Iniquity (The Ascent Book 1)

by Melody Winter

  “It’s not a favour. They’ll starve if the crops fail.” Surely he knew this.

  “Then they need to ensure I’m fed. You don’t seem to be bothered about feeding me, but they will be desperate.” He stopped walking as we arrived in the centre of the village. He turned in a circle before standing in front of me. “Are there any pretty girls in the village? Ones I could enjoy until you’re willing?”

  I screwed my nose up at his suggestion.

  “If the villagers can’t satisfy my hunger then we shall leave, find another village.” He looked around, seeking out a potential victim.

  “We? You mean I’d have to go with you?” It was then that I understood. There really was no escape from him.

  He tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear and pursed his lips. “Do I need to keep reminding you? You are my wife. Therefore, wherever I go, you will go too.”

  “What if I don’t want to?”

  “What you want isn’t an option. It never has been, and it never will be. You’ll do as I say.” His words held no humour, he was serious, and not for the first time, I wished Paymon was still here. “Understand?”

  I nodded, cursing his reminder of the control he had over me.

  “Go and find the old woman. Sort your food with her. I don’t expect you to make journeys here unnecessarily. Your next visit will be at the feast, so ensure she knows what’s expected.”

  As I turned away to head to Myrtle’s he grabbed my arm.

  “Athena, no kiss for your husband?” He cocked his head to the side and raised his brow.

  I glared at him. Had I heard him right? He wanted me to kiss him? There was no way I’d let the lips of a demon taint mine.

  He lifted his hand to his chin and rubbed at the stubble. “It may put me in a better mood, and I might not feed so voraciously.”

  I grimaced before taking a deep, pained breath. Stepping closer to him, I tipped my head toward his and planted a quick kiss on his rough cheek.

  He grabbed my wrist as I backed away.

  “Pathetic!” His fingers dug into my skin. “Totally pathetic. Remember you’re—”

  “Your wife.” I shook my arm free from his clutch. “Yes, I know. You keep reminding me.”

  “Then start behaving like it! And don’t talk to the old hag for too long. I don’t want to wait for you. Come and find me when you’ve finished.”

  I rubbed my arm, still feeling the burn from his pincer-like grasp. Erebus was glancing around at the few villagers who hadn’t fled into their homes. They all kept their distance, but their eyes were fixed on him. Their mistrust was easy to see and understand.

  “Athena!” Myrtle called. She was standing in the doorway of her home, clinging to the rough wooden edge of the frame. Her gaze drifted over me before settling on Erebus. Their eyes locked in a secret battle. But Myrtle didn’t flinch, and it was Erebus who looked away.

  Myrtle beckoned me forward with a curl of her bent fingers.

  “So, he’s Paymon’s replacement?” She inclined her head at Erebus as he stood in the middle of the village, his arms folded, a twisted smile on his lips. He cast his heavy stare into the distance as if assessing the situation. When he puffed his chest out and straightened to his full height, I knew he had found his victim. I looked away, I didn’t want to watch.

  “I need to talk to you,” I said, following Myrtle into her home. She shuffled to the window, keeping Erebus within her sight.

  Myrtle’s home was as basic as mine had been. There was a sickly smelling broth bubbling in a pan, the smoke from the fire billowing into the room.

  “I presume you still need Bessie to take food to the house,” she said. “Has the creature gone now he’s arrived?”

  “Yes, he killed her.” I coughed and wafted the smoke away from my face. “I didn’t know Bessie brought the food for me. I need to thank her.”

  “There’s no need. You need to eat. How else will you get food?” She hobbled across the room, her steps as unsteady as the uneven legs on the chair in my old home.

  “What’s his name?” she said, sinking onto the wooden chair.

  “Erebus.”

  Myrtle reached for my right hand. “Married already? The ceremony complete?” She inspected the raised black mark.

  Her words could have meant many things, but somehow I knew exactly what she was referring to.

  “Yes, very complete.”

  “You don’t waste much time, do you? And you’ll need more lace. I’ll keep you supplied, send some every day with Bessie.” She untied a pouch from her waist. “Keep it hidden.”

