Two Kingdoms (The Dark Side Book 3)

by C. M. Owens

  These are just the soldiers, not the ones we should be wasting effort on killing. We need to find the source and cut off its head.

  Whirling around, I spot Kai as he drops to the ground with a sai in his hand, ramming it into something’s neck.

  Right as he’s about to be charged from behind by a horned snake beast, my hand flies out, sending the beast soaring into the side of the monstrous black castle behind us.

  Oh, thank you for you working, fickle power of mine.

  Idly, I notice the stones on the crumbling side of the castle is glowing with the same onyx twinkle as Jude’s new scythe.

  “Kai!” I shout just as a barrier breaks and rebels spill into the area he’s in, rushing him from all four corners.

  I go phantom and zap myself there, but before we can fight, he takes on his own transformation, and the sai extends into a triton, coming down in front of me like he’s the one protecting me instead of the other way around.

  I feel the pulse of power like it’s coming from me instead of him, but I know it’s really his. So dark, so mesmerizing, so…lethal.

  Eyes start bleeding as the infected drop to the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. The next line attempting to break the rest of the barricade stumbles back.

  A sense of pride washes over me, and a calmness joins it, weirdly enough. My hand runs up his arm as he strains to reach the next line without their invasion, trying to kill them all before they can escape to regroup and try again.

  A warm feeling passes through me, and my chest brims with something almost intoxicating.

  My eyes flick to Gage as I start walking through the crowd, feeling something whipping behind me. Glancing down, I see red fabric blowing in the wind with its gold trim, and feel the long slits that show off my legs, leaving only scraps of long fabric to drag the ground in premediated placements.

  I didn’t create this one.

  The air tingles over my midriff and exposed sections of my back, and gold jewels start forming at my neck, cuffing a portion of the dress into place as the rest amazingly forms all on its own.

  Ezekiel makes his change with me, side-by side, as a staff of some sort forms in place of the sword he was wielding. A small blade pops out on the end of it as if punctuating the entire scene.

  That blade is sparkling too much to be anything other than diamonds.

  I love diamonds.

  When he spins it, the rebels turn on each other, as if he just controlled them all now that the flock has been properly thinned.

  I walk higher, looking down on the souls who need to be recycled. Rebels who need to be reminded of their place.

  It’s hell for a reason, after all. It’s supposed to be oppressive down here.

  And they’ve just disrupted the balance by breaching walls never meant for their attendance. Balance is far too critical right now.

  I have no idea how I know, but I know what needs to be done to restore it.

  My eyes scan the crowd below me from the perch I’ve picked. As they move to help with the attack on the lower castle doors, something just sort of naturally happens all around me.

  Something dark and heavy runs out of me, almost feeling tangible as it slithers from my heart and starts down my legs, moving into the ground beneath me.

  The ground cracks open as the small, visible, worm-like movements under the ground grow in size, doubling with each passing second on their rapid descent.

  The red dirt flies and scatters into the air, and black liquid shoots out, spraying the entire line at the castle doors. Screams ignite in the air as something else rumbles free from me, quaking the ground around us as my eyes flutter shut.

  Intuition demands I let go. It demands that I free whatever is trying to explode from me. Now’s as good a time as any to prove my intuition is an intricate part to all our self-discoveries.

  As my fingers begin tingling, thrumming with a warning, I slowly lift my hands. White hot light explodes from them so abruptly that I stagger back, and it pulses into the air, creating a violent ripple.

  “That’s new,” I say as it suddenly erupts into a massive ring of pulses that explode outwards.

  People are launched in all directions, slamming the ground below as the ground around us quakes a few times until those pulses fade.

  I realize it did more than that, when one by one, they all burst into ashes, the ground swallowing them up to take them to the throat.

  I’m not sure how I know it, but again, I know it.

  No more screams. The beasts I haven’t yet killed are fleeing as the disease Kai gave them starts becoming a flesh-eating problem on their retreat.

