Crimes Forbidden (The Forbidden Novellas #2)

by Dove, Raquel

  “Very well,” the Grand Elder said, his suspicion appeased by the compromise. “I suppose you have someone in mind.”

  “I do,” Ryad said, his eyes shifting to Jackson. “Lord Jackson would be the best possible choice. He is, after all, Mateo’s son.”

  The Grand Elder considered the proposal. Mateo would feel the loss of power, even if it was temporary. He was one of the only demon’s the Grand Elder would consider a friend, but maybe the old lord needed the slight reprimand to remind him of his responsibilities.

  “Then we shall begin,” the Grand Elder said. “Lord Jackson, you will take your place in the front of the courtroom.”

  Jackson tried to act humbled and surprised by the sudden increase in his powers. He would only need to pretend for a short time. They were almost ready to strike. Just one piece of the puzzle was left. He exaggerated a bow to the Grand Elder before making his way to the front of the courtroom. He would sit beside the Grand Elder for the duration of the trial, and when it was over he would be the one to deliver the judgment. Normally, Jackson would be awash with anxiety, but he knew what the outcome of the trial would be. There wouldn’t be any verdict read. Things would be brought to an end much sooner than that. Jackson knew Paris would probably hate him for a little while, but his friend would eventually get over it.

  “Lord Paris,” the Grand Elder spoke once Jackson had taken his seat, “you stand accused of a heinous crime. You have not only broken a most basic law of remaining hidden to the Untouched, having pursued a contract with said human, and further propagating an intimate relation, ultimately causing the death of our princess. How do you plead?”

  “Guilty,” Paris said without hesitations. If it meant he could save Zoe, he would say it a thousand times. He wanted to kick himself for allowing her to get caught up in his mess in the first place. There was a collective gasp that filled the courtroom, followed by hushed murmurs than ran through the crowd of demons. The entire situation was just so scandalously hard to believe.

  “Very well,” the Grand Elder said, “we will proceed with the witnesses. Bring the human out.”

  “Your Majesty,” Paris spoke, knowing he would likely be reprimanded. “I was to believe she would be left out of this.”

  “The girl will give her statement, Paris,” the Grand Elder said. “I will have the whole truth known in this court before your fate is decided.”

  Paris could feel his anger rising. This was not what he wanted. His eyes fell on Jackson, and he caught the glint that was in his longtime friends eyes. Something was about to happen, Paris could see that now, and he wasn’t sure he was going to like it.

  Chapter eleven

  Zoe was only in the room for a matter of moments before pure chaos erupted. As the smell of hot, freshly spilled blood reached the noses of the demons, they tried to scatter, but quickly discovered they did not have the capability to escape. A barrier had been placed on the courtroom, a very strong barrier, and no one was getting out anytime soon. Zoe watched in horror as demon turned upon demon, the razor sharp claws that tipped their fingers ripping into flesh, splattering blood everywhere.

  The Grand Elder was too shocked to stop the attack that came so suddenly upon him, despite his immense raw power. He was simply too old, too feeble to suppress a physical attack against him. Jackson tore into his ribcage with a vicious speed, utilizing the newfound power given to him by his victim.

  Paris’ attention remained squarely on Zoe. He pulled against the bonds that were holding him in his chair, wanting so badly to reach her. His fear at her suddenly being impaled by an overzealous rebel demon tore at his chest. He had to get to her, had to save her, protect her from all of this. He never would have imagined Jackson would do something so horrid as this.

  “Jackson,” Paris called to his friend, who was busy playing inside the Grand Elder’s chest. He wasn’t sure if his friend would even help him. He didn’t know if he even was a friend anymore. The forces holding him to his seat began to wane. He could feel Jackson’s power working against it. The Grand Elder was near death, but his nonphysical power was still as strong as ever. Paris pulled against the bond, adding his power to Jackson’s. He was desperate to get to Zoe. He could see the fear in her wide green eyes and it pained him more than anything he had ever experienced. All he wanted was to come to her side, hold her safely in his arms.

