CHAPTER 33
Frankie
“Y ou can open your eyes now, Frankie.” Ronin steadies me on my feet in the Dark Realm.
I bend over, resting my hands on my knees. “I need a minute to get my bearings.” I struggle to breathe as I fight the urge to throw up. The scorching heat is already intolerable. Ash fills my nostrils, burning my throat.
Ronin glances at me, a knowing smile on his face. “Take your time. Tracing to other realms is brutal, even for a passenger,” he says even though he looks completely unfazed.
“You must be used to it,” I cough, putting my head between my legs, fighting the nausea.
“I’ve been traveling to different realms for most my life, so my body has adjusted,” he explains. “It can take days for most demons to recover after using their traveler’s mark. I’m just more badass is all.” He grins devilishly at me, making me want to smack it off his stupid face.
Ronin retrieves a canteen of water from my bag before handing it to me. “Here, this will help.”
The cool water soothes my throat, but I remember Zarreth saying there’s little water here, so I quickly return the canteen to my bag, rationing it for later.
I squint, trying to keep dirt from blowing in my eyes. Large fires roar in the distance. A stream of lava flows over a black cliff not too far from here. The trees are black and none of them have leaves. There are no flowers, shrubs, or greenery of any kind.
“What other realms have you been to?” I ask as Ronin pulls a pickaxe from his bag.
“Just this shithole, the Human Realm, and the Light Realm,” he says nonchalantly as he walks to a large boulder nestled between two dead trees.
He’s been to the Light Realm? It’s so crazy how he acts like that’s no big deal. “What’s the Light Realm like? I imagine it to be the complete opposite of here.”
“It is. The official name is The Realm of Eternal Light. It’s beautiful there. The mountains are made of crystal, and luminescent flowers stretch as far as the eye can see. They have ethereal beings made of pure light, whose colors constantly shift. Tiny spirits flit around like fireflies. It’s truly amazing.” Ronin places his shoulder against a boulder, pushing it aside.
“Wow, that sounds absolutely incredible!” I struggle to wrap my head around the beauty of it. It sounds like something straight out of a dream.
Ronin uses his axe to break through the dirt where the boulder was. “I’ve been hiding weapons in these woods for years. I figured they would come in handy someday.”
Impressed, I say, “You’re prepared for everything, aren’t you?”
He gives me a cocky grin. “I try to be.” He stops digging when his axe hits something metal and pulls a large box from the ground. When he removes the lid, I see knives, swords, axes, and things I don’t even know the names of.
He hands me a sword. I balance it in my hand before taking a few swings. “Nice.” I return the sword to its sheath before strapping it to my back.
Ronin hides numerous weapons on his body before strapping two swords to his back.
“It will be a while before I can trace again, so I hope those boots are comfortable.” He points to the cute hiking boots I bought last summer with Jess.
Smirking up at him, I reply, “Don’t you worry about my feet, princess. You should focus on the weird looking bird thing coming at you.” I point behind Ronin.
Raising one eyebrow at me, he unsheathes his sword. “Princess, huh?” He spins around, cutting off the creature’s head in one swoop.
“All animals here are dangerous, despite how cute they may look, so please do not approach any,” Ronin says. “Or try to pet them.”
“Obviously.” How dumb does he think I am?
“It may be obvious to some, but how often did we stop training so you could chase ‘fluffy bunnies’ through the woods?” He asks, arching a brow.
Exasperated, I throw my hands up. “That only happened twice.” The third time was a groundhog, but it’s probably best not to point that out.
Ronin rolls his eyes and points north, or maybe east. I honestly don’t know what direction it is. “This way. We should be there in a few hours.” He turns on his heels, heading to a destination I don’t know.
I can’t believe I thought I could survive on my own out here. What was I thinking?
I’m not much for words as we travel. Ronin gave up on small talk an hour ago. I’m not good company these days.
I press the palm of my hand over my mating mark, trying to soothe the painful longing in my chest. The ache in my heart runs hotter than the piles of burning brush scattered throughout this shithole. I close my eyes, imagining Zarreth’s voice.
Ronin’s voice snaps me from my thoughts. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”
“Nope. There’s nothing to talk about other than getting Nate and Zarreth back.” I can’t let my mind wander. It’s too dangerous.