  I tucked the pouch between my breasts, pushing it under the material of my dress.

  “He’s powerful, Athena. You need to be careful.”

  As if to confirm what she had said, a loud, piercing shriek sounded from outside. I froze, as did Myrtle, before rushing to the doorway.

  Erebus was standing over a man’s sprawled body which was face down on the ground.

  Erebus was lit by the glow from the fire, the flames throwing his features into a sharp mask of the demon within. He prowled toward the man on the ground whilst pulling his gloves off, one at a time, and tucking them into the pocket of his jacket. I clung to the edge of the doorway torn between not wanting to witness what was about to happen, but too curious about Erebus’s power.

  I jumped as a continuous bright zigzag of light crackled from Erebus’s uncovered hand and hit the man in the chest. He flew backward, but the light continued to hit him as if connected to his body by an invisible force.

  “Jacob,” I gasped, seeing his body lit by the forceful surge of power.

  His body shook, each limb trembling as he rose from the ground. Erebus walked toward him and grabbed him under the chin, holding him steady as his feet dangled in the air. He gargled wordlessly as Erebus’s hand sent bright crackling bolts of power around his neck.

  “Stop!” I gathered my skirts in my hand and ran across the mud splattered ground toward Erebus. “Stop it, now!”

  I grabbed Erebus’s elbow, pulling it with all my strength. He spun around, not releasing his grip on Jacob, and knocked me out of the way with his free hand. I stumbled and fell before looking back at them. Jacob’s body has stopped moving. He now hung lifelessly in Erebus’s hand.

  Erebus viewed each villager in turn. “When I find out who poisoned Paymon, I will deal with them in exactly the same way. And I will find out.”

  He released Jacob, and he fell to the ground.

  “No,” I sobbed, crawling toward his crumpled body before looking to Erebus. “What have you—?”

  My words faded, my mouth refused to move. My skin heated, and my vision swam. I knew immediately what had happened. Erebus had compelled me. I shot him a furious stare but he only returned it before pulling his gloves back onto his hands. Unwillingly, I rose to my feet and walked toward him. He stood with his arms open, ready to welcome me. And, as I stepped into his arms, I caught sight of his eyes—amber, edged with a thick rim of black. He was fed.

  He pulled me against his hard chest and ran his fingers through my hair. As he gazed into my eyes I inched closer, feeling the heat of his breath on my lips just before I kissed him.

  I didn’t want to kiss him. Every part of me wanted to scream, tell him what a monster he was and how much I hated him, but my body wouldn’t listen. Erebus’s compelment was too intense, no room for my own decisions to be made.

  As his lips met mine, I jolted as if every part of him possessed some sort of charge. But a meeting of lips wasn’t his only intention. He wasn’t content with a simple kiss. His arm encircled my waist at the exact moment my mouth opened against his. My tongue swept forward with an urgency that wasn’t my own. My mind hated him, but my body welcomed the demanding way he took control. A whimper built in my throat but wasn’t released. My fingers tingled with the need to touch him, and I shivered with pleasure from his closeness.

  He swiftly released me, staring into my eyes with a mixture of amusement
and desire. I wanted to look away, not see his eyes when he looked at me with so much longing. But he didn’t release his compelment. Even when I moved to his side, I was unable to take my eyes off him.

  With an infuriating grin, he winked at me and then turned to the villagers. “The poisoner will not be as lucky as this boy.” He pointed to Jacob who, thankfully, was alive, moaning and groaning. “I won’t just torture them, I’ll kill them. I will not tolerate any disobedience from my villagers, and if necessary, I will torture every single one of you. I have one less suspect to interrogate, but there will be more. I will return the light to the fields, but be warned, I can just as easily remove it.”

  I wanted to interrupt him all through his little speech, but I couldn’t. My voice was held by the same force as my limbs.

  “Come, Athena.” He took my hand. “Time to go home.”

  IT WASN’T UNTIL WE entered the house that Erebus lifted his compelment. My steps became light, my head cleared of the thick fog that had clouded it, and I was furious.

