm I don’t belong to. What if I’m half-demon like Torque claims? I’m still so unclear about my past, but could it be possible?
When I come out of the bathroom, Torque is dressed and waiting. He sprawls out with his long legs hanging off the bed. His eyes are closed, allowing me a moment to drink in his beautiful… everything—his strong features and the five o’clock shadow peppering his jaw. The sliver of skin that’s on display from his t-shirt that has ridden up. It’s getting harder to breathe.
I can feel something else from him, too—a difference in his aura. There is a bit of a pulse to it. It’s like a song I used to know. Something familiar.
“Like what you see?” he quips with a smile, eyes still closed.
I shuffle toward my bag, throwing my clothes and essentials back in. “No… I was… never mind.”
A gentle heat comes over my back. He stands behind me, not touching, but close enough that I’m aware. I can feel him like we fit into each other. Two puzzle pieces finally whole.
“It’s okay if you do, little witch,” he practically purrs in my ear, and a shiver of excitement rolls through me.
It’s becoming too much—this attraction between us. I have to put my distance from him if we’re going to stay on the path to finding Nox. He’s a distraction I can’t afford.
“I’ll wait outside for you,” I murmur, throwing the bag on my shoulder and stalking out of the room. I hear his soft laughter as I stomp my feet down the flight of stairs.
“We are in search of Uriel. He’s Nox’s former lover. They had a falling out,” Torque explains as we step out into the street.
The quiet from last night is gone. Demons from all different backgrounds mill about, weaving in and out of the crowds. All the storefronts are open, lights piercing through the gloomy purple haze of the day.
Clouds of pink and lavender hang above my head in a sky the color of a blackberry. On Earth, this would be considered twilight. Here, though, it’s morning.
Carts filled with goods line the dirt road in a makeshift alley. Everything anyone could be found in one place.
“This is beautiful,” I exclaim, ignoring our quest for a moment. My body feels alive here. A missing piece clicks inside of me, almost like I was meant to be here.
“It’s not all fire and brimstone like they want you to believe. The term demon isn’t synonymous with bad. We are simply a different species with our own good and evil. Same as humans—we don’t judge based on our needs.”
His voice sounds sad as I gaze into those impossible ruby eyes. “I’m sorry I was one of the ones to judge you.”
“We are the products of their creation. It’s when the time to make a choice proves what type of person you are. I don’t hold it against you, Anima. I’m only glad you now see what’s in front of you.”
I do. I see all of him, and it scares the fucking shit out of me. “We should probably go find Uriel,” I whisper, breaking eye contact and hurrying into the crowd.
Namir joins us, placing his tyger body in the middle. I sigh in relief—my giant cat, the perfect cockblocker.
People start to stare as we walk down the alley created by the carts. I can’t tell if it’s me, Torque, or the huge tyger standing in between us. Namir’s growls aren’t helping either.
The scent of coffee has me drifting toward a little shop on the corner of the street just past an apparel store. “Food?” I nudge Namir out of the way so I can see Torque. His eyes are open, wary of our surroundings.
“We can go to the bakery.” He points to the exact place I spotted. “They should be able to pack some food for the journey as well.”
Ari’s screech ripples through the morning air, and people stop to search for what could have made that noise. Namir tilts his head, twitching his whiskers. He gives me a look before trotting off in the same direction as Ari.
“What was that about?” Puzzled, I watch him slip between two
buildings like he’s not a thousand-pound animal.
“When we are far enough away from town, I need to teach you how to use your demon magic. He’s gone to investigate something Ari spotted from the sky. They seem to be getting on quite well.”
I scowl. “I will be holding you to that, Princep.”
As I swing the door open, I’m engulfed in the smell of butter, sugar, and coffee. A moan escapes me, and Torque’s eyes glow brighter. My cheeks burn, and I know they are probably a lovely shade of pink.
“How can I help you?” a woman behind the counter asks. She’s tall and muscular with raven-colored hair and a wicked scar across her cheek. I feel Torque tense beside me.
