Page 48 of Demonic Division

A low whine pierces the air as the demon reaches out, wrapping a clawed hand around the back of my neck. He squeezes slightly, cutting off what little airflow I had left, and shadows swim in my eyes.

Sweet little thing,it whispers into my mind, voice a caressing touch.What a terrible situation you’ve gotten yourself into…

His other hand grips my shoulder, using his leverage to flip me onto my back. I stare numbly up at the sky, the last whispers of life draining from my throbbing wounds.

You should not have run away, he growls.Not when it gives me so much pleasure to catch you.The demon lowers its face over mine, caressing my cheek lovingly as it stares deep into my eyes.

Half of me thinks I should leave you here. Watch the last bit of life drain from these beautiful eyes of yours,he whispers, nuzzling the tip of his nose against mine.What do you think, little one?

A rattling cough is the only answer I can give. Blood fills my mouth and dribbles down my chin, coating my skin in warm red liquid. The golden-eyed demon smiles, swiping his thumb across my bottom lip in a languid motion. He places his thumb into his mouth, eyes closing in bliss as he sucks the digit clean.

They were right. Youaredelicious. His eyes snap open,glowing molten against his pale skin.Perhaps I’ll keep you after all.

I try to swallow past the blood coating my throat, to breathe despite the fluid filling my lungs. My body twitches uselessly against the frozen ground, desperate to get oxygen to my brain. When the demon sees this, his smile morphs into a thin-lipped frown.

Not so fast, little one,he murmurs.You’re not leaving me just yet.

He moves his palm to the center of my chest, closing his eyes as a crease forms between his brows. A gentle warmth builds at the space where his hand rests, and when I glance down, I’m surprised to find a pale golden light emanating from his skin.

Slowly, my wounds close, pulled together by an invisible thread. The deep gashes on my thighs fill in. Fresh skin grows over the area, leaving me without even the faintest hint of a scar. I suck in a deep breath, my eyes rolling to the back of my skull as crisp oxygen flows easily to my lungs.

The demon stares down at me, a hint of a smile tugging his lipless mouth.

“Kaebl?” The howling wind carries my voice away, but he still nods. Before I can try to stand on my own, the demon scoops me into his arms and stands, his great leathery wings snapping straight out to the sides. I gaze downward, my face heating at the sight of the ginormousthingsituated between his legs, standing erect.

I avert my eyes, looking up only to find his golden eyes trained on my face, pulsing with the faintest hint of pink.

Hold on tight,he murmurs, giving me zero time to react before launching us into the air.

I push my face into his chest as the icy wind whipsaround my head, fighting the urge to look down. “Where are you taking me?” I whisper.

He replies almost instantly, his voice a rumbling growl in my mind.

Home.

.

27

Kaebl

Dagny buriesher face into my chest as we shoot through the air, wind and snow pelting my skin and encasing the tips of my wings in ice. I fly just above the dense canopy of Welwigs, sweeping my gaze side to side to check the surroundings for threats. The southern portion of The Far Place is home to roving hordes of Arachnix—horrible eight-legged creatures that feed on the flesh of demons and creatures alike. They tend to weave intricate nets just above the canopy of the trees, hoping to catch unsuspecting prey. But flying this low is safer than entering the upper atmosphere, where worse creatures dwell.

When we reach the end of the forest, I breathe a sigh of relief. I dip low, evening out just before we collide with the ground, hovering just above the surface and leaving the dangers behind in the distance.

We travel several miles before I come across the entrance to my secret dwelling. The ice tunnel sits in the ice like a great gaping mouth, shadows filling its throat and concealing the contents beneath. Dagny tenses as I dipinside, the wind howling around us as we shoot into the depths of the tunnel.

The air thickens as we shoot out into the room at the base of the tunnel. I land silently on the ground, waving an arm in the air to call forth the light of the sconces lining the walls. The space is illuminated in a beautiful orange glow, and Dagny gasps softly as she takes in the walls carved from shimmering crystal bedrock.

Without a word, I pass through the doorway at the far end of the room, carrying Dagny down a long hallway with doors on either side. At the end is a staircase carved from the same crystal as the rest of the hideaway, thrumming with its own living, breathing magic.

Vapor thickens the air as we descend, warmed from the hot spring lying just at the bottom. It’s similar to the one in the palace, though twice as large and brimming with healing properties that would put the castles to shame.

By the time we make it to the base, the sleet covering the tips of my wings has begun to melt, falling to the floor in a rhythmicplop, plop, plop.

The room is encased in shadows, but with a snap, the sconces flare to life, illuminating the space with beautiful silver flames. The walls and floor are carved from the same clear stone as the rest of the hollow, though the cut is rougher, giving the space a more natural, earthy feel. And at the center is a massive body of water, shimmering with the faint flow of magic.

I step to the edge of the pool and squat down, swinging my legs into the water before placing Dagny on the triangle of stone between my thighs. Both wings wrap around her in a cocoon, pulsing with a warm golden light.

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