Page 15 of Mayhem's Magic

“He is my mate, and I am his,” Cari barks at him, showing no fear or shame.

“Oh, you precious thing,” he taunts her, reaching out to touch her again. My fist flies out and I smack his hand away, gripping it in my clutches until it snaps.

“Never touch her again. You do not deserve to breathe the same air, let alone touch a soul so precious. Leave.”

“I am afraid I have to agree with the man,” Gareth is there beside me, to my complete shock. “You were not on the guest list,Azazel, for good reason. Your kind is not welcome.”

“Too true, Gareth. Which means this one does not belong.”

“He was invited by our host. They say they are mates. You know as well as the rest of us, that bond cannot be unbroken. You cannot force him back to Hades, can you,pet?”

Turning my head, I shoot a look of gratitude at him. Gareth gives the slightest nod before he turns his attention back on Azazel. I am glad he sees the true threat is not me.

“No, I suppose I cannot do that. He is a bit,” Azazel cocks his head as he trails off. “Meatier than I am, after all. One thing I am sure his new mate has seen firsthand. What I can do, witch, is make it very clear we’re both wanted back in Hades. I do not come here by choice. Even if it seems you fleshier types throw one heck of a party.”

“I am not going back. I belong here,” I repeat, almost as if I am pleading a case with a judge who has made up his mind.

“I will go, pet. But I will be back. I do as I am told. You ought to learn to do the same, Mayhem.”

Doing a low bow, he winks up at me before he vanishes with a shimmer of putrid smelling air. I let out a breath, turning to Cari, my thoughts all over the place. She stares up at me, trying to discern the mess going on in my head.

“Calm down. He is gone, he does not matter.”

Cari speaks right to me, though she never utters a word. Over the past few weeks, she has perfected this skill. Even if we’re miles apart, I can hear the voice in her head calling to me. It has convinced me that the voice I heard in Hades, telling me to come find her, was her own voice. A subconscious one that spoke for her, seeking out her needs because she was unaware she had the power she does.

“Will he be back?” Edon asks as he joins us, having heard the threat Azazel made.

“Yes, he will be back. Azazel is not known for giving up on what he desires. It is what landed him in Hades, after all.”

“Yes, he will come back for me. I am one of his favorites down in Hades. I was prideful when I got there, something he had fun with. He has made my time there especially painful.”

“He won’t take you back,” Cari speaks at last. “I won’t let him. We’re mates. That means something, doesn’t it? It matters doesn’t it?”

“Yes, of course it does, my love,” I whisper gently, cradling her face. “I will not let him take me from you.”

“You may not have a choice. This is why Luci reacted the way she did earlier, Mayhem. You cannot keep the promises you made to Cari. He will come for you and if she is a Nymph, as you say, it might just make him more interested.”

“But you all said...I mean, you said if I wanted to fight, I could take a Demon. If I have to fight then so be it.”

“It would be very hard for you to take on a Demon such as Azazel, Cari. He has led Demon armies a thousand times in a thousand battles. He does not lose. He was an Angel, he has powers far beyond other Demons. It would be a losing battle.”

“Not if we prepare her,” Edon cuts in. “A Nymph is a powerful warrior if given the tools. We can train her.”

“No. Not happening. I do not want her to face him.”

“Cari may have no choice,” Gareth joins the conversation, the rest of the party going on all around us, making this whole thing seem so surreal. “Azazel knows she is important to you. That makes her a target whether you like it or not. Either train her with us or go back to hell without her.”

Turning on him, I let out a roar, backing him against the fireplace. “Cari is my mate. I cannot be without her.”

“Then train me,” Cari pleads, her hands pressing to my chest where my heart would beat for her and her alone, if it still worked at all. “I want to know how to fight not just that monster, but any others who might come for one of us. Bessi can fight, Luci and I do not have their magic. We have to learn how to protect ourselves if we want you in our lives.”

“That is not a bad idea. Luci should be trained as well. We cannot be with them every single moment, even if we want to. We would be doing them a disservice if we do not prepare them.”

Sighing as I start to see the point he is making, I nod. It is the last thing I want to do. To even consider her facing Azazel or any other monster down makes my guts twist in horror. I wonder if it would be better if I just went back to Hades.

“You swore to me. You said I would never have to be alone again. Will you break that promise?”

Cari stares up at me with shimmering eyes dark with sadness as she asks this. Again, she never speaks a word, but I can hear it all clear in my head. I shake my head because no, I will not break that promise.

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