Demon's Paradise

by Sara Humphreys

  “You put those there using your magic?” Kai sipped her coffee and went to the magically-appearing furniture. She tapped the chair with her foot, to see if it was really there. Her Converse bumped against solid metal, which screeched as it moved over the floor. “I didn’t see you use it. No balls of light or anything.”

  “True.” Kristine placed two heaping plates of food onto the table before retrieving napkins and silverware. She sat in the other chair and gestured for Kai to do the same. “Fae magic, especially outside of the human realm, is not limited to the light. Your magic is inside of you, Kai. Don’t you remember what I told you? What Isadora told you?”

  “Yes.” Kai rolled her eyes and sat down. “The magic is in my mind…yada yada yada.”

  “It is.”

  “Maybe for you, a full-blooded Fae, but not for me. The Ring of Solomon tapped into whatever power I had but once the ring was gone…so was my magic.”

  “That’s what you’ve convinced yourself, Kai. That is the story you’ve told yourself. You never believed the magic was really a part of you. The power in your mind is capable of more than you know and if you would just believe it--”

  “Oh, I see. So not being able to use magic is my fault?”

  “If you want to see it that way, I suppose you could. I do wish you would eat your breakfast.”

  Kai stared at Kristine over the rim of her coffee mug and the woman stared back with a smug satisfied smile that made Kai want to throttle her. Kristine sat there eating her pancakes as if this situation were totally normal. Kai set her coffee mug down and pushed the pancakes around with a fork but couldn’t bring herself to eat any.

  “How should I see it, exactly? I really thought I could do this, Kristine. Sit here and play nice with you while you keep me prisoner in this weird tower and have floated my husband off to who-knows-where, but I can’t. I wish I did have my magic because I’d shove a big ball of light right up your smug ass.”

  “Well,” Kristine simpered. “That would be quite a sight, wouldn’t it? I’m not terribly worried about that, however. Besides, wishing for things doesn’t make them appear. Nothing will work unless you believe it can.”

  “Spare me the positive thinking crap, okay?” Kai pressed her fingers to her temples. “Just stop talking in new-age self-help-book lingo and tell me what you want. You are giving me a headache.”

  “I want you to use the gifts you were born with.”

  Kai let out a growl of frustration and slammed both hands on the table, rattling cups and silverware. “I. Do. Not. Have. Any. Gifts.”

  Kristine smiled serenely and dabbed the droplets of coffee on the table with a napkin.

  “The only reason you can’t access your magic is because you don’t believe that you have it. I brought you here, to this realm, because it is your home and my hope was that it would help you tap into the reality of who you are. You are Fae, Kai. The only one who doesn’t seem to truly believe that…is you.”

  “What is this? The Disney hour? Just believe you can and you will?”

  “Yes. You’ve already done that. In fact, you’ve been using your magic all along.”

  “How exactly?”

  “You’ve cast a spell upon yourself and I brought you here to help you undo it.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Asmodeus tugged at the chains that shackled his wrists and ankles but the iron links were embedded deeply into the stone walls. Given his inability to break free or even loosen the damned restraints, he knew they had to be enchanted with Fae magic as well. Blood dripped from the lacerations on his wrists onto the dirt floor and pain shot up his arms with every violent tug but he refused to give up.

  He had no idea how long he had been down here. Hours? Days?

  All he knew was that Kai was nowhere in sight and neither were Kristine or her guards. Ever since he regained consciousness, he had been alone. He cursed Kristine’s name and swore he would eviscerate every one of her fucking soldiers.

  There was no response. It was him screaming at nothing and no one.

  The beam of sunlight that streamed in through the one small window was beginning to wane as night fell. The last thing he could remember, before waking up in this shithole, was Kai screaming in pain as her hand was ripped from his.

  Every single time he thought about it, his fury was renewed.

  He had failed her—his wife, his lover, his light.

  Asmodeus had been unable to protect Kai here in the Fae realm and as humbling as that was turning out to be, it paled in comparison to his failure in the human world. His failure as a man, as a husband, was far worse. If Kai had believed that she could confide in him, and share her fears, then this entire situation could have been avoided.

