Sweetpea (Sons of the Deveaux)

CHAPTER ONE

RUINE

His lungs were burning. Choking on what little air was left in them as Ruine tried to claw his way to the surface. Yet he kept sinking.

Down, down down.

How did he get here again? The thoughts were fuzzy. It was so cold here below the surface. He couldn't feel his hands or feet no matter how many times he kicked and struggled. The light at the top was fading as well as his own life.

His mouth cracked open in a muffled yell, bubbles rushing out with the last of his air as Ruine felt his body jerk once. Twice.

Everything was fading. Everything was disappearing from the edges of his vision as he sank lower.

There was no coming back from this. There was no swimming to the surface

There was nothing of anything anymore. All Ruine had left to do was drown.

Down down down.

His mind focused strangely on the last bubble of air that left his throat, the way it warped and moved through the water away from him. Slithering to the surface. Towards the light where he’d never reach again.

Down, down, down.

Dead. Dead. Dead.

Ruine jerked awake, his body sitting up quickly as he wheezed air into his lungs like they were desperate for the oxygen. Fucking Hell, how many times did he need to have that dream?

His heart was beating so fast it might break a Gods damn ribs. Pressing his hand against his chest, he could feel the heavy thump hammering there. It’s real. It was fine, it's not real. Closing his mouth, Ruine did the routine his mother had taught him from childhood when his anxiety and fears tried to get the better of him.

He closed his eyes and inhaled slowly through his nose. A long breath in. A long breath out. Calm . He was calm. There was nothing to be afraid of. It was just a dream.

Repeating his routine until his pulse became a slow, stable beat, Ruine shoved a hand through his long hair and whipped it back from his clammy face, gripping the back of his head for a second.

It always started with dreams. His intuition, his instincts giving him images to try and make sense of. He didn't need to read too much into it really. Not until he had some concrete information to go by. After all, that's what made him so good at finding things.

Inklings. Instincts. The pull to where he was supposed to go.

Right now, that pull had taken him to Nimue, the city of sirens. The part of his brain that liked to gloss over issues wanted to say the dreams of water was thanks to this place. That he was surrounded by the stuff right now and that he didn't need to look any closer than the surface.

But the other side, the bit that had proven him right over and over again said he was going to have to work on holding his fucking breath because if he wanted to squash his curiosity, he’d need to take a decent Gods damn breath and sink.

Sink , being the optimistic word. Not drown.

Collapsing back against the plush pillows by his head, Ruine huffed out his anxiety before his phone buzzed on the bedside table. Reaching blindly at the sound of vibrating, his hand slapped across his phone, bringing the small rectangle to his view.

Brim. Fantastic.

For a long second, Ruine just stared at the phone, watching it ring. He contemplated letting it go to voicemail just to piss his brother off. Fucker hated that and it was Ruine’s job, as his younger brother, to do exactly that. Ruffle the feathers of the big man just for shits and giggles.

And he would have, if not for the five missed calls already there too. Hitting the answer button, he dropped his phone onto his chest, the loud speaker already on.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?”

“Why didn't you answer before.” Brim’s deep voice broke through, already clearly irritated and it made Ruine smile just a little. His brother was so used to getting whatever he wanted, he didn't even phrase things as questions anymore.

“Because I was sleeping, Brim. You know sleep? Where you’re deeply unconscious and don't notice anything else around you?” Throwing the covers off his torso, Ruine shuffled around the large bed, climbing from the luxury of comfort and padding barefoot over to where a small table sat with a coffee machine and all the goodies to make his morning a delight.

“You had that nightmare again didn't you.”

A slither of unease ran down Ruine’s spine before he breathed deeply. “You're not supposed to be watching like that.”

“I wasn't. I felt it through the bonds. Your fear woke me up.”

Ruine’s blonde eyebrows scrunched together as he hit the button and set the cup to the little lip of the machine. “Why aren't you wearing the stone mother gave you? It will block that. You know it's not safe to leave yourself open to things.”

His brother was his own worst enemy. While Ruine might deal with the pull of what their mother considered ‘destiny’ , Brimstone was plagued with voices. Feelings that didn't belong to him.

“I worry about you. About all of you. Things are changing since that fairy came into the house.”

“You mean your soon to be sister in law?” He snickered, watching steam rise and coffee brew before lifting his phone away and heading for the balcony. The sound of rushing water and distant chattering came the second Ruine opened sliding doors.

“Where are you right now? Where did it lead?”

“ Nimue . I stayed in the Salt and Bryne last night. It's a nice place. Overlooks the city.” Looking down from his balcony railing, there were white buildings everywhere as though made from the finest sand and stone. Thick rivers ran like roads through the entire city, allowing boats and massive fish to make their way through.