  “How could you?” The air buzzed with my outburst of anger. Candles flickered as if fighting to stay alight.

  “Cloak, Athena.” Erebus held his arm toward me.

  “I asked you a question.” I gritted my teeth and pressed my fingernails into the skin of my palm.

  He ignored me and stepped forward, lifting his hand toward my neck.

  I spun out of his reach. “Keep away from me.”

  His hand froze in mid-air and he cleared his throat with a small cough as if trying to hide a laugh. “I merely want to remove your cloak, seeing as you seem incapable of doing so.”

  I pulled at the fastening and swung the heavy item from my shoulders before hurling it at him. Part of the cloak landed over his head, and he pulled it away before hanging it up. Without looking at me, he strolled into the lounge. My footsteps sounded loud on the wooden floor as I followed him.

  “Don’t you ever compel me like that again!”

  He crouched in front of the fireplace, removed his gloves, and placed more wood on top of the glowing embers. Extending his arms, he rubbed his hands together and created sparks to light the fire.

  “And don’t ignore me.” I stood behind him, my arms crossed, waiting for him to explain.

  When he stood and turned to face me, I backed away. The true demon was before me. The fire was already blazing and lit him from behind. His features were dark, more so than normal, and his eyes burnt with a brightness I had never seen before. Golden irises pinned me in place as he closed the gap I had just created.

  “Your behaviour in the village was not acceptable,” he said, slow and steady, bristling with controlled anger. “I will not have a wife of mine challenging me when in the company of others. I had to compel you, and I will do so again if necessary.”

  “It’s never necessary.”

  “Yes, it is. You have a distinct lack of ability to appreciate who is in charge.” His arms were at his sides, his hands curling and then uncurling into fists as he spoke. “Let me remind you that you are not the one who dictates what happens. Sometimes your outbursts humour me, but I will never allow you to challenge me the way you did in the village.”

  “You forced me to kiss you.” I recalled the poisonous taste of his lips, and the hard contours of his body pressed against me.

  Erebus scowled, and stepped forward. “I could have done so much more.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t. Nothing stopped you the night you forced me to marry you.” My head buzzed with the sketchy memories I had of our marriage ceremony, and I covered my marriage mark with my unblemished hand.

  “I could have thrown you over my shoulder and dragged you into one of the houses, let the villagers know exactly what we were doing by the sounds I could easily tease from your supine body. Or I could have backed you up against one of the huts and defiled you in the centre of the village where everyone could watch.”

  I stared at him, my mouth open as I stepped backward again, renewing the space between us. I blinked rapidly and ran my hands through my hair.

  Erebus cocked a brow. “You like that thought?”

  His obvious amusement only angered me further, and I tensed. “You disgust me.”

  He lifted his hand to his mouth and hid another laugh before running a finger over his chin. “I don’t think I do. Somewhere underneath all your protesting is a fiery beating heart. You crave my touch on your skin. You just won’t admit it.”

  “I feel nothing but contempt,” I said through gritted teeth. “I hate you.”

  “I don’t agree. I don’t disgust you, I intrigue you. I set your heart racing in a way no other man has done before. I see desire in your eyes when you look at me. I hear your breath hitch when you think I’m not aware of you staring.” He lifted his hand to my face, but hesitated just before his fingers touched me. With a quiet snigger he dropped his hand. “Just let me know when you’ve finished playing whatever game it is you’re playing. I’m looking forward to what will be a most satisfying reward for my patience.”

  I caught his scent again as he sauntered to the desk. He smelt of the freshness of the forest pine trees and the muskiness of the earth and smoke. I closed my eyes fighting the powerful effect he had on my senses, and willed him to feel my eyes boring into the side of his head. My breath wasn’t hitching, it was pounding out of me, sharp and angry.

  “Now,” Erebus continued, writing something at his desk, “I suggest you find yourself a book to read. I’ll not be around for the rest of the day.”

  “Where are you going?” The only time Paymon had left me was when he went to the village to prepare Hannah and Julie for the ceremony.