  This was his damned fault.

  Rage and guilt welled. Fury flickered beneath his skin and heat flashed over him as he screamed one expletive after another and strained against the chains. Bits of rock and dust filled the air as his bare feet fought for traction with each renewed attempt to break free. Sweat poured over his flesh and mixed with the blood around his wrists and ankles.

  He didn’t feel the physical pain anymore because the throbbing ache in his chest was far worse. He had heard of humans being heartbroken, had witnessed their pain since the dawn of man, but he had never experienced it himself until now. Asmodeus always thought humans were being overly dramatic but the universe was giving him a full-color, balls-to-the-wall view of heartbreak.

  And it sucked.

  He made a silent vow that when they got back to the human realm, he would spend the rest of his miserable existence proving himself to her.

  The sound of footsteps approaching captured his attention and pulled him from his mental flogging. Moments later the massive wooden door swung open and six guards marched inside. Stone-faced and silent, they assumed their flanking positions, three on either side of him but none of them made a move toward him. Asmodeus fully expected Kristine to come in behind them but instead it was her flunky, Grogan. Unarmed and no longer wearing his uniform, he was clad in the traditional robes of the Fae men. The smug look on his face matched perfectly with the formal Fae garb.

  What an asshole.

  Grogan strolled in with his hands clasped behind his back and an air of superiority that made Asmodeus want to tear his head off. The fairy man looked Asmodeus up and down but was smart enough to keep his distance.

  “You aren’t looking very princely. All the sweat and blood makes you seem downright human. Pathetic, really.”

  “If we were in any other realm right now, you’d already be dead.” Asmodeus pulled against his restraints, the chains rattling with each thrust. “Where’s Kai?”

  “She’s with Kristine and waiting for you in the arena. I’d kill you now but Kristine wants an audience.”

  “After I get out of here, you and I are going to have to finish what we started.”

  “I doubt it,” Grogan scoffed. “You aren’t in a position to be making threats.”

  “I can understand why you’d think that.” Asmodeus kept his voice calm and even but his eyes flickered to bright red. “But remember one thing, Grogan, the Underworld isn’t reserved solely for humans. We get all the poisoned souls, regardless of species. It might take the supernatural souls longer to get to us but the destination is the same.”

  “You’re bluffing,” Grogan scoffed.

  “You can’t hide who you are, Grogan. You’re a greedy son of a bitch. Kristine might think you’re loyal to her but I see you. The only creature you’re loyal to is yourself. I’ve seen men like you since the beginning of time. Human. Fae. Shifter. Witch. Evil comes in all forms and the Underworld profits from every single realm. All dimensions are our domain.”

  “Shut up! I’m just doing my job.”

  “You know how many evil men have used that line? A lot. It’s fine. I can wait. I’ve held out far longer for men much more dangerous than you. I’ll wait for a thousand years if that’s what it takes but eventually, we will
get your tarnished soul. And when we do, we’ll feed off it forever.”

  “I’m not afraid of you, Demon of Lust. I don’t spend my time rutting and raping.” Grogan’s arrogant mask shifted briefly as a shadow of fear passed over him but he recovered quickly. “You have no hold over me.”

  “Maybe not.” A smile curved his lips. “But you haven’t met my brothers, have you? Mammon and Lucifer. Greed and Pride? Oh yeah, they have your spot ready and waiting.”

  Grogan’s expression wavered between humiliation and fear as he glanced at the guards, looking for their reaction. The other men were smart enough to keep their eyes on Asmodeus in an effort to avoid Grogan’s impotent wrath. Asmodeus was bluffing to a certain extent but in his experience, kidnapping was usually enough to land you in the Underworld.

  “We’ll see how much you have to say in the arena.”

  Grogan nodded curtly to the guard in front. Each soldier placed one hand on the shoulder of the other and the two closest to Asmodeus did the same to him. Grogan lifted his hands, palms up and two balls of white light appeared. The guards nearest to him each put one of their hands in the light, connecting all of them and creating a complete circuit.