“I’ll have the biggest coffee you have and whatever you recommend for food.” All the glass cases are filled with so many delicious-looking delicacies that I can’t choose.
“And you?” Her eyes meet Torque’s for the first time, and a gasp leaves her lips.
He’s so fast I don’t even realize what he’s doing until he’s over the counter in her space, a knife to her throat. A few demons seated at tables in the shop take this as their cue to leave, shoving back their chairs and hurrying out the door. I stroll over and lock it, not knowing what’s happening but having the feeling we don’t want a crowd.
“How are you here? How is this even possible?” The woman is shocked, but there’s a hint of something else behind it. Anger, maybe?
Although a knife is still pressed to her throat, she doesn’t even seem to waver over his cutting look. I respect this demon.
“Helda.” Her name sounds venomous on his tongue. “He let you live?”
She smirks like this was her best accomplishment in life.
“What can I say? I prove useful when needed.” The way she says it makes me think Helda will do anything to get ahead.
“I take it you two know each other?” My tone is bored as I take a seat at one of the tables, silently pulling my SIG from its holster at my side. Now is as good a time as any to see if it will work in this realm.
“She was a lieutenant in my army before we retreated to the Mortal Realm.” The knife begins to withdraw from her neck, but he doesn’t step out of striking distance.
“Interesting. Why didn’t she join you?” This bit of information makes me even more wary of our new friend.
“I thought she was lost in battle. Apparently, I was wrong.”
“So she’s a traitor?” I can’t help but egg him on. Her expression is priceless—shock to hurt to outrage.
“Who the fuck are you?” she seethes, teeth bared in my direction.
Placing my gun on the table next to me, I lean forward and give her a wide smile. “I’m none of your concern. We came here for food and drink, but found someone who could be useful. Torque?”
She grips the counter before taking a step out of Toque’s space. That’s right—I’m his equal.
“She’s right—food and drink for our journey and nothing more. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will come back and destroy you. I don’t want to know what you did to get out of the mess you were in, but I’m going to say it wasn’t in any way helpful to your Blood heritage.”
Her knuckles go white, and a crack sounds from the wood splintering under her grip. “You left us in shambles. I had no choice but to survive in any way I could. How has it been all these years in that cushy realm of yours without having to look behind your back every moment?”
Torque’s face changes, but mine doesn’t. She has no idea what he’s had to endure for the sake of safety, and I’m not about to let it go.
Smoke makes its way down my forearms and across the floor. She’s distracted in her righteous stance, not watching my progress.
As soon as the smoke touches her, she screams in agony, trying to pull away, but I hold on, making the pain so much worse.
A thrill of excitement runs through me as I think about her pain. All the glorious agony she’ll feel before she succumbs to my power.
“Anima!” My name bursts through the cloud. Torque stands before me with his hands on my forearms, shaking me from my dream.
I focus on his face, which is a little too close to mine. His voice slithers over my body, making me pay attention to him and only him.
“You’re going to kill her. Reel it in. Her death will weigh on your conscience, and you won’t forgive yourself. You’re not that person.”
“How would you know what kind of person I am?” I break away from his distracting touch. Giving Helda one last sneer, I leave the shop, slamming the door. Let him deal with it.
Torque
Helda wasn’t who I expected to see. I thought she’d been lost forever in the war. She’d been one of my closest confidants. I’d mourned her. And here I find her working in a shop in the middle of Gresa, like the war never happened, like she hadn’t abandoned us.
“How are you alive?” The question lingers in the air, concern and accusation at the same time.
“It doesn’t matter now. It’s all over. Let me get you food for your journey.”
She disappears into the back room, not even glancing back. I let out a sigh of frustration. I don’t want to kill her, but how can I trust her to keep our secret?
Five minutes later, she returns with three bags of food, two canteens of water, and a thermos of coffee in her other hand. She hands me the bundle and a backpack to place it all in.
