Chapter 5 – Malice
Chapter Five
Malice
I roll my eyes at the demons going at it in the pit. It’s pure fucking chaos and not my idea of fun at all.
I’m only here tonight because my brethren insisted. Not that I would have turned them down, but being surrounded by demons who scurry away when I glance their way is tedious as fuck .
A succubus with wide hips and huge tits actually trips over her heels in an attempt to run from my gaze.
I chuckle darkly. Most everyone keeps their distance from my kind. Even among demons, nightmares are considered outcasts. No one wants to be near the monster that can instantly pick up their deepest, darkest fears.
Most of my kind have no problem immediately using that knowledge to torment or cause suffering.
After all, it’s what we feed on. No demon is willingly going to stay weak.
We aren’t altruistic enough for that. I’m certainly not going to starve. It’s a bloody uncomfortable ache that grows into a ravenous hunger, and it doesn’t abate until we satiate the need to feed.
It’s not that I’m overflowing with morals, but I do have several distinct lines that even I won’t cross. I do not use my powers on children, despite the fact that I’ve heard they offer a major power boost.
I find the terror of small beings unpalatable.
Along the same vein, I won’t use childhood trauma or abuse against anyone. To use either would be a low blow, and it’s beneath me.
There’s always some ridiculous fear like clowns, spiders, snakes, or the sound a balloon makes when it’s rubbed. Those are the terrors I latch on to for nourishment.
My best friends are currently in the middle of an all-out brawl in the fighter’s pit. The two of them are going up against eight other demons.
I frown.
They’re immortal, so I’m not overly concerned with their safety, but I do grimace when three additional higher demons join the fray.
I know the stakes of this particular match are high. I’m not sure why they’re so obsessed with the idea of leaving Hell.
It’s not like the other realms are any better.
I still watch carefully.
Getting out of Hell might not be my dream, but I have enough decency to make sure neither Wraith nor Knight leave with any permanent damage.
Immortality can be exceptionally monotonous without friends to help pass the time.
Wraith is attacked from behind as he focuses on the lust and envy demons in front of him. Black blood pours from the wound on his neck and shoulder as he roars.
The sound is chilling.
They do seem to be getting a bit overrun by opponents.
We’re a cluster. I can join the battle without consequence. They want information from Nero. His price was fighting in the pit against any willing challenger.
Nero smirks, nodding for two more higher demons to enter. I lean forward, allowing my hands to fall to the table in front of me. The bastard pride demon looks directly at me as he grins like he’s won something.
My shadows darken, showing my agitation.
It clicks rather suddenly—Nero only accepted the deal because he knows I won’t sit back and watch my friends fall.
I frown again, because I haven’t fed recently. I have a bit of a growing addiction to one feeding source, and she won’t be in bed for several hours.
The tendrils of smoke surrounding me suddenly jut out, looking for victims. If I’m going into the pit, then I need to be capable of helping.
I’m a High Lord of Hell. I’m never weak, but without proper nutrition, I won’t be able to fight like I should.
I don’t need to turn my head to feel the sloth demon that’s behind me to the left. He fears that his mate will realize he’s a lazy fuck who puts zero effort into making sure she enjoys sex.
I would roll my eyes, but I’m still busy glaring at Nero, and that would ruin the persona.
I send the sloth demon a lovely little window into his future once his mate realizes she’s never actually enjoyed fucking him.
Who would?
The massive fucker grunts and sweats while using her for his pleasure. I feel zero guilt in tormenting him over his transgressions.
I ignore several demons until a tendril latches on to something truly vile.
The envy demon who covets his brother’s wife, and as such, has been poisoning him with herbs to cause his faculties to fail from the inside out. Demons are immortal, but he hopes to push his brother into madness, so he can steal his wife and make her his own.
Demons can be born the old-fashioned way, with two creatures fucking. However, first generation monsters, like myself, are born from the fiery pits of Hell.
I growl.
They’re second-generation demons, meaning they both popped out of a female demon’s snatch, or possibly they’re half-brothers. Either way, the envious bastard has no problem damaging his brother’s quality of life.
I don’t often allow my monster to create punishment without leashing it. It’s more depraved than I feel comfortable with. However, familial connections should be sacred.
I feed from the two demons’ fear and misery as I levitate in the air above my seat, raising an eyebrow at Nero. I suppose he’s getting his wish. The crowd parts, scurrying away as I float toward the stairs that lead to the viewing deck and eventually the pit.
My flair for dramatics becomes apparent as I allow my feet to land on the railing that lines the twenty-foot drop. The tendrils of my shadows slide out around me, keeping me steady as I spin.
My long, dark hair falls into my eyes.
I turn to Nero and wink before falling backward over the ledge. I plummet toward the ground like a ton of bricks, despite my shadow magic.
It’s quite disorienting as the tendrils of smoke tilt me upright again at the perfect height for my feet to touch the sand.
