Claimed

by K. H. Kate

  He nodded, happy to let us walk back to the portal. Once he managed to send us through it, I let out a sigh. Looking back and forth and finding no one near, I finally opened my mouth. "5132, earlier when you told him about the call...do I want to know something?"

  "About what? The fact that you still talk to some of your er friends when you feel bad?"

  I didn't want to admit it to anyone. Not even to Lex but if she knew it already... "I just feel responsible for them. I thought I was raising an army of mine and now that I have...I don't know what to feel about that. After Allegra told me what they've done, it became even worse. I wanted to change them but they don't answer me. Not anymore."

  "Are you sure it's not because you've done the same thing that's been done to you? I mean still now sometimes I have to make sure either I am dreaming or it's real. No matter what happened back then, we're still bearing the consequences. Dying changes you, sister. Look how awesome I am now!"

  She wasn't being awesome, she was coping her pain with humor. My spine stiffened but I couldn't find my words. "I-maybe you're right. But there's nothing I can do to change the past."

  "Don't have to." She laughed, mischief twinkling in her gaze. "You just have to express your emotions as Mikhail says. I can be that person but if you need new perspectives, Zach is always available. He was one of those past mistakes of yours...maybe he can make you feel better about your present."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  ONE MONTH AGO

  "You shouldn't have done thattt."

  Turning around, I couldn't hide my chuckle anymore. Sorrow dripped through every sound of mine. "And what do you know about that, Cone?"

  The pet demon looked slightly insulted. "We may be a demon but we do have emotions, masterrr."

  "Is that so?" I mused, walking shakily away from the festival.

  "Yesss, master." The demon nodded. "You should have told her what the risk was, what we were dealing withhh and then come home to herrr."

  Home?

  Home was back in New Orleans. Where everything started in the first place.

  "I don't have a home anymore, Cone."

  I didn't know where I was going and why. I only knew that I had to find Demos and end it all. Before I ended up hurting her again.

  "So what nowww?" Cone asked out of the blue.

  I paused only for a second, before a grin formed on my face. "Why, to find Demos or what else?"

  "Then it's a good thing that I found a place to scout, Masterr..."

  "So you say." I shrugged, following Cone out of the woods. I wrapped my arms around my body, trying to stop it from going back. My heart certainly felt so as I could feel her despair from our bond. Would the pain ever stop? Could I really control myself to keep going?

  "Stop right thereee!" Cone screeched loudly, forcing me to come to a halt. "I can smell the deathhhh."

  I couldn't keep the discomfort I felt from showing on my face. The stench was that bad. After some more walking, we stopped near a lake, abandoned by nature. Though the place didn't look abandoned at the time. Some people wearing red gowns were there, lightening black candles on a rotten dead body.

  We immediately hid behind a large tree. "If there's something I know-we don't kill witches, right? But if they are as evil you're saying, we slay them."

  He nodded. "Yesss, my masterrr."

  "Good. My shadows would love this." I mumbled, watching them with curiosity. They took out a piece of red chalk from a bag, leaned over, and began to draw a symbol on the ground. It was a pentagram surrounded by a triangle. At each point, they drew words I didn't recognize.

  "Cone, do you know what is it?"

  He nodded. "It's an ancient language only for the demonsss. They are trying to summon the demon Kinggg."

  A man picked up a leather-bound book, flipped it open and looked at his people. "Here we go."

  I recognized some of the words. It was like the entire nature was chanting with them. I looked at Cone to see that he was staring at the lake curiously. So I also looked there and for a second it looked like there was something in there. Big, hairy, a dog?

  No, dogs weren't that big. So what was it?

  The man raised his arms and shouted out, "Apchí dý kai rena éri diásí. Viás mas nasi tin egía sa!" That's when I noticed the knife in his hands. He was going to kill someone else now. So, one body wasn't enough.

  Cue to join them.

  "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen." Everyone stopped what they were doing. The man who was chanting hid the knife in his bag and turned to me.

  "Who are you to stop us from this great ritual?" He snapped.

