The Pull of Destiny (Undying Love, Book 2)

by Felicity Kross

  “Only a moment alone with you, great one,” Arsen says with a seductive grin.

  The other demon’s eyes dilate. “That could be enjoyable. I’ll even allow you to dig into the angel with me in that case.”

  All of the monsters around cackle and vanish into the shadows as their leader sends them away. Arsen follows the demon into a club with flashing lights as he keeps Imae close to him. They pass by many people or monsters who don’t bat an eye at the angel obviously in distress, and then they shut themselves inside a luxurious room that’s relatively quiet, aside from a deep buzzing noise that can still be heard from the pulsating beat outside.

  “So you’re the only natural demon here?” Arsen asks as he keeps the angel close at his side; she looks like she wants to rip his head off, but she doesn’t say anything and she doesn’t struggle against him.

  “Alas, it’s true,” the demon replies. “I’ve built an empire of made demons. It allows me to live a pleasurable life without having to lift a finger. Having another natural demon permanently join my city would be a nice change of pace, however.” He gives Arsen another heated gaze.

  “You put a lot of faith into your made demons,” Arsen comments.

  The other demon tears Imae out of Arsen’s grasp and brings his teeth to her neck. His teeth only graze her skin before she hastily rips away from him and rests her back flat against a wall, looking like a caged animal.

  “That’s more like it,” the demon remarks. “I thought she was being awfully obedient. It’s not like an angel at all. And she appears to be in such good shape.”

  “She’ll do anything I say,” Arsen informs. “I broke her spirit, you see.” He grins.

  The angel stays plastered against the wall. There’s a dark look in her eyes that I’ve never seen from any angel, but she doesn’t deny what Arsen said.

  The demon applauds. “Very impressive,” he says.

  He turns his dark, lusting gaze onto Arsen. He does a full sweep of Arsen’s form before asking, “What is your name?”

  “Arsen,” he says.

  “Arsen?” The demon remarks. “I’ve heard of you. Most demons have, but I never heard anything about you being the social type. And I’ve never heard anything about you taking angel prisoners.”

  “Once in a while it’s nice to make new friends,” Arsen comments as he takes a few steps toward the demon, subtly closing the distance between them. “And what is your name?”

  “Greg. You can call me Greg.” The demon takes in a deep whiff of air as Arsen comes closer to him. “The rumors about you were true in at least one way it seems.”

  “What rumors?” Arsen asks, leaning in and placing his lips right against the demons ear.

  “You’re rather enticing,” Greg states.

  “You’re not bad yourself,” Arsen replies with his lips pressed against the other demon’s ear. “Why don’t you try me?”

  Greg barely has time to open his mouth before Arsen’s lips are crashing against his. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s more like a war between their mouths than an actual kiss. Greg’s hands rip at Arsen’s clothes. In the next instant, their bodies are pressed so tightly together I can’t see what’s going on. Then, all of a sudden, Greg stops moving. I hear a soft beating noise, and then I see the pumping muscle and Arsen’s blood coated claws. Greg’s eyes go wide, and Arsen eats his heart before he even has a chance to make a noise.

  Arsen drops the demon’s body unceremoniously onto the tiled floor, and then he starts licking his fingers, picking at his claws with his teeth.

  I feel a trickle of cold all over my ethereal body. If it was possible to be sick like this, I would be. I don’t feel good at all.

  “You make me sick,” the angel says as she kicks off the wall where she had plastered herself.

  “I feel the same way about you,” Arsen remarks as his claws recede and his hands looks like perfectly normal human hands once again.

  “Now how are we going to get out of here without causing a war?” she asks. “And you better believe that I’ll be telling the oracle about your little stunt and how you used me as bait.”

  “Don’t complain so much,” he says. “Did you get hurt? No. I kept my end of the deal.”

  She bares her teeth—which look crazy sharp—at him.

