Page 4 of Dark Captivation

“Been a long time since we got to use this bad boy.” A demon in a black blazer and white baseball cap strolled up and smoothed his claws over the control panel. “Back in the underworld, we used to have fun like this all the time.”

He shot me a fang-filled grin.

“What is this thing?” I tried to break my restraints to no avail.

“Let's just say you’re about to get a whole lot taller.” The shortest of the demons flanked me on the right. He swept his greasy black hair out of his ugly face. “By the time we’re done, you’ll be ready for the runway, no heels necessary.”

The three demon’s snickers sound like the swish of a saltshaker.

I needed to remain calm and find out what they wanted. With any little luck, I might be able to talk my way out of this.

“And to what do I owe this torture session? I assume you weren’t just hanging around the market, waiting for a random wolf to stroll by for you to kidnap.” I said calmly, trying to show no fear.

By the looks of them, these were low ranking demons, but they weren’t stupid. They must have wanted something more than the fun of hearing my neck snap.

“She’s a smart one. I like her.” The third demon spoke. He was tall and lanky with a bald head and a thousand wrinkles on his face.

“You see, here’s our problem.” The demon in the black blazer and cap folded his arms, leaned in closer to me. “We are a talented bunch of guys. We’ve got a lot to offer but no one’s ever given us a chance, you know? The only jobs we get offered are floor cleaning and chimney sweeping. Nobody respects us thraxies. Just because we aren’t as good looking as other demons, doesn’t mean we don’t have feelings.”

The other three grunted in agreement.

Interesting. I remembered how the demons on the street didn’t look the same. The demons must have a social hierarchy here with some on the bottom rung facing discrimination. I could use this to my advantage.

“No feelings? Gee, I don’t know why anyone would make that mistake about you.” I said sympathetically. “Look, discrimination of any kind is wrong. Why don’t you take it up with the Demon King? Maybe he can help you.”

“He’s a king, not the stoner dude next door. The only way to even get an audience with him is if you’ve got information he’s interested in.” The demon in the cap exclaimed, tossing his hand in the air. “That’s where you come in.”

“Me?” I blinked.

“Don’t play dumb. Where do you come from? Which alpha wolf sent you here? A she-wolf poking around Demon City all alone has to be a spy.”

“Look, you’re making a huge mistake here. I’m no spy.”

“Look, Cutie. We’ve been nice so far. Want us to keep it that way? Get to talking. Now, who is your handler?” He cranked the wheel downward and pulleys shifted.

The ropes tightened around my arms and legs, pulling me hard enough to stretch the muscles in my back. It was only a warning. I wasn’t stretched enough to hurt, not yet.

My mind raced a million miles per second. If I told them I’d been taken here by the Demon God they would panic. Then they’d probably decide to kill and dispose of me before Malek found out. I took too long to answer and their brows curled up in anger.

“Give her another couple notches. That’ll loosen her tongue.” One of them said, and the demon in the jacket acquiesced. He turned the wheel and my spine stretched.

Pain lit up like firecrackers along my spine, my shoulders burned like they’d been doused in acid. The wheel continued turning and the ropes pulled tighter.

I screamed in anger, cursing every expletive in the book. I summoned the shift, and my body shook vigorously as my bones began to rearrange into my wolf form.

The short demon darted for me. Reaching into a small velvet pouch, he pulled out a hand full of dark purple herbs. He crushed them over my nose and their burnt floral scent infiltrated my nostrils. My lungs burned and I coughed.

My body’s vibration stopped as the strength to shift drained from my body.

“Keep the wolfsbane close to her nose, we can’t afford to let her shift.” The one in the cap insisted.

I turned my head to the side, attempting to avoid inhaling more of it than I had to. My lungs were on fire just from smelling it. Wolfsbane was a banned substance. Possessing it was a crime punishable by death in most packs. Even mages outlawed its use.

Leave it to demons to have the only drug in the world with the power to suppress a wolf’s ability to shift.

“What is your pack's name and what is their emergency evacuation plan?” The demon in the cap squeezed his coarse fingers around my chin, prying my mouth open. “Talk!”

Malek had already infiltrated and launched hostile takeovers against dozens of wolf packs, killing their alphas, and bringing the packs under his control. Now these goons planned to get into the king’s good graces by offering him intel on my pack, and help Malek infiltrate it.

---