Page 29 of Her Personal Demons (The Seven Sinners of Hell's Kingdom 1)

“You will not question me again. Do you understand?” Lucian bellows, sending another cloud of fire through the living room.

The crack of a whip startles me, and I cover my mouth at the sight of Lucian in all his demonic glory standing over Kase in his demon form. Jerking his clawed hand up, he summons a whip of fire and slashes it across Kase’s spine. Black blood pours from the gashes, streaming to smolder within the blazing circle of hellfire.

“I understand, Lucian,” Kase says, his guttural, throaty voice barely audible over the roaring flames and the crack of Lucian’s fire whip slicing his back again.

“Never forget it. We might have jumped together, but I am known as the sole devil for a reason. Don’t think I can’t turn your level of Hell into mine.” Lucian slashes the whip over Kase’s back over and over again until he falls to his stomach and doesn’t get up.

My whole body trembles in anger. It was one thing agreeing to help Kase and Dante with this mission, but now that I’ve seen the true extent of Lucian’s punishment, I’m not so sure I want to help him...but then what happens to Kase and Dante if I don’t? What happens to me?

I realize I’ve been angry with the wrong devils all along.

Kase and Dante are trying to help me in their own twisted ways. We might not be on the same page yet, or even know each other at all, but they want to. They’re trying despite my resistance instead of turning my life as hellish as it was before.

Summoning my courage, I shove past Dante’s expansive wings and rush into the living room. Lucian stands tall on his hooved feet and blows a breath of fire toward me. I flinch at the heat, but it doesn’t burn me like I expect. If anything, it ignites my bravado to face this demonic overlord with only a slight tremble to my hands.

I open my mouth to tell Lucian that I will get the job done, but the asshole disappears into a cloud of flames until the only reminder of his appearance is the scorch marks on the floor around Kase’s badly beaten body, still stuck in his demonic form.

“Dante, take her back to your room,” Kase mutters, shaking as he pushes up on his hands.

Spinning around, I aim the long dagger at Dante. “Try it and see what happens, Dante. I’m tired of being purposely kept out of things I should know about.” I kneel beside Kase and hover my hand inches above his bleeding back. “Now tell me what I can do to help.”

“Just leave,” Kase mutters, turning his gaze to mine. “I can’t summon my mortal façade, and I know you can’t stand seeing me as I am now.”

“That’s not true. Yeah, it takes some getting used to, but come on, Kase. You saw Joel. At least you have a better personality.” I smirk with my words and reach out, caressing my knuckles to his beastly face.

“All right, Raven. Kase won’t tell you what he needs to heal faster, so I will. You know that little soul bonding you did with Lucian? That will help Kase. We get power from souls, and yours has enough to control Purgatory.” Dante flaps his wings before folding them onto his back, hiding them completely from sight.

“I’m not fucking doing that to Raven,” Kase says, struggling to get up. “She doesn’t want my filthy darkness touching her light. She’s made that clear.”

I raise my eyebrows, unsure of how to respond. The way he says it makes me wonder if there is more to the soul bonding than I know for them. With Lucian, it was thrilling yet terrifying, especially when he demanded my soul. I already know it won’t be like that for Kase. He might be a psycho with a temper, but it’s the world he gets angry at. Not me.

Ignoring Kase, I turn to Dante. “Can you help him to his room? Tie him up if you have to. The last thing we need is for him to prolong his healing when we have shit to do.”

Dante stands there without moving. “No. I’m not helping you.” He and Kase share a silent look, annoying the hell out of me.

I frown. “What?”

“He regrets telling you how to help me,” Kase says, groaning. He manages to get to his feet and wobbles. “The bastard envies me for facing Lucian’s punishment.”

I whip my attention to Dante. “Seriously? You’re jealous that Kase got the hell beat into him?”

He shrugs. “I didn’t think you’d offer to let him have at your soul. I thought we had a far better connection. It was supposed to be me first.”

I nudge my hand into his leg. “Dante, we don’t have time for your—”

Spinning around, Dante shakes his head and skulks toward the door. “Don’t worry about it, Raven. Just do what you need to do. I’ll be bird-brain watching.”

I stare in shock as he slams the door, leaving us alone in the living room. Kase groans and stumbles away from me, using his tail to steady himself. My brain turns into mush, unsure what I should do. Kase needs me, but Dante’s little fit makes me feel like he needs me too. It’s strange to feel as if these two men each grip a part of my soul and neither wants to let go. They struggle to share though, their sinful sides getting the best of them.

“Just go after him, angel-girl,” Kase says without looking at me.

“But you’re hurt.” I stride after him, knowing that I can deal with Dante later.

Kase waves his hand. “I’ll heal.”

“You were hurt because of me. I heard what you said about the deal with my soul. You can’t keep pushing me out. You said I was to stand by your side, yet you won’t treat me like that’s where I belong.” I race to his room, sneaking past him before he shuts the door in my face. “Come on, Kase. You owe me answers. Just stop being a dick, let me help you, and then we can figure out a plan. I don’t want Lucian coming back here and threatening us again. I don’t trust him.”

“You don’t trust me either,” he says, easing onto his bed without lying down. “You sought a savior and begged to be saved, Raven.”

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