  “Ungrateful lot, aren’t they? All they had to do was deal with their eternal punishment for their mortal sins, and they may not have been recycled to start the torment anew,” I chirp, feeling so much better now that I’ve gotten all that off my chest.

  I turn to look at everyone we’ve managed to save—all the little bad guys who take care of the really, really big bad guys: My family and all.

  Something suddenly starts forming on my head, and I reach up, feeling what is most definitely a jeweled crown of some sort.

  I’m not sure why that makes me smirk, but it does. It feels like I’ve missed this crown, and I don’t even know what it looks like. However, I certainly never want to be parted with it now.

  Did I just get a level-up?

  My eyes scan over the death and pestilence left behind in our wake, seeing ashes flickering in the sky as the devastated multitude lay riddled in waste, slowly being eaten by the ground. Now I can say I’ve done something productive for the day.

  And I’m not even tired…

  It’s like a scene from…the apocalypse—the non-name version of it.

  It should probably disturb me how much I needed this release. I guess I’m still a horrible person in all my lives.

  “The balance is right again,” I say under my breath as if it finally makes sense.

  When I turn back around, everyone is still staring at me, including the guys, who still seem a little befuddled by their ridiculous clothing and weapons.

  However, Gage grins very fondly at his sword.

  Jude glares at his scythe like it’s the most offensive weapon in all the world.

  Jude’s eyes meet mine, and he darts a glance to the crown before saying, “Fucking figures.”

  I snort.

  “Says Death as he holds his scythe,” I fire back, an arched eyebrow accompanying my snark. “Who’s the real stereotype in this scenario?” I add with a fuck-you smile.

  Ezekiel coughs to cover a laugh, as everyone else just sort of awkwardly stares and watches the five of us. These people were just attacked, so you think they’d have better things to do than gawk.

  Like maybe show some gratitude? Doesn’t anyone do that anymore? Not one person has said so much as, “Thanks.”

  “I’m cool with my new weapon,” Kai says, swinging around his trident.

  At least fifty or more onlookers drop to their stomachs and cover their faces like they’re terrified he’s going to accidentally give them the same face-eating disease he gave those others.

  My guys all stifle a grin, since that would be, you know, psychotic to grin about.

  Too late do I realize I’ve forgotten to stifle my own grin, so I’m the only one who looks psychotic.

  My life can be unfair at times.

  “I assure you they’re far worse than me,” I tell some of the really pale and terrified people on the ground. “We’re not going to kill you unless you’re a rebel. Are any of you rebels who slipped through that we forgot to kill?” I ask, not really sure what a rebel looks like and idly wondering if I accidentally recycled some of the wrong people…

  Clearly they all rapidly shake their heads. I’m certain, at this point, if they were rebels, they won’t be any more.

  “Good,” I state happily, causing all of the guys to restrain smiles for a new reason.

  “So when is it not too s
oon to point out that your ‘badass’ fight clothes are skirts?” I ask the guys, no longer interested in the gaping crowd around us who are still on their bellies.

  Four dry looks are my response.

  “Because that’s simply fascinating,” I go on, my grin only growing.

  “Thought you didn’t want them thinking you’re the most psychotic,” Gage states flatly.

  “I think it’s too late for that. Besides, I know you four are worse than me, even if they don’t. Can we go see if any rebels got away? That really made me feel better after seeing all four of you paw all over that girl. Who was she? She was a relationship girl, wasn’t she?” I prompt, feeling much more rational about the whole situation now that I’ve raged a bit and spread around some wrath.

  “Can we not do this here?” Gage asks me, sighing heavily.

  “Where would you like to do it? Is she the reason you didn’t join me in bed and stave off that horrible nightmare?” I prod.

  “Of course not,” Jude answers, groaning like I’m impossible.

  “Gage was her favorite,” Kai tattles. “Her name is Chloe, and she’s a castle guard.”

