Pain. Agony. Everything hurt. Every inch of my body throbbed relentlessly. I was burning up with a high fever, my throat was dry and my stomach was screaming for some food. The thing was, I couldn't hold anything in. There was only one thing my body needed, only one thing it craved. I never knew you could be so addicted to something. I would literally kill to have Sam's teeth in me again. And that thought didn't terrify me at all; it just made me that more furious at the monsters holding me. "Have they been fed?" The ugly leader asked the dark ones in our cells. We were never left alone. That meant the conversations I had with Elle were short and simple, in fear we would accidentally give out any information. "The bitch hasn't. The pregnant one I force-fed." The dark one holding my broken arm said. I had kicked him in the stomach a few days earlier, and as revenge, he had broken my arm. He liked holding it. Especially now, when a needle was in said arm, draining me of my blood. An
"Oh my god." Was the only thing I could say. My gaze fell upon Elle, sprawled on the floor, and a whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind. "Let's go. This might be our only chance." I declared, leaping towards Elle. With all my strength, I grabbed her hand and hoisted her up. Getting her out was my sole mission now, no matter the cost. I would get Elle and her baby out. My legs were weak and I was barely able to stand, but I stood straight as I walked over to the cell door. A heavy lock hung on the door but I was determined to break the fucker. With my bare feet, I kicked against the bars of my dirty cell. Grime coated the black bars and sharp edges cut into my skin, but I didn't care. I kept kicking until Elle reached my side, in her own cell, where she suddenly froze. "Oh my God." She whispered. My kicking ceased abruptly as I turned sharply to her. Her fragile hand pushed against her cell door, and it swung open. We both stared at the door like it was a hallucination. "T
"You coming?" Elle smirked. I took two whole seconds before I darted out of my prison. Stepping through the door felt like entering heaven; even if I died now, at least I'd be free. "We're underground. There are many tunnels here. I haven't found the way out yet." Elle whispered as she grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "We better hurry, then." I whispered back. My bare feet met sharp rocks, but I ignored the pain; it was nothing compared to the burning sensation in my body. My fever was high and I blinked away the dizziness. Soon, we reached a hallway, and Elle took a sharp right. "Left is a dead end." She explained in a hushed tone. We tried to be silent, but our laboured breathing betrayed us. Our hands clung together as we ran through the dark tunnel. Elle ignored the tunnels on the side, and I trusted her completely. Suddenly, she stopped and pulled me into a tunnel on our left, her hand around my arm strong. "Where did you get all that strength from?!" I asked in amazement
Out of nowhere, Elle suddenly thrashed backward, her arms flailing, and her legs kicking something beneath the water. "Something touched me!" She yelled, her voice laced with panic. I turned to her the second I felt a hand grab my ankle. We were both yanked down at the same time, our bodies and heads submerged underneath the dark water. Water poured into my mouth, which was still open from the gasp I let out, and the pull was so strong, my arms were forced above my head. It felt as if we were caught in a wild underwater maze. The grip on my ankle was unrelenting, threatening to snap my bones as it pulled us deeper at an astonishing speed, faster than a bullet train. My entire body felt compressed, and it seemed like my arms were on the verge of being torn off. I didn't even have space to think about drowning. Until I did, because my oxygen ran out. My lungs burned, and my mouth opened helplessly, letting more water in. My legs, which had been futilely kicking at our assailant, s
He withdrew his staff from me, and I was able to breathe again. Able to breathe and able to talk. My anger exploded. "I wish everybody would leave us humans alone. We have nothing to do with this war. The land demons took us without asking, the dark ones kidnapped and tortured us for fun, and now we are stuck under water, played with." I snapped. I was done being a victim. The king narrowed his eyes at me, his face still uncomfortably close to mine. Then his gaze travelled down my body, and an unsettling feeling crawled up my spine. "You're an interesting little creature. I thought humans were supposed to be weak and submissive. You're quite snappy." He remarked. He continued to observe me, as if I was some science project. "Not all humans are the same. Which I'm sure is the same for the marine demons." I remarked back. The king continued to gaze at me. His guards were behind him, observing the scene with interest. Elle remained quiet beside me, her hands protectively cradling
I stared into his weird blue eyes as I inhaled, and some air from the air bubble entered my nose. My eyes widened as I felt it travel down into my body. "I will take that back when the deal is done. I like blue, for choice of lingerie." He whispered in my face. What had I done? He grasped my hand next, yanked me through the water to Elle, and grabbed her hand. "I will swim you to the border of Envy. From there on out, it will be pretty easy to find your way back to the war." He grinned as he looked up, to where dry land would be. The two guards came close, and positioned themselves by their king. And then we shot up through the water. As fast as we had come, we sped up, and this time, it felt like my legs were going to be ripped off. But the air bubble stayed around my head, and I looked at Elle next to me, seeing her tear-stricken face. She stared at me with pain in her eyes. 'I'm sorry.' I mouthed at her. I hated to be the reason for her sadness. 'I'm sorry more.' She mouthed
