CHAPTER 26

Zarreth

D istant shrieks pierce the silence as scorching hot winds lash my skin. The smell of rotting eggs burns my nostrils. I don’t need to open my eyes to know I’m in the Dark Realm, but when I do, I find myself mere inches from molten lava.

I quickly push myself up, wiping ash from my clothing as I examine my surroundings. I spot a distant cave that would make a great shelter while I rest. I’m still weak from tracing to a different realm, so I begin walking, unable to trace again until my strength returns.

I forgot how shitty it is here. The sky is dark and hazy. The air is dry, and ash covers everything, making it difficult to breathe.

Anxiety courses through my body, making my chest ache. I worry about Frankie. I know Ronin will keep her safe, but something isn’t right. Maybe she misses me and that’s why my heart feels heavier. I rub my chest. Touching my mating mark has become a constant habit.

It’s not long before I come across a hellhound. Luckily, it’s too busy chewing on a freshly amputated arm to notice me. I quickly sneak up behind it and rip its head from its body, silently thanking the owner of the limb.

I think of Frankie as I continue walking, my heart longing for her. I wonder how her training with Ronin is going. He’ll have his work cut out for him. I smile at the thought of how stubborn Frankie is. Gods, I miss her.

I let my mind wander to places it probably shouldn’t, thinking of Frankie, not paying attention, when demons wearing armor representing the Death Horde surround me. Fuck!

I turn to the largest demon and launch myself at him, bringing us both to the ground. My powers have not yet returned, so I reach for a large boulder, quickly smashing his skull in. At the same time, demons trace around me, stabbing me over and over. I try fighting off each one as they come, but I’m bleeding out faster than I can blink. There are too many. Hundreds. Waiting as if they knew exactly where I would be.

This can’t be happening. How did they know I was here? I look at the traveler’s mark to find it’s disappeared. Just before I pass out, I realize Dante set me up.

I wake up in my old cell, wincing as I push myself up, noting the binding cuffs on my wrists. My left wing hangs limp, the leathery membrane torn and tattered. The stab wounds are partially closed. They must have waited for the gashes to mend before cuffing me. It’s easier to deal with a prisoner who’s not dripping blood everywhere.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” I hear a familiar voice. “You may want to rest longer so you don’t rip the gashes open again.”

Squinting through blurry vision, I see a familiar figure. “Nate?” I cough. A part of me thought Aradon would have killed him by now. Fuck, it’s good to see him alive, but how the hell did I get myself captured?

“I can’t say I’m thrilled to see you here, but I’m glad you’re alive,” Nate says, the corner of his mouth tipping up, but his smile never reaches his eyes. “You were looking rough. I wasn’t sure you would make it.”

I finally turn myself, so I can fully see him. He’s sitting with his back against the stone wall, his knees bent. He looks much older than when I last saw him, thin and dirty. His bare feet have sores on them, and all his toenails are missing. “You look like shit.”

“What, you don’t like my new pedicure?” He jokes, looking at his toes.

“Not as much as I like your new roommates.” I nod at the two rats running around.

Chuckling, he points to the rats. “The brown one is Diggler, and the gray one is Shiggles.”

He and Frankie are so much alike. They name everything and have the same sense of humor. It’s nice to know his spirits haven’t been completely broken yet.

We spend the next hour catching up. Nate doesn’t think Aradon knows about Frankie yet. I’m assuming Dante won’t tell him. He won’t chance Aradon getting his hands on her. I clench my fists and punch the stone wall, bloodying my knuckles. I can’t wait to kill that fucker. What if he tries going after her himself?

My eyes must be turning black because Nate says, “Calm down, man. You got to keep your shit together. You know those fucking cuffs won’t let you do anything, anyway.”

I growl. Nate’s right. I need to focus on getting us out of here.

“So, you and my sister, huh?” he asks, a scrutinizing look on his face.

I raise my eyebrows at him. “How’d you know?” I didn’t mention Frankie being my mate.

“It sounds like you earned her trust, which isn’t easy, so I figure she must be into you. Also, that big dumb look on your face every time I say her name kind of gives you away.”

I shake my head, schooling my features, hating that I look like a fucking schoolgirl at the mention of her name.

He laughs. “So, how serious is it? Do I need to whip your ass or anything?”

I pull down the collar of my bloodstained shirt, revealing the mating mark. It’s ironic how the tattered wings tattooed over my chest match the tattered wings at my back.

Nate’s eyes widen, his teasing demeanor gone. “What the…is that what I think it is?”

Our conversation stops as we hear footsteps outside our cell. “Shit!” Nate trembles as he backs into a corner, covering his head with his arms. What the hell have they done to him? But I don’t need to ask. I already know.

The door opens and two guards enter. Instead of going for Nate, they hold me down, chaining my cuffs together behind my back. They place shackles around my ankles and drag me from the cell. I shuffle down the hall with a guard gripping each elbow. Every cell we pass holds multiple demons. They have all been tortured in one way or another.

