Page 37 of Dark Captivation

We hopped inside and she pushed some buttons, she blasted the A/C and turned on some pop music for the ride.

After clearing the palace gates, ignoring any reasonable speed limit, Ferina tore through the streets of Demon City, taking us to the training center in the north part of town.

The center was like a concrete fortress with five separate guard checkpoints to pass before we even got to the parking lot. We parked in the underground and took the elevator up to the third floor.

Outside the elevator, we were met by four heavily armed demon military officers in camouflage and black caps. Standing behind a sleek, glass turn-style, they looked mean and slightly agitated when I walked out of the elevator first. But the second Ferina walked out after me, their expressions went soft like melted butter, some of them even smiled at us.

One of the officers quickly removed a card from his pocket, and scanned it on a monitor attached to the turn style.

The entire barrier retracted into the floor, leaving empty space between us and the officers. I guessed the turn style wasn’t meant for VIP’s like Princess Ferina.

“Welcome to Fort Sandstorm, Princess Ferina and honored guest.” The officers said in unison, bowing to Ferina.

“Thank you, boys, and this is Lady Sunny. Don’t forget her name.” Ferina strutted past the soldiers swaying her hips from side to side in an exaggerated way, barely looking up at them.

Seemingly worried they’d offended her, their heads fell a foot lower.

“Yes, Princess! And we apologize, Lady Sunny.” They piped up.

“It’s fine. Don’t sweat it,” I assured them before sprinting up to Ferina’s side. Past the guards, we went down a long hallway and through a guard station. The station had dozens of surveillance monitors on flatscreen TVs, displaying live video streams from all the different rooms in the facility, the entrance and parking lot.

Ferina stalled, watching one of the screens that showed a training simulation. This was nothing like the combat exercises I’d witnessed at the demi-gods’ pack. It was like something out of a science fiction movie.

There were robots, armed with stun-guns, lasers, and other weapons, fighting demons. The demons fought the robots with no weapons. Instead, the demons relied on highly technical maneuvers and sophisticated group attacks.

On the screen next to that one, four demons clashed in fierce combat practice, using wooden swords, nun-chucks and other nonlethal weapons. Everything was so state of the art here, futuristic even.

Trainers monitored their students’ progress from the sidelines, making notes on a clipboard and yelling comments to the fighters. It was similar to the academy back at the demi-gods' pack, but this was more organized, and systematic.

“Our room is on the fourth floor. A few of my friends are meeting us for today’s training.” Ferina waved inwardly, calling me to the elevator. I was so interested in the training I didn’t realize she had already gone ahead. We entered the elevator.

“So, ready to learn how to fight like a demon?” She pressed the button and the door rolled closed.

“I’ve been fighting my entire life. Shouldn’t be too much harder than fighting with wolves.” I lifted my head, clasping my hands behind me and she snorted.

“Hmmph, cocky I see. We’ll see about that.” She sounded shocked, as if it were ridiculous to compare fighting wolf shifters and demons.

The doors rolled open on the fourth floor. A piercing scream spilled inside, a thunderous bang coming swiftly behind it.

I instinctively raced in the cry’s direction, jetting out of the elevator and through the closest open door in the hallway. The door led to a spacious martial arts studio with green, spongy floors and mirrors covering all the walls.

The scent of blood and sweat moistened the warm air.

“Hey! Enough Liza, I surrender. Now get your sasquatch foot off my neck.” A red headed demoness howled, clawing at the foot on her neck.

A larger brunette demoness removed her foot from the red head's neck, placing it on the side of her face, further agitating the red head.

“What did you say about my foot? I’ll let you know I’m only a size nine. That’s perfectly normal for a demoness of my muscle mass.” The brunette proudly tilted her chin up and laughed, as the redhead cursed.

“Enough, you two! Princess Ferina and the king’s bride are watching us. Get serious.” A tall, thin demoness with mahogany skin and piercing green eyes said through clenched teeth.

All three of the demonesses wore camouflage jumpsuits and black caps. They were the type of demon who appeared human. But the faint scent of sulfur they carried made it clear they were very much demonesses. And by the muscle they all carried, they were all very strong.

“Enough horseplay. Let Samantha go.” Ferina slinked up from behind me, clapping three times.

Liza removed her foot, a reluctant gleam rolling over her face making it clear she wasn’t too happy about releasing her.

“Liza is just jealous of my beauty. Why else would she try to crush my gorgeous face?” Rubbing her cheek, Samantha climbed to her feet, glowering bitterly at Liza.

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