Narabus sniggered as Erebus sat next to me. “You always make me feel so welcome. Although, I must say I wasn’t expecting to find you like this.”
“So this visit was purely to confirm me as a killer?”
“Hey, I came,” Olisha said. “I was desperate to see my little brother. It’s been too long.” She pointed at both of them in turn. “You two sort your business out, I’ll sit quietly whilst you do, but then I want to know everything about Athena.”
“Just the one human?” Narabus asked, raising his brow at Erebus.
“Yes, I don’t keep a harem like you.”
“Maybe it would have been better for you to have several girls here,” Narabus said. “Not just this one. Although, she is rather pleasing on the eye. Does she satisfy you? Humans are usually too weak for me.”
Erebus’s posture changed. His shoulders lifted and his back straightened.
“Too weak for what?” I asked.
Narabus chuckled, cold, uncaring and dismissive. “Sex,” he said, placing his hands in a prayer like position on his knee. “I break them.”
“You treat them like toys!” Erebus sprang to his feet. “You play with them for a while and then get rid of them when you’re bored.”
“What an intriguing analogy. Toys . . . yes. I suppose that is how I treat them. You should do the same. Humans are weak, pathetic really. You should enjoy the flesh of the vampires; they are more than willing to entertain us.”
Erebus hissed and Narabus waved his hand at him. “My apologies. I forgot about your private vendetta.” He paused. “Has Athena any friends I can take back with me?”
“No!” I was on my feet, desperate to stop him. “You don’t take anyone from the village.”
Erebus placed his hand on my shoulder.
“There is no one suitable,” he said in reply to his brother. “The carriage came only three full moons ago. You will not take anyone from my village.”
“Not even one? A gift for your brother.”
“There are no girls suitable for you,” Erebus repeated as he guided me back to the sofa. He sunk down next to me.
“I feel responsible for this ridiculous situation,” Narabus said. “I was the one who suggested you as Paymon’s replacement. Valafar thought it a good idea as well.”
“I’m well aware of that. I received his order.”
Narabus snorted. “I thought it’d do you good, give you a grounding in your crazy nomadic lifestyle. I thought you may tap in to your true nature and live as we are supposed to. But what do I find? My brother . . . in love . . . with a human!”
“You make it sound like it’s an impossibility,” I said.
Erebus drew in a long breath and then sighed. “It’s rare, very rare.” He took my hand in his. “There aren’t many humans who can genuinely love a demon. Why do you think the Master asks the village demons for the women when they turn twenty-one? He is seeking the love of a human woman. A love like ours. He believes that if the woman truly loves him then she will be able to produce a strong and healthy child with him. One that will survive.”
“That’s crazy.” I shifted closer to Erebus. “Love has no bearing on whether a healthy child will be brought into the world.”
“You and I know that, but it’s not what the Master believes.”
Narabus leaned forward in his chair. “You do realise what she’s done to you?”
“What do you mean?” Erebus looked as confused as I felt.
“Your eyes,” Olisha said.
Erebus huffed and released my hand. He folded his arms across his chest.
“I don’t understand. What about his eyes?” I asked.
“The red circle. He’s too powerful,” Narabus said, straightening up in the chair. “At the moment, he’s more powerful than the Master. If he were to find out—”
“I have no intention of him finding out,” Erebus snapped.
“I will have to tell him. I can’t ignore this.”
“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” I pushed my hair away from my face and looked to each of them in turn.
Erebus cupped my chin in his hand. “Athena, I am too powerful. Your love is feeding me, making me strong.”
“But I thought fear was the strongest.”
Erebus shook his head. His familiar amber eyes, edged in the black and red rim, stared back at me. “Fear is the easiest emotion for us to feed from, but it seems love is stronger. At the moment, I am incredibly powerful.”
“The Master will not tolerate you,” Narabus said. “And he will want Athena as his own.”
“What?” I was on my feet again. “No! He can’t have me. I’m married to Erebus. A demon’s marriage is unbreakable.” I couldn’t just be taken to the Master. I belonged here, with Erebus.
