“Why did you not call me?”
“I did not need you.” He waved his huge paw dismissively, his long claws lit by the firelight. “And you, Solomon, hold special favor with your master, for all others were convened.” He glanced my way, chuckling. “I will update you. Sit.”
Pulling up a nearby boulder, I settled beside the King of Darkness. The other princes liked to think they were equal to my master, and indeed, many of the ancient texts summated it that way, but there was only one demon lord, mine, and every mortal, in every part of the world, knew his name. My lips twitched with pride at the thought.
Satan was known, revered, and feared throughout every land, and his stories were legendary.
“What is it, Master?”
“The Guardians,” he said on a long, exasperated sigh.
“Up to their old tricks again?”
“Something like that.” He turned to me. “We have word of a new threat, a mortal who has risen to Guardian status.”
“And she is powerful?” I already knew the answer. She must be. Why else would he have assembled so many of our kind?
“Apparently, so. Damon has been monitoring her, so we dispatched him to take care of the situation.”
I leaned closer. “Are you concerned, Master?”
“Not especially.” His fiery eyes flashed at me. “We have been bringing down little Guardians for centuries, I see no reason why this new one should be any different. If Damon cannot destroy her, then he will do what we do best.”
“Corrupt her?” I grinned at the prospect.
“Precisely,” he answered as one eyebrow rose. “And he will use that as leverage to control the girl. We will manage her, one way or another.”
Nodding, I imagined Damon’s task. He was not the strongest of us, so if this Guardian was as powerful as my master inferred, likely, he would not be able to crush her. But he was lithe and cunning, and if I knew the demon, I would wager he would be able to defile her, enough to apply pressure—enough to be in control.
“That is why I did not summon you back.” My focus flitted back to Satan as he spoke. “It is nothing we cannot handle, but you should be aware. It is possible this mortal is the start of something new. She battled once with Malium and was only just suppressed. If her powers are growing, we need to be ready.”
“A new breed of Guardian.” My eyes widened at the prospect. I knew of the demon, Malium, and he would not have rolled over easily. If the mortal had pushed him, she truly had the potential to wreak havoc.
“Exactly.” His expression hardened. “We both know a new breed will require more of our time and attention to resolve.”
I concurred with his sentiment. The Guardians had been around for almost as long as we had, and the war between us had raged for nearly the same length of time. Mortals by birth, they were mentally strong, and once they came of age, were able to harness great power, which could be wielded against us. Generally, one was appointed to every district to protect the mortal souls of their locals and prevent our kind from coming and taking what we wanted. Historically, great battles had been waged by both sides. In recent decades, those with humanity’s rejection of faith, the Guardians had become weaker—less of an issue.
Nonetheless, they existed, scattered around the earth, and from time to time, one would pop up and present us with a problem, but on the whole, their kind was less relevant. That’s why news of this new Guardian created a stir, and that’s why my master wanted the matter dealt with—as soon as possible.
“We shall keep an eye on proceedings,” I assured him. “Let me know if I can be of service.”
“I will, Solomon.” He exhaled, sending black smoke rising from his snout. “You have been a good and patient student. I am sure you will step up if the threat rises.”
“I will, Master.”
“Of course, you will.” He grinned. “Now, do tell me more about your new possession. What was it that so compelled you to answer her call?”
My thoughts flitted back to Tara.
“At first, I was not entirely sure,” I admitted. “But now, I see it was the passion inside her. Weak and vulnerable she may be—the victim of man’s brutality—but, I swear, there is strength within her, Master, and a desire for vengeance, I have rarely seen.”
“It sounds as though her wrath called to you.”
“Yes.” My lips curled at the realization. “Yes, she is angry. That is why she called me.”
“She wants you to assist in this vengeance?” Satan smiled at the idea. The best kind of fury was found in those who wanted revenge. It was difficult to duplicate.
“Yes, Master, and I have agreed.”
“In return for her service?”
“Yes.”
“You are wise to garner her service.” He pressed his lips into a hard line. “If your assessment of her fortitude is correct, we could use her strength in the battles to come.”
“With this Guardian, perhaps.”
His brow rose at the idea. “Perhaps,” he agreed. “We shall think on it and see how things transpire. Do you intend to bring her here to our dominion?”
“Not immediately, Master,” I replied.
“Worried it might prove too much for the lioness?” His tone was sardonic, but it didn’t draw me.
“Not especially.” I shrugged. “Tara has lived in her own personal hell for many years. She shows no fear of either death or damnation.”
“Many a mortal offers defiance in the place of fear,” he brooded. “The only way to test their caliber is to take whatever they value the most, be it their life or the soul.”
“I think she will offer me both happily if I follow through with the reprisals she seeks.”
Satan laughed. “Then she is truly worthy of your time.”
“So, I have your approval, Master, to move forward with this plan?”
“My approval?” he smirked. “You did not come here, seeking my approval, Solomon. This accord you have struck has already been agreed.”
“True,” I concurred. “But I should rather move forward with it than without it.”