“I’m here if you ever change your mind. Believe it or not, it helps to talk.”
I shake my head, appreciating the offer, but I can’t dwell on what happened. I’m afraid of what I’ll feel if I allow myself to open up. Instead, I change the subject to Ronin.
“So, do you have a special someone waiting for you somewhere?” I realize I know little about him even though we’ve spent a lot of time training together. I guess I was too busy sulking to care about anything other than my broken heart.
“I’m not mated if that’s what you’re asking. I’m not sure how it works for someone like me. I’ve never met another gay demon.”
I never really thought about how lonely Ronin must be. He’s got to be hundreds of years old if he grew up with Zarreth. That’s a long time to spend by yourself.
Reaching out, I squeeze his shoulder. “I’m so sorry. I’ve never thought about how hard it must be for you.”
He shrugs it off. “Don’t feel sorry for me. At least not for being gay. I experimented with females, but they didn’t do it for me. Plus, males are so much easier to figure out.” Ronin nods his head in my direction. “You girls are confusing.”
I don’t disagree with him. Females are complicated. “I don’t feel bad for you being gay. It’s just…it must be lonely never being with a male.”
His eyes go wide, brows furrowing. Suddenly, he’s roaring with laughter, clutching his stomach. “That’s why you feel sorry for me? Because you think I’ve never fucked a male? Trust me, Frankie, you don’t have to worry about me in that department.”
I give him a puzzled look. “I just assumed when you said you never met another gay demon.”
“You should know better than anyone that humans and demons can have sex, considering you’re mated.” Ronin stares at me like this should be common knowledge to me.
I shrug. “I thought it was because I’m half demon.”
“Nope. We older demons have far better control over our strength, so it’s possible for us to have sex with humans. The good thing about being gay, is you don’t have to be as careful with males.” He winks, with a smirk on his face. “Their bodies are stronger and can handle more punishment if you get what I’m saying.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Ew. Listening to you talk about sex is just as disgusting as listening to Nate talk about it. You’re too much like a brother to hear that. It’s gross.”
Ronin laughs again, as I change the subject to something safer. “What’s our plan once we get there?”
“There’s a small bar where demons often frequent. Unfortunately, they’ll recognize me, so I need to make myself invisible while you try to find information on Zarreth. We won’t have much time because my powers are weak right now.”
Anxiety washes over me at the thought of going to a demon bar alone. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to open up to me there. I struggle to strike up conversations with strangers in a human bar. “Why would anyone give me information?”
“Because you’re not a threat,” Ronin says matter-of-factly.
“Gee, thanks,” I say, sarcastically. My confidence is soaring.
“The Death Horde doesn’t take females seriously. In fact, most demons believe females are the lesser gender,” he explains. “They will want to impress you, so get them to brag about being in the Death Horde. You might have to dust off your flirting skills, but they’ll talk.”
My palms are sweaty and my heart pounds vigorously in my chest as we near the bar. Ronin warns me to keep my powers a secret. Apparently, my scent will draw a lot of attention, anyway. I’m developing a complex about my remarkable odor.
“Remember, we have ten minutes, tops. You need to get as much information as possible without raising questions. I’m going invisible now. You won’t be able to hear me or see me, but I’ll be by your side the entire time.”
“Piece of cake. I got this,” I mutter, faking confidence as we continue walking in silence. “I could get used to you being quiet, not bossing me around.”
A thump lands between my eyebrows. Ouch! Apparently, I can feel him, I just can’t see or hear him.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I spot the bar. A skull with two giant horns sits above a door that’s barely hanging on its hinges. A demon stumbles out, holding his bloody face. “What the fuck are you looking at?” he says as he walks by.
Okay, this is going to be harder than I realized. Steadying my breath, I open the door. The noise immediately dies down. Demons of all kinds turn so they can get a better look at me. So much for being inconspicuous.
I find an empty bar stool and sit, waiting to be served. Conversations resume as everyone returns to their own business. A female demon with red skin and a long thin tail is behind the bar. She nods in my direction. Her forked tongue flicks in and out of her mouth before saying, “Be right with you, sssweetheart.”
Goosebumps form over my skin at her reptilian sound. I nod my head, forcing a smile.