Narabus strode to the fireplace and warmed his gloved hands. “When the Master knows you have fallen in love with Erebus, he will seek you out and expect you to love him, just as you do my brother. He will also expect you to have many children. His children.”
“I’ll never love him.” I crossed my arms over my chest and willed Narabus to turn and see my defiant stance. Who did he think he was?
Narabus ignored my outburst. “And because a demon’s marriage is unbreakable, as you so rightly pointed out, he will kill Erebus to have you. I suggest you leave him. Don’t be responsible for his death.”
“Enough!” Erebus snapped, standing by my side.
“I can hide her,” Narabus offered. His words were rushed, excited. “I can ensure she is safe and well looked after.”
Erebus laughed. It was hollow, empty. “Athena is going nowhere. She stays with me.” Erebus shoulders were back, stiff, and his voice had rediscovered its threatening tone. “If you think for one moment that I’d let you take her away with you . . .” His words trailed off as he shook his head. “It will never happen.”
“It’s the only possible option.” Narabus’s features darkened, his face appeared even more angular as he sensed victory.
Erebus gritted his teeth. “No. She will not become part of your harem. You wouldn’t hide her. You’d treat her like all the others—”
“I wouldn’t. I promise I’d not treat her like my other females.”
My stomach twisted and turned as I imagined the unspoken words behind his statement, and I shivered as his gaze hit me. His lurid amber eyes swirled with the storm of darkness as he fed from my fear.
Erebus stepped in front of me, blocking Narabus’s uncomfortable scrutiny. “And do you think that hiding her will stop the Master wanting her? As soon as you tell him of her existence, he will use all his powers to find her. And I know you’ll tell him, your ties to him are far greater than they ever have been to your real family.”
“That’s not true!”
Erebus growled. “Athena is going nowhere with you. I will never trust you with her well-being. You’ll not keep her safe, you’ll either keep her in your harem and subject her to . . .” He stopped talking and rubbed his face with his hand. “Or you’ll hand her to the Master, rise even further in his army rank. What are you now? A major? A lieutenant? What’s next?”
Narabus sighed. “The Master would treat Athena like a princess.”
“A princess? I’ve heard how he treats his human wives.” Erebus’s voice reduced to a hissed whisper. “He’s worse than you.”
Narabus shook his head. “If he wants Athena’s love, he will not treat her like he treats his other wives.”
Erebus snorted, and I reached for his hand, desperate for contact with him.
“We can’t alter what’s happened,” Erebus said, holding my hand tightly. “I wouldn’t want my life any other way. Not now. I am no threat to the Master. I merely wish to live a peaceful life with Athena.”
His words made my heart glow. They mirrored how I felt.
Olisha, quiet throughout their interaction, tutted loudly. “I wish you two would get on.”
“Well, he missed his calling, didn’t he?” Narabus snarl
ed, nostrils flaring. “And so did you.”
Olisha’s hand flew to her chest, and she stared at Narabus incredulously. “I had no desire to work for the Master.”
“Nor did I,” Erebus added.
“But you should have. You know how strong and unique our power is.”
I frowned, confused by their words. Erebus must have seen my confusion, and he guided me back to the sofa. “When we came above, Narabus, Olisha, Kitra, and myself were invited to join the Master’s household. None of us wanted anything to do with him, apart from Narabus. Although Kitra was tempted, wasn’t she Narabus?”
He snarled, but offered no other response as he turned his back on us and faced the fireplace.
“We’d been trapped all our lives beneath this world,” Erebus continued. “We wanted to experience the freedom it offered and not be under his command. Narabus was keen to show his commitment to Valafar and ran to him as soon as we were free. I have no desire to be controlled by anyone.”
I nodded, understanding.
“You say you don’t want to be controlled by anyone, but what about Athena?” Narabus said, still not turning to face us. He picked an ornament from the mantelpiece. “It seems that she, although unaware, is controlling you. Now, faced with the Master, would her love for you diminish? He is a striking looking demon, worthy of any woman’s love.”
