Page 11 of The Demon's Due
Morgan’s grin widened. “So if I sit on my arse and binge Netflix for seven days, you vanish. Poof. Because as far as I can tell, all you can do is give me headaches and cheap jump scares. But you need me to get back into the Undercroft.”
Ashmedai’s jaw flexed, forked tongue dragging over his bared teeth. His answer came in a halting, grudging “Yes.”
“Need three artefacts,” Ashmedai, voice stiff with reluctance to ask a mere mortal for help.
Morgan rubbed his face. “Of course you do. Let's hear it.”
“A lock of hair from a gorgon. Not Medusa, she lost head-her sister, Stheno.”
“Great. Love a monster-hunt. What’s next?”
“Sword of Freyr. In catacombs.”
Morgan groaned. “Perfect. Small, tight and stinking of death. Not to mention, with options of being unalived by ghouls… Exactly my aesthetic.”
Ashmedai continued, ignoring him. “Need Mistress of Portals. Open path to Undercroft.”
“Is that the point when I put you on a plane and say bye bye?”
“Yes, pesky mortal.If you mean is that the point I am rid of you, then yes,”growled the demon, but there was something in his liquid gold eyes that made him uneasy.
“I will need your word on this.” Morgan asked, his tone flat. “You leave… and my wolf stays with me?”
Ashmedai grunted.
Morgan’s gut instinct told him not to trust the creature.The answer was yes, but nothing about the way Ashmedai looked at him made it feel true.
He squared his shoulders anyway. “Alright, listen up. These are the rules. I want my mate.” His voice cracked with urgency as his wolf woke within him…demanding to be let out.. “My wolf has recognised her. She may be suffering…hell, she might have gone into heat right now and I’m here wasting time arguing with you. I need you to stay out of sight while I talk to her.”
Ashmedai’s grin widened, ember eyes gleaming. “Flame-haired enchantress. Body of goddess. Mine as well.”
Morgan’s snarl cut him off. “No, she is not. You’ll stay the hell out of sight while I claim her. She already hates me as it is.”
The demon cocked his head, confusion rippling across his too-sharp features. “Why? Mates cannot resist call. You are wolf-alpha. The bond strong. Irresistible.”
Morgan raked a hand through his hair, frustration burning. “Yeah, about that… I did something stupid. Or…no. Someone else did. I’m not sure who, but she thinks it was me. And now she wants nothing to do with me.” His jaw clenched. “So I need you to be quiet and stay out of sight. No more claws popping out of my chest, no creepy gecko tongue stuff, nothing. Or she will run and I will lose control and chase her.”
Ashmedai narrowed his molten gaze, smoke curling from his nostrils. “You refuse me? You not give her to me?”
“Have you not listened to a word I have said? She is mine,not yours.” Morgan met the demon’s stare, iron in his voice. “Mine. And I won't share.”
They were locked in a battle of wills until…
“Alright,” Ashmedai said. “I will stay out of sight.”
“First things first-you need a lesson in English. And you need to brush your teeth because your breath smells foul. You can Google stuff you don’t know. Watch a YouTube tutorial. You’re old, right?”
Ashmedai bristled. “Centuries.”
“Okay, Grandpa. Let’s see if dementia’s caught up yet.”
The demon’s molten brow furrowed. “…What is Google?”
Morgan grinned. “This is going to be fun.”
Chapter 7
Darkness wrapped around Síofra like a warm blanket.
