“Good to have you back,” a voice said behind me. “We were worried Manuel had tied you up in the forest somewhere.”
I turned to see my friend Bree striding toward me, her curly hair flowing past her elbows and dozens of metal bracelets clanging on her arms. Beside her, Dominic gave me a sly smirk, humor lighting up his eyes. They’d just become full-fledged warriors this summer. That meant they were acting gatekeepers, responsible for their own patrols in the forest teaming with ferals. My heart had ached for them, feverish with worry. Compared to many of the Nephilim in this room, they were only babies. Could they handle themselves out there?
If one of them got hurt, I’d never forgive myself.
“Nah, but he’s definitely a task master.” I sucked in my cheeks, unsure how far this lie had traveled. “Be glad you’re not under this thumb.”
“I thank the stars each and every night.” Bree’s lips curled into a smile. “I’m getting enough action as it is, with patrols increasing. Not sure I could keep up a rigorous training schedule with all the fighting we do during the day.”
I frowned, picking up a white dining plate absentmindedly. It really was getting bad out there, despite the fact that I hadn’t come close to the Hell Gate in over a week. My mother had to be responsible for it. She was evil, after all. And all her talk about releasing the Prince of Hell wasn’t reassuring.
With all my attention devoted to thoughts about destroying the demon inside my head, I hadn’t allowed myself much time to think about the return of my dead mother. Maybe it was a defensive mechanism, because just the mere thought of her made me want to vomit. That was a problem I’d have to leave to Luke. He’d known her better than me, after all. Or, at least, he thought he did.
“Grab one of those multigrain bread rolls. They’re so good,” Raquel said, shoving me with her elbow and bringing me back to the present. She stuffed one in her mouth and began piling her plate full with scoops of food.
I smiled at her. It was good to be around my cousin once again.
My eyes drifted across the room and made eye contact with someone I hadn’t expected to see again in my lifetime. A young woman with long wavy blonde hair and giant brown eyes stared back at me. She stood next to a round table, an empty plate in her hands.
“Kate?” I set my plate on an empty spot on the table and took a step toward her. My heart skipped with joy. “Is that you?”
A few dozen heads turned in my direction and I realized that Kate was surrounded by several people from Hanna. That must’ve been the small group who’d moved into the manor to escape the attacks. The welcome sight of Kate helped me swallow down the flaming disappointment I held in my heart at their presence here. This was my new home. They’d tried to kill me. They didn’t deserve to walk these floors. But that didn’t matter, because Kate was here. My very best friend in the whole world. The person whom I missed with such an acute ache that it felt like I’d sprained a muscle in my chest.
She blinked at me, shock turning to joy. Taking three steps to the side in an effort to circumvent the table, she was stopped suddenly by someone’s arm. It belonged to a plump woman in flannel, the back of her frizzy gray head clearly visible from across the room.
Granny.
She stood next to Kate and leaned in to whisper something in her ear. Kate’s face went red and her jaw slackened. I tightened my hands into fists, just imagining all the things Granny could be saying to her at that very moment. Rage filled my head with white noise, blocking out my surroundings. Kate glanced back at me, her lips puckered into a sorrowful frown, and then she returned to her seat and stared down at the table.
I could feel Granny watching me. Our eyes met and she raised one eyebrow, as if in challenge. She wanted me to charge, I could feel it. If I made the first move, she could prove to everyone that the demon inside of me had taken over and that I was dangerous. That I deserved to be burned at a stake. It was a deadly game she was playing, one that had my heart doing somersaults. My fingernails bit into the palms of my hands, until warm blood trickled from my hands.
“Are you alright?” Ashley leaned into my side. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her reach for her hidden dagger. “Are you in control?”
“I’m fine.” If I didn’t get out of here soon, that wouldn’t be the case. Already, I could feel the demon on the edge of my consciousness. It was much easier to recognize her these days, now that we’d made official contact. “But suddenly, I’m not hungry anymore.”