“I’ve seen his portrait, he’s not my type,” I said, desperate to quieten Narabus and his threats.
He placed the ornament back on the mantelpiece and turned around slowly.
“What category did Paymon select you for at the Ascension Ceremony?” Narabus asked, his gaze widening as my discomfort became apparent. His hooded black eyes caught mine. My hands shook and I sensed the rising beat of my heart.
“His wife.”
Narabus laughed. “Seems it has always been your destiny.”
“Enough,” Erebus said, his head down, unfocused. “Leave Athena alone.”
“She should have been taken to him at the last ceremony.” Narabus shouted, his face reddening. “The Master will be furious when he knows she was destined for him to begin with. You know how rare it is to find a female suitable to be his wife. Paymon should have sent her to him, not wed her himself.” His anger was switched to Erebus. “And it’s not like you to want another’s cast-offs!”
Erebus sprang from the sofa, his hand raised. I shrank backward, fearing the power that I knew all of them possessed. One wrong move, one stray surge, and I’d not survive.
The desk chair shot backward as Olisha ran between them and faced Erebus. “Stop it. Both of you! Let’s all calm down. Drop your hand, Erebus. You will not attack your brother.”
Erebus snarled before resting his arm at his side.
“All this does is prove my point, and my concern,” Narabus said, prowling around the back of the chair he’d originally sat in. “You’re too powerful, and you are blind to all sense and reason. You know what you should do, but you refuse.” He perched on the chair arm, casual in his demeanour, but never taking his eyes off Erebus. Erebus wasn’t wearing his gloves—he never did when we were in the house. He could easily fire his power at Narabus; there’d be no warning.
“I wasn’t completely honest with you when I arrived,” Narabus continued, his eyes flicking to me then Erebus. “Yes, I came to see you, despite what you think, and yes it did coincide with my orders to investigate the death of two demons. But it was also slightly more. The power that killed them was so forceful that the Master was alerted. Neither he nor I have seen such extreme force, yet I bet you only blasted them as you always do. There was no extra force, no sudden surge that you were aware of?”
Erebus shook his head.
“Too powerful, without even knowing.” He resumed his predatory prowl at the side of the room. “You’re dangerous, Erebus, not just to the Master, but everyone around you.”
“Why is he a danger to the Master?” I couldn’t grasp what Narabus was implying. But the snarl that sat on Erebus’s face confirmed he knew.
“Well, we could have found out just how powerful I’ve become if our sister hadn’t got in the way.”
“Stop it! Now!” Olisha ordered.
Erebus returned next to me on the sofa and reached for my hand. The low buzz of his power tickled my palm. “The Master does not like anyone to be more powerful than him. He will see me as a threat to his position. I have no desire to challenge him or his army.” He cast a sideways glance at Narabus before dipping his head and focusing on me. “But I will not lose you just to keep the Master happy.” He leaned forward and kissed me on the lips. It was a chaste kiss but more than I expected from him considering the presence of his brother. I released a shaky breath and squeezed his hand.
Olisha returned to the desk. She picked up the notes that Erebus had been researching and flicked through them. “Are you still hunting vampires?”
Erebus twisted his head to face her. “Yes.”
The tension in the room eased with Olisha’s attempt to divert the anger flowing between the brothers. And I breathed deeply, filling my lungs, freeing them from the constricting tightness that had wrapped around them since Narabus’s arrival. But the air was still charged with a pulsing power, one that oscillated around me and made the hairs on my skin vibrate.
“It’s a waste of time,” Narabus said, returning to sit in the single chair. He leaned back and breathed deeply. “Unlike the situation we need to sort here.”
“There’s nothing to sort,” Erebus said. I slid my fingers between his, locking our hands in place.
“What about you, Athena?” Narabus asked. “Are you content to leave things as they are?”
Erebus shifted. “I won’t warn you again,” he said. “Leave Athena alone. Back off.”
