by A C Wilds
A bolt of pain washes through me because it’s the truth. I thought nothing could repair us, then I saw her—bright with Uriel’s light and full of my darkness. It’s as if she got the best of us.
“You’re right,” I say, dropping my hands to my side. I walk over to the fountain and sit, staring at the fish swimming in the clear water.
“It can’t go back to what it was. You destroyed us.” A tear falls from his eye. He wipes it with the back of his hand before turning from me.
“I’ll make it better. I vow this to you.”
“For now, we take care of Anima. Focus on the battle ahead. You and I can wait.”
He takes flight, leaving me alone with my guilt and the fish.
“Your Majesty.” The voice of a servant pulls me out of my self-pity. “The former king of Bloods.”
He bows and walks away. Torque comes through the entrance of the garden, looking regal as ever. Born a prince, die a king.
“You summoned?” His smirk has me taking a deep breath. He is truly fortunate that he’s my daughter’s mate.
“We must discuss Anima.”
“I don’t think she’d like us talking about her behind her back. Wouldn’t it be easier to bring her into the conversation?”
“No.” I can’t have her listen to what I have to say. She needs time to accept her role.
Torque walks further into the garden to stand where Uriel once was. “Then talk. I can’t make promises. She is my mate. There’s nothing that I want between us.”
“You must let her go.” My statement hangs in the air. His jaw ticks with anger, and a flash of ruby crosses his eyes.
“I cannot. You know this.”
“She must rule in the Darklands. An heir I never thought I’d have. My time is coming to an end. All immortals fade eventually. And if we are successful in defeating Scur, you will have your own lands to worry about.”
“I’ll handle it. I need not be at court all the time. Others can rule in my steed, and when we produce an heir, it will solve all this.”
“Arrogant youth. The Dark and Bloods will never follow one ruler. You dream of peace and fair times. We are demons! This isn’t New City.”
“You don’t think I know that!” He steps forward, crossing over the boundary of pleasant company. “She is my world. Everything to me. I don’t care if I have to abdicate once I destroy Scur. Nothing will keep me from her.”
Standing, I get in his face. “She is so much more than you. More than we’ve ever dreamed. I won’t have her wasted on a Blood who thinks he can rule the world with rainbows and sunshine. You’ve lived in the Mortal Realm for too long.”
“I’ve never forgotten where I come from.”
“And yet, you ran.”
His body goes rigid, and his blood leaks from his neck and thighs. Power radiates from him, magic swirling. There is a reason people fear the Blood king, but I roll my eyes as I sit back down.
“There will be no fighting today, King. Our energy is best saved for defeating the evils that are knocking on our door.”
I feel the pull of the fight, the magnetic charge of our two powers clashing, but I must resist. As much as I want to rip Torque’s throat out for battles past, I have to stay the course. My daughter and her people are at stake. Nothing else matters. Kingdoms be damned.
“You walk a fine line, Nox. I am not some young prince you can mess with. I may have been away from my kingdom for a few decades, but the lands recognize me. My power matches your own.”
He leaves the way he came. Thoughts of how this will unfold paralyzes my mind. Anima won’t be happy if Torque cages her in. If she’s anything like me, her will to choose will come first.
Eight
ANIMA
After waking from a dreamless sleep, I pull on a tunic and leggings they provided for me. If we’re to defeat Scur, I must continue my training. Having Nox and Uriel to spar with makes me think we’ll have a chance.
Scur was a dirty fighter, and I plan to know every move to use to my advantage. No one has held me prisoner before, and no one will again. He sampled my blood for days, and not a moment goes by where I don’t wish I could see him dead.
“Anima.” I spin around to see who called my name. Umbra walks toward me with purpose, scowling. I’m not sure this will be a joyful reunion.
“What can I do for you?” My voice is cool. She hasn’t proven that I can trust her.
“I thought we’d train together. It’s been ages since I could spar with another Dark such as yourself. Most of my soldiers aren’t as talented.”