The first thing I saw was dark ones. They were everywhere, like a surging sea of long, black limbs, engulfed in a chaotic frenzy of running bodies and raspy, demanding screams. Each of them raced in opposite directions, and not a single one spared us a glance; they were entirely engrossed in their battle with the enemy. We stood behind the bushes for a few minutes, observing the utter mayhem in front of us in silence. There were a few tents which had been hastily put down, and it seemed like they had been surprised with an attack. Broken plates and discarded food scattered across the ground, evidence of a hasty retreat. My stomach growled in hunger, but I quickly stifled the sound by placing my hand over it. But no one even glanced our way. They seemed to be consumed with panic and desperation. And if there was one thing they could be scared of, it would be an entire army of demons. Their enemy. My Sam. I stepped out of the bushes. Elle grabbed my wrist quickly, and I looked bac
The chaos of battle raged all around us, but for a brief moment, it felt as if time had frozen. It was just Sam and me, locked in a surreal moment. We were back in Wrath, but there were no demons in sight. It was just us, bathed in the warm sunlight while a gentle breeze caressed my skin. Sam stood on the opposite side of the lush green courtyard, his eyes fixed solely on me. Green eyes, eyes that I absolutely adored. The soft fabric of my white, long dress was flowing gently around me. The enormous weeping willow that hung over the bench swayed softly, and the leaves that touched the ground seemed to move towards us, like it wanted the both of us closer. "Sam." I whispered. He took a step towards me, a hint of recognition flickering in his eyes. The moment his foot touched the healthy green grass of the courtyard, I was jolted back to reality. I found myself back in the midst of the brutal battle. Sam remained in the same spot, his eyes still fixed on me. But his eyes were not g
“Are we really sure about this?“ Elle asked, her voice thick with apprehension. “We’re sure.” Elyse replied firmly, her eyes brimming with hope. Neither Elle nor I could bring ourselves to object any further. There was only one wall between this room and the dungeons, which were currently empty since all the prisoners had been taken out for the hunt. That's why tonight was the perfect night to do this. Sam wouldn't be here, and nor would be any of the hunters. Adrian had been invited to the hunt, much to his delight, and so even he would be occupied for the entire night. “How exactly do we do this?” I asked, frowning as doubt crept in. Half of me was convinced it wouldn’t work.The other half—the rational part—was terrified that it might. “Did we really have to pick the creepiest place for this?!” I jumped at the sound of a male voice, my hand instinctively gripping the hilt of my knife. Dante and Reggie had entered, Dante carrying a thick black book while Reggie laughed, pattin
I smiled and tugged on Sam’s pants, pulling him closer until his body pressed against mine. The thick branch beneath us held steady, but offered no protection from the cold wind gusting over our bare skin. Sam’s lips captured mine once again, and as his hand slid across my skin, feeling my goosebumps, fire burst from his fingertips. I gasped when the branch caught fire. Sam quickly doused the flames with his ice, but I stared at the charred spot, shock coursing through me. My mouth fell open in disbelief. "What... What is this?" I asked with disbelief. “I... I don’t know,” Sam replied, his eyes wide with uncertainty. “Have you always had this?” I questioned suspiciously, turning toward him. He looked at me, clearly unsure. “No,” he admitted, glancing down at his hand in amazement. I did the same. “I think it’s you. Your fire... it’s in my veins now.” I blinked, trying to process his words. "I noticed it every time I had your blood in my system. I felt the warmth. But I couldn
I bit my lip in torment, unable to tear my gaze away from Sam’s bare upper body. The fact that my body temperature was already too high didn’t help, nor did the way Sam moved in the fighting circle, calculating his next move to defeat his eight opponents. The scar I had given him long ago with a whip stood out starkly against his bronzed skin. The crown still sat firmly on his head, a testament to his rigid posture—even in the middle of combat. I almost groaned in desperation when Sam lifted the corner of his mouth into a smug smirk, taunting his enemies. Sam was intoxicated by the fight. It had been a long time since anyone dared challenge him, but tonight, nothing could stop him. He gave his challengers a simple choice: yield or die. A number of demons already lay dead at the corners of the ring. The vampires were nearly driven mad by the scent of blood, but Lucifer had kept them in check by giving each a bottle of blood wine. They lounged around, enjoying the company of several