My feet marched from the dining hall, through the empty lobby, and down into the dungeon. It was the only place I could go. The only place to keep everyone safe.
I would’ve locked myself in if it hadn’t been for the fact that that I was no longer alone. Silvia, Oscar, Manuel, and Gabe all sat at the table, their eyes somber. They turned toward me when I strode in.
“What’s happened?” The anger fizzled in my brain and was immediately replaced by panic. Something bad had happened, I could tell.
“We have her.” Gabe stood up and my heart did a little leap. He looked so good, as if he were handling our split up with ease. The thought sent a sliver of sorrow through my chest.
“Who?” I remained in the doorway. Surely they didn’t mean me. Raquel and Ashley had been very clear that my outing had been sanctioned by Silvia.
“Your mother.” He swallowed hard and shifted his feet. “We have Elizabeth in custody.”
I stared at him. I wasn’t comprehending.
“And she wants to speak to you,” he added, his lips pressing into a disapproving frown. “Alone.”
Chapter Thirteen
I paced back and forth across my bedroom, stopping every few seconds to listen. The low rumble of voices came through the wall, too quiet to make out. They’d locked me in here to discuss my mother. Like I was a child. Frustrated by the lack of news, I threw my hands in the air and began pacing again, cutting a faded path through the carpet.
Elizabeth was here. In this very dungeon. Across the hall.
Nervous energy coursed through my veins. She wanted to talk to me. The demon that lived in my mother’s body wanted to talk to me. Gabe had been dead set against the idea. He thought I would lose control if I was allowed a few minutes alone with him. To be honest, I couldn’t blame him for feeling that way. I didn’t exactly have a great track record the past few weeks. Facing my mother would be my biggest challenge yet.
“My mother.”
I let the words roll off my tongue in the silent room. It felt wrong to say them, yet, they were true. Demon and human together had birthed me. Both were responsible for my strange and cursed life. She was my mother.
The door to my room swung open. I turned to see Silvia standing in the hall, wearing a sapphire blue jumper that cinched at the waist. She rested her hand on her hip, long red nails curved slightly like claws. With a quick nod of her head, she motioned for me to come forward. Hesitating for only a second, I walked toward her and paused in my doorway.
“You will talk to her,” Silvia growled. “But only for five minutes. I want you to report back on everything she says. Do you understand me?”
I nodded my head, but I was busy watching the group of people in the living area. Oscar, Manuel, and Gabe still sat at the table. Manuel and Gabe both looked strained, as if they’d lost an argument. Oscar was picking at his nails, boredom clear on his face.
“Where’s Luke?” I asked. Surely, he should be here for this occasion. I might have demon blood, but I was still his daughter. “Why didn’t he come?”
“Luke couldn’t be here,” Silvia snapped. Grabbing my elbow, she pulled me to the next room. “No more questions. Let’s get this over with.”
There was no Earthly reason why my father would miss this. I could only think of two possible explanations: either he was being kept in the dark by Silvia or he didn’t want to see me anymore. I really hoped it was the first. The second option was too heavy to bear. But I couldn’t blame him if it was true.
As she went
to unlock the cell, I glanced one more time over my shoulder at Gabe. Dark circles hung under his worried eyes. A frown pulled at his beautiful mouth and he seemed ready to jump from the table at a moment’s notice. Our eyes met for the briefest of seconds. In that instance, I could feel the loss, the hurt, the worry that I’d put him through. My stomach clenched as guilt weighed on my shoulders.
He deserved better.
All too soon, Silvia unlocked the cell door and yanked me through, leaving me to stuff my guilt about Gabe down deep inside and focus on the task at hand. It was a room much like my own, with deep burgundy drapes, a matching comforter, and plush carpet. A four-poster bed stood in the corner, along with a TV set and lounge settee. None of that held my attention for long. In the middle of the room was a simple wooden chair. Trussed to the chair from her ankles to her shoulders sat Elizabeth. My mother.