“Do you have shadow smoke as well?” I ask, curious if it’s a Dark thing or a royal thing.
“I do. It isn’t as powerful as Nox’s, but I can hold my own. Many of the Dark have the power to varying degrees.”
We walk down corridors filled with black marble. Silver veins run through the stone, making them glitter in the otherwise dark halls. Statues and paintings hang from the walls, and in the center where all the halls intersect is a beautiful domed ceiling with light shining down.
“This is beautiful and surprising,” I say, face tilted to the sky. The black iron design lets in colors of light from the stained glass. A mosaic of flowers and swirls stares back at me.
“Not everything in the Darklands is evil.” She stares at me as if she’s never seen the piece before.
“I didn’t mean for it to sound that way. I’m not used to beauty in any form.”
It’s the truth. My entire life, they brought me up to be a warrior. An assassin for the Tenebris witches. I’m nothing without my titles. I don’t know how to be a normal woman.
“You’ve had a hard life? Surely your mother cared for you?” Her face softens as she studies me.
“I never knew the woman who gave birth to me. As far as we can tell, they implanted my soul into a witch at the Tenebris coven. I had no family, only a purpose.”
“You were alone for all that time?” She grabs my hand, holding it in both of hers. In another life, I would have loved to call her aunt.
“Not alone. I trained with other witches. I’m incredibly good at killing, so I leaped up in the ranks.”
“I’m sorry we missed you growing up. If you were at court, fighting would have been secondary. There’s so much we could have taught you.”
A tear slips from her eyes, and a strange twinge twists in my gut. It’s hard for me to see someone cry. It’s an emotion I’m not familiar with.
“It’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault except Rahna, and once we defeat Scur and go after her, we’ll find out the reason. Living for revenge is sometimes what makes us move forward.”
She wipes her face while keeping my hand in hers. We walk across the center of the building, then enter another corridor. This one has glass doors, and the muffled sounds of people talking comes from the far end.
As she leads me through the largest double doors, we come face to face with the rest of my traveling companions. Seated at an enormous table are Torque, Mammon, Nox, and Uriel.
My giant demon cat is lounging on pillows near an open balcony window. He looks right at home. A tyger king.
“Anima, come join us. We were about to eat,” Uriel says, taking a seat to Nox’s right. It leaves the seat on his left side open. I expect Umbra to sit there, but she pushes me in the direction and sits farther down near Mammon.
They set the table with a bountiful pile. Fruits, bread, nuts, and pastries crowd the table. Something resembles a pancake and another pot looks like cream, but the most important item—coffee.
My eyes light up, and Torque doesn’t miss a beat. He slides his hand underneath the table to squeeze my leg. A rush of excitement runs through me, but I tell myself it’s for the coffee.
He pours a cup of the steamy nectar, then places it in front of me. “Do you want cream?” he asks, a purr in his voice.
“Yes, please.” Suddenly, I’m breathless, looking into the depths of his garnet eyes.
He pours the c
ream inside the coffee, and swirls of pale milk mix with the dark rich color. The scent of the brew hits my nose, and a shiver passes over me. How can a cup of coffee make me feel this turned on? Then I think about who’s pouring it, and my vision blurs at the edges. Is it hot in here?
“Anima.” Nox’s stern voice breaks through whatever was happening.
I straighten in my chair and grab the mug with both hands, bringing it to my lips. Best. Coffee. Ever. “Did I miss something?” I smile sweetly, knowing this is pissing him off.
“I asked what you planned for today. Umbra mentioned sparing. Was that all?”
“I need to work on using the shadow smoke more. I almost had it where I could maintain a solid link for more than a few minutes. I think it will come in handy if I can control it as much as you do.”
He nods, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin before gulping his juice. “Scur doesn’t know all of your powers. He may have tasted your blood, but the story within you is still being written. We must keep him guessing. You’re our ace in the hole.”