  Ryad appeared before Jackson, taking the younger demon’s throat in his hand. He slammed him roughly against the wall behind them, his aura pushing against Jackson’s powers. Paris felt the heavy pull of his bond returning to full strength.

  “Do not stray from our plan,” Ryad said, baring his fangs to Jackson.

  “I have my own plans,” Jackson said, stretching his new powers and pushing against Ryad. He managed to throw the older demon off.

  “You don’t have the power to oppose me,” Ryad said, squaring his shoulders. He would put Jackson back in his place before he ruined everything. The last thing he needed was for the demons that were backing him seeing Jackson disrespect him in such a blatant manner. He had put many decades of work, planning and maneuvering to bring this about. He wasn’t about to let Jackson ruin that.

  “No?” Jackson said, a smirk curling on the edge of his lips. He materialized the Asi Sword, the same he had used against his father and a shiver ran down Ryad’s back.

  “You couldn’t have,” Ryad said, his lips twisting in anger. “How?”

  Ryad, and every other demon that knew about the swords existence, which was not many, had been trying for centuries to find it. Now that Jackson had it Ryad knew he had no chance of defeating the younger demon. He was angry, but he could only blame himself. He had underestimated Jackson resourcefulness.

  “I did,” Jackson hissed, a mix between a smile and a snarl on his face. He was done taking orders from Ryad. Things were going to go his way from now on. And that would begin with freeing Paris. His plan was working nicely.

  The two demons were so busy with each other that neither one noticed the Grand Elder struggling across the courtroom. He was very close to death, his physical body torn to shreds. Only his power was holding his life force in his body, and thus keeping him alive. He never, in all his long years, would have imagined his kingdom would deteriorate into this. It saddened him, but now was not the time for regret. Now was the time for him to take the only action possible. He could not allow the power of the ancestors to be lost. He must pass them on, even if the only candidate for such a thing was far below desirable to him. The idea of passing his throne onto the one who was responsible for his daughter’s death was a hard pill to swallow, but leaders were required to make heavy sacrifices for the good of the kingdom. Finally making his way to where Paris was bound to his seat, he placed a boney hand on him and they instantly disappeared from the room.

  “Do you see what you have done?” Ryad snapped, noticing their disappearance. “Now we have no chance of success.”

  “You have no chance of success,” Jackson said. Without another word he ran the sword through Ryad. As the old demon crumpled to the floor, Jackson’s eyes turned to Zoe.

  Jackson walked slowly over to her, a predatory gleam in his eye. He could smell the tang of her fear in the air as her eyes darted around the room, trying to comprehend what was going on. Oh how he loved that smell.

  “Zoe,” he said, pulling her attention to him. He reached out for her with a bloodied hand, and she pulled away, disgusted by the sight of the crimson liquid.

  “You must come with me now, Zoe,” he said. He was banking on her still trusting him. He would much rather her go with him willingly. Her life wouldn’t last much longer, but it would last long enough for her to serve her purpose.

  Chapter twelve

  It took a moment for Paris to see through the darkness he suddenly found himself in. His eyes adjusted, but fell on nothing but bare stone walls. He could see the crumpled figure of the Grand Elder on the floor. A growl bubbled in his chest and echoed of the rock. Zoe was
alone, with a room full of demons tearing each other apart, and he was trapped in a small dark room with a dying old man.

  “Do as I say,” the Grand Elder struggled to get his words out, reaching for Paris. He didn’t have much more time.

  “How dare you,” Paris snarled, pulling away from him.

  “If you want to save the girl,” the Grand Elder said, “then listen to me.”

  Paris knew he didn’t have a lot of time. Zoe was in extreme danger, and there was no way for him to get to her. Even if the Grand Elder died, and his bond over Paris dissipated, Paris had no idea where he was. He would be unable to transport out. And there were no discernible exits from the room. This was a safe room for the Grand Elder. No one could leave without his assistance.

