Coughing, she sprang to her feet, then sprinted from him. With her fey speed, she was a blur as she charged from one room to the next.
Each one had celebrated a different sexual facet. If she could read the lurid Demonish inscriptions covering most of the walls, she’d probably expire. He crossed his arms, waiting for her to discover the lack of exits.
She finally slowed, stopping across the courtyard from him. “Where have you taken me?” She breathed wisps of airborne ash, coughing.
“To hell. I am Abyssian Infernas, the king of it. Do you remember me?”
“You are . . .” She shook her head. “I’ve never met you before, but I’ve heard of you. You’re the oldest demon alive, and one of the M?ri?r.”
She truly had no memory of him? “This tower is your prison and will be for the rest of your immortal life.”
“Why would you keep me captive?” She coughed again, her eyes watering. “What have I done to be locked up in hell?”
“You will pay for wrongs done to me in your past life. And for wrongs you and N?x no doubt have planned.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Past life? You clearly have the wrong woman. I’m not a reincarnate, and I don’t know anyone named N?x.”
He traced to her, clamping her slim arm in his fist. “And yet here you are.” He teleported her to the tower balcony, a spacious stone terrace. At the run-down railing, he gestured to the legions teeming below.
Freed from their punishments, demons of all species had filed in from Slaughter Gorge for the Vrekener battle, one that would never be. But he could promise them another. . . . “If you try to escape my castle, my legions will catch you, and they will not oblige you with a death. They’ll keep you alive for their use.”
The tips of her pointed ears flattened against her head.
“If you wish to survive here, you will obey my every command. Any hesitation to heed an order will be considered a refusal. Any command only half obeyed will be considered a refusal. Any lie will be considered a refusal. Do you understand me?”
Her gaze narrowed. Instead of shrinking from him, she looked like she’d briefly lost her footing, but had managed to right herself. “You have no right to take away my freedom and threaten me, M?ri?r!”
“Might makes right. Now, answer me: Do you understand my commands?”
“I understand them.”
He relaxed a fraction, until she added, “And I reject them.”
SEVEN
A jot demonic, N?x?
Lila watched the rage building in the king’s expression as one might watch a roller coaster plummeting off a track.
His pronounced jaw clenched, and his wings unfolded in an ominous display. They must be fifteen feet wide! Their shape was jagged, like a bat’s.
How could this animal be Abyssian? He was supposed to be an insanely hot king. Insane was the only descriptor that applied to this demon.
Females fought over him?
He’d said nothing about Lila being his mate. If he found out for certain she was a spy, he’d kill her.
And why was he harping on about a past life? Surely N?x would have told Lila if— Or not. Never trust a Valkyrie. Lesson learned, bitch.
“Any female with sense would show respect to her new master!” All the muscles in his long, lean body tensed. “Do not test me—I have eons of wrath at the ready.”
While she had a lifetime of entwined fear and fury toward the M?ri?r.
All the things she’d given up . . . all the nightmares . . . all the times she’d looked over her shoulder in terror . . .
Now this demon was throwing some vague, baseless accusation at her? Wrongs done in a past life? “What specific crimes are you accusing me of?”
His monstrous face was difficult to read, but he seemed confounded that she wasn’t cowering. Then his fists clenched, his arm muscles like whipcords. “Treachery against the hell demonarchy.”
“That’s all you’ll tell me?”
“If you want to know more, then remember.” His voice was deep, his Demonish accent thick. “You’ll have plenty of time to search your memory.”
Was she a reincarnate? There’d been that rumor. . . . “Why not just kill me?”
“You deserve an unending life in hell full of constant torments. But if your torture ceases to amuse me, I will behead you. You’ll never know when I might appear as your reaper.” He reached down to the ax sheathed at his side and ran his revolting black claws over the blade.
This male wasn’t exactly keen to protect and care for her.
She’d signed on to coax secrets from a hot demon heartbreaker. A get-cozy job. Instead, Lila was in a bid for survival, with an upside of damnation.
N?x had burned her. But why?
Had Saetth known?
Lila didn’t react well to being set up. She had anticipated living in Sylvan, not dying in hell.
All bets are off, Valkyrie. If N?x wanted her inside this castle, then Lila refused to remain here. I’ll escape this dump.
One of her six online degrees was in structural engineering, and she had a wicked imagination. No prison could hold her. Certainly not with a stupid brute like this demon as jailor.
She crossed her arms over her chest and surveyed her surroundings. She gave her escape a week. Tops.
For now, she told Abyssian, “This heap is your ‘castle’? Why am I not surprised?”
“You dare to provoke me?” His wings flared again.
She’d been left at the mercy of the M?ri?r. Burned. “After the day I’ve had, I do dare.”
He lunged forward, gripping her upper arm to teleport her again.
She swayed on her feet, getting her bearings as her new bout of dizziness faded. He’d taken her to some kind of darkened cavern. Channels of lava surrounded a pool of steaming water. “This hovel is exactly where I’d expect you to live.”
Those markings on his chest glowed brighter. “Clean the filth from your body.”
“There is no way in this hell I’ll bathe in front of you.”
“Then you just refused my order? You’ll learn who commands you.”
“You can take your fucking commands and shove them up your demonic—”
He lifted her and tossed her into the water.
Prick! She struggled toward the surface, but the hem of her heavy dress caught on something. She kicked, then harder a second time . . . couldn’t get free! She panicked, attacking the zipper, but it stuck.
The demon appeared beside her in the water, ripping the dress away and shoving her to the surface.
She sucked in lungfuls of air. “You asshole! You could’ve killed me.” She’d escaped one danger, but now she had a new one: she wore only a strapless bra and boy-short panties, and the demon’s huge hands circled her waist. “Let me go. Now.”
He traced them to a shallower spot, then released her.
When she stood, his avid gaze dipped to her breasts, their shape outlined in her bra. She ducked down and submerged herself to her neck.