Page 1 of Demon's Dark Love

1

LILY

The black castle looms before me, its black, glittering spires piercing the twilight sky.

My heart pounds as heavy iron gates creak open like claws stretching to grab me.

Shadows slither across the ground just inside the gate. They move without the prompting of the firelight that burns from occasional black piles scattered throughout the courtyard.

The dark, hooded figure yanks the chains that bind my hands and feet and I shuffle forward.

I've been sold again, this time to Mistress Bethana, one of the older demons, ancient and known for her cruelty.It's a beautiful sounding name, but I know better than to expect any true beauty here.

A female demon appears at the top of a high stone stairwell. She looks down, tall and imposing with her silver hair cascading in intricate waves, she watches me with a predatory gleam in her golden eyes. Her horns frame her face like a crown, adding to her regal menace.

Bethana.

When we are near enough, she takes the chain from the hooded figure like she's taking a dog's leash.

“Follow,” she commands, her voice a silken threat. I obey, my steps echoing in the vast, empty stone halls.

We reach a grand chamber adorned with dark tapestries and flickering torches. A young demon stands at its center, his back turned as he looks down at a parchment in his hands.

His jet-black hair falls to his shoulders, and when he finally faces me, his deep crimson eyes blaze with intensity. Small horns jut from his forehead, marking him as unmistakably demonic.

“Enoch.” Bethana’s voice drips with maternal pride and affection. “I’ve brought you a gift.”

He looks at me with a sneer that makes my skin crawl. His gaze rakes over me, lingering on the scar on my cheek before returning to meet my eyes. There's cruelty there, but also something else—curiosity?

“A human?” His voice is rich and mocking. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

Bethana’s smile is cold. “Consider it an opportunity to learn about the other kind. The more we know, the more we know how to use them.”

Enoch steps closer, his presence powerful and overwhelming. “She doesn’t look like much of a threat.”

I know better than to speak, but I lift my chin, refusing to let him see my fear.

His eyes narrow slightly at my defiance, but then he laughs, a sound devoid of humor. “Whatever you want, mother.”

Bethana claps her hands once. The sound continues to carry larger and longer and soon it echoes down the corridors.

Another dark form glides in with two glowing blue goblets on a platter. Both demons take and hold them, swirling whatever is inside and gazing at me as if I were an interesting plant.

"Do you have any preferences as far as duties?" Enoch asks after a sip. The blue light plays over his strong features and I realize he is handsome despite the red of his eyes.

Bethana snaps her fingers and the chains fall from my limbs. I step away from them and resisted the urge to stretch.

"Let's see your span," Bethana says. "Hold out your arms."

I do, taking the opportunity to stretch as subtly as I can. I see their eyes gleam as they look and I instinctively slouch as if wanting to protect my heart from whatever fate is coming.

"A little slight," Bethana muses. "But you can tell there's muscle there."

"Probably worked her entire life," Enoch agrees, though his eyes are uncomfortably curious.

"Can you speak words?" he suddenly asks. "Have you worked your entire life?"

"I was taken as a slave seven years ago," I say a little louder than I intend, but his contemptuous idea that I can't even speak has struck a nerve inside me.

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