“Oh look, you finally decided to join the party,” Wraith says.
“Motherfucking finally,” Knight grumbles, slamming his left foot into a demon’s face before spinning to sink his claws into another lesser-pride monster.
I chuckle, shaking my head. They’re more than capable of handling all the foes currently in the pit.
They’re just lazy.
I’m surprised neither is a sloth demon.
Wraith slams his fist into the head of a lesser demon that looks more beast than man.
Lesser demons are creatures from the bowels of Hell. They have some sentience, but not a lot. They’re mostly cannon fodder. They pledge to a higher-level demon in the Sin they were raised in and follow commands. That’s about the extent of their intelligence.
A jolt goes through my entire system as she calls for me. Okay, technically, she doesn’t know I exist, but she’s sleeping. It’s much earlier than normal.
My annoyance ratchets higher as Nero sends in an additional ten higher demons. He’s letting his pride get the better of him. He should know better.
It’s no matter.
I’m more than happy to remind him of who I am.
The smoky tendrils of my magic dance around the arena with purpose. They barely need to make physical contact to register each monster’s deepest nightmare.
The higher-level demons immediately attempt to shield their minds against my attack. Surprisingly, several are successful.
I catch Knight’s eyes and nod to two that will need to be dealt with separately. Wraith is engaging with another massive demon.
I’d like this to be over now. It’ll take me several additional minutes to get somewhere where I can reach her.
I amp up their suffering, and the demons filling the pit hit their knees.
The crowd goes wild for it. Some chant and others, who clearly bet against us, boo in response.
I legitimately couldn’t give a fuck less what they think.
Nero crosses his arms over his chest and sends two more in. One is a neutralizer. The other is just a huge fucking beast with quill-like razors lining his back and sides. This night just keeps getting better and better.
I sigh, because I can already feel my hold on their minds failing. I glance down at my feet, really fucking grateful I wore boots.
“Let’s get on with it,” I grumble, lifting a hand and swiping it toward myself as the razor-covered asshole rushes me.
He lunges.
I run, sliding under his oversized frame and punching him in his soft underbelly.
He continues right over the top of me, flicking his tail to ensure several of his quills become lodged in my leg.
My jeans don’t have a chance at repelling them.
They burn with a feeling similar to hellfire, except without the instant death.
I grunt, rolling to my feet. My eyes flick to my brethren, but they aren’t in any better shape.
The demon looks kind of similar to a dinosaur from the human realm as he barrels toward me on all fours.
Ali’s panic rises, but I don’t have the ability to reach her unless I can meditate.
It clicks why Wraith and Knight are so damn determined to escape Hell and live in the human realm.
My distraction allows the creature to tackle me.
His huge form hits mine, and legs as thick as an elephant’s slam into my shoulders.
My back lands on the dirt floor of the ring as he tilts his head, attempting to impale me on his spikes.
It’s ineffective as I slide down and shove my claws through his chest. My hand wraps around his still-beating heart.
It’s a disgusting, squishy feeling combined with the vile scent of demon blood. It smells a bit like sulfur.
Ali’s misery ratchets higher, and that’s simply not okay with my system. I crave the fear and desperation of most creatures, but not her.
I toss the heart aside as my boots connect with the beast’s stomach. Kicking with all my strength sends the carcass flying. My leg burns as I pluck out the quills that made contact. Using my forearms and core, I push up to my feet.
“We need to make this quick,” I snarl as two more demons charge my way. They aren’t the real problem. I need to get my hands on that fucking neutralizer; end him, and the rest will be quick enough.
“Don’t act like we’re not doing exactly that,” Knight snaps.
“You just wait,” Wraith growls, slamming his boot into the chest of a gluttony demon. His arm wraps protectively around a wound to his chest. “Once we’re no longer in this pit, I’m reaping all your souls. Motherfucker, that hurts.”
I roll my eyes and get back to work.
“You fuckers owe me immensely,” I grumble, shouldering Knight out of the way.
The sin eater glares and flips me off with both hands.
“Who the fuck could have guessed he had a neutralizer on the payroll? He’s outed that, and we still won,” Knight says, swiping white-blond hair out of his eyes as he bites his lip.
“Why are you so obsessed with going to earth, anyway?” I hiss, clutching at my ribs. I’m pretty sure one is attempting to slam its way through my heart every time I take a damn breath.
“Does that mean you won’t be coming with us?” Wraith asks.
“I have something I have to do,” I tell them, sensing her panic. “Don’t leave without me.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Knight says, chuckling. “Tell the pretty fae we’ll see her soon.”
“You’ll not look twice at Ali,” I snarl.
“He’s so fucking fucked,” Wraith says, sounding a little too smug for my liking.
I should torture them both for the misery they put all of us through to win that fucking relic.
Unfortunately, that’ll have to wait until after I rescue Ali from her nightmares.