  The two of them continue bickering while Greg’s body begins to disappear in a show of sparkling particles. Then the door opens, revealing a beautiful woman with dark hair. She gasps at the scene and tries to leave the room, but Arsen is much faster than she is, and he slams the door shut, trapping her inside.

  “Who are you?” he asks.

  “Greg’s assistant,” she says with a tremble. I think I can see the slightest hint of glistening fangs protruding from her lips as she speaks.

  “Great!” Arsen says enthusiastically. “So I killed your boss, but I have no interest in being your new keeper. So, you’re going to get us out of here without any trouble.”

  “Us?” She asks in utter confusion.

  “I’m taking the angel with me. You’re the second in command here, aren’t you?”

  “Yes,” she says somewhat hesitantly.

  “If anyone asks, you tell them your boss wanted me to transfer the angel elsewhere. After that, and we get out of here, you can do whatever you want.”

  She whimpers. “I’ll never be able to come back,”

  “That’s your problem, sweetheart,” Arsen remarks. “That’s your only option unless you want me to kill you. Take your pick.”

  The, I assume, vampire concedes. She leads them out of the place like Arsen told her to. Hungry eyes watch them as they leave the building and pass by the monsters on the streets, but no one even asks a question. In just a few minutes, Arsen and Imae are clear of the strange demon city within a city. Their guide takes off into the night and they do the same.

  “What was that?” Imae asks in disbelief, once they’re far away from the dangerous place. “You got in and out so easily.”

  “Demons are lazy,” Arsen comments. “Most of them anyway. Especially in Terra. Their boss was way too complacent. I’ve never been to a demon city where the one who created it wasn’t a lazy ass. There’s a reason they have followers in ridiculous numbers. But numbers aren’t everything, are they?”

  “You think they’d be more vigilant,” she states.

  “Why? You could probably find a demon city, no matter how small it might be, in almost every large human city you go to. I’ve never made a habit of seeking them out myself, but it isn’t hard. They aren’t hiding. No one opposes them. You angels are too few in numbers to want to attack a demon city. Made demons are far beneath you, but even an army of them can do some damage, especially when mixed with a natural demon commander. Terra is paradise.” He grins. “Not to mention, I did bring the guy an enticing gift or two.”

  “What about other demons?” Imae asks. “If he wanted to stay in power, he should’ve been ready for someone like you.”

  “You forget that most of us are lazy, angel. Demons don’t fight each other in Terra. Not usually. There’s nothing to gain from it. And I appealed to his lust. In the end, it really doesn’t matter. We got in and out. I killed another natural demon. I fulfilled my side of the bargain. That’s what matters.”

  “The demons here are… strange,” the angel mutters. “I figured you’d all be wilder, like the demons in the depths once were.”

  “I wouldn’t know anything about that,” Arsen replies.

  “Let’s head back.”

  I jolt at the sound of Divya’s voice. I almost forgot I had the option to leave. And I want to. I want to get out of here.

  “L-let’s go,” I reply.

  Within moments, we’re back in our physical bodies. I replay what I saw over again in my head.

  It was terrifying.

  Arsen carried out his end of the bargain.

  My hands begin to shake. I haven’t felt like this since Cassius started tuning the white diamond to me. But
now I’m afraid. I’m afraid of what’s to come.

  I’m afraid to see Arsen.

  “Are you ready to face him?” Divya asks quietly.

  “I don’t know,” I reply, my voice shaking. “I think I need to see Cassius.”

  If I feel like this now and if the feeling gets worse when Arsen is in front of me, I’m definitely not ready to face him. I need to see Cassius right now.

  I DON’T KNOW IF I’m ready for this after seeing what Arsen is capable of. I’m scared. I don’t know how I can control something like that. The last time I saw him, I was able to do what Cassius said I can do, but it was only because he was at my side. How am I going to handle this if he’s not constantly there telling me what to do?

  The world seems to be spinning with every step I take. I’m vaguely aware of Divya by my side. She has her arms around me, guiding and supporting me. I should be the one doing this for her. She’s the one who hasn’t been sleeping. Even with my crystals, I can’t seem to get a hold of myself. I’m having a major panic attack. My breaths are so shallow. I can barely breathe.

