by Brenda Trim
Cambion Lord
Dark Warrior Alliance Book 23
Brenda Trim
Edited by
Chris Cain
Contents
Cambion Lord
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
EXCERPT FROM MAGICAL NEW BEGINNINGS BOOK #1 in THE MIDLIFE WITCHERY SERIES
Authors’ Note
OTHER WORKS BY Brenda TRIM
Cambion Lord
Brenda Trim
Copyright © September 2020 by Brenda Trim
Editor: Chris Cain
Cover Art by Fiona Jayde
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writers’ imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction of this work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the authors.
Created with Vellum
“So, what’s next? You get over your shit, you accept who you are and you help others.” ~Chloe, Fallen Angel
Chapter 1
“You want to rethink that decision, asshole.” Chloe punctuated her threat to the fire demon by shoving her blade deeper into his side.
Her kind weren’t born with the red eyes of a demon, so it wasn’t as easy to distinguish when they were pissed off. Of course, any being that bothered to look around would know something was up when her brown irises turned an orangish-brown.
Color change in supernatural beings always meant something. Usually it indicated they were furious about something. Their world was a violent place with lots of sex, so if the tension in the air didn’t hint at an impending, or active, fight then the being was horny.
The fire demon didn’t move an inch as he continued to snarl at the gargoyle. “You’ll regret stopping me, bitch.” Fucking idiot.
The gargoyle sucked in a breath and pinched his mouth closed. Smart male. He winced and backed away when the smell of burning flesh filled the space between them.
Shaking her head, Chloe shoved the sharp implement further into his flesh. “Get the fuck out of the bar now unless you want your balls burned like your kidney.” She narrowed her eyes and twisted her weapon until the fire demon finally lifted his hands and walked away.
The female the two had been fighting over shot Chloe a dirty look and followed the fire demon. She didn’t know why she intervened anymore. If this female wanted to play with fire, who was she to interfere?
Sometimes people had no idea the danger they courted. From the bits and pieces Chloe overheard the female was tired of being ignored and taken for granted and was trying to make her boyfriend jealous while having a bit of fun.
In all her centuries of existence, Chloe had learned one basic thing about humans and supernaturals alike. Everyone wanted a partner to go through life with. Someone with whom they could share the adventures and hard times. Unfortunately, she discovered very quickly that those relationships were never what one hoped for.
More often than not the other person wanted something from you and had no problem doing whatever it took to get it. Even if it meant hurting the one, they supposedly loved.
“You’re good for the health of my bar.” The rumble of Joe’s voice brought a smile to her lips.
Turning, she smiled at him. Joe was given Seven Lively Sinz recently. The change in ownership is the only reason she decided to come work at the place. It had been too dangerous to work for Zakara before, given their history. That shit was better left in the past.
Chloe shrugged her shoulders. “I’d rather keep the violence to a minimum. Chelsea will no doubt appreciate not having to come in every night and clean up big fucking messes.”
Joe waved a hand through the air. “I think she enjoys seeing the devastation. It’s like crack for her kind.” Chloe knew he was right. It was one of the quirks for Melcom demons. They lived for destruction and if they didn’t encounter enough, they started causing it.
Speaking of Melcom demons, Serin sauntered through the door at that second with a scowl on his face. He stood tall, emphasizing his slim stature and looked around the place. His weasel-like face didn’t detract from the pheromones he was throwing off.
His kind could attract victims as adeptly as an incubus or succubus. To emphasize that skill, Serin crooked his finger at a djinn that jumped to her feet and rushed to his side.
Demons made Chloe shiver. She hated their kind. But they were easy to understand. They killed and thrived on fear, blood and gore. If you assumed that they were out to hurt you, you could better protect yourself and wouldn’t be taken by surprise.
Many creatures let the good looks of other species fool them. You can’t judge a book by its cover. The most attractive could kill you while they fucked you, while the ugliest could give you the shirt off their back if you gave them a piece of trash.
“Last call.” Joe pounded the handle of a dark blade on the wooden bar. The black metal held a chilling glow. His weapon was forged in the Underworld and was one of the few weapons that could end their existence. The other being a weapon of light forged in Heaven.
Chloe turned and got ready to grab the mop and bucket. She wanted to get the fuck home. It had been a long night. “Watch it. Dammit.” She lunged forward and came close to losing a hand when a pus demon hefted his massive, slimy body from a bar stool and one of its rolls got caught.
The chair clattered to the ground followed by a spray of slime. “I’d rather watch you.” The oozing demon ran a hand across the bar, leaving another smear of slime in his wake. Gah. What a way to end the longest day in recent history.