  “Would it be petty of me to recycle her for abandoning her post when I technically don’t have the authority to do that?” I muse aloud.

  “Yes,” they all four answer in quick unison.

  “Are you seriously defending her over me?” I ask with a mock gasp, hoping they buy my act, since it’s funny to watch them actually be horrified by me.

  They don’t give me a horrified look, unfortunately. It’s more of a bland, exasperated look.

  “Congratulations. You’ve officially become the most psychotic person here,” Jude states with a fuck-you smile that is too much like mine, even though mine’s still better.

  Rolling my eyes, I once again give the people on their bellies my attention. “Now that we’ve sufficiently snuffed out any individual complaints this day, can anyone point me in the Devil’s direction? I need to appropriately mock him for not being able to handle this uprising himself or with the help of all those lesser heirs of his,” I prattle on, not understanding the value of less is more.

  Jude scrubs a hand over his face, and Gage groans while shaking his head. Kai grins at me, which makes him my current favorite, since Ezekiel is giving me that neck-wringing motion.

  Instead of a death maze in hell’s belly, I’m going to give them all mime-school certificates for their next birthdays so they can learn some new tricks.

  A feminine set of giggles from far above has my spine stiffening. My gaze swings up to see the Devil’s heirs lounging carelessly in some hammocks attached to the overhang of the castle.

  Sure. Makes perfect sense to put hammocks there.

  Both Hera and Lilith are sharing a hammock and a bowl of popcorn, their lips curved in familiar grins.

  Cain is scratching his balls with one hand while snorting something up his nose that looks suspiciously like hell drugs. Are there hell drugs? I’m sure there are.

  Manella and Lamar are lovey dovey in their little hammock, looking drunk off the carnage.

  The twins are in separate hammocks. One has a guy sucking him off, and the other has a girl sucking him.

  Classy bunch, I tell ya.

  Hooking a thumb in their direction, I look back at the guys. “Who did you say looks the most psychotic?” I ask Jude, giving him the fuck-you smile right back.

  He bristles, unamused, and the four of them move toward me as someone starts a slow-clap.

  Everyone else remains on their bellies as the clapping echoes, coming from one of the holes that has been blown into the castle wall just in front of us. The clapping nears with all the dramatic, ominous build one would expect at a moment like this.

  It’s cliché, if you ask me.

  The guys cut off my vision when they line up in front of me like a wall, so I go phantom and zap to be in front of them just as the Devil emerges from that gaping hole and steps out, still clapping like am underachieving smartass.

  The smirk on his face has me almost hating him for what he’s about to say, because I realize now what just happened.

  Damn that Devil and his manipulations.

  All these heirs were simply waiting on me to arrive, like they knew they didn’t have to lift a lazy finger to help out. And Lucifer just let it bait me down here because he really does know me far too well.

  He stops clapping, that calculated gleam in his eyes twinkling as he gives me the definition of a devilish grin.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to reintroduce my favorite child and her harem,” he says, never looking away from me. “You’ve probably heard of them,” he goes on, looking away for a brief second before his eyes lock on mine again.

  Apparently he likes suspense, because he leaves everyone hanging for an annoyingly pregnant pause.

  “The Four horsemen of The Apocalypse,” he concludes.

  “Dun! Dun! Duuuuuunnnn!” one of the Twins adds with even more theatrical dramatization.

  I think I hear every person on the ground suck in a terrified breath, so I stand a little taller to ensure I look the part. It’s too late to take it back now, and it’d a horrible idea to look like I’m anything less than super crazy and powerful.

  The Devil played me, and I was too stupid to realize it.

  He wins.

  This time.

  Everyone rises from the ground enough to get on their knees and bow to me properly in a wave of motion that gives me little tingles. Adjusting my crown, I keep in character. Sort of. Not really though.

  A grin spreads over my face as I reach back and thump Jude’s chest.

  “Now that’s the reaction I expected from the four of you after I appeared and became the solution to all your problems; not that any of your ungrateful asses took notice,” I say, gesturing to all the bowing people on the ground who respect my awesomeness.

