Page 1 of King's Obsession

Prologue

Asmodeus

Sulking—grieving—Asmodeus roamed the hallways of his prison, or it would be when they crowned him king of the demon realm. His father's death had shocked the realm, but not Asmodeus. He had witnessed his slow deterioration, stepping up and keeping control behind the scenes, acting like all was well to prevent an uprising. Such things were always possible when there were many plotting in the shadows to take over the realm.

Asmodeus’s family had ruled for many eons, and they had done so with iron control. Fear held most in check, but Asmodeus was aware that not all feared his father, and it was those he had protected the realm from by carrying out the charade that everything was fine.

Now here he was, trapped by his own circumstances, and he needed an outlet to get rid of some of his frustrations. Doing that in the demon realm was not possible. He needed the key players in the realm to see that he had control of himself. What he needed right then was to let off some steam somewhere else. Whether that be fighting or fucking, Asmodeus had no preference. He just needed an outlet.

Long ago, when Asmodeus was but a child, with his future already mapped out, his father shared a secret with him. One that only got passed down to the next ruler of the realm. A portal existed in a chamber within the palace, a place allowing the ruler to leave without teleporting, which meant others could track them. The portal blocked that, made from old magic and sacred crystals, it permitted those who had access to it to travel to any realm they wished, unseen and untraceable. The magic crystals were a viewing gateway if left behind. They had gotten scattered throughout the different realms to prevent an ambush, though some remained in the chamber. A chamber he roamed to now.

Created inside the palace, Asmodeus was told, it permitted any king to escape if there should be a call for it. Asmodeus had heard of no king disappearing or witnessed its use by his father. The rule was that Asmodeus was forbidden from using it while his father lived. He had not always stuck to the rules, but this one he had—sort of—and now he knew where he wanted to go. The human realm where shifters existed. Some could match him for size and strength. Although no one had ever bettered him, he was confident this visit would be no different, but it allowed him to expel some of his inner turmoil.

He nodded at those he passed, using a fierce expression to keep those who might consider speaking to him at a distance. The room he sought was small and easily forgotten because it housed many broken, discarded items.

He slipped inside and chanted a spell to keep anyone from entering while he was gone. The room gave the illusion that he remained in the realm and prevented anyone from pinpointing his exact whereabouts.

He exhaled, his heart thudding hard in anticipation as he went to the stone wall. He muttered an incantation and then stepped through the stone into the forest. One he had visited before when looking to fuck. Here in the woods, he was aware there were some who would not question his presence and accept what he wanted.

Wind whipped through his dark hair as his demon receded, and his human side emerged wearing fur to cover his nudity. The trees were mere saplings, no taller than Asmodeus, allowing him to see the stars in the night sky. He breathed deep, working to release the tight grip of emotions that sucked at his soul.

The sounds of the night creatures carried on the air. Asmodeus' head rose as he caught the scent of something. The forest, the essence of it, was there, but beneath was something sweeter—sexier. Anticipation growing, he watched his step and roamed deeper into the trees, these were older, bigger, and blocked the stars and moon from guiding his path. His nose guided him until total darkness surrounded him. He stopped, listening, his demon alert to attack yet radiating an unexplainable enthusiasm he lacked in their realm.

“You lost?” came a deep voice hidden in the night shadows.

“No,” he growled back, his demon half pushing him to move toward the voice, only they couldn’t see where he was.

“Looks like it, or why else would you be skulking in the woods in the middle of the night?”

Asmodeus squinted in the darkness, searching for the source of the voice as he resisted doing what his demon wanted. “I do not skulk,” he replied, insulted by someone believing he was the type to do that.

“If you say so.”

Unsettled in ways he had never been before, he demanded, “Show yourself.”

“Find me,” the rough voice fired back, chuckling.

Anger—excitement—fired through him at the challenge. His skin buzzed with a type of friction that was like nothing he’d encountered before. “And if I do, what do I get?”

There was a pause and Asmodeus strained to hear any sounds that would allow him to identify where the voice was coming from. To his left, he was positive, but where? He became frustrated to admit he couldn’t say for sure.

“What do you want?” the voice asked, sounding amused.

“You,” his demon answered for them.

It is not your decision.

Of course, it is. Your human side is just a tiny part of us.

Tiny!He was outraged at his demon half for diminishing them.We are one. Two equal halves.

His laughter was harsh.You barely let your human side out.

“I agree with these terms, but if you don’t find me…”

His pulse leaping, he ignored his demon half. “What do you want?” he asked breathlessly.

“I’ll choose when you lose.”

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