“Lizzy.” She perked up the moment I walked through the door, her dark brown eyes shining. Eyes like Granny’s. “I knew you’d come. I knew they couldn’t keep you away from me.”
“She’s here because I told her to come,” Silvia hissed. Her eyes narrowed into harsh slits. “Don’t try anything funny. You know the deal we made. Five minutes and then you’re going to spill everything. Don’t even think about reneging on our deal. There will be consequences.”
Elizabeth tilted her head to one side and smiled softly. In her eyes, a deadly spark of violence remained. “Of course.”
“Good.” She raised her chin and flipped her hair. Turning to me, she pressed her lips together and looked down at me with disgust. “Don’t touch her. Don’t remove the ropes. Don’t even think of attempting escape. I think I’ve made myself clear. Chatting only.”
Did she forget I was the one who’d marched myself back down to the dungeon? I nodded, if only to get rid of her. It was amazing to me that someone like her could be part angel, as all Nephilim were. My dislike for her was growing by the day. If anyone had a demon inside of her, it was that one.
The door closed behind her, knocking me back into the present. My gaze slowly trailed across the room and up the woman tied to the chair. Elizabeth was watching me, her face set in a serene smile. Except for a few smudges of dirt on her pants and a bit of a bloody lip, she looked exactly as I’d seen her in the forest. Her hair fell down in gorgeous waves over her shoulders and onto the deceptively angelic creamy white blouse.
I bit the inside of my cheek, unsure what to do. It felt odd to take a seat when I didn’t even want to be here in the first place. So I shifted my feet and remained standing, wrapping my arms around my waist. If Elizabeth tried anything funny, I could make a quick run for it. Silvia hadn’t locked the door behind her. At least I had an exit.
“I can’t believe how beautiful you are.” Her lips parted in a warm smile, revealing two rows of white teeth. Her front teeth overlapped the slightest bit—just like mine. “You look a lot like your father. I’m glad. I always wished for you to be strong like him.”
I huffed and shook my head in disbelief. I’d spent my whole life wishing I could look like her, with her tiny stature and delicate features.
“What do you want?” I demanded, staring resolutely at the carpet. No need to make eye contact with the devil. “You’ve already destroyed my life in more ways than I can count. Haven’t you done enough?”
She chuckled, soft and musical. “My dear, I haven’t destroyed anything. I’ve given you the greatest gift of all—a purpose. You were born with a destiny. Do you know how many people would die for that?”
I hazarded a glance in her direction. She had leaned forward, as far as the ropes would allow, and a fire burned in her eyes.
“You’ve cursed me,” I threw back at her. “Part angel, part demon. I’m an abomination.”
“No, you’re a gift.”
“I’m evil.” I dropped my hands and took a step toward her. “Just like you. Can’t you see? We both belong in Hell.” My chest rose and fell as I gasped for air. Tears sprang to the corners of my eyes.
“Hell is not our home.” She pressed her lips together. “Hell is a prison. We were meant to reclaim this Earth. To help it realize its potential. Humans have wasted it. They’ve clouded its skies with smog, drained its veins of precious resources, and slaughtered each other by the millions. They don’t deserve it.”
I rubbed my hand up my arms, suddenly chilled. She was right, humans had done a great job of messing up the world. If Granny’s newspapers had taught me anything, it was that the world outside Hanna was just as messed up as the rest of us.
“See?” Elizabeth perked up as she caught the doubt in my eyes. “You’ve witnessed it yourself. Your own family tried to have you killed. The rest of the world is no better, my child. My Prince will end the violence. He will come and set us all free.”
Gabe had spoken to me once about the six Princes of Hell, but that seemed like a life ago. I’d imagined them as extraordinarily gruesome beasts, like dragons with three heads that spit fire. Releasing a Prince of Hell didn’t sound the best way to fix the planet. Even if he could rid us of all the evil people.
“Have you made contact with the demon inside you?” Elizabeth continued. She cocked her head and fixed me with an inquiring stare. “Have you felt her urges? Her desires?”
“We’ve been introduced.”
