Page 41 of Tears of Ruin

My eyes narrowed at the sound of Martin’s voice. Demons had their own means of travel, but I was positive he’d been the one to send me here.

“You’re too knowledgeable about my past.” I straightened, placing Noam behind me as I faced him. “It makes a guy wonder how you know so much.”

His laugh curled around me like an acid hug. “I like playing the long game,” he replied with a twisted smile. “I know about Osiris and how he liked to play psychological games, but he grew tired after a few weeks. Me?” His grin widened. “I’ll take a lifetime of torture for one hundred, Alex.”

His confession knocked the air out of my lungs.

The demon twirled his finger idly, his head tilting to the side. “Go ahead and say it, Richard. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to discover the truth.”

My entire world tilted as rage boiled inside of me. “You’ve been inside my father my entire life.”

“Bingo!” He clapped his hands, his smile smug.

“You turned him into cruelty.”

“A wish you’re clinging to, because that would mean he was a decent person before I entered him.” The demon tsked. “Sadly, for you, not me, he was that way already. You see, dear Richard, I only find hosts who already possess dark hearts.” He smirked again. I wanted to rip that look off his face. “It makes our merger a lot smoother.” His gaze swung to a spot behind me. “The same with Noam’s father. Evil to his rotten core.”

“And now what, you’re going to kill us?” I would end the demon before I allowed him to harm Noam.

“Oh, no. For you, I’ll make an exception.” His eyes narrowed. “I’ll enter you and make Noam’s life a living hell. He’ll suffer at the hands of the man who just declared his love. I can’t think of anything sweeter.”

With a few spoken words, a shimmer appeared beside me.

“I don’t think so.” The demon thrust out his hand, and I heard a snap. “No entrance, sorry.”

The shimmer still rippled beside me, but I hadn’t created it to leave. I smiled at him, reaching behind me to place a hand on Noam’s hip. “You know, about a year ago, I saved someone’s life.”

“Your point?” Martin/Silo took a step toward me.

“Gratitude sometimes comes in all shapes and forms,” I replied. “Like, for instance, the pledge of someone’s weapons.”

“Get to your fucking point before I lose my patience,” the demon snarled.

“Malachi! Giovanni! Make good on your vows and bring forth your sword and daggers!”

“No!” Martin/Silo lunged toward me just as Malachi and Giovanni walked through the shimmer, their fangs bared. Malachi already had his sword drawn, and Giovanni’s daggers whistled as he spun them.

“I just need you to take Noam home,” I said to them. “Always keep him safe.” Because I wasn’t sure I would survive this fight. But if Noam ever stood a chance at peace, I had to kill both Martin and Silo.

“Full circle.” Malachi glanced around. “Where it all began.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Noam shouted, sidestepping the two. “I’m sticking by Richard’s side where I belong.”

My love for Noam grew deeper, but he couldn’t stay. I couldn't risk anything happening to the man who had changed my entire life. My little kitten, who had clawed his way out of hell to become the stubborn man standing before me.

“Do you know why we keep crossing paths?” Giovanni asked Noam.

“Because you like scaring me?”

I had no idea where this was going but prayed Giovanni wasn’t about to make things more difficult. He’d sworn his daggers to me, but I would kill him if he fucked with Noam.

“Because you remind me of myself at one point in my life,” Giovanni confessed. “Before my heart turned completely dark. I see myself in you, Noam.” He nodded toward the shimmer. “And Kyson likes you. If mypetit oiseauhas made you his friend, no harm will ever come to you by my hands.”

“You have one heck of a way of showing that,” Noam replied. “No offense, but you are one frightening man.”

Giovanni shrugged. “I won’t apologize for who I am.”

Before I could convince Noam to return to Winterhaven with the vampires, the demon attacked, shooting blue electrical currents at us.

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