“Do you even have a dick?” Chloe wrapped one hand around the mop handle and tapped her lips.
“Don’t listen to her. Out everyone.” Joe waved his fists around and within seconds the place emptied. “I take back what I said earlier. Ruining your blade wasn’t enough for one night?”
Chloe chuckled as she ran the mop over the alcohol and body fluids covering the concrete floors. “It was an honest question. I mean do pus demons have cocks?” Her nose wrinkled up when she reached a corner that had liquid of some kind. It was on the walls and ground. Thankfully, they wiped off the bright paint easily.
“They must. They’re always hitting on anything that walks.” Joe washed and dried cups behind the bar.
Chloe nodded in agreement as she continued doing a light cleaning. “Or they’re compensating.”
“Aren’t they all?” Joe winked. “I make my living on those trying to prove their dicks are bigger.”
“And I appreciate getting a piece of it. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” Chloe returned the cleaning supplies, she grabbed her jacket and headed out.
By the time she climbed the stairs to street level, her head stopped pounding. New York nights in the fall were cool and crisp. Lifting her arms to her sides she inhaled deeply. A shiver wracked her body as she walked to the nearest subway station. S
he huddled into her jacket and wrapped the teal scarf around her neck one more time.
It was going to be sunrise soon and humans would start coming out in droves. And she had no desire to be surrounded. Increasing her steps, she scurried down the quiet street. The usual sounds were almost absent at this time of night.
Working so late meant she missed the cars whizzing by and people laughing as the wandered from restaurants and bars to the subway and home. It wouldn’t be so lonely if she could take to the skies. With so few out and about at this time, it made her miss her wings in a way she hadn’t for close to a thousand years.
Warning skittered down her neck, making her stop and look around. Her heart started racing in her chest and her breath kicked out white puffs with her rapid inhalations and exhalations. There had never been a time when she ignored her instincts. It’s what kept her from a far worse fate when she fell from heaven.
Now, she searched for the eyes she could feel on her. She spotted nothing obvious and all of the visible windows were shuttered. That didn’t mean she was safe. It was one more reason she missed her wings tonight.
Her hand itched to grab hold of her weapon. It was a remnant from her time as a Warrior Angel, although it’d lost its flame long ago. As the fire demon from earlier could attest, it still burned. Unfortunately, wielding a weapon would only draw more attention to her, so she left it in the back of her waistband.
Whoever was watching her wouldn’t make a move while she was watching so she continued on her way home. Her nose wrinkled when she passed by an alley. Urine and rotting garbage were carried to her nose on the wind. It was so bad bile rose in the back of her throat and made her turn away.
Iron bands wrapped around her shoulders from behind. She arched her back and wiggled as she lowered her head to bite the arms confining her. “Just the angel I’ve been looking for.” The voice was harsh against the back of her neck and made her stiffen. There was deadly promise in the tone.
She wiggled her fingers and tried to reach her weapon. A scream left her when her hand was wrenched back, followed by an audible snap. Pain arched through the area a second later. Something definitely snapped in her wrist.
His words registered as she shoved her agony to the back of her mind. She needed to distract this asshole from what she suspected was going to be real fucking uncomfortable for her. “You’ve got that wrong. I’m no angel. What the fuck do you want with me?”
Why was this asshole looking for her? And who the hell was he? Turning her head, she caught the sight of short black hair. That coupled with the lack of body odor, clear skin and incredible strength had her guessing she was dealing with a Daeva demon.
She hated the good-looking creatures. Like incubi and succubi they used their seductive power to entrap their victims. Daeva might thrive on power over sexual energy, but their devastation was the same.
The demon wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her torso. Her shoulder popped right before he slammed her skull into the brick wall. The world spun around her and she couldn’t focus on anything while she felt him drag her further into the alley.
Fight, dammit! She started kicking her legs and wiggling her body. “Nice try little angel.” The Deava laughed, his midnight black eyes sparkling with malevolence.
“Get your putrid paws off me.” Chloe threw her head back, trying to break his nose. All she needed was a moments inattention.
Unfortunately, he held on and increased the pressure. She was jerked to the side and her skull hit another brick wall. Her head started throbbing and the world spun a bit even as the stench decreased. Blinking rapidly, their surroundings came into view. They exited the opposite end of the alley. Trying another tactic, she pretended to go limp then weakly lifted one arm to make him think the last blow weakened her.
A rumble vibrated against her back. He liked having her weak and injured. His hand quickly skimmed the scars on her back. “You’re perfect for my plans. You can’t hide your origins. Although you are a curious one. Most of your kind carry the stench of the ninth circle. You’ve obviously discovered a way to break your bond with the Underworld. And that little lamb, is what makes you perfect.”