  The Grand Elder could see the struggle going on inside Paris. He was struggling against his anger, against what he wanted versus what he knew was right. He was struggling against what his kind told him was right versus his own heart. A mass of blood worked its way into his mouth, causing him to sputter.

  “Come,” the Grand Elder managed to say through his blood soaked cough. His boney hand beckoned to Paris. He was growing weaker by the minute, and soon he would pass from this world. It would take every ounce of strength he had left to pass his power to the younger demon.

  Paris obliged, settling his rage and fear for Zoe. It was such a strange sensation that he felt. Never in all his long years had he felt fear like this. Feeling fear in general was not something he was accustomed to, but this fear was a burning sensation in the center of his chest, not for himself, but for someone else. For Zoe.

  “What do I need to do?” Paris said as he kneeled down next to the rapidly dying Grand Elder. He would do anything to save Zoe.

  “This is not going to be pleasant for you,” the Grand Elder said. “I would typically require weeks to properly transfer such a vast amount of power.”

  “I will be fine,” Paris said. He had to, he had no other choice. The only care in his mind was for Zoe. He would do whatever was necessary to save her. “Just do it quickly.”

  “You will probably die regardless,” the Grand Elder said, narrowing his eyes at the younger demons pigheadedness. He clearly did not understand the immensity of the power he was about to receive, nor did he appreciate the riskiness of the process. There was a reason Grand Elders would choose a successor, and pass on their powers over several weeks’ time. It was a delicate procedure, requiring careful transitions of small amounts of power. The sudden rush of such vast power into a demon was not only excruciating, it was potentially deadly. As things were, Paris would, at best, be knocked unconscious for a few days. At worst, he would die a very painful death.

  “You have wasted enough time talking,” Paris said, baring his fangs at the old man. He didn’t have time for this. Every second he lost was another second that he could be saving Zoe. “Just begin.”

  The Grand Elder hated what he was about to do, but he knew he had no choice. If he didn’t pass his power on to Paris, their society was going to crumble. Everything that he had spent his life building would fall by the wayside. War and death would plague demonic society. As much as he despised Paris on a personal level, he had to push that aside. He had to do what was best for his people. It would be his parting gift to them. Paris may be a spoiled, selfish, arrogant young demon, but he was strong and he was strong willed. If anyone could pull the kingdom away from the brink of destruction, it would be Paris.

  “Release your aura,” the Grand Elder said as he placed his open hands on Paris. “I will transfer a small amount of power to allow you to adjust to the feeling before I begin.”

  Paris nodded his understanding. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and clearing his mind. The Grand Elder felt the release of his aura, the waves of his inner power floating around the small, dark, rock-walled room. He pulled on every bit of power he had, hoping it would keep him alive long enough to pass on his power. Slowly, he began to release a small amount into Paris’ aura.

  Paris felt it immediately, and he instantly realize he was underestimating the intensity of the pain. The power ripped through his aura, shaking every cell in his body. He couldn’t stop himself from rearing away from the Grand Elder, a vicious growl ripping through his throat. He lashed out at the air around him, unable to control his movements. The pain was debilitating and he fell backward to the ground, every muscle in his body clenching against the assault. The Grand Elder finally halted the transformation, interrupted by a hacking cough that splattered speckles of blood across his face.

  Paris struggled to catch his breath. It was more painful than he could have ever imagined, but he couldn’t stop now. He couldn’t give up. He had to push through the pain. He put one thought in his mind that he knew would see him through this. Zoe. And on the other side, he would have all the power he needed to finally protect her.

  “Finish,” he said to the Grand Elder, even as he gasped for every breath.

  Chapter thirteen

  “Perhaps I have misjudged his affections for you,” Jackson said as he watched Zoe, once again struggling pointlessly against her bonds. “I’m beginning to worry he won’t come.”

  “I hope he doesn’t,” Zoe spat. She hated herself for ever trusting this worthless creature before her. He was a backstabber, a traitor.