“You have it,” he assured me. His dark lips curled. “Go now and enact the havoc she seeks. Ravage the soul of the mortal she wants to destroy—make your work count.”
“I can do that,” I grinned. “I am good at that.”
“Afterward, consider what you want from her in return, my friend. Perhaps this Tara will prove useful to more than just your desires.”
I rose from the boulder, lowering my head in deference to the creature who governed over all of perdition.
“Thank you. I shall take my leave of you, but summon me if you need any help with this new situation.”
“I will,” he promised with a glower. “Perhaps a battle looms, Solomon. It has been too long since we fought the light.”
Lifting my chin, I met his gaze. “It sounds like you have missed the mêlée.”
Satan’s red eyes flickered with energy.
“You have no idea, my friend,” he breathed, the dark tremor of his voice reaching even the farthest corners of the dark chamber. “You have no idea.”
Chapter Five
Tara
Solomon returned that evening, just as I’d finished the thin soup that constituted my daily meal. In the years since I’d escaped Gavin’s clutches, times had been hard and money even tighter. Scraping a living, running errands for my landlord and his various errant friends meant I only just had enough for a decent meal and was often at their mercy. So far, I’d evaded their grasping hands, but after Gavin, I was no one’s fool. I knew what they were thinking when they looked at me. I could see the disgusting hunger in their gazes, and it made my insides curl with revulsion. I wouldn’t give in to any of them, no matter how famished I was.
I was never going to be a victim again.
That thought spurred me when the air in the corner of the room cooled exponentially, and I glanced around to see the black mists swirling once more. That was the
reason only a flicker of fear existed at my core, and I ignored my racing heartbeat. The reason I didn’t call out.
Terror was pointless now.
I’d welcomed Solomon into my life and promised him my loyalty, but more than that, he had sworn to take care of Gavin, to pulverize the monster who’d tried to destroy me. Once that objective had been achieved, the cronies who hung around the apartment would no longer hold any fear for me. Exorcizing Gavin’s ghost would mean I was truly free—for the first time in my life.
“How are you, Tara Levinson?”
His voice vibrated around the room, and briefly, I wondered if anyone else would be able to hear him.
“They cannot,” he assured me as the dark robes appeared before my eyes. Once more, he materialized from the ground up, the process leaving me breathless. “My voice is audible only to you unless I deem it otherwise.”
“That’s good,” I whispered. “Welcome back, Master.”
I noticed the lips which had just manifested before me curl.
“Thank you for addressing me correctly, but I do not think that answers my original question.”
I smiled at the way he put that. Solomon was a demon, after all, here to claim me as his own and enact a brutal revenge on Gavin, yet he seemed so concerned about the pleasantries.
“As indeed, it should be.” His smile widened. “Without those pleasantries, what do we have left?”
“I do not know, Master, but I am well. Thank you.”
He snorted, the sound gruff, as if a bull, about to charge, was standing there.
“Let me correct you on both counts.”
All of him was visible now, his strong, muscular arms flexing as though he barely recognized them, and I was hypnotized, enthralled by the fine body which stood before me, but more than that, drawn to his unquestionable power.
That’s what I needed more than anything. Somebody, something, more powerful than the cretin who’d subjugated me all those years—an authority greater than those who still tried to do so.
“Master?”
“You are not well, Tara Levinson.” His brow creased at the verdict. “You are hungry. Starving even.”
“I have just eaten,” I argued, gesturing behind me to the tiny, cracked bowl which had housed my soup, but Solomon’s gaze never left me.
“One can hardly call that food. We need to get you out of this place and feed you properly.”
I gazed at him, uncertain how to respond. That hadn’t been part of the plan, had it? I’d wanted a monster to slay the predator who’d plagued me, but I hadn’t expected a substitute parent—someone who would be worried about my health and welfare.
“Now, you have both.”
Shaking my head at the way he seemed able to read my thoughts, I managed a small smile.
“I do not wish to trouble you.”
He seemed to eye me with fresh intensity.
“Do not mistake my concern, little mortal. I do not care for you, per se, but for your well-being. You have vowed to serve me, and for that to be possible, you must be fit enough to do so. Feeding you, therefore, is essential.”
I pressed my lips together. That made more sense.
“And to my second point, let me clarify. A world without manners and pleasantries is only a world of teeth and pain.” He took a step toward me. “I have seen such a world, Tara Levinson, and it is not desirable.”
“I have seen a similar world,” I mumbled miserably.
“Then you understand?”
“I think so, yes, Master.”
His lips twitched. “Good. Have you thought on our interaction this morning?”
Had I? I’d struggled to think of anything else, the hours of the day crawling by as I awaited his return.
“Yes, I…” I hesitated, and heat rose to my face as I was suddenly aware, he would likely have heard that thought for himself. “Yes, I have.”
“And you stand by your initial assertion, Tara Levinson? That I should arrange this retribution, and you shall serve?”
“I do. Master?” Pushing back the embarrassment that had surfaced, I forced myself to meet his mesmerizing eyes. “Can I ask you a question?”