She didn’t break anything. And she didn’t lose her wings in the ninth circle. What she suffered was so much worse. Having pieces of your body rot slowly until they fell off was the worst kind of torture. It made her wish she hadn’t hidden her presence on Earth.
“I can’t help you with whatever it is you want to do.” Chloe tried as they turned a corner.
What did he mean she was different? She’d never been told she didn’t smell like others of her kind. A harsh yank brought her attention back to the demon. He was scanning their surroundings. Goosebumps rose along her arms, putting her on alert.
Expecting him to avoid the large plate glass window on a nearby business, she was surprised when he continued down the sidewalk. The glass allowed her to see the demon was distracted by something on the opposite side of the street. This was her chance.
Despite sensing something was up, she couldn’t see anything that presented a danger. Before the Daeva turned his full attention back to her, she lifted her legs and kicked the glass with all her might. The move propelled her into his body and sent them both tumbling at the same instant the massive pane of glass shattered.
Without pausing, she tried to summon her sword of light and took off down the street. Cursing when nothing happened, she recalled she was no longer blessed by God. Instinct honed by centuries of living on Earth had her reaching for the small weapon she still had. Something smacked into the back of her head and she stumbled forward.
The weapon dropped from her hand, but she couldn’t stop and retrieve it. Her heart clenched. It was the last connection to her origins and was made of a metal only found in Heaven. There was no other substance as strong in existence. She prayed it would return to the hidden pocket where she stored it. Normally, she used a mental command to return the weapon.
Fingers tangled in her hair and she swung her arms in reaction while she screamed. “Let me go!”
The night was quiet enough she hoped someone would hear her. If a human responded to her cries, they’d be killed. That made her clamp her lips shut while she fought him. He pulled her to the gutter so she couldn’t use the building again.
This couldn’t be happening. She’d survived too long for this to be her end. The Daeva demon snarled and grabbed her by her hair. Pain rushed through her scalp, making her reach up and grab onto his forearm.
Tears blurred in her eyes, but she caught movement moments before a fist connected with her cheek. The last thing she saw before her eyes shut was her favorite Indian restaurant. They had the best tandoori chicken and garlic naan bread.
Nausea churned and she had to close her eyes against the world spinning around her. One arm wrapped around her throat while the other grabbed both hands behind her back. He wrenched and her shoulder screamed in agony.
Her eyes flew open when the wind cut off abruptly. She found herself in a narrow stairwell. This wouldn’t end well if she didn’t escape. Renewing her fight, she squirmed and tried to bite him, but couldn’t reach his arm. Throwing her body around, the Daeva’s hold finally loosened. Air surrounded her a second before she was falling to the ground.
One of her hands flew toward the wall but ended up wrapped around the neck of his shirt. Riiip. The sound of cloth tearing filled the space right before her hold loosened and she was once again falling.
Her head smacked into the stairs and her feet flew over her body before hitting the next step. She ass over ended it to the bottom with him going along for the ride. Cracks echoed and stole her breath. His big ass landed on a leg then his shoulder slammed into her chest. By the time she landed in a heap at the bottom, she’d cracked a few ribs along with her femur.
Every cell in her body screamed for her to grab a bottle of tequila and head to the bathtub. Everything hurt. There were many times in her life she was sore from training or fighting, bu
t nothing compared to this moment.
For the first time in her existence she was ready to say fuck it and beg for death. She couldn’t take much more. Thankfully, the despair passed quickly. The Davea was on his feet before she managed to pull herself two feet away. Her scalp protested sharply when he grabbed a fist full of hair again and drug her into the room. There were metal shelves off to the right, but she couldn’t see what was on them. She was too busy trying to hide her terror.
Demons were despicable creatures and this one topped them all. She caught a glimpse of a table with candles, jars and what looked like intestines hanging off the side right before she went flying through the air. She landed in the middle of the room on her bad leg and collapsed.
Tears streamed down her face as she held back her screams. He would get off on hearing her anguish and fear. This demon was strong as hell and prepared to take her life. At this point she didn’t think she’d be getting out of here, but she’d be damned if she gave this asshole any pleasure.
“You are vital to the next step of my plan.” The demon prowled to a smaller table set off to the side in an alcove. The large knife he picked up glinted black like his eyes in the dim lighting. He had a freakin dark blade. She’d better gird her loins or resign herself to becoming this jerk’s source of pleasure for God only knows how long. “There is so much power coursing through your veins. It’s exactly what I need.”
Chloe sucked in a shallow breath. “You’re mistaken, that’s just gas.”