Page 15 of Place of Torment

“Brooklyn!” Samir’s voice came through the wooden door loud and clear. “Open this door immediately!”

Chester was watching me too thoughtfully for my liking, but finally he said what I needed to hear. “Do you really want to keep them out of this room?”

“Yes.”

“Not even a witch can break demon magic.” With a gloating grin, he tugged the sleeves of his ripped shirt in places, and raised his hands toward the door. After a second, Echo joined him too, the same troublesome smile on her lips.

Red glowing lights surrounded the door and the frame holding it.

“Brooklyn!” Samir’s roar was followed by Dominic’s guffaw.

Despite the situation, I had to smile and shake my head.

11

Dominic

She accepted our bond.

If anyone told me that I would fear a tiny female, an Atua at that, more than anything in my entire existence, I would’ve laughed in their face. Hells, I had laughed in the face of death more times than I could count, but a cold sweat covered me, and numbness spread through me just thinking about Brooklyn walking away from our bond.

But she didn’t.

A stupid smile stretched my mouth so wide my face hurt.

While Samir was having a tantrum, threatening everyone, mostly Rowen to open the door so he could see what they were doing with the human, I grinned at him like a fool, and arms folded over my chest, I leaned back on the door which was now glowing red.

Brooklyn called me mate, convinced my animal to shift forms with me, and not even an hour later looked at me with her soul shining through her gaze and asked me to trust her. I had no idea what they were doing inside that room, but I trusted my mate. She would never harm, Alice unlike me. And she trusted those demons to bring them to our hiding place. so I had every intention on keep my word.

No one is walking in through the door.

Agonizing pain forked all over my back and shoulders the moment my body touched the wood. Whatever magic they used to make it glow red latched onto my body keeping me glued to the door while it stabbed through every nerve ending I had until I couldn’t even scream from the intensity of it. All I could do was keep my eyes tightly squeezed shut and my mouth wide open in a silent scream.

A slight relief came from in front of me. Like pouring cold water over a burn to soothe the ache for a second, but it was gone before I could take a breath. It repeated a couple of times ,and each time I thought I heard Rowen mutter something angrily, but I couldn’t be sure. Trains were thudding between my ears, while my beast kept thrashing in hopes to force me to shift.

Fat chance I was going to let that happen.

I was ready to give Brooklyn the time she needed even if it cost me my life.

Something hit me from the side, but it bounced off without pushing me too much aside to have to abandon my post. Although I wanted to see what or who it was, I couldn’t open my eyes. Just like my teeth, my eyelids were practically glued together from the agony passing through me in waves. Secretly, I hoped it was Samir so that I could finally have a reason to knock him on his pompous ass.

Suddenly, I was hit so hard, my body went flying halfway down the hallway slamming into one of the random plaster torso’s the ancient Atua was collecting as if they were some precious possession and not a creepy obsession with dead people. The disturbing decoration shattered into small parts which sprayed everywhere. Samir’s colorful description about how he felt about it penetrated through the fog in my mind, and I wished I could continue to be in the horrible pain just so I didn’t have to listen to him.

“The three of you open this gods’ forsaken door or I will bring the roof down over your heads, Brooklyn!” He shook with rage as he turned his glare t0 the still glowing door.

I guess cursing me out and telling me where he hoped an ogre would stick his thick dangling appendage left him out of steam with threats for me; so, he focused again on my mate. I chuckled through my misery. It pleased me to no end to see him this pissed.

Rowen, who was kneeling next to me and checking if I was about to keel over frowned with displeasure. “I fail to find humor in any of this.” He mumbled angrily under his breath. I noticed a bruise blooming on the side of his head, his temple turning bluish, telling me he was the first one who tried to move me from the door. A few more snorts and chuckles escaped me. “Did you hit your head or did the demon magic fry your brain? None of this is funny, Dominic. We are harboring demons now. What is next? The cursed Fae?”

“Ah! That’s what that was.” On a groan, I rolled to my side hoping to sit up. The world tilted around me, and I plopped back down with a hiss. “Demon magic is no joke, I agree.”

“Tricksters, Dominic.” Rowen spat while Samir continued having a one-sided argument with the door. “They’re all charlatans and frauds.”

“Who?” I squinted at him. “The demons?”

“What? Stop shouting they could hear you.” The witch reeled back as if I had just slapped him. “The Fae. Is anyone even listening to me?”

“Someone must’ve cursed me to deal with you and Captain Droopy Drawers over there. It’s the only explanation for my life right now.” Grinding my teeth, I pushed off the floor and managed to get on my knees without melting from the killer glance the ancient Atua threw my way. Breathing through the nausea was harder with Samir raging like a toddler having a tantrum a few feet from me. “Samir?”

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