The Demon King's Destiny

by C. A. Worley

  “What if some of them make it through before I can get enough wind speed?”

  The corner of his mouth lifted. “Let them. A handful is nothing for your royal guard. Your mate alone could take on twenty if he doesn’t have to be careful about keeping them alive.”

  “Danil, I don’t want them to die. They cannot help themselves.”

  “It is always the innocent who suffer in times of war, Evelyn. Sometimes it cannot be avoided. You’ve nothing to feel guilty about. This whole mess is a symptom of a plague hitting the entire continent. Blame whatever or whomever brought it about. Word is, the other kingdoms are mending.”

  “So why isn’t this one?”

  Danil shrugged. “Who says it isn’t?”

  “But—”

  “Move!” he hissed, pushing her from the slit. “The first ones are out of the forest. Do not let them see you.”

  The rumbling deepened and she could hear shouts and cries of the approaching herd. The noises came out as unintelligible nonsense, reminding Evelyn of wounded animals instead of grown males.

  A series of explosions rocked the night. Evelyn’s hands flexed, gathering more power from the elements around her.

  “Tell me when, Danil.”

  The seconds ticked by. More and more mines detonated, the sickening screams echoing off the stone palace.

  “Now!” Danil whisper-yelled over the noises from below.

  Evelyn released her magic. A thick current of air picked up speed, circling the entirety of the palace, just beyond the external security wall.

  “Holy Goddess above!” Danil exclaimed when the first few rogues hit Evelyn’s magic. They were picked up immediately and thrown by the sheer force of the currents.

  “You’ve created a tornado out there. I think I might be a little afraid of you now.”

  Evelyn tried not to appear too smug, taking Danil’s words as a compliment.

  “How long can you hold this?” he asked, watching her hands pulse and stretch.

  “Hours, maybe? It hasn’t been tested, really. Not in my waking hours.”

  “No battling thousands while living the good life in Gwydion, eh?”

  “No. Though it did keep Brennen away from me in my dreams when I was six.”

  “You could hold off Brennen at age six? Are you sure you’re fully committed to Marrok?”

  “Yes, Danil. Utterly and totally.”

  “My loss.”

  Evelyn shook her head, blushing. A loud thud landed on the other side of the stone from where she was resting the back of her head. Then two more, causing her to flinch with each one.

  “What was that?” She wanted to turn and look out through the narrow space, but she’d promised to stay out of sight.

  Danil leaned forward, looking over the edge. “Ah, that was the body of a rogue demon and two of his friends. It appears they are throwing one another over your vortex.”

  “They can do that?!”

  “Our race is a strong one, my lady.”

  “Apparently.”

  The explosions had tapered off, presumably because they’d already set off most of the mines. Evelyn concentrated on giving her barrier more height. She was the only thing between the rogues and the perimeter wall.

  The clink of metal hitting metal started, which meant some of the rogues were over the wall.

  “How many have gotten in?” she asked.

  “Nearly forty. The guards below are easily handling them. Hundreds were taken out or maimed by the landmines. Your magics are holding off the bulk of the bastards. You come in quite handy, little witch.”

  “Can you see Marrok?” she inquired, paying no heed to the witch comment.

  “No. He’s fine, though. If he wasn’t, you’d feel it through the bond.”

  “I’ll feel his pain?”

  “No. If he was in trouble, you’d feel his panic.”

  “Marrok doesn’t seem like the sort of male to panic.”

  “He’s not, not unless he thought they were going to get past him and get to you. The alarm would be out of concern for you, not for himself.”

  Evelyn’s hairline dampened, a bead of sweat rolled down her temple. She wiped it on her arm.

  “Problem, my lady?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “You said you could hold it for hours.”

  “I can. If a thousand demons weren’t bashing their powers against it simultaneously.”

  Danil looked again and cursed a litany of creative words. “They got smart. Or someone told them to attack collectively.”

  He scanned the grounds, looking for anyone not in royal guard attire who might be giving out orders. He could see no one leading or directing the militia.