“A poker reference? Really?” I ask, a smile on my lips. Nox isn’t at all what I expected, but none are.
All my life, they have taught me to hate demons since they are the reason the Mortal Realm is the way it is. But the lines aren’t so clear anymore. How can a race of people who behave with such love be evil?
“I’ve played poker with some greats. Before the fall of the Mortal Realm, I frequented New York City every decade. My favorite times were the 1920s. Prohibition was a thrilling time,” he says, waving his fork in the air after he takes a bite of fruit.
I don’t think I could be any more shocked than I am. “Demons were on Earth before the fall? Walking freely?”
“Did you think we stumbled upon it while we were fleeing for our lives? Demons have always been in the Mortal Realm. The only difference was humans didn’t know about us,” Mammon says.
“I loved the 1960s. Free love and all those drugs. It was a great time,” Umbra adds wistfully.
“If you think it’s freaky the demons were in the Mortal Realms, you won’t like what you hear about the angels,” Uriel quips, leaning back in his seat and sipping from his cup.
“Tell me the stories about God and all that isn’t true. There can’t be one guy up there floating on clouds like the humans think.”
“Nothing like that. The angels have been around longer than humans or demons. The first demon was an angel, which is how it all began. So, if you think about it, everyone at this table has some angel blood, though it just depends on how much.”
“Garden of Eden?” I ask, putting a forkful of what looks like eggs in my mouth.
“Story, but one angel shaped his holy magic to make fruit trees. Some more primitive humans were wary at first. I guess that’s where the story comes from.”
“Consider me officially freaked out. Are there many angels still?”
Uriel sighs. “No, we lost many in the war between the Fallen and the high. There were so many of us, but hundreds of years of bloodshed takes a toll on any race. I don’t know of any in the Demon Realm except for me.”
“What about the Mortal Realm? Any there? Any in New City who can wield the holy magic?”
If Rahna has an angel on her side, I fear the battle will be worse than I originally thought. Their holy fire could wreak havoc on the demons.
“We can’t wield all holy magic. Only our own.”
“You mean you can’t use the orb?”
“The orb contains the magic of another angel. Think of it as a lock. There is only one key that can open it. You have a universal key.”
Holy shit. It must piss Rahna off that she let me go, but then why send me to Torque? She had to know it was suicide.
“That explains why they created me, but not why she let me go.”
“I’m not sure that was her plan. I thought she wanted you out of the way from the start, but now I think she wanted you to retrieve the orb or at least give her an in to do so. With me out of the way, she could have magic from two different angels, making her even more powerful,” Torque explains.
“You have holy magic?” Umbra interrupts. Togmerin places his hand on her shoulder to keep her seated. Fury blows through her like a storm, and her eyes turn silver.
“I do. I plan to use it against Rahna when the time comes. I don’t dare use it here. There are too many things that could go wrong if we did,” he replies, buttering a roll and taking a big bite. I watch his mouth pull at the bread, and I can’t help the strange tingle inside me.
“It’s here! Unbelievable. Did you know about this, brother?” She shrugs off Togmerin’s hand and stands. Fury crackles in her palms. Her anger is so palpable that it’s hard not to see it.
Nox nods and continues to eat his food. It’s as if we are amusing him with our plans. Something is going on behind his facade. His own plan, perhaps?
“I demanded they bring it with them when we retrieved the vampire. It’s too valuable to be left unprotected.” Nox and Torque’s casual demeanor is putting me on edge. I’m missing something.
Umbra takes a seat, but the anger is still there. I have so many questions that need answering. I don’t know how this world operates, and if I’m to be a part of these battles, I must know the rules.
“Later, we can speak of war. This may be the last time we share a meal without preparations getting in the way. Let us enjoy it,” Torque says, squeezing my thigh under the table.
The bond hums to life, and my entire body feels like it’s on fire. Denying it is taking its toll. I can feel him more clearly now. The thoughts of us together hang around longer.
