1. Willow
Willow
Now…
“But… I don’t want to destroy the world.”
My mind reels as I try to make sense of what my life has become.
Just two weeks ago, I was getting ready to walk down the aisle to my human fiancé, only to find him cheating on me with my best friend.
In my worst moment, I was kidnapped by an—admittedly—sweet demon, brought to a different dimension, and forced to live in his frozen tunnel home with him and his three demon brothers.
It took a while for me to warm up, but eventually, I gave in to my feelings, bonded to Rhune—and his brother Nyx—and settled into my new home with my new family.
I went through hell and back, tried some new cuisine, lived through an ice wyrm attack, and managed to survive two demon cocks at once.
And now… now a strange entity is squatting in my head, talking to me as clear as my own voice. And it has proclaimed that I am going to destroy the world.
“No, seriously,” I say. “I really don’t want to do that. I’m not going to do that.”
The entity in my head goes silent. When it next speaks, its words no longer hold their teasing lilt from before. It does not matter what you want, human. You will do what needs to be done. What we were born to do.
I clutch my head, fingers digging into my scalp as I squeeze my eyes shut against the bright silver sun.
No! I scream at it. I’m not going to do what you want!
A long beat of silence follows. There’s no need to yell.
There so is! If you don’t like it, you can get out of my head!
No can do. We’re stuck like glue. Now that the Awakening has taken place, we will soon assimilate, and our souls will be inseparable.
“Oh my God. This is not real…”
If you insist on speaking to yourself, please put up a barrier between our minds, the entity drawls. I tire of hearing your panicked human ramblings.
I wouldn’t be so panicked if you would bother to explain what’s happening to me instead of just popping into my brain and declaring that I’m going to destroy the world!
Correction: We are going to destroy it.
Oh my God! That does not matter! It’s still very much freaky and terrifying to hear.
Hmm. I guess I see where you are coming from.
Thank you—
But I still think it’s stupid to panic over such a simple fact.
I rub my eyes, feeling like my head is about to explode. Please be a dream, please be a dream…
Somewhere close by, I can hear wings shifting and claws clicking restlessly against ice—the unmistakable sound of someone trying very hard not to hover.
"Willow?" Rhune lets out a pitiful whine. His wings twitch at his back, and his hands curl into fists, like he doesn't know what to do with them if they're not on me. "You are worrying me. Please tell me what is wrong, pup. I cannot make it better if I do not know what is going on…"
I look at Rhune, my mouth opening and closing wordlessly. What am I supposed to say to him? I don’t even fully understand.
I already told you, it says. You have gone through The Awakening. Hence, I am awake.
"Please stop talking to me," I groan, closing my eyes tight. "You're making it worse."
"I do not mean to." Rhune's voice is heart-stricken. "I am sorry…"
"Not you, Rhune sweetie," I say quickly. "I'm talking to—" Who am I talking to, exactly?
Nyx steps into view, wearing the same concerned expression as Rhune, his usual composure cracked at the edges. "Do you hear someone else speaking, Willow?"
"I…" Now they're both looking at me like I'm crazy. I desperately search for the right words to describe what’s happening, but I can’t. "Kind of…"
Don’t be shy. Tell them about me. They will find out eventually. You know, when we end the world and kill them and everything else on it.
I’m going to be sick.
"You don't look so good." Nyx crouches in front of me, his brow furrowed as he places a hand on my arm. "You're burning up."
“Really? I feel freezing.” I wrap my arms around my middle as a shudder works through me.
Your body is adjusting to the Awakening. You need rest and a long soak in those healing baths if you are to survive our Assimilation. Trust me.
Trust you? TRUST YOU?
Once again, there is no need to yell. I’m simply trying to help. If you don’t want to heed my advice, so be it. I’m going to sleep.
“You’re going to sleep?” My mates look at me like I’ve grown a second head, but I hardly pay them any attention. “You can’t go to sleep!”
Why not? I am tired. I need rest.
You can’t be serious! You need to stay and explain what’s happening!
Later. Maybe. Now, I must go away. Good night, little human.
Hey! Don’t you dare leave me! Stay and tell me what the hell is going on!
But it’s no use. The voice is gone, faded away to the depths of my mind, leaving me alone in my head once more.
My knees give out, and I slump to the ground, numb to the ice biting through the fabric of my suit. My mind races, trying and failing to make sense of the situation, but the more I think, the more confused I become.
Rhune sits at my back, picking me up and placing me on his lap, holding me off the ice.
He runs his claws through my hair, massaging my scalp and detangling the knots in my long strands while whispering soothing words.
His wings curl around me like a shield, holding in some warmth and giving me a safe space to breathe.
We sit there like that for a long time until my heart eventually returns to its normal rhythm, and I feel like I can function again. Rhune’s wings unfurl, exposing my head and part of my neck, allowing Nyx to get a good look at me.
“Do you want to tell us what’s going on, or do you need a little longer?” Nyx’s tone is gentle as he reaches out to cup my cheek. “You are scaring me, beautiful.”
“I am not scared, Willow,” Rhune proclaims despite the tremor in his voice. “I simply wish to hold you and destroy whatever is causing you grief.”