“Now leave. I don’t want to be seen with you or the Shadow Slayer. How the hell did you even find her?”
“None of your business. Just forget you saw us. Don’t make me come back here, Helda. I won’t hesitate to end you. From the looks of it, you’ve made a good life here. Messing it up would be a shame.”
“You left. Remember that, My King.”
I snatch the bag from her hands, then stalk out the door. I’ll have to put as much distance between Helda and us as possible. I sense she’ll do anything to get ahead now.
Anima is leaning on Namir when I exit onto the street once more. She has a blade in her hand, swinging it around like a toy.
“You straighten her out?” She pushes off Namir and joins me, grabbing the thermos out of my hands.
“She’s going to tell the next person who walks into that cafe that I’m back. We used to be close, and it saddens me that Helda seems to be all about herself now.”
Sipping the coffee, she scans the crowd, watching the demons zip in and out as they go about their business.
“You should have let me kill her.”
“It’s not who you are. You may be an assassin, but you aren’t a murderer.”
She considers me for a moment before speaking.
“Let’s find the guide then. We don’t have any time to waste. I assume we’ll require transportation, but I don’t see any cars?”
Her question makes me smile. “Have you ever ridden a nuckelavee?”
“I have a huge feeling this isn’t going to be something I’ll be happy about.”
I hand her one of the hot sandwiches from the sack before pulling one out for myself. After I slide the pack on my back, we continue into the crowd.
“It will be the most fun you’ve had in a long time. Trust me.” The sandwich tastes like heaven after the dinner we had last night.
“That’s the thing, Princep. I don’t trust you.” Her eyes hold no teasing, only truth. I honor her for being honest with me. After years of knowing only one thing, being used for one purpose, it would be hard for anyone to come to terms with trusting their enemy.
“We’re going to change that.” I find the truth hidden behind a wall I built a long time ago. For some reason, I want to give Anima my all, though I don’t know why.
A short, squat demon approaches. Namir growls at the creature, and it has the good sense to shrink back.
“I have a message,” it yells, making everyone around us stop and stare. I wince at the attention, but approach the demon and grab him by the arm. We’re off the street in mere seconds, his back against a
storefront and me in his face.
Anima watches the street for any signs of danger, Namir sitting beside her, daring anyone to come close.
“The one you seek is not far, and he wants to speak to you. He said stop wasting time making googly eyes at the witch and hurry.”
Rolling my eyes, I let go of the demon. “Where can I find him?”
“Please follow me,” he replies, then takes off down the street. Anima falls in line behind me. We tail him through a weave of twists and turns, in and out of alleys until we come to a lone shack on the outskirts of town.
Three nuckelavees are tied to the fence post on the side of the hut. A crackle of urgency hits me the closer I get to the dwelling. Anima must feel it, too. In an instant, she’s behind me, her small hand pressed to my shoulder to let me know she’s got my back.
The walls fall a bit more. I think about what it would be like to depend on someone else. To have a confident in a female partner. To be in love. I shake my head, getting rid of those foolish wishes. I’m the king of the Blood, forever haunted and cursed.
“Come in,” Uriel calls from inside. Pushing open the door, I stride in. A single room greets me with only a table and two chairs in the middle. I take up sentry at the door, nodding for Anima to take the seat next to Uriel.
His impossibly beautiful face is on full display, and I see the witch raise an eyebrow in surprise. Seeing an angel for the first time will do that to a person.
“You’re an angel,” she states, holding the table for support as she lowers herself into the chair.
“Good deduction, Shadow Slayer.” Uriel’s smile reaches his eyes as he examines my witch.
“You know why we’re here, so let’s go before they discover us. No doubt Helda is already sending a message to the general,” I state. If he knows our location, it could mean failure.
“I’m not going with you. He’s a bastard, and I won’t see him again,” the angel says.
“Are you going to put your breakup in the middle of helping us save the realms?”