  A smile spread over Grogan’s face as the lights shined brighter.

  “This is going to hurt.”

  Tendrils of white light shot out and went through all of the men like an electric current but Asmodeus was the only one who suffered. For the others, it was like breathing. Searing pain shot through him as Grogan’s magic was branded into him. He was blinded by a sudden flash and it felt as if he were being electrocuted. Asmodeus’ body was ripped through time and space, forced to travel with the Light of the Fae. He fleetingly wondered why it never hurt to travel that way with Kai but knew the answer before he had even finished asking himself the question.

  Love. Wasn’t that what she always said? Her love gave him his light, his soul, his aura, and her love would never hurt him. Her light had never harmed him.

  Kai. The mere thought of her was like a soothing balm. He kept the image of her face at the forefront of his mind but his relief was short-lived.

  Asmodeus landed on his back on a cold marble floor with an audible grunt. His vision blurred. His entire body ached and throbbed as he fought to regain his bearings. The roar of people cheering swirled around him as he shook his head and forced himself to his feet. His vision began to clear, revealing an arena, almost identical to the one he and Kai had been in only months ago.

  The white marble walls that encircled him gleamed brightly beneath the lights which were embedded in the domed ceiling. There was one large opening directly overhead and he could see the two moons shining in the dark purple sky. Red bunting was draped around the edges of the arena walls, highlighting the seating area just above it. There were hundreds of Fae men and women cheering and waiving red and silver flags.

  Asmodeus stood alone at the center of it all, like the prize pig awaiting slaughter.

  The mob was craving his demise, practically salivating for it.

  He squared his shoulders and stood tall as he slowly turned around, seeking the one person who mattered more to him than his own life. Asmodeus stilled when he found what he was looking for. Standing beneath the royal canopy, the one Zemi had lorded from only a few months ago, were Kai, Kristine and Grogan.

  Kai looked as radiant, healthy and beautiful as ever. Her long blonde hair was swept up in an intricate braided design and she was wearing a stunning blue dress trimmed in gold but his joy was short-lived when he locked gazes with her. Sadness and fear filled those beautiful brown eyes and something else.

  Regret.

  Who would blame her for feeling that way? Marrying him was probably the worst decision Kai had ever made. Her life would be far less complicated and considerably less dangerous without him in it.

  Kristine, who stood beside Kai, stepped forward and raised one hand, immediately silencing the mob. Asmodeus stilled as every single individual in the arena fell silent and motionless all at once. Their flags dropped to their sides and all of their faces turned to Kristine. His narrowed gaze skittered over the crowd that encircled him. Something was definitely wrong with this scenario. It was all too…synced.

  As if all of the Fae were somehow directly connected to Kristine and her commands.

  “Asmodeus,” Kristine shouted. “I see you didn’t dress for the occasion.”

  “Maybe if you tell me what this occasion is, I can go get something more appropriate.” Hands on his hips, he glanced down at the filthy pair of board shorts, his only item of clothing at the moment. “I could take them off if you’d like?”

  “Spare me.”

  Kristine raised her hand and pointed one finger at Asmodeus. He braced himself, fully expecting her to zap him in the balls. Instead, a tingling sensation washed over him along with a faint ray of blue light. Seconds later, he was clad in the same armor and clothing as one of her guards. He had no helmet or sword but the bitch did give him a breastplate.

  “Not bad.” He ran his hands over the smooth bronze and rolled his shoulders, testing out his mobility. “But I’m guessing that it’s all you’re giving me. No weapons, right? I’m assuming you’ve got some kind of fight planned, given the arena. Maybe some lions? You know…when in Rome and all that.”

  “Lions? Please, give me more credit than that.” Kristine smiled and waved Kai forward. “If Kai listens to me, then you won’t need anything to help defend yourself.”

  “Kristine, please.” Kai shook her head and even from this distance he could see the tears glimmering there. “You’re wrong about my magic. I’ve been trying all day, just like you’ve asked me to and nothing has worked. I did not cast a spell on myself because I have no magic.”