“Aradon has missed his favorite toy,” one of my escorts says as we head toward Aradon’s chambers. I grit my teeth, seething at the nickname.

We step through the heavy iron door, grotesque statues standing guard on either side. Aradon sits in a massive throne carved from blackened bone, covered in crimson gems.

He stands and walks to the center of the room. His black robe flows behind him as he prowls toward me. Huge gray horns curl forward on both sides of his head. His black hair is braided down the middle of his back.

He smirks when he makes eye contact with me. “Kneel, Maggot.”

Instead of kneeling, I turn to the guard who called me Aradon’s toy and slam my head into his nose. I know I’ll pay for that, but it’s worth watching the blood drip down his face.

He lets go of me, grabbing his nose while the other guard holds a knife to my neck. “He said, kneel.” I tilt my head, the cold steel of the blade digging into my throat.

Next thing I know the fucker I head-butted takes a swing at me, connecting his fist with my face, breaking my nose. He then takes my breath away as he punches me in the gut, ripping open my wounds and forcing me to my knees.

“I always liked your fearlessness. It makes it more enjoyable when I break you.” Aradon walks closer to me. Bending low, he whispers, “I can’t believe you thought you could escape.”

I smile before spitting blood in his face. “Seems to me, I did escape. Quite easily, in fact.” I grin, making sure he sees my blood-stained teeth. I’m not afraid of this fucker.

Taking a step back, he wipes his face with his sleeve, laughing. “Do you really believe it’s a coincidence you’re back in my dungeon? Have you learned nothing?” He gets back in my face. “Whether it’s this realm or another, I will always own you.”

I bare my teeth at him, enunciating my words. “You will never own me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you. See, Dante was quick to become my ally once he learned how valuable the minerals here in the Dark Realm are. He will do anything for me if I continue providing him with the ingredients needed to make his pitiful drug operation successful. He was so eager to prove his loyalty, he practically hand delivered you to me.” His eyes dance as he speaks.

A low growl emanates from my throat. I can’t believe I was dumb enough to trust Dante, but what other choice did I have? He was my only option to get to Nate.

Bringing his fingertips to his head as if he just remembered something important, he says, “He also mentioned something about a cute, little brunette who happens to be your mate. Frankie, is it?”

“Don’t say her name again!” I growl, trying to break myself free, my wings splaying.

“I will never understand why demons concern themselves with mere humans,” Aradon says. “Apparently, she’s a good fuck because Dante plans to keep her around for a while. He mentioned something about using her as a reward to incentivize his army. It’s a shame she’s your mate, though. It must be tough knowing she’s being passed around from demon to demon.” His words are sharp, laced with an unmistakable threat.

Letting loose a loud roar, I pull against the cuffs, trying to break free. “No!” I snarl, snapping my jaws in Aradon’s direction. “Mark my words, when I get out of here, I will fucking destroy you.” I’ll burn this whole gods damn realm to the ground if I have to.

Aradon chuckles, before turning to his guards. “Do your thing.”

One guard kicks me in the face, and soon the others join him. They stab me repeatedly, again, trying to weaken me so Aradon can remove my cuffs. I don’t feel the pain, though. All I can focus on is Frankie. He’s lying. Ronin will protect her with his life. I know he will.

“That’s enough,” Aradon orders, holding up his hand once he’s certain I’m too weak to fight back. My vision tunnels as I struggle to stay conscious, the noise around me fading into the distance.

The guards back off, leaving me in a pool of my own warm blood. My nose is broken, along with a few ribs. One of my lungs must be punctured because I can barely breathe.

Aradon presses his thumbs to the cuffs, making them fall to the ground. The minute my wrists are free, my powers begin sparking to life, but I’m not strong enough to stop him from getting into my head. A familiar darkness slithers into my mind as my powers fade away.

“Come to me, Maggot,” he orders.

No matter how hard I resist, I can’t stop myself from crawling on my hands and knees. I stop only when I reach his feet, unable to pull away.

His eyes sparkle as his hand drifts down to his crotch, a clear but unspoken message. “Now that Ronin is missing, you’ll have to service my personal needs.”

Fuck! Ronin never told me how Aradon tortured him. He would often avoid my eyes when he tended my wounds, but I could see how haunted he was. I knew he had his own type of torture. I just didn’t know it was this.

A smug look crosses his face. “For a gay male, he gives lousy head. Of course, it could be because of the choke collar I made him wear. Now, unfasten my belt.”

He’s enslaved every part of my mind. My hands move of their own accord to his belt, pulling open his robe as if I’m watching someone else do it. My mind screams at me to stop as I grab his cock, vomit burning the back of my throat.

Aradon grabs my face, forcing me to look up at him.

“Wait.” He takes a step back, as my shoulders sag with relief. “What am I thinking? I don’t want to rush this new relationship we’re about to embark on.” He pulls a knife from his boot, handing it to me. “Why don’t you cut your horns off instead?”

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