Zepar was still totally out. I slung my arm around her shoulder.
“What did you do to him?” I asked proudly.
“Jumped on his back and choked him. That’s not all me. They injected him with something so he stays out.”
“I recognized the ingredients in the potion the witches gave him. They interact in a way that he will be sleeping for hours,” a voice said.
I turned around, and Charley was standing there.
“Charley!” I cried. I bounded over to her and pulled her into a huge hug. “You just left us for your witch friends. I miss you.”
Charley laughed as I spun her around.
“I missed you too, Roman. I came because I know a spell to get into Zepar’s mind.”
Bael puffed up his chest.
“And we don’t punish witches for that down here unless they use it for mischief. Tell me more, Charley. Is it going to hurt him?”
“I can make it hurt.”
“Excellent.”
Ior looked a little ill.
“Is that enough blood to cure the Fae?”
Doctor Bogthon was there supervising. He might have been the one to set up the device draining all the blood from Zepar. It just looked so complicated. I’d stick to biting and my fangs, though hanging someone upside down could be useful. I’d have to experiment with that if I needed to eat someone creatively. It would be like those straw things Serafina showed everyone when they had milkshakes.
“Oh, I could have made a cure just by pricking his finger and getting a drop. But since it was his blood that caused this entire mess, we decided to make the cure by ridding him of most of it,” Doctor Bogthon said.
“What is that much of his blood going to do to the Fae?” Eiltan asked.
“How did you manage to lose him?” Skoll growled. “He took Serafina.”
I wanted to know that too. How hard was it to keep track of one demon? I mean, it seems like they found him pretty quickly again. Why couldn’t they find him before he touched my mate?
“He felt the drug kick in and portalled away before I could get to him. It was so fast. I kept the distance between us short so that wouldn’t happen. Understand, they had tested this potion on other supernaturals, but never a demon before. Zepar felt it kick in and portalled away. Don’t ask me why he thought to kidnap my daughter while he was still drugged. Many men will make the folly of underestimating her.”
“Like you did?” Amduscias sniffed.
“Yes, even me.”
Just then, one of Bael’s servants burst into the door with four demons in battle armor. Bael snapped to attention.
“You’re one of Zepar’s legion. I see the crests of Agares, Gusion, and Saleos. What is it you want?”
“A way out,” a demon said. “Gusion is asking us to attack the kings to free Zepar. Agares has sent his soldiers that agreed to fight to attack the gates of Hell to let outsiders in to join the fight. Gusion is organizing everything.”
“You. You’re Zepar’s men. Did you know about his plot to overthrow Hell?”
“None of us knew, sir. We’ve all settled into our lives and started families. We haven’t been called on to fight in so long, we didn’t think we would be. Suddenly, we’ve got Dukes barking orders at us that there is going to be a regime change. We’re supposed to break Zepar out of Bael’s dungeon and help outsiders overthrow the seven kings.
“Several soldiers decided to do their duty and are forming ranks, but there are also those of us that are happy with the way things are. I can speak for several of us in Zepar’s legion that we’ve never liked him and don’t want to see him as king of Hell. The same goes for the other men here. They don’t want to see their commander as king either.”
Bael slammed his fist on a metal slab in the dungeon and started swearing.
“Looks like we need that army after all. I will rally the kings. Amduscias, I’m counting on you to get the Dukes in order. Solron, stay behind and guard our prisoners. I’ll get you some more demons. I want the four of you where I can see you. I’m not sure if this is part of the plot to free Zepar. A Trojan Horse, if you will.”
A demon bowed his head like he understood.
“Agares has thirty-one legions. He sent them all to attack the gates of Hell. Ten have defected and are just awaiting orders. They will defend the gates if needed.”
Eiltan snapped to attention. He may have fucked everything up from the start, but maybe he wasn’t totally worthless. I mean, he had to have a little of Serafina in him.
“The Fae should defend the gates from topside. There’s no point in letting the people in this little rebellion grow by letting more people into Hell. Zepar is not well liked. Most of the people who joined him were either blackmailed or paid. All we have to do is stop them long enough to tell them Zepar will get what’s coming to them, and they aren’t getting any of the money promised, and that should thin their numbers.”
“Still, those words are best said with an army to back you up, son. Let’s get back to the Fae realm and gather men.”
Eiltan and Ior disappeared into a portal. Things were chaos in the dungeon. I thought this would be over when we captured Zepar. All these demons trying to rally and still carry out his plan with him caught reminded me of someone I killed before they arrested me. I kept draining their blood, and their heart should have long stopped, but they kept getting up and trying to fight me, even if they could hardly throw a punch.
I was killing that person instead of just drinking their blood without their permission because he had a foul habit of raping women, and I couldn’t abide by that.
Why was it always the evil people who couldn’t accept defeat gracefully? Now, we would have to go out and kill more people because these fucking Dukes didn’t realize it was over. Even their own legions didn’t want to fight for them, and I had a feeling the ones that did were on the battle lines because they were following orders.
I’d fight right alongside these demons, but I hoped I got to kill the right people. We were all killers, but I think we could all agree murder was wrong unless you were killing the right person.