“I sense it—your arousal,” he whispers in my ear.
I shift in my seat, trying to find a more comfortable position. This breakfast went from talks of war to talks of… other things.
“This is not the time,” I say through my teeth. My gaze drifts to our tablemates to make sure they aren’t looking.
“It will be soon. You can’t deny this forever.” His hand climbs higher up my leg until it’s almost at the apex. I smack it, the crack echoing around the room.
Scowls come from Nox and Uriel, but Umbra’s harem looks quite amused. I imagine their mate wasn’t easily persuaded either.
“I think I’ve had enough to eat,” I say, standing. “Umbra, I’ll take you up on that offer to spar. If you’re finished?”
She gets up from the chair without a word. I figured she’d need an out. Being in the same room as these males has my head spinning.
We head for the door of the banquet hall and down another short hall. Neither of us speaks until we’re outside in the blinding sun. I can hear shouts and clashes from around the building. When we near, I see the reason for them.
A huge training yard lays before me. Excitement overcomes me, and I’m itching to try out all their toys. I didn’t bring Hubris down with me, as I didn’t think I needed my sword of death, but there is no shortage of weapons.
“I think I’m in love,” I say, smiling over at her.
She returns it. “Yeah, it’s the one thing my brother did right. From the time he killed my father for the throne, he changed a lot of things.”
“He killed his own father?” I ask, wrinkling my brow.
“Yes. My father, King Titus, was an asshole and a tyrant. He abused his powers. We’re demons, not perfect, but he never valued his people. As soon as Nox was of age, he slit his throat.”
I’m no stranger to death, but killing your father seems a little harsh.
“Let’s see what Donaas is up to. He’s our lead trainer. He takes on all the new recruits and molds them into warriors. He’s also sexy as hell when he’s sweaty.”
She gives me a devious grin and moves over to a small building on the opposite side of the arena. It’s a wooden structure with two guards standing outside. They both bow when Umbra passes but give me a rather unfriendly look. I can’t wait to fight.
There is a line of cadets against one wal
l. In the center of the mat is a pair of grappling students. Their form is okay, but the one on the right needs to strengthen his core. Otherwise, he’s going to get flipped.
“Block the punch, Sam. Keep your hands up!” Donaas screams. He has his shirt off, which showcases all his muscles. I have to agree with Umbra—he is sexy when sweaty.
The boys continue to grunt until one falls to the floor. When Donaas whistles, they break it up and return to the line, breaths coming in heavy pants.
“Who’s next?” Donaas questions, his back turned to us.
“Me,” I shout. He turns around and stares at the two warriors walking up to him.
“Princess, are you ready to get your hands dirty already?” he questions, lips pulled into a smirk.
“My hands are always bloody.” My sinister grin has him brightening up.
“Let’s see what you can do then. Severn, you’re up. Try not to break the princess.”
Umbra shakes her head at her mate, then goes to stand with him off to the side. I place my daggers on the ground. I don’t want to stab the poor kid accidentally.
“Rules?” I question, stretching my neck muscles and shaking out my hands. I jump up and down a few times to get the blood flowing.
“The first one to the mat is the loser. No magic. No blood.”
Severn walks toward me. He’s a brute of a man. Around six feet, his arms are strong and his legs thick. This will be easy.
“You’re the new princess. Funny, I thought you’d be more,” he quips.
“More what?”
“Just more.” He gestures with his hands.
Before Donaas can call it, he rushes me. Trying to get the easy takedown. I sidestep and watch him fall to the ground. He gets up lightning quick, trying to attack again. This time, he fakes left and tries to barrel into me. I jump back on my hands, flipping over and avoiding his blow.
He stalks toward me, breathing heavily. He’s going to tire himself out if he doesn’t conserve his energy. Switching tactics, he goes in for a right hook. I block it with my forearm and pivot, hitting him right in the side.