I followed Sam's gaze and was met with thousands of silent eyes. It was still beyond me how such a large crowd could remain so quiet. My eyes first landed on Lucifer's wife, who was yanked back harshly by her husband. Lucifer looked regal, wearing a massive crown. His purple attire suited his large frame, and he puffed out his chest proudly when our gazes met. Shea stood a few meters away with the Lust crowd, her expression disapproving. The moment our eyes met, she quickly looked down. Moving on, I saw Adrian with his arms around Elle, both beaming with happiness and pride. I forced myself to suppress a smile, wanting to appear serious, and looked further. Dagon stood with Ren, holding hands. Ren gently stroked Dagon's arm. I almost gasped when I noticed a slight bump in Dagon's belly. I nodded in acknowledgment, and Dagon responded with a serene smile, nodding back. Elyse stood near them, arms crossed, looking as fierce as any demon king. The numerous knives strapped to her bod
“Don’t be nervous.” Elle scolded me from behind. I huffed in response. “I’m so done with these public events.” I replied, wringing my hands together. “Well, get ready for a lot more. You’re going to be Queen.” Elyse commented from the side. I eyed her, furrowing my brows. Elle finished the intricate braid, adding small wildflowers to my hair. Their colors popped against my dark strands, and I smiled at my reflection in the mirror. Elyse applied a final swipe of red lipstick to my lips, stepping back to admire her work. "You look absolutely perfect. Like a true Queen." I smiled again. My throat was bare. It would soon be adorned with a ruby necklace, similar to Sam's. Small rubies dangled from my ears, and a simple gold bracelet wrapped around my wrist. My dress was black and red, massive and encrusted with gemstones. I could barely walk in it, but apparently, this was how coronation dresses looked in this realm. Except for Elle, considering she was dressed in lingerie and a see
"Two bottles and one pack of cigarettes a month. That's my offer. Take it or leave it." Sam said, turning to Rhazien. The vampire sucked on his teeth, his fangs just visible, sharp and menacing. A shudder ran through me. They looked lethal. And painful. Lucifer, leaning heavily on the table, looked desperate. Around him, the vampires shared the same tense, eager expressions. Rhazien paused, letting the tension stretch. He scanned the room, his gaze lingering on each of us before it finally settled on Sam. He nodded once. "Yes!" Lucifer cheered, immediately turning to point at random vampires—each of them stunning in their own way. Lucifer's wife was going to have a heart attack. "I'll have my own harem!" He announced proudly. Sam sighed, clearly exasperated. "Oh, hell... What have we gotten ourselves into?" I snorted, nudging his chest. "Let him have his fun." "My brothers won’t be happy about this," Sam muttered. "I just gave the King of Pride something to brag about
I watched with interest as everyone around me became increasingly drunk. I kept my distance from the wine, not wanting to cloud my mind, and leaned comfortably against Sam. The vampires danced with the grace and allure of professional performers, putting on quite the spectacle. “I have some gifts for you, Rhazien.” Sam said, cutting through my distracted thoughts. “Gifts?” Rhazien’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “For your hospitality.” Sam reached to his side, producing a packet of cigarettes and a bottle of wine. Rhazien gasped, his excitement palpable. “Is that…?” Rhazien asked, his voice full of wonder. “Yes,” Sam smirked from behind me, “enjoy them.” “What are those?” I asked, eyeing the odd-smelling cigarettes. I recognized the wine as blood wine. “Blood cigarettes,” Sam replied. I froze at the words. “A delicacy for vampires. They can’t make them themselves. The process is intricate and involves working with a lot of blood,” he explained softly. Rhazien twirled the cigare
Sam cleared his throat and turned to Rhazien. “We agree—on my wife’s condition. My brother gets to take a vampire of his choice home. I’ll supply you with at least a dozen humans every month, in exchange for a dozen vampires.” Rhazien glanced from Sam to me, then over to Lucifer, who was still dancing. After a moment, he sighed. “Deal.” “Perfect.” Sam said with a grin, extending his hand. They shook on it, both clearly satisfied. I looked ahead, noticing some women dancing sensually on the bar. Their bodies moved like snakes, swaying their hips seductively, the atmosphere dripping with allure. Sam and Rhazien clinked their glasses and downed their drinks in sync, slamming the empty glasses down with matching grins. I knew Sam was getting drunk when he suddenly pulled me onto his lap. I gasped, instinctively resisting, but his supernatural strength held me still. He pressed my hips against his and my back against his chest. His arms encircled me, and he placed another glass of w
The dark ballroom got even darker when Rhazien clapped his hands, and the dangerous tension in the room rose considerably. “Do you think they’ll dance with me?” Lucifer asked, his eyes fixed on a group of vampires. “They would be honored, King of Envy,” Credence replied. “Many of us have never had the privilege of meeting a demon.” "Why is that?" I asked with interest, glancing at the human girls twirling around in beautiful dresses, their vampire partners looking down at them like they were a snack. They probably were. “We're not foolish enough to venture into the demon realm. That would be suicide,” Credence explained, tapping her glass with her long, blood-red nails. “Nor do we invite demons into our lands. Demons are too bloodthirsty. For your King, we made a exception." "We won't shed any blood here." I promised her, even though I couldn't see her. "Don't make promises that aren't yours to make, Queen of Wrath. Your husband has quite the reputation. We know the risks we’ve