  “What’s going on?”

  I know that voice. It’s Fiona’s. I try to look up and see her, but the world is spinning. I’m so freaked out. My body can’t even keep up.

  “Fiona, take her,” Divya says, exhaustion clear in her voice.

  Fiona comes up to the both of us and supports us both.

  “What happened to you two?” she asks.

  I don’t want to be a burden. I know Divya needs Fiona more right now than I do. I need someone who isn’t human. I need Cassius, one of the angels.

  I gently push away from Fiona as I right myself. I feel the presence of my crystals, trying to break through my panic attack. I still need help, but at least the world isn’t spinning anymore. Thanks to my heart-shaped diamonds, I should be able to walk.

  “Tasia?” Fiona looks at me with questioning eyes as she holds her exhausted girlfriend close to her.

  “Tasia needs to talk to Cassius,” Divya informs.

  “I don’t know about Cassius,” Fiona says seriously, “but I’m sure Valor’s around. If anyone can get into contact with Cassius, it would be her.”

  “Do you know where she is?” I ask. My voice sounds funny, almost like it’s coming from underwater.

  “Not at the moment, but I could get on the PA system.”

  “No,” I say with a shake of my head. “Take care of Divya. I’ll take care of it.”

  Divya protests, “Tasia, you’re in no condition to—”

  “You’re in no condition to be walking around,” I say, cutting her off.

  That’s when I see Rynne from down the hall. “Rynne can help me,” I say before I even ask him.

  I walk away on staggering feet, until I remember how to walk again and compose myself better. Rynne catches sight of me. I try to smile, but I must not do a very good job, because Rynne looks back at me with concern.

  “Will you take me to Valor?” I ask.

  “Of course,” he replies, coming forward as he takes my hand. He must see how unsteady I am, but oddly enough his hand in mine is enough to make me feel a little better. I can walk like this. The world is clear like this. Between Rynne and my two diamonds, I won’t collapse from this panic attack.

  “What’s wrong?” Rynne asks as his hand tightens around mine. “And when did you get back?”

  “I don’t know. You were all busy when I got back, and Divya intercepted me,” I reply. “She told me there was something I needed to see. We went back to her room, and the two of us started astral projecting. Divya said she’d been watching Arsen. We were watching him together like that because we could get a different view of him while acting as unseen observers. I thought it was a good idea. I think it was a good idea.” I swallow. “But I saw him kill another demon, another natural demon, like it was nothing.”

  I begin shaking all over again, and Rynne pulls me closer to him as moves his arm around me to support me. Then he picks up the pace slightly.

  “I don’t think I’m ready to face him,” I say. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to control something like that. I don’t know how I’m connected to something like that. What if he takes over this bond instead? What would he do to me?”

  All of my doubts are surfacing inside of me, and I’m terrified.

  “That isn’t going to happen,” Rynne says confidently. “Everything will be okay.”

  I don’t know where Rynne is leading me. I’m just trying to focus on taking one step at a time and breathing. It’s all I can do right now to stay together.

  After what seems like an eternity, we find Valor in one of the halls. She’s here. I’ll see Cassius soon. Everything’s going to be okay. Everything’s going to be okay.

  “Confidant Valor,” Rynne calls. “Tasia needs to see the oracle.”

  After she sends off the angel in front of her, Valor turns her attention onto us.

  “Is something wrong?” she asks. If she’s concerned, her face doesn’t show it. She stays serene and composed as always.

  “I can’t face Arsen like this,” I say hysterically. “I need help. I need to see Cassius. Arsen is on his way here right now.”

  Valor regards me carefully and says, “I see. It’ll be faster if I send you to Ilenima with an angel escort. Would it be all right if I send Rynne with you?”

  I nod my head furiously, but I stop as soon as the action starts making me feel worse. “I’d love for Rynne to come with me.”