  “I don’t think that’s what you really want,” Jackson said with a blood chilling chuckle. “Because then I will have no use for you.”

  Zoe swallowed the lump in her throat. She would not show him her fear. He didn’t deserve to see it. She turned her face away from him. If she looked at him any longer she was sure she would implode with her rage. Paris had trusted him, was his friend, and this is how Jackson repaid him. She could be angry with him for capturing her, but she really wasn’t. She was angry at how he was treating Paris. He deserved so much better. Paris was good. Zoe didn’t care if he was a demon. She had learned in her short time with him that he wasn’t evil. There was more good in him than there was in most humans she knew.

  “What does he see in you?” Jackson asked rhetorically. She was beautiful, he could see that, for a human. But that was just the problem. She was human. How could his best friend ever fall for such a weak, pathetic creature? He would do everything in his power to make his friend understand the error of his ways. He didn’t mind if Paris had his fun with her, but this was far more than just fun. Paris was willing to give his own life to save this human girl. It just didn’t make any sense to Jackson. Paris could have any demoness he wanted. Why he would ever choose such a plain human being to mate with was completely beyond him.

  Zoe ignored him, keeping her face turned away. She wasn’t even going to dignify him with a response. She knew any response she would give him would be unsatisfactory anyway.

  “Zoe,” Jackson said, walking over to her. He looked down at her, tied to a chair in his apartment. She still refused to look at him and her defiance began to wear on his nerves. He looped a clawed finger under her chin, pulling her face up to look at him. “There is no reason to make this unpleasant. I am merely trying to help.”

  “I have no desire to be pleasant with you,” Zoe spat, her eyes fierce as she tried to burn a hole through his forehead with her angry glare. “You are a horrible person.”

  “Oh come now,” Jackson said with a chuckle, stepping back from Zoe. He pulled out another chair from the table, sitting backwards in it. He rested his hands on the top of the chair. Perhaps he could gain some insight into Paris’ thought process. “I’m not all that bad. I did, after all, tell you how to find Paris.”

  “Fat lot of good that did me,” Zoe said. She was so disgusted with him, she just wanted him to shut up and leave her alone. She struggled vainly against the rope that was tied around her waist, holding her arms behind her.

  Jackson laughed heartily at her. She was amusing, he would give her that. But she was quickly losing her value. If Paris didn’t show up soon he would have to rethink his plan. He thought he
had assessed his friend’s emotions correctly, but he was starting to second guess himself. Paris had disappeared with the Grand Elder. Paris was the only one that could succeed him. The Grand Elder was just the kind of person to put aside his own differences for the good of the people, and Jackson was banking on that. There was a civil war raging between two opposing sides of demonic society, and Paris would have to choose one. With him on Jackson’s side, they would quickly crush the opposition.

  “I believe you have misjudged my intentions, Zoe,” Jackson said, a devious smirk curling onto his lips. If Paris’ affections were as deep as he thought, he was going to need Zoe on his side too. She would help sway Paris.

  “I doubt it,” Zoe said, looking pointedly down at her bindings.

  “Forgive me,” Jackson said, with a shrug, “I simply wished to calm you, to protect you from yourself. You were so frightened when I saved you, I was afraid for you.”

  “Yeah, right,” Zoe rolled her eyes. Did he honestly think she would believe that. She may do stupid things sometimes, but she wasn’t stupid. There was no way she could trust him. “I saw what you did back there.”

  “Here,” Jackson said, his voice so sweet it threatened to give Zoe a toothache. His clawed fingers sliced through the thick rope holding her. He held his hands out, presenting her with the opportunity to rise from her chair. She shrugged the now cut rope off, but remained seated. She cautiously eyed Jackson. She didn’t know what his intentions where, but she was going to watch him like a hawk.

  “What do you want from me?” Zoe asked, her eyes trained on him as she rubbed at the sore spots left behind by the rope.

  “I want you to help me,” Jackson said, his cheesy grin widening. Zoe wasn’t sure if he thought that would help convince her of his good intentions, but he was wrong.