Page 20 of Snowed in with the Demon Lord
That he talked aboutus,and what we’d find beyond the gate, was both reassuring and painful.
“No matter whether or not I find friends, no one will miss a new gate opening. To most houses, your world would be nothing more than a prize to seize and strip bare. My enemies, but also my allies.”
“Then fuck this, I don’t care, you’re not turning this thing on.” Outrage filled my voice, lending me a certainty I didn’t feel.How are you going to stop him, Holly? Harsh language?
“That won’t matter in the long run. Someone will find this world eventually, whether through this gate or one of their own. Perhaps if I control access, I can prevent anyone from taking advantage.”
“No one’s found us so far,” I pointed out.
“That was before a demon lord hid here. Once Baal’s hunters find me, he will set up a gate to make sure I’m destroyed.”
“But…” As I struggled to build my next argument, the world shook. Light flickered from the gate, and I heard a sound like ten thousand voices raised in worship. I didn’t need Abaddon to tell me the gate was opening.
15
ABADDON
The world split at the seams, energy roaring as the gate found an equilibrium. Lightning cracked and Holly shrieked in terror as I pulled her behind me.
In front of the gate, lightning cascading around him, a demon kneeled. I had never met him, but I knew his kind—stocky, winged, with eyes the size of fists and skin as gray as stone. A hunter, a scout, the kind of demon one sent ahead to examine a potential conquest.
“Lord Abaddon,” he said, words sizzling in the air. While he stayed on his knees, he broke protocol by looking up at me, and his elongated jaws grinned a sharp, nasty smile. “I have longed to meet you, and now blessed fate gives me the chance. My name is Seeker.”
A glaring omission in his introduction called my attention. “And what house do you serve, Seeker?”
The high-pitched sound he made was halfway between a giggle and a sonic weapon. I held firm, but behind me, Holly gasped in pain. Somehow, I resisted the urge to tear Seeker’s head off.
“That, Lord, that is the question, yesss? I hunt for Lord Baal, and it’s to him I should report this encounter. But will he reward me? No, he will take my service as his due. So perhaps I am open to discussion.”
“You would turn on your master and serve me?” I didn’t even try to keep the contempt out of my voice. “How could I ever trust such a traitor?”
“Trust? No, no. I do not ask for your trust, Lord. Nor do I want to swap one uncaring master for another. No, I will guide you safely back to Dis and your house, and in return all I ask is this world and its contents. Many of my fellows would follow me if I had the power of an entire world to offer, yesss, and with you as my sponsor, House Seeker will be born.”
He was, at least, ambitious. I could not fault Seeker for seizing the chance he thought he saw; chances for a lesser demon to found his own house are few, and if he passed up this one, he would likely never see another.
Unfortunately for him, he was too late. “This world is not for sale. Aid me and I will aid you, but no one touches this place.”
Seeker blinked, translucent eyelids fluttering across each eye. “Your word will not save it, Lord Abaddon.Somehouse will profit from it, and it will not be yours. It can be mine, as your ally, or it can be house Baal.”
Behind me, Holly tensed. I felt her fear, the fear of losing everything, and I knew how much that hurt. With my tail, I reached back to give her a reassuring squeeze.
“This world is not here for the taking. Not by you, not by Baal, and not even byme.This place belongs to Holly Lucas, and woe betide any who doubt her claim.”
How I would enforce that, I had no idea. Nor did I know where it came from. I just knew, in that moment, that I would do what needed to be done to protect Holly’s home. Even if that meant leaving her.
Seeker hissed, as though his furious confusion leaked out. Holly tensed, and I lamented that I couldn’t see her expression. But taking my eyes off Seeker would be too dangerous.
“You would reject a chance to win the war for this, a mortal female? Perhaps I should be grateful you rejected my alliance. Instead, you will surrender. I promise I will keep your bitch’s home secret if you return as my prisoner.Thatwill get even Baal’s attention.”
“Sure,” Holly spoke up for the first time since Seeker’s appearance. “You won’t tell him about this place because you want your friends to loot it instead. Abaddon, you can’t trust this creature.”
Rage flashed across the hunter-demon’s expression, and he hissed again. She’d read his intentions exactly.
“Well, the bitch speaks,” Seeker said, and that was too much for me. I grabbed at his throat, intending to tear it out and silence his offending words.
Seeker was, unfortunately, smarter than I’d reckoned with, and was ready for my move. Only when he ducked under my arm and darted past me did I realize he’d goaded me into that attack, and by then it was too late. Holly screamed as he grabbed her, and by the time I’d turned, he was running up the stairs with my mortal love slung over his shoulder.
I pursued without a moment’s hesitation, leaving the sparking gate behind. Someone else might find it, or it might melt down entirely. I’d worry about that when my mortal was back in my hands and the thief who dared to steal her was dead.