  “Leave at once,” Valor says, directing her words at Rynne.

  After Rynne and I are dressed for the cold world outside, we leave. The sun is blinding right now. Rynne takes me on the same path to Wissahickon Valley Park that Cassius always does. We walk inside the park until we get to the bridge. It’s as icy as ever, and Rynne doesn’t ask if he can lift me into his arms. He just does it. I don’t mind though. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on as he comes speeding toward the portal. Those same sensations that I always feel when entering the portal lash against me. They feel harsher than ever, the opposing heat and cold combined with my underlying panic.

  As soon as we are in the Mirror Room, I start feeling better, but the panic still won’t leave.

  Rynne places me on my feet when I force myself to stop clinging to him so desperately.

  “What’s going on?” a silver clad soldier asks. “We weren’t informed either of you would be coming here today.”

  “It’s an emergency,” Rynne informs. “Where’s the oracle?”

  “Right here.”

  Cassius steps into the room as if on cue. He somehow shines brighter than anything else here. It’s like his very presence is the source of light that the mirrors now reflect, making the room brighter than it was before.

  “Cassius,” I say desperately. “Arsen’s on his way back to the base. I’m not ready to face him. I saw him kill a demon like it was nothing!”

  I’m holding tightly on to Rynne’s hand, but now I’m straining against him. I want him to be close to me, but I need to be close to Cassius at the same time. Rynne moves with me since I won’t stop tugging, allowing me to lead him to Cassius.

  “You saw him?” Cassius asks as he meets us halfway.

  “Divya was astral projecting. She’s been following him. She led me to him.”

  “I see.” Cassius places his hands on my shoulders. “Do not fear. You will be ready.”

  “But I’m not!” I say frantically. I reach out for him with my free hand and cling to his robes.

  “I can help you get through this. I can guarantee that you can handle this if you let me.”

  “Anything,” I beg. “I’ll do anything you say.”

  Cassius turns his head slightly to acknowledge Rynne. “If you’d wait for us here, I’ll return Tasia very soon. What I must do requires there be no distractions.”

  Rynne squeezes my hand before he abruptly lets me go. “I understand,” he says.

  Cassius nods, and then he b
rings his hands down to the hand I still have in a death grip on his robes. He gently pries my fingers loose, but instead of completely pulling away from me, he offers his hand instead. I take it gratefully. I feel comfort from the contact, like his light is pouring directly into me.

  I follow Cassius as he leads me through the frost crystal Citadel. I’m somewhat familiar with the corridors now, and I’m pretty sure I know where he’s taking me. I find out I’m right as soon as he opens the door to his bedroom. He leads me inside, shuts the door, and then he releases my hand. He goes over to the bed and props up some pillows.

  “Lie down so you are comfortable,” he says.

  I try to do as he says, but no matter what I do right now, I’m not going to feel comfortable. Once I’m lying down, but I’m propped up enough that I’m not completely flat on my back, Cassius sits on the edge of the bed at my side.

  “What are we doing?” I ask.

  Cassius turns to look at me, gazing directly into my eyes so I can see the tumbling colors rotating through his. “I can better tune your white diamond, but only if you allow me access to your soul. If you allow me that, all of your doubt will be washed away. You will no longer feel this unnatural pull toward Arsen. You won’t feel his side of the bond. You will know only the feelings on your side.”

  “I’ll be able to be completely objective? I won’t feel things that don’t belong to me anymore?” I ask.

  “That is correct.”

  “Do it.”

  “Not so hasty,” Cassius whispers as he gently places his pointer finger to my lips, silencing me. “At least allow me to explain it first. All sentient beings have defenses that bar their souls from any other who might look into it. I know you humans have a saying: the eyes are the window to the soul. It is a very accurate saying. When one looks into another’s eyes, they are looking into the entry point of one’s soul, though many eyes you’d look into are like a window with the curtains drawn. I assume you’ve had some experience with people who are open and don’t hide anything and others who hide everything. ”