I nervously tap my fingers on the bar as I look around, taking in my surroundings. A huge demon with two sets of horns and black wings is the closest to me. He looks my way, hissing when I make eye contact with him. Okay! He won’t be any help.
I decide to wait and talk to the bartender when the hairs on my neck stand on end. “It looks human, but it doesn’t smell human,” a voice behind me says.
I spin around to see two large male demons staring at me. Their horns curl forward, representing a death demon.
One has a shaved head, while the other wears a man-bun. A plethora of sarcastic comments enters my mind, but I keep them to myself.
“I don’t know what she is, but I would love to find out,” the bald one says.
I clear my throat, praying my voice doesn’t shake. “And how do you plan on finding out?” I give them my best sultry look, which is difficult to do with dirt and ash covering my face.
“I’m sure I can come up with something,” man-bun says while baldy traces a claw down my arm.
My heavy breathing accompanies an audible swallow. I’m close to hyperventilating, but I try passing it off as interest instead of anxiety. “I figured two gentlemen like you would at least buy me a drink first,” I say, biting my lip to keep it from quivering.
Baldy takes the seat to my left, snapping his fingers. “Barkeep, bring us three pints of demon brew.”
Man-bun pulls at the end of my braid as he sits on my right. “You have beautiful hair.” He smiles, his rotten teeth on full display.
I become even more uneasy now that I’m sandwiched between them. I remind myself Ronin is here and relax a little. “So, I just got into town. Is there anything interesting happening?” Real smooth, Frankie.
Baldy leans in, murmuring in my ear, “We could make something interesting happen.” He runs a claw down my arm again, making the hair rise in its wake.
The bartender sets the drinks down in front of us. Thankful for the distraction, I grab mine to stop my hands from trembling.
“Laying it on thick, huh, Sssargoth?” the bartender hisses.
Sargoth must be the bald one. “You know me,” he says. “Just eyeing up the fresh meat.”
I tremble at the words fresh meat but try to keep my voice steady. “I’d love to get to know you both first. Maybe you can impress me with some crazy stories as we finish these beers.”
“You want to be impressed, huh?” man-bun says. “We could take you to the pits; show you what happened the other night. Have you ever seen wings ripped away from a demon’s body? It’s a sight to see.”
My breath catches in my throat. Did he just say what I think he did?
“He’s probably dead by now.” Baldy raises his drink as the demons clink their glasses together. “Let’s finish these and find somewhere more private,” he suggests, gazing in my direction, unmistakable lust in his eyes.
They continue talking, but I don’t hear them over the loud ringing in my ears. He’s probably dead. Zarreth! They’re talking about Zarreth. No, it can’t be. Please let it be someone else. But I know in my heart it’s him.
Someone is screaming loudly. I cover my ears to make the screaming stop, but it only intensifies. That’s when I realize the screams are coming from me. He’s probably dead. I’m frozen in place, unable to move.
“What the fuck!” I hear a distant smack. “Why the hell did you punch me?”
“I didn’t fucking punch you, asshole.”
A scuffle breaks out. Commotion is happening all around me, but I have no idea what’s going on. Voices come from the far end of a long tunnel as my vision turns black.
I should move away from the two demons fighting inches from me, but I’m stuck. My feet are frozen to the floor. Suddenly, a hand clenches my wrist, pulling me toward the door.
Ronin materializes from thin air once we’re safely outside. “We need to leave, Frankie.”
The sobs wracking my chest make it difficult to speak. “Th-they said he was d-d-dead.”
Ronin grabs my shoulders, shaking me until he comes into focus. “He’s not dead. Trust me. He’s the toughest demon I know.”
My knees crumble as I fall to the ground. “They said he was d-d-dead.”
Ronin gets in my face and yells. “Frankie! Snap out of it! Zarreth needs us.”
His voice, sharp and urgent, pulls me from my stupor. I quickly stand, gathering my resolve, as determination flickers to life inside of me.
Ronin grabs my hand as we take off running. “I know where he is. It’s not too far from here.”
It must be a hundred degrees here, but I can’t stop shivering. My entire body is numb, but I just focus on my legs carrying me as fast as they can over the rough terrain.