  He replaced his pen in the pot on the desk before leaning back in the chair. He lifted his arms in the air and rested his hands behind his head. “Worried about me?”

  “No.” My eyes wandered to his midriff where his shirt had parted to show a glimpse of flesh. “Just curious.”

  “I’m going for a ride on Samael. There are a few things I have to sort. When I return, I will need to rest. Do not disturb me. I’ll be awake for our evening meal together.” He dropped his arms from their raised position. “I’m looking forward to see what you’ll prepare. Be ready for me, Athena. Bathed, clean dress, loose hair.”

  “If I’m not?”

  “I’ll bathe you. I’ll dress you.” He scratched his cheek and sniffed.

  “And I suppose you’ll compel me if I refuse.”

  His nose twitched, and he grinned. “No. I think I’d quite like the fight you’d put up. Grappling with your naked body would be fun. The emotions you’d let loose would be most entertaining. I may even manage to feed from some of them.”

  I huffed at his infuriating assessment, but caught the excitement in his voice. “So you think you can feed from me?”

  “No. I’ll need to continue to visit the village and seek out others to feed from. Your emotions are too weak to be of any use. They will only become strong if I do something to cause an intense reaction.”

  “You didn’t just feed when we went into the village,” I said, stepping toward him and risking even more wrath. “What you did was horrendous. It was evil.”

  “What do you expect, Athena? You know I’m a demon. Did you think I’d sit down and have a chat with him, discuss the weather, ask him what he was planning to do with his dreary life?”

  “You tortured him!”

  He rubbed his forehead before replying. “I needed to feed. And I fed by using my power.”

  “And what is it exactly?” I waved my hands in his direction. “Some sort of spark?”

  “My power is a surge through the palms of my hands.” He lifted both his hands in the air and wiggled his fingers. “It’s why I usually wear gloves. I can control it, but tend to let it run free when I lose the gloves.”

  “A surge of power, like electricity?”

  He shrugged. “Perhaps. Having never known what electricity is I can’t compare it. But whatever it is,
it can kill.”

  My breathing faltered as I understood his true power. “So you could have killed Jacob?”

  “Yes.” He stood and walked passed me. “But I didn’t.”

  As he reached the door he paused. “If you want me to stop torturing the villagers then you need to give some careful thought to how you can feed me. If you can manage to satisfy my hunger, I’ll have no need to torture them.”

  “But you said I couldn’t feed you.” I was confused, he wasn’t making any sense. Either I did feed him with my emotions, or I didn’t, which was it?

  “Not generally, no. Maybe you need to spend your time thinking of how you can feed me. What emotions are the strongest in a human? Fear, anger, lust?”

  I folded my arms across my chest, and tapped my foot on the floor as he opened the door.

  “I need strong emotions, Athena. Get thinking.”

  “Did you ever think that it could be your inability to feed from me rather than my inability to feed you?”

  He strode from the room, ignoring my question.

  I sank onto the sofa. He was infuriating. And even though he constantly told me how weak my emotions were, I didn’t think they were as weak as he made out. They just weren’t as strong as he needed.

  The heat from the fire pulsed into the room and I stared vacantly at the agitated flames. I knew how they felt—trapped, burning brightly only to fade into dull embers when their spark had burnt out. I twiddled my hair, trying to work out what to do.

  Was there any way to stop him torturing the villagers? Was it like he said? If I found a way to feed him then he would leave them alone. And his compelment was a worry. It was so easy for him to take over—my body became a mere vessel to carry out his silent orders.

  Whereas Paymon had been old and more of a companion than anything else, Erebus was young and handsome. I’d already witnessed his toned and muscular torso when in the kitchen yesterday. But he had a dark soul lingering just below the surface.

  I threw my head back onto the sofa and closed my eyes. This house felt like my home, and whereas it had been warm and comforting when Paymon was here, it was now buzzing with excitement with Erebus prowling around. I lifted my hand to inspect the marriage mark. This was the symbol that proved we were married, but I didn’t view him as my husband, and I never would.