  That’s when he saw ten demons appear out of nowhere, right in the middle of the walking path behind Marrok’s soldiers. Each had a hand on a male in the center of the group. Releasing their hold, they charged towards the door and the male who’d been in the center disappeared.

  “Bloody hell. Archers! Fire! Fire! Ten count at the main entrance. He’s teleporting them inside!”

  Evelyn whirled away from the stone, pulling her sword. “Dmitri’s here,” she breathed.

  “I don’t know if it’s him, but it’s definitely a vampire. Stick close to me, Evelyn.”

  Danil circled the roof, looking through the slits after each archer fired and reached for another arrow. Ten more rogues were teleported near another entrance. This time, Danil got a better a look.

  “It’s him! He’s in all black. Dark brown hair. Glowing green eyes. Aim for the green!” he ordered, hoping one of them could catch the bugger in the head.

  “Green eyes, you say?” a voice lilted next to Evelyn’s ear.

  Evelyn launched her head to the side, aiming for his nose. A sickening crunch came from the contact and something warm splattered her face.

  She swung her blade at the same time Dmitri and Danil both made a grab for her arms. Suddenly, she felt compressed the point her lungs could no longer expand.

  Dmitri had gotten to her first.

  * * *

  Hundreds of rogues clambered over the wall and jumped down into the palace grounds. The soldiers were holding their own, but they wouldn’t be for long if the rest of the rogues made it over.

  “Evelyn’s shield is down!” Favin called from nearby.

  Marrok’s stomach dropped. There was no way Hale had arrived yet. Something had happened.

  He looked to the roof and could make out royal guards engaged with rogues. They’d made it to the roof. Terror ripped through the bond he shared with his mate.

  He tore through the crowd, dodging and carving his way inside the palace. Marrok sprinted up the stone stairwell to the top level. Bursting out through the door on the rooftop, he searched for Evelyn’s dark red mane.

  He easily caught site of Danil as his friend’s blade sliced through the rogue attacking him from the side. The rest had already been put down by the time Marrok had reached the roof.

  “Danil,” he snapped.

  The male turned, meeting Marrok’s eyes, his mouth tight.

  He shook his head. “Dmitri. Less than a minute ago.”

  Marrok’s roar was so loud, so heart-wrenchingly full of despair, the rogues below paused, feeling the pain of their King. Some fed off of it, some dropped to their knees covering their ears. The soldiers took advantage, slaying only the ones still fighting.

  Favin looked around, perplexed at the rogues who were submitting. It reminded him of how wolves yielded to their alpha.

  “Secure the ones kneeling, kill the rest!” he ordered the guards in the courtyard. Then he turned and headed for the roof, running like his King’s life depended on it.

  Chapter 29

  Evelyn landed hard on her hands and knees, her stomach threatening to empty onto the dirt floor. As she started to push herself to her feet, a large booted foot connected with her ribs and she collapsed, the wind knocked from her lungs.

  Gasping, she moved
to her back just in time to see the black boot coming for her face. She rolled swiftly, her ribs screaming in protest. Air breezed past, lifting stray strands of hair with the missed strike.

  Raising her hands, she called to the elements only to have her arms slammed down to the ground before she could siphon power. Straddling her chest, the vampire held her wrists down by one hand.

  With his other, he gripped the fingers on her right hand, her sword hand, squeezing mercilessly. Sounds popped loud enough to echo off rock as he easily broke the small bones.

  Evelyn screamed.

  “That was for breaking my nose, witch. I was just going to kill you and be done with it, but now I think you need a lesson before dying.”

  Evelyn glared at him through her watering eyes. His nose was swollen from where she’d head-butted him, the blood already drying on his face.

  He let go and pulled back his fist. A severe blow landed square on her face and stars burst inside her skull. Her ears rang and her nose bled.

  Stay awake, stay awake, stay awake, she chanted inside her mind. If she lost consciousnesses, he would kill her easily.

