Hate

by K. A Knight

  For a moment, nothing happens, then a woman steps forward. “You saved my life, I’m with you, whatever you need.”

  Then another and another until a cascade of voices fills the room. It shocks me to my core, I never expected it. They want to help, they want change. I look to Lucy who steps up beside me. “We will start with guards.”

  “Griffin, is my head guard, he will be taking applications,” I announce.

  Lucy looks at me with a raised eyebrow but nods.

  “Nos will be in charge of liaisons with the old council and the new changes. Go to him if you have issues and can’t get to me. That’s all we know for now, everything else will be decided, but my first priority is you. Ensuring we are all safe and well. No more lies, no more experiments. We are one!” I roar.

  “One!” they scream in response, as my men step closer to my back, ready for what we’ll face. We have an uncertain future, but up here, looking out at those expectant, ready faces, I know.

  I made the right choice.

  This is my destiny.

  Afterwards, I’m led through the crowd. Questions are fired at me, but I ignore them for now, slightly overwhelmed. It’s as if I can feel every member of this country. Every power, every person. Their lights fill my head until it feels like it might explode. There are so many, so fucking many, and now they are all looking to me.

  Once we are past the door, Lucy yanks me into the closest room and cups my cheeks, forcing me to look at him with blind eyes. It hurts, it hurts so badly, there are so many...the more I think about it, the more I feel it.

  “Breathe, let them pass, don’t focus on them. Push them backwards, that’s it. They are still there but block them, build a wall, you only need to reach for them in dire emergencies, good girl, that’s it. Breathe.”

  I still can’t see, but I let his touch anchor me. “What is that?” I whisper.

  “Your people, every single one. You will feel their lights extinguish when they die, you can call them, you can master the connection and use it to monitor and control your people,” he murmurs.

  “God, so many…” I gasp.

  “Yes, now imagine seeing the whole world like that.”

  Blinking, I meet those red eyes, my head not hurting any longer. “You see all the supernaturals around the world?”

  He nods. “All day, every day. It’s exhausting. It’s one of the main reasons only one of the sleeping council ever rules at any given time, and not for too long, to stop us from going crazy. Feeling better?”

  I nod silently. Fuck, I can’t imagine the chaos, the pain in his head at all the lights, all the people. Never truly being alone even in your brain. No wonder they pulled away from the world. I would as well.

  Looking around, I realise we are in a cupboard. “Where are we?” I snort.

  “Closest room, I think it’s a cleaning cupboard.” Lucy laughs. “Your mates are blocking the door, making sure we have the time you need to rebuild. They could feel the pressure in your head...I could.”

  “Thank you.” I sigh, and then we both seem to realise he’s still touching me at the same time. I expect him to jerk away or make some nasty or dirty statement, but he stays quiet, his hands still cradling my cheeks. Those red eyes watch me closely. “Lucy—”

  “Don’t call me that,” he murmurs, but it’s an offhand comment, like an automatic response as his eyes dip down to my lips and seem to trace them. Shivering under his gaze, I dart my tongue out and wet them, making him groan.

  “You love it, Lucy,” I tease, pushing him, wanting to see what he’ll do. The world is waiting right outside this door, but in here, I feel suddenly very far away...very alone with this powerful demon.

  “I’m warning you…”

  “Yeah, you keep doing that. I’m wondering what the warning turns into...Lucy,” I press.

  He’s still for a moment, then he snaps. He shoves me backwards, and my back hits the shelves with a bang, making me grunt. It’s dark in here, and small, and there isn’t much room for me, never mind a demon. He presses his body against mine, his hand tugging my chin up before he covers my lips with his.

  He’s warm, really warm, like touching a candle or an open flame. His lips taste like burnt embers and blood...it’s addicting. Groaning, he grips me tighter, pressing harder against me until there is no space between us. He bites down on my lower lip and I open my mouth, the taste of my blood apparent as our tongues tangle in a deep, harsh kiss.

  His hands are mean, painful, his lips soft, yet harsh. I want more.

  My hand darts out and grips his shirt, twisting it in my fist as I pull him closer, then, using my strength, push him away. I start to walk us backwards, still kissing. He grunts into my mouth as he crashes into the shelves behind him.

  If he thought I was just going to be a good girl and sit there and take it, he doesn’t know me very well.

  His hands reach down and cup my ass, lifting me higher until our eyes are level. His gaze is so bright, it’s almost blinding as I toss my head back. Fires burn and twist in those depths. “You want to play games?” he snaps, as I laugh.

  Then we’re gone. My stomach flips, and there is a feeling of movement, and then we appear outside. Blinking, I look around. I don’t even know where we are, it doesn’t look familiar. There is a castle behind Lucy, a big, towering structure. The moon is high, and mist creeps along the grass to where we stand at the edge of the property.

  Spinning me, he slams me into a tree, but I snarl and shove him away. “Where are we?”

  “Somewhere we can’t be found.” He smirks.

  “Lucy!” I yell.

  “Just a little place where they still worship me. Want to see?” he offers, and before I can respond, he moves us again. I’m not prepared and bile rises in my throat, but I swallow it back and look around.

  We are in a clearing in the woods—the same woods, I can feel it. There is an altar made of stone with bowls of blood and bones surrounding it. The stone is etched with carvings depicting what looks like a great demon...Lucy.

  Half burnt candles with wax dripping down them circle the large altar, and with a snap of Lucy’s fingers, they come to life, illuminating everything. “The people of this world still beg for me, worship me. I am their god...they fall to their knees before me. They ask for boons and assistance, but they dare not look in my eyes...yet you, brave little walker, do,” he murmurs behind me, his breath blowing over my hair. “Are you afraid?”

  “No,” I reply, and it’s true. I’m not. He can try to kill me if he wants. He might even succeed, but I’m betting he won’t. I intrigue him, and like it or not we are linked somehow. Oh, he wants to kill me, that’s for sure, at least half of him...but he won’t because the other half wants me.

  Like I want him.

  Spinning, I smirk at him. “They worship you here?”

  He nods, his eyes alight, and in the smoke behind him I see his demon emerging—big, twisting horns, fire eyes, and bulging body. A terrifying sight…also a hot one. “Then how about we change that? You think you are untouchable. Above it all. You laugh at their sacrifices, you bathe in their blood, and appear on altars of lost souls and bones...how about you worship me on it, demon? Let us see if you are worth all that...loyalty.” I smirk and then turn, leaping onto the altar. I sit and swing my legs back and forth as I watch him from the circle of flames.

  He’s smoking, this is probably sacrilege and he doesn’t like to be tested. His body changes until he towers above me, those horns ablaze with an internal fire, his mouth twisted in a snarl, and eyes black like the pits of hell. Grinning, I spread my legs wider, letting the dress part to show a glimpse of my white skin under the moon.

  He circles the altar behind the ring of fire, watching me as he stalks around it. Power fills the clearing. It’s dark and twisted and so fucking delicious. He calls it, and the night silences in fear. Eyes of the people and animals across the forest turn away, downcast. People hide, feeling it.

  Me? I revel in it. />
  Falling backwards, I arch my back into the air as it skims across my body, touching me.

  “I am the one they fear in the dark. Not you, little walker. You do not command me, you do not know me, you do not disrespect me!” he yells, and the world trembles.

  “But I did, Lucy. So tell me, oh great demon, what are you going to do?” I laugh breathlessly, my body writhing on the altar as his power increases, seeming to slip inside me like fingers, an actual touch.

  Suddenly, he’s there inside the ring of candles, and as soon as he steps across them, they burst into flame. Stronger, higher, until a circle of fire surrounds us, so tall and fierce we can’t see out.

  We can’t escape.

  The thought makes me moan. Yes. Fuck.

  He thinks he’s trapped me in here with him, but in reality he’s imprisoned himself with me...the one thing he can’t control. I wonder if either of us will come out alive.

  “I could kill you, Regina. So easily. Slit your throat and watch the blood run across that pale skin, rip your soul from your body...so fucking effortlessly,” he whispers.

  “Then do it, I dare you,” I taunt.

  Never, ever dare a demon...or Lucifer.

  His face looms above me, then he grips my arms and yanks them over my head, restraining them to the stone until I’m stretched out below him like a sacrifice. Maybe that’s what I am.

  “Killing you would be too easy, little walker, it’s much more fun to watch you live…”

  “Lucy, you pussy,” I goad right in his face, even as I’m pinned, unable to move below him. Really, I’m asking for it at this point, but I can’t seem to stop. My life is spiralling out of control, everything is changing, so maybe this is me laughing in the face of death, daring him to try and take me.

  “Pussy?” he rumbles, as one of his hands trails down my body, making me gasp. He shoves open my thighs, and one claw-tipped nail slides down my wet heat. “Like this one? You see, I can smell your arousal, little walker, how much you want me. So tell me, do you want to make a deal with the devil?”

  “No, but I’ll fuck him.” I giggle, and then press my lips to his.

  He freezes, shocked by my actions. I’m betting about now all those girls, even the dark ones who thought they could handle him, backed away, ran off scared. I can almost see it in his mind, how often they thought they wanted this, him, they believed they could handle him. But his darkness was too much from them and they ultimately feared him.

  Not me.

  Never me. His darkness? I crave it. I want him to paint it across my skin on his altar. I want everything this demon has to offer. I want to consume him until nothing is left.

  He rumbles against me, those claws dangerously close to my most vulnerable areas as he returns my kiss, dominating it, changing it until he’s draining me. Taking everything from me. And I let him. I let him lead, helpless beneath him, craving his harsh, mean touch.

  One finger presses inside me and I gasp into his mouth. The edge of danger is making this so much hotter, but then he pauses. I open my eyes to see his gaze has gone far away until he blinks.

  “We need to go back,” he snarls, but he doesn’t seem happy about it, nor does he move away or stop touching me.

  “Let’s go then...and demon? There might be hope for you yet. I can see why they worship you, why they pray to you. But I never will, you have to earn that, if you dare.” His eyes go red again while I grin. “Better take us home, Lucy, they will be looking for us.”

  His hand grips my chin, no doubt leaving a mark. “One day I will fuck you on this altar, Regina. I will take you and everything you have to offer. I will drain that magic from you as your blood runs over the stone and soaks into the ground. And there is nothing you can do about it.”

  I can’t wait.

  He brings us back and we appear in the cupboard just as the door is flung open. They must have felt us leave, but Aska, who opened the door, seems to know what happened. He throws Lucy a glare and takes my hand, leading me out, and then keeps hold of it as he brushes some hair behind my ear. “Neriso, my jewel, you were so far away,” he murmurs.

  “Sorry,” I reply, and lean up and kiss him. He nips my lips in punishment. “Did you need me?”

  “Always,” he rumbles, his eyes flashing, and Griffin fake gags.

  “Fucking hell, let’s go see what your visitor wants, Vasculo, before you two fuck each other right here.”

  That has me pulling back and looking away from my dragon, even though I’m tempted to do what Griffin just threatened. “Visitor?”

  Lucy sniffs and then groans. “Xaph.”

  Aska’s eyebrows rise. “The angel from the volcano...the sleeping court?”

  “Angel? Well, this should be fun.” I look at Lucy. “You know what he wants?”

  “Probably to be killed again.” He smirks.

  Rolling my eyes, I head back to the throne room. This time we enter through a backdoor that Lucy guides us to and step right out onto the dais. There is a man there, staring out at the room, his back to his. But yeah, he looks like an angel. Halo and all.

  He turns as we enter, his gaze clashing with mine for a moment before going to Lucy. “Serpent,” he snaps. “You kill me once more and I will banish you! Now, what has been happening here? I have been hearing whispers that you...you killed the council and put some, some woman child in charge.”

  “I guess that’s me.” I laugh.

  He dismisses me with a disgusted glance and a snort and looks to Lucy. “You abandoned your position. I have been too busy to chase you down! This is not a game, Serpent, you are mocking our laws!”

  “Oh shut up for once,” Lucy retorts. “Why are you here? Left your little mountain, did you, to look down on the peasants below?”

  Xaph narrows his eyes and tilts his head high in such a heavenly way I nearly laugh. What a pretentious asshole. No wonder Lucy killed him.

  Tried, he regenerates, very inconvenient if you ask me.

  “I am here to lead, since you clearly cannot. This, this can’t stand. I am here to remove her from power.” He sniffs.

  “No, you’re not,” Lucy counters.

  “Sorry, not going anywhere.” I grin.

  “You cannot lead, you know nothing of our laws! Our ways! You’re a child...you’re a—” He stumbles.

  “Woman?” I offer and raise my eyebrow. “It seems to me if there were less dick measuring contests and power games, we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place, angel. I am a leader now, so suck it up and start acting like one yourself. If you did your job, we wouldn’t be this lost. Your lack of leadership is the problem.”

  “She makes a good point, Xaph. This happened under your watch.” Lucy smirks.

  The angel’s face turns red. “You know how hard it is to monitor all these creatures, they are always killing or doing something. I simply do what I can, under his grace.” He looks back to me and glares, his eyes flashing gold as he growls, “You are to be removed from your position.”

  Yeah, Lucy isn’t allowed to kill him...but I can.

  So I do.

  As he turns to argue with Lucy, I take him by surprise. He turns just as I appear before him, his eyes widening as he stumbles back, but he doesn’t make a move to defend himself as I grip his head and twist, snapping his neck with a self-satisfying crack. His body tumbles to the floor as I dust off my hands and saunter back to my men.

  Looking at Lucy, I shrug. “He was annoying me.”

  I find myself very turned on right now.

  “Too much information, Lucy.” