Chapter 3
Aryana
Multiple guards surrounded Aryana as one unlocked her shackles in front of an open heavyset metal door. “In you go, Princess,” the guard snarled, while the others jutted at her with their spears.
Aryana was prodded into a room. Sunshine streamed in from a window above, searing her skin.
She hissed and lunged for the one small corner where the shadow still lingered, curling up into it.
If she remained in the light, she’d catch fire and burn to death.
A sigh escaped as the raging heat on her body cooled, even while she heard the heavy door slam shut and the lock click into place.
Drawing her knees up to her chin, she took in her surroundings.
Smooth stone, likely unscalable, formed the walls.
Bars blocked the high window, preventing escape even if she reached it.
Straw bales filled most of the space. The straw she was miraculously supposed to turn into gold.
Zarathos, that bastard.
She hated demons. If she ever had the chance to see the demon arch king again, she’d strike him down.
As if on cue, a black mist poured in through the window, twisting and spiraling to the ground where it gathered, spinning in a small cyclone of darkness until it bent inward, coalescing into a single form.
Aryana rose to her feet with a snarl. How in the hell did Zarathos do that?
He wore a midnight cloak, hood off, his wings magically whisked away.
Though he ruled as the demon arch king, he originally hailed from Nation Aeria, the air stalkers, like his father before him.
He was an abaddon, a spawn of the race of demons that were fallen angels.
And while only the demon arch king possessed the power to summon and recall his wings, she was pretty sure abaddons and kingly authority didn’t grant him the ability to enter through the shadows as he had just done.
He stood in the sunlight, watching her. Envy pulled through her at how easily he moved while she huddled in her darkened corner.
He grinned, revealing a row of mildly pointed teeth. “Having a good afternoon, Vampress?”
“Go impale yourself on a spear,” she snarled.
He shook his head. “So violent. Didn’t daddy dearest teach you any manners?”
She flinched. The mention of her father was akin to a slap in the face, even after all these years.
Zarathos seemed to notice and took a step toward her.
He moved with an easy grace, not resembling something sent from above, but more as a hunter stalking its next meal.
“It’s no longer daddy who rules the coop, is it?
No, now it’s uncle. Still, I would’ve thought one of them might have taught you—”
“Shut the hell up, you beast.”
He stopped short, lifting an eyebrow and frowning. “That isn’t the way to speak to the person who is keeping you alive.”
“Keeping me alive?” She emitted a humorless laugh. “You put me in this situation.”
He shrugged, unapologetic. “I needed the sword of Caronele. The Demon Trials are approaching, and every advantage helps.”
“So you got your weapon,” she said. “Why lie to King Salen?”
“Because I had to preserve your life. You present me with a prodigious opportunity, Vampress.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“Vampress? I thought it was clever. You are the vampire princess.”
“It’s not clever.”
He grinned. “You see, Vampress, you could provide me with the one thing that would guarantee me a victory in the upcoming Demon Trials.”
“And what is that?”
Zarathos’s gaze sparked. “The vampire’s piece of the royal scepter.”
She sucked in a breath. The scepter was the symbol of the six kingdoms. Meant to be held by the arch king.
It contained a potent, untamed energy that could be wielded like a weapon.
When the vampires separated from the demons, they had taken their piece of the scepter with them, shattering its power and rendering it useless.
If Zarathos could get his hands on the vampire portion and reunite it with the rest of the scepter, the energy would reignite, and he would be unstoppable. The magic would also force the vampires to honor their original bargain on pain of death and rejoin with the other demon kingdoms.
“You think I would betray my nation?” she snapped.
He flashed her a knowing smirk. He shifted, brushing his cloak behind him, giving her a glimpse of the midnight-black clothing underneath that clung tightly to his frame, the finely tailored shirt tucked in and his trousers meticulously pressed.
“I think everyone has a price, Aryana. And since you didn’t turn me down in your last statement, I presume you already know what you want in exchange for the scepter. ”
She slid her back along the wall. She was playing a dangerous game.
From the moment Zarathos had saved her from being killed by King Salen, she had known he wanted something, which meant he would offer her something in return.
She had to move carefully, or he’d outmaneuver her.
Her father’s warning from years ago played through her mind.
Remember, Aryana, never make a deal with a demon.
She trembled, but forced herself to continue. “I suppose you want to strike a bargain?”
He spread his hands wide. His fingers were long, ending in sharp, claw-like nails. “It is what I do.”
Zarathos was one of the most formidable arch kings in history, and his supernatural power came from his ability to forge unbreakable deals.
Never once had he broken a bargain that he’d entered into, granting him more power the more agreements he negotiated over time, to the point that breaking a bargain with the demon arch king resulted in death.
But Aryana’s life was at risk. She certainly couldn’t turn straw into gold, and Zarathos knew that. That was why he had trapped her under King Salen’s threat.
So she’d be forced to agree or die.
“I can’t guarantee that I can get the scepter for you,” she stated warily.
“Already trying to adjust the conditions?” His voice flowed from his lips, silken strands of darkness that curled like warmth pooling in her stomach. He watched her with his razor sharp gaze.
“I can swear to expend my best effort in retrieving it,” she said, trying to ignore the effect his tone had on her.
He gave her a look of disdain. “What is your best effort?”
“Whatever you decide.”
He paused, his chin tilting in consideration. “So I save you from this prison, and you will make your most faithful attempt at retrieving the scepter—”
“There’s something else I want.”
Daylight fell across his hair and body, casting a stark contrast that made the subtle gray tones of his skin stand out, like some beast carved from stone. The color unsettled her. His sable horns curled up from his head, tapering into cruel, sharpened points. “You don’t want me to save your life?”
“I do. But I want something in addition.”
“Someone is getting greedy. I hate to disappoint you, but I don’t do more than one-to-one trades.”
Her fingers tightened into fists. He owed her. He was the one who trapped her here, and yet despite that, he wouldn’t expand their deal.
She needed to make this bargain worth his while to get what she wanted. “You said that the Demon Trials were approaching. What if I was to serve as your kalator?”
He stared at her, as still as death. Had she uttered something wrong? Finally, he let out a chuckle. “What in the world would warrant adding a thing like that to the bargain?”
He must think her next to worthless. After all, his life was on the line.
Serving as a kalator was as close as demons came to honor and glory.
They fought for their champion in the trial, risking everything for them, and receiving a hefty reward should their contender win.
As arch king, Zarathos probably had many subjects vying for the position in the approaching trials.
“I’ve trained for the past ten years with my uncle and the elite fighters of my kingdom.
I can wield most types of weapons with adeptness. And I’m not afraid to kill.”
“Yes, I’m aware.” There was a soft growl in his tone as his eyes flashed in annoyance.
She blinked. How did he know? The demon and vampire kingdoms had little to no contact.
Her uncle’s court killed any demons from other nations that wandered across their borders.
At one time she performed the killings, but that had ended within the last couple of years.
But even then, her uncle had always had her kill in private, taking the credit for the death all to himself.
Perhaps Zarathos had seen her end Jonas Harns the previous night? That could be what he was referring to.
Either way, she plowed ahead. “I’ll help you win the trials.”
“And you are willing to do whatever is required to be my kalator? No matter what?” And despite the edge of contempt in his voice, she almost saw the wheels spinning in his mind as he considered.
“Yes.”
“And what, pray tell, would be so important that you would risk your life for me in the trials?”
“I want you to swear to protect the humans.”
He looked at her in surprise, his nose wrinkling. “Why do you care about humans? Aren’t they nothing more than livestock to your kind?”
“Do we have a deal?”
His eyes narrowed, dimming their glowing brightness. “There is no changing your mind once the bargain is struck. If I agree to make you my kalator, you must see it through to the end or your life will be forfeit.”
“You don’t need to explain to me the rules. I know what will happen if I break a deal with you.”
He drew closer, like a predator toying with its prey.
“Fine. Then here are the terms. You, Aryana, princess of the vampires, agree to act as my kalator, helping me, Zarathos, win the Demon Trials, which includes making your best effort at retrieving the vampire portion of the demon scepter and turning it over to me. In return, I will expend a reasonable effort to ensure you remain alive until I can free you from King Salen, by spinning straw into gold and…” He held out a hand, motioning for Aryana to continue.
She took a deep breath. “You agree to set the rules that I will give you among all demons, including vampires, if we unite the scepter, to ensure that innocent humans will be protected from being slaughtered.”
He gave a slow nod. “And I, Zarathos, shall set the rules that Aryana will give me among all demons that are under my authority. These rules will ensure that innocent humans will be protected from being slaughtered. Agreed?”
She let out her breath. “Agreed.”
“Shall we seal the deal with a kiss?”
She froze, her jaw dropping as she stared at him in horror.
He adjusted his cloak, a dark smile crawling across his face. “Well, I’m sure you don’t want to exchange blood. That tends not to go smoothly between demons, especially you being a vampire and all.”
Damn it, he was right. She scoured her mind for what she’d learned about demon bargains and couldn’t recall much other than her father’s warnings about entering one. Vampires distrusted most binding arrangements and refused to engage in them. “Is there any other way to seal the deal?”
“I’m afraid not. Don’t feel too flattered.” His caustic gaze flowed over her. “You aren’t the first demon I’ve made deals with.”
Her lip curled. “Fine then.”
He approached, his dark, musky scent rolling over her.
She tilted her face up and looked at him, at his fiery eyes that sparked like the initial moment a star blinked into life in the darkness.
His gaze dropped to her lips, and he pressed even closer, till their bodies touched.
His clawed fingers came around her back. “One kiss and the bargain is sealed.”
“Then kiss me,” she said, a peculiar mix of heat and anger coursing through her.
“As you wish.” His lips descended to hers.
It would last only an instant. She stood rigid, holding still, waiting for it to be over.
The touch of his hot, claiming mouth sent an unexpected searing shooting through her body.
His sharp claws curled against her back, his cloak brushing against skin, surrounding her, suffocating her.
An instinctual tremor shot down her spine.
She fought to resist, but then his darkness encompassed her, like the gentle yet overpowering feel of nightfall’s first caress—intensifying, impossible to ignore.
His hard, unforgiving mouth against hers deepened, coaxing her to respond.
And she bent into him, returning his kiss, feeling his demanding seductiveness.
The taste of him on her lips. She pressed harder, wanting more.
He pulled back, releasing her, and a small amount of disappointment gathered on her tongue. For the briefest of moments, the great demon arch king appeared caught off guard. He took a slow, steadying breath before that cocky smirk returned to his face.
“The bargain is sealed. I now claim you under my power. See you tonight, Vampress.”