There were several of the right people that needed to die right now.
Chapter 23
Serafina
A
ll I had to say was that someone had snatched me three times, I’d been experimented on and insulted, and I knocked out a drugged-up Duke of Hell by myself. I didn’t care who they were. If someone tried to sideline me for this fight, they would not like my reaction.
I thought this was finally over as I watched Zepar being strung up by his feet. I talked to Fergus, and he agreed it was finally time. I couldn’t celebrate that I could finally wish Fergus real, and I could see a faint outline of the man I saw in my dreams when I was awake because Zepar was still shitting in my cornflakes.
I hadn’t spent all that much time around him, but I was shocked he’d managed to find friends willing to rescue his ass. If I was a corrupt demon working with Zepar, and he got caught before he even gathered his army, I’d get someone in Bael’s dungeon to kill him before he uttered my name and dragged me down with him, not rescue his uppity ass.
He was a miserable bastard with a raging ego. If I could have killed him when I had my elbow wrapped around his neck, I totally would have. I’m sure Zepar’s death would have stopped this little Hell rebellion, but it would have meant the end of the Fae. The fact that he was continually fucking up my life, even before I knew who he was, meant I was joining this fight no matter who didn’t want me to.
Amduscias had already portalled us back to his place, and he had a war room in his palace. His servants had it updated and were in there working as soon as they heard what was up. There were television screens up with video chat with all the Dukes of Hell that weren’t utter fuckups. They all admitted they never liked Zepar either.
Everything was buzzing and moving a million miles a minute. I wanted to be involved, but it wasn’t like I had my own legion I could call on l
ike certain demons in Hell. I didn’t even have an army at my disposal like my father. I had fire and piss and vinegar running through my veins with no outlet right now.
The more I heard them talk, I realized how ass-backward this plan was. There were three Dukes and what was left of their legions after several defected trying to rescue Zepar and overthrow Hell. I knew there were seven kings of Hell. On the screens and in this room were at least nineteen Dukes with their own legions willing to quash them. And I knew there were other demons like Solron who were loyal to the kings and would fight. I think I spoke for my mates when I said we were all sitting here ready to cut a bitch too.
“You said the Fae are defending the gates topside?” a Duke said.
“The king and prince left to gather soldiers. They seem to work quickly, but I’ve got no idea if they’ve made it there yet,” Amduscias said. “The gates are heavily guarded by demons on both sides. I’m not sure how much time we had before we were tipped off, but I doubt they have fallen just yet.”
“What is the plan, Amduscias?”
“Gather your legions. They need to be divided. Some need to be sent to reinforce the king’s legions should the gates fall. Zepar has assassins picked for each king. Choose however many you think are needed to defend your estate. Don’t think Zepar doesn’t intend to kill us to secure his reign. The rest of our legions are required in order to protect the gate.
“Agares, Gusion, and Saleos will be holed up in their estates, letting their legions do their dirty work. They never liked getting their hands dirty, and we already know that’s how they’ve fought every battle when their legions have been called upon.
“They will have reinforcements and a legion at home to defend them. We already know several of their legions have defected. We can use that. We need to split up and approach each estate. Give their legions the option to lay down arms. If those men were right, they knew nothing of this plot, and I have no desire to kill them because they were following orders.
“We need to step up. Give them a place in one of our legions or offer them an out. They can become a civilian if they lay down their arms and let us enter the estate to capture their master. Zepar will be tortured, then publicly executed. His cohorts deserve the same fate. If they can’t be captured alive, kill them.”
“Saleos will come without a fight. He’s a pacifist which is why I’ve got no idea why he’s a part of this. Agares is weak in his demonic form, but his crocodile is no joke. Gusion’s baboon is wholly unpleasant if he tries to fight in his demonic form. It would be best to try to take him before he whips that out.”
“Fergus, can you get inside him now that I’ve started to wish you real? If you fly into his mouth, we can threaten him and stop him from shifting. His blood isn’t some magical cure. We can still kill him.”
“I’m between the veil now, my Ena. I’m not a spirit, but I’m not real just yet. I’m having issues calling on my powers to shift. All of this is forbidden, so I don’t know what my powers will be when you wish me real. Your dragon might be gone.”
“But you’ll be real, and I’ll be able to touch you. I wish you real, Fergus. Be real for me.”
That was the second time I wished it. The first time I did, I felt this brief surge go through me and could faintly see Fergus. The swell was more forceful this time, and Fergus got even more substantial. It was almost like I could reach out and touch his beautiful face. I tried, and my hand passed straight through.
I had forgotten we had an audience of all the Dukes of Hell that weren’t complete tools watching us until I heard one of them address me.
“We could use all the opinions we can get on this, Amduscias. If your halfling princess can make the Fae spirit come to life now, it’s probably the time for it.”
I scowled at the demon on the screen. Yes, I wanted Fergus real as soon as I could, and yes, he could help. It just felt like when Fergus finally became real, and I could touch him outside of my dreams, it should be a special, private moment. Not in a war room full of demons that just wanted his opinion. I was shocked when I heard Fergus speak out loud because I certainly couldn’t touch him.