  My smile widened. "Me? I'm a collector. Came here to collect some things. How about your sins?"

  "Darkness." A witch spat, looking at me in disgust. The man raised a brow but didn't question her. But there was a sinful look on his face now. Greed, despair, and all the seven sins wrapped around them like a shadow.

  "What do you want? Immorality like others? I can give it to you." I couldn't stop chuckling.

  "Do I look like I need immorality? Come on guys, you know I'm immortal. I just need..." I paused, my eyes darkening farther. "Some witchy brats and the Demon King on his knees."

  As soon as the words were there, I felt intense pain swarmed through me. The witch who spat at me stood proudly like she just accomplished something. Did they think I was afraid of a bit of pain? Didn't they know that I craved it like cocaine? Because if the pain was there, I could forget what I just left behind.

  For a second, I could pretend that I did the right thing.

  "I wouldn't do that if I were you." This was the only warning she got when a high-pitched scream filled the woods. I took the dagger which I previously hid and dragged it through the man's throat. One of the witches threw a powerful jolt of electricity but Cone was faster to avoid it which ended up hurting another witch. By now they were all trying to fight me but shadows formed around them, catching each one with more anger. One last jab and the last person dropped to the mud.

  Well...that was easy.

  Too easy to be exact which had me look around in alarm. And I was right to worry when I noticed something else I only saw from far. A growl, a snarl. Small, red eyes peering at me from the darkness. The eyes blinked and I felt stunned.

  What the actual hell was that?

  "Masterrr, a messengerrr." Cone replied covering me with his body. That's when I realized that I said that aloud. In front of my own eyes, the creature transformed and stood up to Cone's level.

  A demon.

  "I have a message from King Demos. He'll spare your life if you give our Queen willingly. Or it's a war." This demon was high ranked so it didn't stutter like Cone nor did it bow his head.

  "Where's your almighty King? Hiding between his tails?" I asked instead. The demon looked shocked that I even asked that question.

  "That's none of your business, Darkness! You took away his offered souls today. You're going to pay, not demand!" He rasped out.

  "Really? Who's going to make me pay? A messenger? You make me laugh, demon." I laughed, the sound vibrating through the morbid scenery.

  "Masterrr, we are not negotiating with him todayyy." Cone joined the conversation as a worried look came upon his feature. I ignored him, staring dead at the demon.

  "If you really want your Queen, you can declare the war. You're not getting her anytime soon." My words spoke volumes cause both demons stepped away from me.

  "As you wish." He snapped, disappearing with a growl.

  Bloody coward.

  TWO WEEKS AGO

  "He's here somewhereee."

  Just as Cone felt the air change, so did I. It hadn't been the best week with all the time wanting to know how Emie was. Not that I would ever seek her out before the war. I had to leave for a reason and I was sticking to that reason with an ironclad fist.

  No matter what.

  "Well, I can't see him." I muttered before I felt another presence behind me. Quickly turning around
, I was met with the sight of a man standing there with a smirk on his face. Even if I had never seen the man in my whole life, I couldn't ignore the stench of coil and fire.

  It was Demos.

  "Hello, Darkness." The smooth voice washed over me and I shuddered in disgust.

  "I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that you are that asshole who ruined my little soul's life." I sneered before I finally registered that there was no sign of Cone anywhere. "Where's Cone?"

  "Oh, the demon that's been running with you like a pathetic pet?" Demos scoffed, an amusing smile on his face. "I think you are forgetting who I am. He may have been your pet but even he bows down to his King. I sent him to Hell and he'll be punished for betraying me."

  Cone meant nothing to me by any means but at the moment, I wanted to claw Demos's eyeballs out at the blunt disrespect. So, when my shadows raised over for a fight there was nothing stopping me from agreeing to them.

  "You would not hurt our pet." Those voices mingled over with a growl. I could feel myself lose control and it felt good. For once, I wanted to see the extent of my powers. I wanted my shadows free, rooming over Demos in a circle just like a predator did to a prey.