  “That’s too bad,” Kristine sighed. “Your beloved husband’s life depends on the fact that I’m right.”

  A spell? Asmodeus’ brow furrowed because as much as he hated to admit it, Kristine could be right. What if Kai had somehow used her gifts subconsciously?

  “Kai!” Asmodeus strode toward them and kept his gaze on his bride.

  “Enough,” Kristine shouted. “No more talking. No more lies.”

  Before he could say anything else, Kristine closed her eyes and raised both hands high in the air. Two balls of white light exploded and flew toward him but Asmodeus dove to the left and dodged them easily. His laughter filled the arena and he kept his burning red gaze on Kristine. “You’ll have to be faster than that.”

  “Funny,” she said with a wicked grin. “I was just going to say that to you.”

  “Asmodeus!” Kai ran to the railing and pointed past him. “Behind you!”

  A rumbling roar that evolved into a bone-chilling shriek filled the space and probably the entire realm. It was a sound so loud it shook the arena floor but that wasn’t what made Asmodeus’ blood run cold—it was knowing what was behind him. He turned around slowly, knowing that sudden movements would only piss it off. He really fucking hoped he was wrong because without his powers and no weapons to speak of, he would be in for the fight of his life. There was only one creature in all of the realms that made that hair-curling noise.

  He saw the hooves first and then the brown furry barrel-chested body of a man with the massive horned head of a bull. The beast threw his head back and bellowed again, the gold ring in its nose glinting in the light. It had to be over fifteen feet tall and half as wide. Even with his powers, Asmodeus would have one hell of a fight on his hands. As the creature’s enormous axe came swinging for Asmodeus’ head, one thought went through his mind.

  A minotaur. Well, fuck me.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Asmodeus!”

  Kai’s heart pounded with such force she thought it might burst through her ribcage like the alien creature from that old sci-fi movie. She gripped the railing and watched with horror as her husband dodged the axe of the minotaur. The creature threw its head back and roared with rage and frustration as Asmodeus escaped its atta
ck. When it bent to retrieve the axe, Asmodeus leapt onto its massive furred back and hooked his arm around the minotaur’s thick neck. The beast dropped the weapon and bucked wildly, flailing and bellowing, trying to throw him.

  Asmodeus looked like a bull rider hanging on for dear life.

  The minotaur swung around and backed up, bashing Asmodeus against the marble walls but still he didn’t let go. Asmodeus’ face turned red with effort as he tightened his grip on the neck of the beast. The minotaur dropped to its knees, wheezing and snorting as it swiped at Asmodeus’ forearm. Bright red streaks of blood marked his flesh as it gouged him with razor-sharp claws but Kai’s husband hung on.

  For a moment, Kai thought it was over, that Asmodeus had won, but a split second later, the creature reached behind and grabbed Asmodeus. With an ear-shattering shriek of victory, it flung her husband across the arena and Kai watched in horror as he slammed into the marble wall before tumbling to the ground in a heap.

  “No!” Kai turned to Kristine and grabbed her by the arm, spinning her grandmother to face her. “You have to stop this. Get rid of that thing. You know he’s mortal in this realm. He doesn’t have the same power as he does in other realms. Please, Kristine! I don’t have the power to help him.”

  “No, Kai, you’re wrong. You do. You can. You always could.” She spoke quickly, the sense of urgency growing along with the rallying cries from the mob. “Do as I’ve told you, what I’ve said time and again. Use your mind, conjure whatever it is that you wish. The only limits you have are the ones you have put upon yourself. You are Fae and Witch, Kai. You are born of two powerful bloodlines and you’ve barely begun to tap into your magic.”

  “No.” Kai shook her head and shoved Kristine away. Tears blurred her vision as she gripped the railing. “I’m just— “

  “Enough.” Kristine spun Kai toward her and took her face in both hands, forcing Kai to look her in the eyes. “I didn’t want to do it this way but you have given me little choice. If you won’t listen to me, then perhaps you’ll listen to your mother.”