Hitting a button on his desk phone, he said, “Send soldiers to my office stat. We have an intruder.” Then he turned back to the woman. “Who are you? I won’t ask again.”
“I’m a Deamon. One of Crimeous’ harem women. He has kept me prisoner for several centuries.”
“And tonight you were able to escape?” Sathan studied her, noticing her red hair, large breasts and full lips. She seemed to be in genuine distress. When she clutched at her shirt again, he advanced toward her.
A soldier arrived and he commanded him to bring him a t-shirt from Heden’s nearby room. The soldier complied and Sathan handed it to the woman.
“Thank you,” she said, sniffling as she donned the shirt. The action reminded him of Miranda for some reason, all those weeks ago when she had stuffed herself into his oversized shirt after the first time they made love.
“You are so kind. I knew that if I made it to the Vampyre king, you would protect me.”
Two more soldiers appeared at the door and he silently commanded them to keep guard.
“How did you escape?”
“While Crimeous was busy torturing another girl, I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I was able to steal a vehicle from his son, Darkrip. I drove as far and as fast as I could.”
“That’s very brave,” he said, still not trusting her fully. “I would like to help you but these are dangerous times in the land of the immortals. Do you have anything that proves who you are?”
“I have something that proves I’m your ally. As I drove through the land of Slayers last night, I camped by the river on their compound. While there, I observed a secret meeting between the Slayer princess, her cousin and the Dark Lord’s son.”
“That’s impossible. Kenden is currently on a mission in the land of humans.”
“I assure you, it was him. I took video with my phone. Please,” she said, holding it toward him with her shaking hand. “Look. Watch. They are plotting against you. I felt that if I came here and showed you, so that you knew of their treachery, you would protect me.”
Scowling, Sathan glared at her phone. The screen showed an image of Miranda, speaking to her cousin, an arrow superimposed on top. With a sense of dread, he pressed the arrow, causing the video to play.
“We could’ve aligned with the Deamons.” Miranda said. “He set our people back hundreds of years.”
“Your strength is noble,” Kenden said.
“Aligning with Sathan was a huge mistake that you cannot atone for,” Darkrip said.
“Does he know you’re plotting against him?” Kenden asked.
“No,” Miranda said.
Sathan’s heart beat furiously, unable to reconcile what he was seeing.
“There’s another. Scroll to the right.”
Swiping, he landed on another video. As anger began to bubble underneath his skin, he pressed play.
This video only featured the Deamon Lord’s son and Miranda.
“The only person I have ever felt emotion for is you,” the Deamon said, bringing his hand to frame Miranda’s face.
Miranda smiled up at the Deamon. “Please don’t be afraid to care for me. I’m so happy to have found you.”
They looked at each other and Miranda said, “I have faith in you. I trust you. I won’t tell Sathan of our plan.”
The Deamon lowered his lips to kiss her forehead and then pulled her in for a hug.
“You’re my secret weapon,” he said.
“And you’re mine. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The video concluded and Sathan clenched the phone in his hand. Knowing the footage to be impossible, he watched both of the videos again and again, ignoring the woman as she stood beside him. His body felt torn into a million shattered pieces.
Finally, after he had watched both of the videos multiple times, he couldn’t deny what he had seen with his own eyes. His beloved Slayer was planning to betray him. A pain so deep and dark, further into his soul than when his parents had been gutted in front of him, took hold. Growling with rage, he threw the phone against the wall, shattering it into multiple pieces.
“Sathan?” Latimus called, finally arriving to his office. Of course, he had probably been fucking one of his Slayer whores at the edges of the compound. Rage for his brother filled his chest as well, since he had forbidden the practice of sheltering Slayer whores centuries ago.
“Where the fuck have you been?” he bellowed.
For the first time in his life, Latimus regarded him with a sense of unease. How fitting that his stronger, war-driven brother would finally come to be wary of him at the same time the woman who had trashed his heart had betrayed him.