  Demos only flinched a little when one of the shadows dragged a long nail down his face. "I'm not afraid of you."

  "Neither are we." My shadows stated, coming down to face Demos. "If you still want to live, we suggest never coming near Emie. Fuck that, never even visit earth. You want to be the King of Hell? Fucking stick to it."

  I couldn't hide my shock when the fire blazed around us, Demos in the middle of it. "You think you can threaten the Demon King? That easily? How dare you?"

  I could actually feel my skin peel off layers and the pain was almost unbearable enough for me to scream. But I laughed instead, I had lost it. This was why when sudden words of venom flew from my lips and they landed perfectly, I didn't feel quite proud.

  I felt sick.

  "And what if I say that Prophesy is under my control? Even then you'll be after us?"

  Shit, I promised Zed that I wouldn't tell anyone about her, nonetheless the man she was supposedly be hidden from. And by the look on Demos's face, I just knew that I messed it up.

  "Prophesy?" Demos took a deliberate step toward me. "You have her?"

  I couldn't stop the lies flowing from my lips. "Yes, why, of course. You didn't think we have her? You wanted to hurt Emie so we had to retaliate."

  "No, no, no." Demos looked insane, his hands running through his lock in a fist. "She wouldn't. She would never. She is my most loyal companion. She physically can't."

  Oh, so, he did ruin her beyond repair, didn't he?

  "You sure of that?" I taunted, finally relieved to feel the pain lessen. But was it worth the lie? I couldn't think of that anymore, not when I was this close to revoking fear in Demos. "Even Emie was loyal to you, you almost married her. But where is she now? With me, in my arms, loving me."

  A fire blazed over Demos's gaze. "You took both of them. You would pay for this."

  I almost smiled. Wasn't I paying now? "Bring it on, your royal highness."

  THE NIGHT OF THE BLOOD MOON

  "You're alone. Surprising, considering the fact that Cone is almost always with you."

  I didn't bother to turn around. The man was always there for me, wasn't he? I couldn't hide my guilt any longer. "Cone is facing punishment because of me."

  "Oh."

  Zed stepped farther until he was joining me. The night was clear of any danger but we both knew how fast that could change. Zed took one look at me and sighed. "You look miserable, Alexei. You know that?"

  "You don't think I know that?" I laughed, failing to hide what I really felt. Guilt, torment, pain all of them made it harder to breathe let alone think. Now even Cone was gone.

  "So why did you do it?" He asked, a fleeting feeling of pain flashing over his face. "Why even go through it when you know both of you will be hurt? She's hurting, Lex. She doesn't show it...that's what scares me the most."

  Zed was there looking after my woman when I was here, ratting out his. I couldn't stop myself anymore. "I met Demos earlier and I did a bad thing."

  He paused, not sure how to take the news. "Demos? The Demon King?"

  I nodded, deciding to avoid looking at him. If I saw the hate in my master's gaze, I could never forgive myself. "Yes, and then I threatened him with the fact that we have Prophesy...even if we don't."

  I could feel rather than see him tensed immediately. "You promised you would tell no one, Lex. Not Allegra and definitely not the enemy!"

  "It was a slip of tongue, ok!?" I stood up, on the verge of breaking apart. "But you said it yourself, you feel nothing. Maybe it was a fluke, maybe she is not even your beloved-"

  "Fuck, Lex! For once, take some responsibility for your own mistakes." He screamed, having done with me. Wasn't everyone?

  Lately, it seemed like I only disappointed people. Emie, Cone, and now Zed. Did I even deserve forgiveness? Or redemption? On the road to protect people, I had lost their trust. Zed certainly thought so when he finally looked at me.

  "Don't bother coming back, Alexei. We don't need you anymore."

  I didn't remember what happened after that. I felt like I was falling into oblivion, never to come back. Was it my own doing? Did I finally lose it? My breath hitched and all movement stopped as I found myself in a small, white light place. I couldn't feel my body but I could definitely hear voices. My ears strained to make sense of the jumbled words.