  Evelyn refused to die like this. With her one good hand, she reached down and grabbed his testicles, squeezing as hard as she could. Dmitri howled in pain, and teleported away.

  He reappeared to her left, breathing heavily and doubling over. Keeping her eyes on him, she scooted backwards until she felt the cool rock on her shoulder blades.

  It was then she noticed they were in a cave. A fire was going a little further inside. Next to it was a thin pallet. This is where he’d been hiding.

  The air was tinged with salt and the tranquil sound of ocean waves systematically hitting the shore. They could be on any coast, but she suspected they were on or near the Corak Peninsula. Dmitri was the most likely candidate to be manipulating the rogues.

  “You’re going to pay for that, witch.”

  “My name is Evelyn, you horse’s arse.”

  “Doesn’t matter. You’ll be joining your mother soon, then so will your sisters once I get to them. The threat from the West will be no more.”

  “What threat? My sisters and I are no threat,” she said as her eyes darted around the small space, looking for her sword.

  The misshapen reflection of firelight shone just behind the male. He glanced where she was looking.

  Dmitri bent and picked up her blade. “Looking for this?” he mocked, pointing it towards her. “You are the threat. Your own mother predicted it. Northland, Eastland, and Southland quest. Heed the threat from the West. The king from each of those kingdoms has found a fated mate in Elora’s children. It cannot be allowed. Your family will not be allowed to control all of Imperium.”

  Evelyn kept her hands behind her back, trying to draw on the elements closest. Her right hand was growing numb from the swelling. Good. It will make this easier.

  “We’ve no desire to take over the continent. Did you miss the part about fated mates? You’re toiling with the will of the Goddess above. You can’t possibly win. She’ll have her revenge on you, no matter what happens to me and my sisters.”

  “Enough talking.”

  His manic green eyes flared, his lips peeling back in a snarl. He pulled a knife from his side holster, waving it around joyfully.

  “Maybe I’ll cut out your tongue first.”

  Dmitri threw her sword away, too far for Evelyn to attempt at the moment, not when he could teleport and get there first. She focused her magics, the elements only too happy to answer her call.

  The second he advanced, she set him on fire. His screams echoed off the cave walls as the flames ate away his flesh. Evelyn crawled as quickly as she could to the sword, her head still swimming from the vampire’s assault.

  Dizzy, she rose to her feet slowly, never looking away from the spectacle before her. The stench of burning flesh filled the air and she gagged.

  The vampire managed to take two steps closer. She lifted her steel, channeling what was left of her energy into staying upright. With all her might, she swung.

  In slow motion, she watched a dagger fly out of the flames as her blade reached Dmitri’s neck. His head flopped, then bounced off his shoulder. White hot pain exploded in her chest. She dropped to her knees and her world went black.

  * * *

  “The palace is secured,” Favin told Marrok, who was wearing a hole in the floor of his study with his pacing.

  “Those who refused to cease attacking were killed,” he continued. “The others we’ve had to corral into the throne room. There are too many to jail. They’ve shown no signs of aggression since, well, since you brought them to their knees, Sire.”

  Marrok glanced at Favin. He had no idea how his cry of anguish brought them to a crashing halt. Nor did he care. He only cared about finding his mate.

  “I can feel her pain, Favin. It’s coming through the bond hard enough I can feel where he’s hurting her.” His voice broke, forcing him to swallow past the lump in his throat.

  His demon was simmering, just below the surface, wanting to harm. To disfigure. To exact revenge. He could do nothing until he found Evelyn.

  “Question them. Start pulling memories,” he told his Second. “One by one. I want to know where he is, anyplace he might be.”

  “Hale and reinforcements will be coming before too long. Not that we need reinforcements now,” Danil said. “He can teleport you around if they can give you a starting point.”

  “I—”

  A searing pain stabbed through Marrok’s chest, his hand slapping over top of it. The saatus bond pulled at him, his mate’s agony blaring loud and clear. He fell to his knees, both Danil and Favin rushing to him.