  My grin only grows as I look at my psychos’ stoic faces. Kai snorts derisively, and I wink at Gage when he gives me his best unimpressed expression. Ezekiel becomes my favorite when he grins too.

  My gaze collides with Lucifer’s once more, as he adds, “Welcome home. We have a lot of work to do now that the world knows you’re back.”

  Damn Devil.

  Even my smile dies with that announcement.

  Chapter 7

  The Twins have lost their appointed cocksuckers when they walk into the room the guys and I are already seated in. I’m drinking out of a jeweled chalice, but there’s no virgin blood in it.

  There is, however, some really awesome wine of some kind in it, and I’ve decided it can be my “ice cream” the next time the guys hurt my feelings or whatever.

  They’re the Four Horsemen—beings so evil they once had a maddening imbalance that apparently even haunts my nightmares. I suppose some hurt feelings isn’t so bad in the grand scheme of things for hell spawn.

  The twins smirk in our direction, and a rumbling sounds underground when they get too close. Both of them laugh like they enjoy provoking me, and they take a seat across from us.

  I’m wrath, so…why would anyone want to provoke me? Psychos. It’s like I’m surrounded by people who don’t have a lick of sanity.

  Gage pulls me onto his lap, and Jude takes a seat on the ground in front of us, dragging my bare foot over his shoulder and resting his hand loosely on my ankle.

  Kai sits on my right, his hand settling onto my thigh, and Ezekiel sits on my left, his hand also going to my thigh.

  I’m still in my level-up outfit that I haven’t fully explored yet, but those wide slits go all the way up to the gold belt at my skirt’s waist. My top is really ornate, matching the red and gold trimming of the skirt to make it seem more like a two-piece dress.

  The gold cuff on my neck reflects in the warped mirror far across from me, but I barely glimpse the golden crown full of red rubies before I’m distracted.

  “I hardly think it’s fair that she’s immediately your favorite again, consid
ering she disappeared without a word for five hundred years and had to be tricked into returning,” Lilith is saying to Lucifer as they walk in.

  She barely even tosses a dismissive look in my direction, as Lucifer’s lips twitch.

  Something sizzles inside me, and a visible spark ignites on her dress, erupting it into flames that have her hissing and shrieking as she manages to extinguish the flames with just her mind. At least, I assume that’s how…

  Her gaze narrows on me, and she takes a threatening step forward as something dark and sinister rises to the surface once again.

  She’s launched back suddenly, slamming into the wall so hard that it spider-veins all around the area of impact. Then…she drops in a heap to the ground with a grunted curse.

  I feel genuinely badass, because I’m not even trying to do this stuff. Sibling rivalry is where all the wrath is really hiding.

  Duly noted.

  “What the hell was that for?” she snaps as she leaps to her feet and pushes her hair out of her murderous eyes. “You know you don’t deserve to be his favorite.”

  “She has more envy in her than you,” Lamar tells me from the corner, working damn hard to keep a straight face.

  “That’s why Paca’s the favorite when she’s home,” Manella drawls, like this is yet another rerun. “Lilith whines more when Paca is the favorite, and whining entertains Lucifer.”

  To spice things up, I send her sailing through the wall this time, as her shrieks echo through the corridor. I arch an eyebrow at Manella, expecting a reaction, but he simply smirks at me like he knows exactly what I’m thinking, and he’s still unimpressed.

  Drat.

  Still a rerun.

  She rushes back in, hand in the air like she’s about to strike, when Jude is off the ground in a blur of motion, his scythe blade slinging out of his bo staff thingy and pressing right against her throat before she can budge another inch.

  “That was for Kai,” I tell her, feeling Kai’s hand tighten on my thigh as a sideways grin forms on his lips. “You let him writhe in pain as you walked away, and if you know me, then you knew you’d be punished. I’m just getting started, I assure you.”