  "Son?"

  Huh? Did anyone say, son?

  "My poor son..." OK, I heard it again. A sudden sound of heels clicking on the floor had me turn around, only to find a petite woman walking toward me.

  "I've missed you." I looked around but no one else other than I was there. Shit! Was this woman referring to me as her son? What in actual hell!?

  "Madam...I think you're mistaken. I'm not your son." I also grinned so she didn't start crying at the truth. I heard somewhere in the clan that mamas were extremely emotional with their children. And no, I was not mentioning Keisha, she was absolutely bonkers.

  "But you're my son. My baby. My Alexei." Did she just...

  "I-I'm sorry. Did you just say, Alexei?" I was dreaming, it had to be.

  "I know you're so confused now. I'm too. I mean this isn't your time yet but oh well...If you are here, then I'm not letting you go." Something's not right. I couldn't have been dead.

  "What's this place?"

  "This is between heaven and earth." As if I wasn't feeling the absolute worse, now I knew that my mother wasn't in heaven, in peace.

  Was my father right? Did I cause this?

  "Why are you in between?"

  "I didn't find peace yet. I was waiting for you. Now we both can peacefully go to the light." She smiled, offering me her hands to take. I was just about to take it when Emie's face went through my mind.

  I clenched my fist in frustration. "I-I can't...I have a wife and a clan to look after."

  All politeness vanished from her face. "But I've waited centuries for you. I suffered alone!"

  "You waited centuries!? And I was accused of your death since I was born. I was a fucking baby! Did you know that he left me in the barbarian tents? He thought they would kill me. I was raised by them instead until Zedkiel's uncle took me to show the clan. I didn't know what family meant, what parents were supposed to act like and you say that you suffered alone?" She looked surprised at my outburst. I tried to block her words and focused on the outside world but there was no way out.

  "You can't. Just stop fighting. Just give in and be with me. All the pain will be gone, I promise." Mama's voice sounded weaker now.

  No!

  This time when the word echoed through my mind, I felt the presence shrink back. My head was throbbing and my chest was pounding but I was back in the real world.

  "Masterrr!" A voice growled out and I looked up to see Cone worriedly looking at me. Cone? When did Cone come here? And
he wasn't the only one, I realized as I felt another presence. I craned my neck to see who it was and instantly stopped the urge to puke.

  Was this a joke? First my dead mama and now him?

  This day couldn't get any better.

  "What are you doing here?" I snapped, standing up. I knew I was playing with fire but the conversation with mama had shaken me up. The last I heard of her was she died giving birth to me.

  Which didn't get a day by that didn't haunt me at night.

  "You've accepted my gift, I see." Jonathan muttered, looking at Cone. I also looked at Cone to see him already on his knees. "But you were also reckless. What were you thinking? I had to make a deal to spare him."

  "I see. Are you here to take him back? Did I break any code I didn't know about?"

  Jonathan laughed like I just told him a joke. "Respect your elders, Darkness. Didn't anyone teach you that?"

  "I am sorry, master." I had to grind my molars.

  "That's more like it. As for Cone...He's not my pet anymore. But as your pet, he should've known why you were flying between conscious and subconscious."

  What? "Do you know what it was? Where did you even find me?"

  "As a matter of fact, I do. When I came here with him you were just walking out of the woods like you’ve been drugged but it's not in my account to tell you why. Just know it, don't blindly trust anyone if you want to win this war." He smiled at Cone and beckoned him to stand. "And you Cone, I've something to discuss with you."

  He stepped closer to Cone and whispered something to him. Even with my heightening hearing, I didn't hear what they just discussed and it irritated the hell out of me.

  Then Jonathan snapped his gaze to me. "I want to make a deal with you." Of course he wanted that. Here we go again..."When everything is over, I want you to free Cone with a generous amount of wealth and kindness."

  Ok...that was unusual when I was going to do that anyway but to his sake, I nodded. Satisfied with the answer, Jonathan disappeared into the darkness and I was left to think was it really my mama?