“Ask me what you will, but the moment my Ena wishes me real will be a private moment between us. I can still protect her like this.”
The one demon who seemed to be itching for me to rush something special squinted at the screen like he was trying to make out Fergus’s hazy form.
“The Fae do this sort of thing all the time, but no one has ever tried to overthrow the monarchy in all of Hell’s history. What kind of advice can you give us, so this ends with as little lives lost as possible?”
“Zepar is the instigator. All of this is happening because of him. We have what we need from him to cure the Fae. I know Hell wants to torture him so he suffers for his crimes, but the quickest way to stop a rebellion is to execute the usurper publicly and swiftly. The Fae would have done it as soon as they made sure they had his blood, so they didn’t have a second war with the people he fucked over.”
Every single demon on the screen looked totally scandalized by that, but it made sense. I was sure Zepar had promised those Dukes something if they helped him, but with Zepar dead, what were they other than insurgents with no leader and no backup?
“Only a king of Hell can order the execution of someone of Zepar’s rank,” someone said.
Amduscias was the only one who could see any sense in all of this, and that was why I loved him. None of the other Dukes would harm a hair on Zepar’s head without permission, so Amduscias just called Bael and got it, so there was no division among Hell royalty. Bael really wanted to torture him, but even he could see the logic behind a swift execution.
Amduscias hung up the phone and addressed the other Dukes.
“Bael said to kill him in the town square but to make it memorable so no one gets any ideas in the future. He also said while we are doing that, move on to the original plan. Send your legions to defend the gates and capture the other Dukes. Bael has one edict. Serafina gets to choose Zepar’s method of execution. He likes her style, and Zepar did a lot of nasty things to her. He feels bad he didn’t get her a gift when she arrived. This is your housewarming gift, Serafina. Choose wisely.”
Well, fuck. If that wasn’t the best present I’d ever gotten in my entire life, I’d be a horse’s ass. I needed to make it unique. All of Hell was watching, and I hadn’t forgotten the things he said to me before I knocked him out.
This would be the best death I’d ever plotted. I also needed to come up with it quickly.
Chapter 24
Fergus
B
eing between the veil was no joke. I wasn’t a spirit anymore. I couldn’t reach out to the other guardians if I wanted to. I hadn’t since I felt Serafina and having her was more important than talking to spirits, but it was strange. I couldn’t travel between realms with just a thought anymore, but I also couldn’t touch her yet, and that was killing me.
I didn’t know much about guardians who became real before because they were usually hunted and killed. Everyone, guardian and Fae, thought it was so taboo, it was never discussed. I didn’t know what powers I would have once I was alive again. I could feel my Fae magic, but the only thing I could access right now was my fire.
I don’t think Bael realized the gift he had given Serafina, letting her choose how Zepar would die. It would give her closure, and it would warm that little bit of darkness that resided in her. It needed to be unique. It couldn’t be a repeat of something we had done before. This had to be an individual, one of a kind execution.
She chewed her bottom lip.
“If my fire won’t kill him, how does one kill a Duke of Hell?”
Good question. Fire ran through her veins. It would seem off to kill Zepar without fire. It was how we killed everyone who came across our radar as deserving it. It was the only method she ever used to kill. I knew this meant a lot to her, and she wanted to impress people with this. Hell and the Fae realm would wan
t to know Zepar died spectacularly for what he did.
Amduscias was just grinning like a total fool.
“Fire won’t burn him, but hot things still bother us. You could heat up something and use it to kill him.”
“Could I boil him alive? Like, stick him in a huge vat of oil and boil the flesh from his bones?”
We were in the middle of a massive pile of shit, and Amduscias decided to flirt. He would always bat his long lashes when he wanted to tease, and he was fluttering them all over the place right now.
“You certainly know the right words to turn a demon on. Yes, that would kill Zepar.”
I didn’t know Charley that well, but she’d come in extremely helpful when we were in Scorchwood. I hadn’t forgotten my Ena would still be under Rathmore’s spell if it wasn’t for her. I thought she felt like an extra wheel in Amduscias’s palace with everyone being in a relationship here, and she left to join a coven as soon as she met a witch. I was glad she was here now.
“Ooh, can I make a suggestion if you’re boiling him in oil? There’s a forbidden potion my father taught me. It’s like breaking out in syphilis sores all over your body.”
Serafina pulled Charley into a hug and kissed her on the cheek.
“Have I mentioned how much I love you? Is there anything else we can give him besides syphilis before I boil him alive?”
Charley was this tiny, cherubic looking witch, and I didn’t really think she deserved a life sentence in Scorchwood for a mistake made in grief, but she clearly had a wicked side. I had a feeling if she started coming over more, she and Serafina would be quite excellent friends.
“Oh, I know all kinds of forbidden potions and curses. My father learned them from the witches and warlocks he had to arrest. He taught them to me just in case. I’ve got a spell from a warlock who was mad a woman turned him down that will make all his body hair fall out, and I’ve got another one from a witch that caught her husband in bed with another woman that will turn his cock the size of a peanut.”
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