  Quickly, it went numb and he could take in air again. “Evelyn,” he exhaled.

  Danil held Marrok’s shoulders. “Is the bond still in place?”

  “Yes.”

  The white-haired demon relaxed. “Good, then she’s alive.”

  “Good?” Marrok gritted. “I’m not getting anything from her now. I was able to feel her fear and her pain. Now, it’s like her mind’s shut down. Like …”

  “Like she’s asleep?” Favin suggested.

  “More likely knocked unconscious,” Danil corrected. “Which is good, Marrok. If she was in tremendous pain, now she’s not feeling it.”

  “It is not good! She cannot defend herself if she’s not awake!”

  Favin cleared his throat. “I think Danil has a point, Marrok. If she’s not awake, you need to gandeste. Immediately.”

  Marrok straightened, then hopped to his feet. “Favin, get the valerian powder and bring it to my chambers. I’m not going to fall asleep easily.”

  “Right away,” he said and swiftly exited.

  “Danil,” Marrok looked at his friend, “stay with me, just in case.”

  “Just in case what?”

  “Just in case those docile rogues decide they’re no longer content to sit and stare at the floor.”

  “I’ll gather some of the guards and meet you in a under a minute.”

  Danil ran off in one direction and Marrok hurried to the chamber he shared with Evelyn. He used the pitcher on their breakfast table to fill a glass with water. Favin entered and handed him a small packet.

  Marrok poured only a fourth of the contents into the glass. He needed to be able to wake and feared too much of the sleep aid would hinder the process. He drained the glass, downing it in a single gulp.

  Setting it down, he turned to Favin. “Have a blade ready. If I cannot wake myself, you’ll have to do it.”

  “How long should I wait?”

  “Five minutes after you’re sure I’m asleep. No more.”

  “Okay. You know I hate doing this.”

  “And we believe you, Favin,” Danil pronounced, full of his usual sarcasm as he breezed into the room.

  “Twelve guards are in the hall. Forty at each entrance to the throne room, everyone else is on high alert,” he added, closing the door.

 
“Thank you, Danil.”

  The male nodded at his king in return.

  Marrok moved to the bed, not bothering to remove any clothing or his weapons. He needed to be at the ready in case Dmitri or the rogues decided to attack again.

  Danil and Favin moved two chairs to either side of the bed, sitting closely so they could watch over their liege.

  Marrok closed his eyes, concentrating on Evelyn. On her dark red hair and mismatched eyes. Her pert little nose and pretty pink lips.

  In his mind’s eye, he could see her smile and hear her laugh. No one, not even his friends, had brought him such amusement. The little witch had woven a spell around his heart.

  Once he found her, Marrok might lock her in their rooms and never let her out. He’d never felt so protective of anything. He needed her to be safe. He needed her to remain as she was. Perfect. Whole. His.

  Marrok had fallen into a pit of despair when Melena took her own life. Slowly, he’d crawled out of it and continued on. If something ever happened to Evelyn, if Death rose from the underworld to pull her into its bottomless depths, he’d dive in and follow her down.

  It should have scared him how much he needed her. It would have if he didn’t know he had her love. Gwydions did not have mates, and still she chose to love him.

  He was her choice. Sweet, spritely Evelyn chose him. His demon pranced proudly and Marrok felt his chest puff out at the reality that Evelyn didn’t have to love him. She didn’t even have to accept him.

  She’d stood there, after he’d been unable to return those three little words, and chose to love him anyway. She’d brought him to his knees, and he hadn’t been male enough to give her the same assurance.

  Marrok had once imprudently believed he could use the bond as a sole means to keep his demon sane. He hadn’t counted on the force of nature Evelyn was. Fate or not, she, too was his choice.

  As he felt the dark tendrils of sleep wrap around him, he finally let go. He let go of the past. Let go of the treachery. Of the lies. Of the hell Brennen put him through. If, in the end, Evelyn was his, it was all worth it. He’d choose to suffer it again if she was the outcome.