It feels like hours have gone by. Fuck! I desperately wish Ronin had the strength to trace us, but he’s saving it for when we find Zarreth. I focus on my breathing, thankful for all the running Ronin made me do, so I can keep going.
“There he is.” Ronin points, coming to a stop.
I look up as the world around me collapses into silence. I stand, frozen, my breath caught in my throat. Shaking my head, I try waking myself from this cruel nightmare.
Zarreth’s massive form hangs between two poles. One wing is completely torn from his back. There’s nothing but a small amount of flesh connecting his body to his other wing. It won’t be long before it rips away, sending him plummeting into the pack of hellhounds below him.
“Zarreth!” I try to run, but Ronin holds me back.
“You can’t go over there, Frankie. Those hounds will kill you.”
Determination consumes me. I scream, gripping Ronin’s arm tightly, sending my power into his body. He holds on with everything he has, trying to stop me from rushing headfirst into the pack of hounds.
“Frankie, stop!” he shouts, desperation lacing his voice.
I can’t stop. I won’t. Nothing can keep me from my mate. With blind determination and fire coursing through my veins, I send my magic through Ronin like an electrical current until he finally releases me.
I dash toward Zarreth, heart pounding with each step. A roar rips through my throat as I try scaring the hounds away, but they’re not about to leave their feast. I can’t let him die. I won’t. But it’s too late.
I’m only a few yards away when Zarreth’s wing rips completely free, his body falling to the ground. The hellhounds are instantly on him.
“Noooo,” I scream. “Leave him alone!”
I fall to my knees, sobbing. Ronin wraps his arms around me, and I swear I hear him cry too.
“I love you, Zarreth! Please, I need you! Don’t leave me!” My words turn into incoherent noises as I scream at the top of my lungs.
Heat builds in my hands as pins and needles spread from my fingers through my entire body. My vision sharpens as it does when my eyes glow. Little dots dance in my vision. My powers fuel me, igniting my whole body as Ronin curses, pulling away from me.
Before I understand what’s happening, a burst of light erupts from my chest, propelling my body backward, crashing hard onto the ground. The brilliant light vanishes, fading just as quickly as it appeared.
“Frankie, look.” I barely hear Ronin over my screams.
“Frankie!” he yells again as he points toward Zarreth’s body.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I look up. The hellhounds are laying on the ground, blood pouring from their orifices. Some are writhing around as the last of their life-force leaves them, while others are not moving at all.
Mustering the last of my energy, I stumble my way toward Zarreth. “Oh my God! Oh my God!”
I collapse next to his body, frantically checking for a pulse. I barely recognize him. His swollen face looks deformed. His eye sockets are sunken in, covered in dried blood. I hold his head in my hands, begging him to live.
“Wake up! Wake up! Don’t you dare die on me. I love you! I am yours and you are mine! Wake up!” I beg as I weakly shake Zarreth’s body.
A small groan escapes his lips, and it’s the most wonderful sound I’ve ever heard. Relief floods over me. My vision blurs with tears of joy and desperation as I gently brush my lips over his bruised face. He’s alive. He’s alive.
“Aw, he’s fine, love. Don’t cry. He’s been in much worse shape,” Ronin says.
“Shut up, Ronin! That does not make me feel better.” I gently run my hands over Zarreth’s swollen cheeks. “Come on, Zarreth! Please, I need you! Wake up!”
Ronin puts his hand on my back. “Frankie, we need to get out of here. Aradon will be back.”
“No, I need to heal him first,” I argue.
“Damn it, woman, you are stubborn. Close your eyes.” Ronin wraps one arm around my waist, lifting me off Zarreth.
I’m too weak from using my magic to fight him off. Dizziness washes over me as Ronin traces us to a cave. He steadies me on my feet before releasing me.
I pound my fists into his chest. “You left him there! You son of a bitch. You left him there.”
Ronin easily grabs my arms, holding them down. “Stop hitting me,” he warns. “And calm the fuck down so I can go get your mate.”
“Okay, okay.” I place my hands over my face, sinking to my knees. “Go!” He’s already gone before I finish yelling for him to go.
I wrap my arms around myself, rocking back and forth.
He’s okay.
It’s okay.
My mate is safe.
Just breathe.