One black eyebrow rose at my query, the gesture sparking electricity inside me. The expression was so devilish, all of a sudden, it was easy to see behind the façade of the human guise he wore and look the demon straight in the eyes. I shivered at the realization.
“You may ask.” His tone was hard and echoed around me as if Solomon had repeated the words over and over.
I gulped, fighting for composure. “I just wondered why you like to call me by my full name?”
His brow furrowed. “Why? Is that not common practice for mortals? To use their name?”
“Yes,” I explained, “but most people use only their first name, informally.”
I regretted my choice of words immediately, knowing at once he would seize on it, and he didn’t disappoint.
“Informally?” One long stride brought him to within a yard of where I stood. “Is that what’s happening here? Is that the arrangement we have?”
“I didn’t mean it that way, Master.” My face was flaming as I scrambled to justify my poor selection of vocabulary. “I just meant, Tara alone would be fine if you’re happy to use it.”
There was a flicker of amusement in his eyes, then it was gone, replaced by the prior dark intensity of his stare.
“You would prefer I call you Tara alone?”
“Well, yes.” Why had I even brought the subject up? Standing there before him, trying to stand tall under the weight of his glower, I was struggling to recall why the matter had seemed so important. “If you don’t mind, Master?”
Solomon ran his long tongue over his front teeth.
“I can live with it, which is a funny answer for a creature who has never actually been alive.” His brow rose, and he smiled, the deed alleviating the intensity of the atmosphere.
“Thank you.” I lowered my gaze, choosing not to comment on his witticism.
“So, what passes for food here?”
I raised my head to find him glancing around the room.
“What do you like to eat?”
“Whatever I can afford,” I confessed, though the admission did little to quell the burn in my cheeks.
“You have no need to worry about money, now you are mine. You shall be well fed. Tell me, what do you crave?”
“Really?”
It seemed impossible, after so long surviving on rations of stale bread and soup, I had this one chance to actually choose.
“Yes, really.” He sounded impatient, the timbre focusing my mind.
“I like Italian food, Master,” I blurted out.
“Italian?”
There was that eyebrow again, and my pulse quickened in spite of myself. Something about the gesture was tantalizing, and while I couldn’t understand it, there was no doubt the way my sex clenched at the sight, and my temperature rose.
Oh, Christ, I was attracted to him, wasn’t I? This demon I had studied and conjured with only one objective in mind was more compelling than I’d given him credit for, and if I wasn’t careful, I was going to fall into those deep, alluring eyes.
Even though I knew I shouldn’t.
Even though I knew they weren’t eyes at all.
“Y-yes,” I stammered. “Pasta and pizza, that kind of thing.”
Solomon grinned. “I know what Italian food is, Tara.” He placed emphasis on my name, making a point about not uttering my surname.
“Of course, you do...” I was flustered, my brain trying desperately to think of something sharp and witty to say while trying to make sense of the new yearning which was springing to life inside me.
For so many years, all there had been was Gavin, surviving Gavin and plotting my revenge. There was no time for anything else—no room for a decent education, no need for friends, and absolutely no time for men. Men were the last thing I needed. The few useless boyfriends I’d had were a
testament to that fact. It had been a man who’d put me in this position in the first place, and I was loathe to ever go down that path again.
But Solomon—Solomon had awoken something, a lustful part of me that had remained dormant all these years. A part of me I’d buried so deeply, I’d assumed it was suffocated, yet as I gaped at the towering demon, it all became clear. Those feelings hadn’t been starved of air, simply hibernating like an animal who went to sleep in the winter, knowing the spring would rouse him again. One look into Solomon’s eyes awoke that animal. It was awake, it was roused, and just like my belly, it was hungry.
His gaze had that knowing quality as he edged nearer.
“So, where do we find such food, Tara?”
My breath hitched at the way he made my name sound. I hadn’t noticed it earlier when he’d insisted using my full name, but now, every time he said it, each syllable was like a caress, washing over me—goading me.
But that was crazy. This whole train of thought was crazy.
“There’s nowhere around here.” I closed my eyes, blocking out his face, yet still, Solomon haunted me. Even from behind my lids, I could see him—his perfect white teeth and those devastating, ever-changing eyes. “I don’t live in a very good neighborhood, I’m afraid.”
Opening my eyes, I found his expression almost sympathetic.
“There is no need.” His words rushed past me, vibrating over my face as though they were sent to enthral.
I blinked into his eyes, certain he was the devil himself, sent to tempt me, the way Eve was supposed to have been tempted in the beginning. And boy, was it working. He’d only been back a few moments, and already I was hot, flustered, and fumbling for my words, like a schoolgirl with a crush on her tutor.
“No need?” I don’t recall commanding those words to leave my lips, yet I heard them all the same.
“There is no need to be afraid.”
He smirked, clearly well aware of the effect he was having on me. I swallowed hard, wondering if that wasn’t the point of this whole pursuit. Maybe he wanted to have this effect on me? Perhaps he relished the notion of toying with me? The ideas danced around my fogged brain.
Defy Me: A Paranormal Demon Romance (The Demonology Series Book 2) Page 3