I thought about the first time we met and the pain she’d inflicted on me with a single touch. A shudder went through me.
“Set her free,” Elizabeth begged, her brown eyes widening. “Let her take control. All the pain, all the struggle will be over, my child. She knows the way. Join us. Leave this prison.”
“I can’t,” I sputtered. As if I’d just suddenly give up my entire existence to the evil presence in my skull. She’d have to kill me first. “I won’t do it.”
She groaned and leaned back in her chair. Her eyes rolled toward the ceiling. “These people are not your family, Lizzy. They treat you as an abomination.”
“That’s what I am!” I wasn’t sure why I was arguing with a demon. She only wanted one thing—to corrupt me. Still, my voice shook with emotion as I cried, “I’m a monster.”
“No.” Her voice grew deadly calm and she tensed every muscle in her jaw. “With me, you shall be a queen.”
Something inside my head shifted, unbidden and unwelcome. It rushed forward and filled me with anticipation, begging me to say yes. My demon. My parasite. I scowled and hissed in frustration, shaking my head. I couldn’t think straight with that thing in my head.
At that moment, Oscar and Silvia came bursting through the door. Silvia threw me a suspicious glare and planted her feet in between us. “What did she tell you?”
“Nothing new.” My heart beat like a drum in my chest. “She wants me to join her. Release a Prince of Hell.”
Her lips curled into a snarl. “We knew that already. Did she tell you any of their plans?”
My brow furrowed. “No. That was all she said.”
She hissed in annoyance and twirled to face Elizabeth. “You. Start talking. How are so many ferals getting through the gate? How can we stop them?”
Elizabeth laughed, throwing her head up. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. “You’ll never stop them. And once we have the key, you’ll wish you’d joined us. We will reign on this Earth until the end of days.”
There was an audible smack as Silvia backhanded Elizabeth across the face. I threw my hands over my mouth and muffled my cry. Blood trickled from my mother’s lips as she gave me a reassuring smile and then returned her gaze to the woman standing in front of her.
“You will be sorry.”
“I don’t think so.” Silvia retreated to my side and waved at Oscar. “Please, continue.”
The crunch of fist against face sounded as Silvia pulled me from the room. I dragged my feet, but couldn’t fight against her vice-like grip. No groans of pain or shrieks of terror came from Elizabeth’s cell. Nothing but the dull thud of a body being broken.
A body long
used to the terrors of Hell.
Chapter Fourteen
They tortured Elizabeth well into the early morning hours. It wasn’t until I heard her door slam and the slow retreat of heavy footsteps did I sigh a breath of relief. I’d been hunkered against the door of my cell, waiting for it to end. She hadn’t made a groan throughout the entire ordeal. No shouts or pleas for them to stop. Despite the brutal beating, she’d remained cold and indifferent to Silvia’s demands for information. Not a word passed her lips.
Not until they left.
“Lizzy...”
Her voice pulled me from my sleepy delirium.
I sat up straight, grasping the wall for support. “Hello?”
“Get ready.”
It was as if she were speaking on the other side of my door. I shuffled back, suddenly aware of the eerie darkness of the night. Monsters and boogeymen had never really frightened me. When I was a kid, I knew there were real demons just beyond my windowpane, scouring the forest. I’d braved them often enough on my forbidden hikes, so the monster under my bed didn’t scare me. But this was different.
This demon was here, in my home. And she wanted me.
“Stay away.” My voice cracked as I stared into the darkness. There was a noise at the door, a dull kind of thud. I grabbed onto my knees. “Stay away from me.”
In the shadowy darkness of the room, I could still see the door begin to open. It slid across the floor slowly and without a sound. Chills ran up and down my back.
They’d left me alone with a demon. And she was in my room. There was no telling what she’d do to me now that I’d refused her twice.
The air began to crackle with energy. Light bulbs burst overheard, causing me to cry out and cover my face against falling glass. Peering through my fingers, I saw a strange red glow begin to build. It illuminated a figure, revealing her features slowly.
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