Nyx shares a look with me, the corner of his mouth twitching. “He’s definitely scared, too.”
“I am not!”
“It’s okay to be scared, Rhune,” I say. “I am. I’m very, very scared.”
“Then I will be brave for us all.”
I laugh under my breath, feeling some of my anxiety ease away. “You’re very sweet, Rhune.”
I sit up a little straighter, blinking away some of the fog clouding my vision. “I think I’m ready to talk…”
“Take it slowly.” Nyx rubs his thumb gently over my cheek. “We have all the time in the world.”
Except we don't. As soon as I open my mouth to speak, a figure passes overhead—large enough to blot out the sun for a moment—and my stomach drops before I've even lifted my head to look.
Nyx's jaw tightens as he follows my gaze, and Rhune’s arms flex around me protectively. The demons from the other day are back, circling high above the cliffs in smooth, deliberate loops. Searching. Hunting.
“Are those…?”
“I’m afraid so,” Nyx says. “They must have heard you scream and come to investigate.” He whips toward Rhune, his expression severe. “We need to get back to the cave while there’s still a chance they haven’t seen us. We’ll wait there for Cin and Dravik, then figure out where to go from there.”
Rhune is on his feet before Nyx finishes speaking, pulling me up with him, his wings already unfurling at his back. “Hold on, pup,” he whispers in my ear.
We launch into the sky, and I immediately know something is wrong. The wind that greets us isn't the familiar chill I've grown used to. It's furious, screaming past my ears and clawing at my skin like it’s trying to dig beneath my flesh and pull me apart.
The storm picks up with terrifying speed. Within moments, it’s turned into a blizzard more violent than anything I've felt since I arrived in this world.
I’m wondering how we’re going to navigate in this weather when a gust slams into us from the side, sending us careening off-balance. Rhune tips, letting out a strained roar as his wings straighten in response to the sudden shift in pressure.
For one horrifying second, we plummet. As we fall from the comforting embrace of the sky, we can do nothing but watch the ground rush up to meet us.
Rhune manages to right himself before it’s too late, and with several powerful strokes, we sail back into the skies.
What's going on? Why does it feel like the world is angry?
I wait for the entity to answer. For that smug drawl to tell me I'm being dramatic, and that I should calm down. But there's nothing—just silence.
For some reason, that worries me more than the raging storm.
By the time we drop through the tunnel and into the cave, my body is trembling. My lungs feel like they’re covered in ice crystals, but I’m so relieved to be out of the storm, I can hardly feel it.
“Thank God.” I press my face into Rhune’s neck, stealing his lovely warmth. “I thought we’d never make it.”
Rhune carefully places me on the ground, but my knees nearly buckle, and he has to pick me back up to stop me from falling. “You okay, pup?”
“Peachy.” My teeth chatter wildly. “Just cold. And worried. ”
“We will warm you up, lovely. And please don’t worry,” Nyx soothes, running a large, warm palm over my arm. “We managed to escape detection by the demons. We are safe. ”
For one blissful moment, I let myself believe him. The tension bleeds from my shoulders, and I sink deeper into Rhune’s embrace, my eyes drifting shut as my mate's warmth finally chases the ice from my bones.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I register how quiet it's gotten. Something isn’t right.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
The stranger’s voice slinks through the air, low and amused, laced with something evil. The relief I felt curdles into something cold and sick in the pit of my stomach, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.
A shadow unfolds itself from the far corner of the cave, bloodred wings stretching wide enough to brush the walls on either side of the space.
There's a dry, scraping sound like claws dragging lazily against the frozen ground.
One eye opens and glows to life, shining through the dark with barely restrained hatred. Red. Bright, horrible, impossible red.
“Hello,” he drawls, lips tipping upward in a feline grin. “You have no idea how long I have been trying to find you.”
Rhune's arms tighten around me, and Nyx's whole body goes rigid, a low growl building in his chest as he steps in front of us.
The demon steps into the light, powerful energy swirling from his broad shoulders and beaming from his one good eye. Maroon hair falls loose around sharp, cruel features, highlighting his malicious smile and a mouth filled with teeth built for tearing rather than talking.
A black cat slinks around his shoulders, twin horns reaching up to the ceiling and a wicked cunningness swirling in its bright red eyes. It watches me the entire time, unblinking, its tail flicking in the air tauntingly, as if it's deciding how I'll taste.
The demon’s gaze flicks from Rhune to Nyx, then lands squarely on me. His expression flashes with surprise before falling back into a cool wall of stone. “A human… how unfortunate…”
His dismissal terrifies me. This creature is evil. This creature is vicious. This creature will do whatever it takes to get what it wants. And based on the way he’s looking at me… he really wants to kill me.
My heart slams against my ribs so hard I'm sure he can hear it, and I have to fight the urge to shrink back into Rhune's chest, to disappear entirely under the weight of his stare.
The demon shakes his head, then forces his attention back to Nyx. “Tell me where Slaine is, and I will let the female live. If not…” His grin widens, sending a shiver of horror down my spine. “If not, then I will strip the skin from her bones and make you watch your human draw her last breath.”