“Who are you?” Latimus asked the woman, ignoring his question. “Are you a Slayer?”
“She’s a Deamon,” Sathan said through clenched teeth. “She has video footage of Miranda secretly plotting to betray us with her cousin and Crimeous’ son.”
“Betray us how? I thought Kenden was in the land of humans.”
“Well, it seems that he’s back. This woman escaped from the Deamon caves several nights ago. She came upon the secret meeting as she was trying to get as far away from the caves as possible.”
“That seems convenient,” Latimus muttered.
Sathan turned to his desk, flattening his palms on top, trying to control his wrath. “Take her to Nolan. Have him clean her up and get her some fresh clothes. Tell him to take her blood so that we can discern her bloodline.”
Latimus shuffled behind him and the woman spoke. “Thank you, King Sathan. I will forever be grateful to you.”
Turning his head, he watched as Latimus handed her to a guard, holding her by her upper arm. “You heard the king. Do as he commands.”
“Yes sir.” The soldier led the woman from the room.
Once they were alone, Latimus spoke to his back. “You are not yourself, Sathan. I need you to calm down and think logically. Several days before Miranda is to attack Crimeous, a strange woman shows up on your doorstep with a video of her betraying you? It is unbelievable at best. Questionable at the least. We need to verify the video.”
Sathan gestured at the wall. “They’re over there. On her phone.”
Latimus picked up the pieces, shaking his head. He handed them to one of the soldiers outside the door. “Get this to Heden, stat. Tell him to reassemble all videos so that we can view them. Time is of the essence.”
“Yes sir.”
“Sathan,” Latimus said, advancing toward him slowly, “I understand you’re upset. I would be too. But you’re a smart leader. Your emotion for Miranda has clouded your judgement. We need to compile all of the evidence before we condemn her.”
Sathan laughed, angry and stilted, and rubbed his hand over his face, clutching his chin as he shook his head. “She wrapped me around her finger so easily. How did I not see it? How could I let this happen?”
“Calm down.” Latimus lifted his hand to his brother’s shoulder, stiffening when he pushed it away. Sathan clutched the small golden statue of Etherya that sat on his desk.
“Don’t tell me to fucking calm down. I don’t know what to believe anymore. Until Heden can reconstruct the videos and you can view them with a fresh pair of eyes, I want our soldiers pulled from her compound. I don’t trust that they’ll be safe there.”
Latimus straightened, his discomfort visible. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion!” The walls bellowed with his scream and he wanted to grab his brother by his large neck and strangle him as he cried in agony. Hurt filled every pore of his body.
“There are many things you don’t know, Sathan,” his brother said, his tone unwavering. “I won’t let you sabotage yourself or her.”
“So, you’ve kept secrets from me too?” Sathan asked, his tone nasty. “Perhaps you two deserve each other. What haven’t you told me, brother?”
Latimus shook his head, disappointment swimming in his ice-blue eyes. “I won’t stand her
e and let you accuse me of betraying you. We’ve had our moments but you’ve always been my brother. The person I trust above all others. I refuse to let you say things that will damage that bond.” Turning away, Latimus began walking from the room.
“Pull the troops from the Slayer compound,” Sathan yelled. “That is a direct order.”
Lifting a hand to his forehead, Latimus gave an angry salute. “Yes sir,” he said through gritted teeth. Sathan understood that he really meant fuck you. He stalked from the room.
Alone in his office, Sathan cursed, unable to control his anger. With a loud growl, he threw the statue of Etherya through the window, causing it to shatter. Wanting to find Heden, so that he could watch the videos again, he stalked from the room.
* * * *
Miranda was training with the Vampyre troops when she saw the headlights in the distance. Calling a halt, she told Larkin to tell the men to take ten. Jogging over to the vehicle, she was surprised to see Latimus exiting from the driver’s side.
“Hi,” she said, smiling up at him. “I wasn’t expecting you. Is Sathan with you?” She craned her neck to view the passenger side of the car.