Narabus ignored him. “My brother will be killed because of you.”
“Seriously. Stop it!” Erebus was on his feet, although his hands were by his side.
“Let her speak,” Narabus said. His piercing eyes met mine. “How do you feel about all this?”
A wave of confusion hit me, my breath quickened and the floor rose and fell around me. I lifted my hand to my head and tried to focus. I struggled with my thoughts, not because I didn’t know how I felt, but it was like my brain had hit a foggy road.
“I . . . I . . .” My answer wouldn’t form the way I wanted it to. Words drifted in my head—words that I needed to say, words that would ensure Erebus’s safety, words that would see me as the Master’s wife. They weren’t true, though, and I fought the overwhelming desire to speak words that were not mine.
“Athena?” Erebus placed his hand on my shoulder. The heavy fog lifted. My mind became my own. I knew what had happened.
“How dare you?” I shouted at Narabus as I sprang to my feet. Heat rushed through me and my muscles quivered. “How dare you compel me!”
A surge of crackling light hit Narabus in the chest. The force of the blow sent the chair skidding backward. With Narabus still seated, the chair crashed into the wall.
Erebus stood beside me, his hand held in front of him, his palm facing his brother.
Narabus quickly recovered. “Is that the best you can do, little brother?”
Erebus moved slowly and deliberately toward him, the muscles and veins in his neck straining against his skin. I didn’t hold him back. What Narabus had just tried to do, to make me turn away from the man I loved, was unforgivable. I was still shaking, my anger brimming quietly, along with the frustration at not being able to resist his initial compelment.
“No!” Olisha was across the room and between them again.
“Move,” Erebus growled quietly, lowering his arm. “I lied earlier. I know how powerful my surge is. I hit those demons with its full force. I intended to kill them. I made sure I didn’t give our brother the full force. Let’s hope he doesn’t make me wish I had.”
Olisha stepped aside. “You kill him, and I’ll never forgive you.”
My gaze flicked between
the brothers. Narabus’s sword still hung in its sheath at the side of his leg, but it was the surge of power that would kill, not a blade.
As Erebus approached his brother, I moved backward, toward the desk. I didn’t look away, I needed to be alert, ready to duck out of the way of a stray blast of power from either brother.
Erebus placed an uncovered hand on Narabus’s chest on the exact spot where his surge of power had hit him. Blue sparks fizzed at his fingertips.
“How dare you compel Athena?” Erebus was controlled, quietly angry. “You’ve overstepped the mark, and you’ve definitely outstayed your welcome. Get out of my house.”
“You need to be stopped,” Narabus said, brushing Erebus’s hand off his chest. “You are too powerful and cannot continue like this.” He straightened as Erebus stepped away. “I have to alert Valafar of your power. Whether you intend to act on your strength or not, you are a threat, and it will not be tolerated.”
“Then why don’t you just kill me now? Get it over with?” Erebus stood with his arms outstretched at his sides, inviting Narabus to attack him. My eyes widened at his open suggestion, but I hardly had time to register the full meaning as Narabus, with a movement so fast, I momentarily questioned whether he was a demon or a vampire, withdrew his sword from its sheath.
“I’m warning you now,” he said. “I will use it. I will kill you if I have to.”
Erebus tapped his foot on the floor. “I think not. As much as you love to play the fearless warrior, you will not kill me, your brother. Just as I did not kill you a few moments ago.”
Narabus edged forward. “I will if I have to.”
“Really? Then I can play this game as well.” Erebus lifted both hands in front of him, ready to unleash another surge of power. “Try to kill me, Narabus, and you will be the dead one. No sword is a match for me now.”
“It could be.”
“Try it. Come on, try it!”
Narabus stared at him before shaking his head and replacing his sword in its sheath. “I will be informing Valafar of your power, and of Athena. He will come after you, Erebus. Every single member of his army will be sent to kill you and take Athena to him.”
Iniquity (The Ascent Book 1) Page 30