Even now, he could see koi the size of a river boat moving by, its orange fins flowing like silk in the stream. This was the best thing about moving around as much as he did. Ruine saw all kinds of places his brothers probably never stepped foot into. Whatever, it was their loss.

“You stayed in what?”

It didn't surprise Ruine that his brother had no idea about the place.

While the others liked to go to well known spots that had a reputation for housing royalty and the highest members of society, Ruine liked the quiet. He liked cosy spots where nobody knew him instantly and he could skulk around in peace.

Where the filthy things went on and fun happened. Where secrets were kept in dark corners and he could find information in a manner of ways.

Ways that a royal prince of Hell would never be known to do.

Ruine snickered as he sipped his piping hot coffee. “It’s a place in the city. Cute. Mother would probably like it more. She has taste unlike the rest of you. This place would humble your spoiled ass.”

“I have taste.” Brim muttered down the line.

“All black everything is not a taste. It’s a state of depression.”

“It's an aesthetic. The unapproachable type.”

“Whatever you say, big bro. I’ll bring you something nice back from this trip to add to your collection.” Ruine took a long breath in, the scent of salt and coffee like a cloud around him.

“Not another snow globe.”

“Why not?” Ruine asked defensively. “Your collection will be lesser without one from here. I can keep it safe the whole time, just wait and see.”

A fisherman glanced up at Ruine, giving him a wave as he tipped his coffee in a hello. Even the people here were nice and chill. There was little stress on the surface. Below though. Below was a different story. “Do me a favour though.”

“Mm.” Not that Brim would refuse to do it for him.

“Turn off the bond to me for a bit. Until I call you again. I need to concentrate and I won't be able to if I know you’re lurking in the background waiting to pounce. I have to follow this path without any deviation. You know what it means if I’m right.”

“I know. Be safe, Ruine.”

“I’m always safe,” he lied.

“Bullshit.”

“Alright. I’ll be careful at least. How’s that?”

“Acceptable. Call me soon. Don't make me come looking for you.”

He didn't say goodbye. Brimstone rarely did when ending a call. He liked to leave things with a threatening sense of affection before dipping from the conversation. At least he was consistent.

Scrolling through his messages from the boys group chat, Ruine caught himself up on the business going on back home. Lilith was up and about again, something that had the twins unclenching their buttholes finally.

The fairy was learning the ropes of her newfound power and according to Lucien, she was doing damned well in her new found confidence. Something she would need when it came to dealing with her sister again.

Snapping a picture of the city around himself, Ruine gulped down the rest of his cooling coffee, tossed the phone back onto the bed and prepared for the task ahead.

Lifting his small backpack from the hotel corner seat, he unhooked the button that held it together and went through his inventory. “Bless the Gods for black magic and smart storage design,” Ruine said to himself as he pulled out piece after piece of gear he needed.

His small booklet of secrets. Between the pages were every combination Ruine needed to call a portal to him, every rune he could ever produce and pour power into that brought him to another city, another realm. Spell combinations and notes on things nobody else would understand.

Reminders of shit never to use again too.

Pulling himself together, the demon took a second to look in the mirror. If not for the hair and horns, nobody would ever know who he was even if they knew him. Boots were laced up his ankles, bottoms that had chunky pockets where he could hide trinkets and little things that came in handy.

An oversized hoodie and beaten up leather jacket that perfectly hid the fact he had a series of knives strapped and crossed over his chest. A thin infinity scarf around his neck to pull over his face if he needed it for some extra anonymity. Shit came in handy when he was leading the security on a merry little trip.

The blonde hair stood out too much though. Along with his horns, it would be a dead giveaway of his heritage.

Taking a small charcoal pencil from his pocket, he opted from writing two small runes beneath his eyes to disguise his appearance as best he could.

To anyone that looked directly at him, they’d see nobody of real notice. Unremarkable blank eyes and dark hair. Nothing specific enough to recall if they tried. Sure as shit not a Serpentine son out in the wild.

Packing his things, Ruine slung his bag over his shoulder and headed out. Thanked the owner for a nice stay, left a hefty tip with no name attached to his room. Everything he did was to stay unnoticed. Undiscoverable. Nobody had to know anything that they were doing.

Nobody had to know the plan their father had set into motion.

While he was looking for Lillith’s sister, Ruine was also on the hunt for the second fae sister.

Roots need water to grow.

That's what Nox had told him Lilly said in her vision. Well, there was more than enough water in siren city. No bug infestation, but plenty of fucking water.

Slipping into the streets where vendors were setting up for the morning markets and kids were getting ready to head to their schooling, Ruine stayed on the inside, wandering down paths and streets with no exact route in his mind. Wherever his feet carried him.

Wherever instinct took him.