“No,” came his short reply. Grabbing her upper arm, he pulled her from the car, further into the darkness, where no one would hear. “Sathan believes that you have betrayed him. That you are plotting against him.”
“What?” she said, her heart starting to pound in her chest. “Why?”
“A red-haired woman showed up at the compound tonight, presenting herself as a tortured escapee of Crimeous’. She had video of you conspiring with Kenden and Darkrip. I thought Kenden was in the human world.” He studied her, his face impassive.
“He just came home last night. I swear. The three of us did have a conversation out by the edges of the compound, where the river flows.”
Latimus sighed and nodded. “I was hesitant to let you keep meeting with Darkrip without Sathan’s knowledge. He’s cunning and evil. I was worried something like this might happen.”
“You knew that he came to me? That he met with me secretly?”
“Of course,” he said, his arrogance showing in his shrug. “I’m the greatest war commander this planet has ever known, Miranda. Did you think I wouldn’t discover that you secretly met with him? My cameras caught your entire meeting with him on the night you first met Sathan. And I know that he met with you by the lake when we traveled to free the Blade.”
“But you didn’t tell Sathan.” Confusion swamped her. “Why?”
“Because I’m not an idiot. His connection to you is plain to the naked eye. You share the exact same green-colored eyes. It’s obvious that he is your brother.”
“You knew. I didn’t even know until last night. But somehow, you knew.”
“I knew,” he said with a nod. “And I understood why he was approaching you. If you aren’t the heir of Valktor’s to kill Crimeous, he will need to step in.”
“Yes.”
“You should have told my brother that you met with him in secret. Your omission has cost us all greatly.”
Regret coursed through her body, choking her. “I should have,” she said, silently pleading for his understanding with her gaze. “I was just so afraid. We were forming such a close bond and I felt that if he knew it would be damaged somehow. Fuck, I was so stupid.” She rubbed her fingers back and forth over her forehead.
“No argument there. You fucked up big time. But we don’t have time to dwell on it. Your actions have set things into motion that can’t be undone.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, fear entering her voice.
“Sathan has commanded me to pull our troops from your compound. Being commander, I cannot disobey a direct order. However, if you attack tonight, before I arrive to pull the troops, he won’t be able to stop them from marching with you.”
“But you’re already here.”
He gritted his teeth, glaring down at her in frustration. “You’re smarter than this, Miranda. I hope I haven’t placed my trust in someone who can’t think quickly on her feet.”
“You came alone to warn me. So that you can tell Sathan you tried to pull the troops but we had already marched.”
Latimus nodded, regarding her, his gaze almost angry. “Don’t make me doubt my decision to help you. Take the men and march tonight. I’ll be back in an hour. If our troops are still here, I’m pulling them.”
“We’ll be gone.” Lifting to her toes, she hugged him. Stiffly, he returned the embrace, patting her back awkwardly. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.
Disengaging from her, he scowled. “Don’t make me regret this. Kick that Deamon’s ass. We’re counting on you.”
“I will,” she said, watching him start the car and drive away. Inhaling a deep breath, she ran to gather the troops.
Chapter 33
Miranda marched, Kenden by her side, under the light of the waxing gibbous moon. It wasn’t full as she had hoped, but she was grateful to Latimus for his warning, knowing that the fate of her people depended on this night.
She had updated Kenden on everything. Being the calm commander that he was, he had summoned Larkin and Takel and they had gathered the troops. Not wanting to alarm the Vampyre soldiers, Kenden informed them that they would be secretly working with Darkrip and needed to strike earlier than anticipated to ensure a surprise attack.
Miranda had also texted Darkrip, whose number she had obtained in their meeting that morning.
Miranda: Sathan thinks I betrayed him. Wants to pull troops. Attacking tonight before they can be pulled. Need your help.
Darkrip: Understood. I will get my father to the designated area in 2 hours. Stay strong. We will defeat him.
Miranda clutched the phone to her breast, hoping his words were true.
She wanted so badly to sit and contemplate how quickly Sathan had believed the story of her betrayal. Did he truly think she was capable of that level of deceit? Did he even care for her at all? Surely caring for someone meant that you gave them the benefit of the doubt, didn’t it? Her heart broke with the knowledge that he might only see her as an ally. Indifferent. Only needing her to bring his people peace.
Unable to live with that conclusion, she pushed him from her mind. If she lived beyond tonight there would be much time to contemplate his lack of faith in her.
She, Kenden and Larkin led their soldiers—two-hundred Vampyres and a hundred Slayers—to the meeting point at the Deamon caves. They had traveled most of the way in large armored vehicles that seated many, brought by the Vampyre soldiers when they arrived weeks ago. As they approached the meeting point, the soldiers disembarked from the vehicles.
Marching quietly toward the meeting point, Kenden gave his orders. The Vampyres were to travel by foot, through the short walkway that led to the center of the cave. The Slayer soldiers would attack from above, blowing the top of the cave open with TNT and lowering themselves in by cables anchored to nearby trees.
Miranda would enter the cave as the troops fought, hopefully near Crimeous so that she could strike him down. Reaching behind her, she felt the Blade, sheathed on her back. Firmly, she clutched the hilt. She was determined to slay the Deamon Lord.
Led by Larkin and Takel, the Vampyres marched toward the entrance of the cave, their footsteps so quiet for creatures so large. Miranda watched them grow smaller as they faded into the distance. Following Kenden, she climbed up the path that led to the top of the hill.
Silently, the Slayers attached their wiring to nearby trees, pulling and testing to ensure they were secure. Miranda inhaled a huge breath, trepidation rising in her chest.
“You can do this,” Ken said, coming to kneel beside her as she hunkered to the ground, the cable secured at her waist. “I have every faith in you, Miranda.”
“I love you, Ken,” she said, fearing that this might be their last conversation.
“Stop saying goodbye,” he said, clutching her wrist. “I’ll see you on the other side of this battle. When
you’ve plunged the Blade into that bastard’s heart.”
Loud cries sounded from afar and she knew the Vampyres had charged the cave. Summoning all her courage, she stood and screamed, “Fuck you, asshole! I’m coming for you!”
Dynamite exploded, blowing the top off the cave. Following her men, she jumped into the opening, lowering herself inside by the cable. Howls of war sounded all around her as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the cavern. Landing on the dirt-covered ground, she assessed her situation.
These motherfuckers were in for a good ass-whipping. Pulling her sword from her belt, she charged.
* * * *
“See here?” Heden pointed at the screen as Sathan leaned over him, unable to discern what he was pointing to. “It’s been edited. Whoever did it was awesome, but I’m more awesome so I’m able to see.” He chomped on his gum, driving Sathan crazy with the smacking. Moving the mouse, he advanced the video forward and pointed again. “This one’s been edited too. Someone really wanted to make it look like she was betraying you, brother.”
Sathan ran a hand over his face, doubt clouding his busy mind. Why would this red-haired woman go to so much trouble to deceive him? And why was Miranda meeting with the Dark Lord’s son in the first place? Questions swirled in his brain until he thought he might go mad from the churning.
“He only wished to align with her. As Valktor’s grandson, he also could be the one who fulfills the prophecy.”
Sathan turned at Latimus’ voice, coming from the doorway of the tech room. “Valktor’s grandson?”
“Borne by Rina after Crimeous kidnapped her. Darkrip is Miranda’s half-brother.”
Sathan stared at his brother, unable to contemplate his words. “I don’t understand.”
“Fucking A,” Latimus said, running his hand over his face. “Between you and Miranda, I can start a fucking club for dimwits. He’s her brother, Sathan. He aligned with her to help her. The prophecy states that a descendent of Valktor will kill Crimeous. It doesn’t state which descendent.”
Sathan swallowed thickly, struggling to understand his brother’s words. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
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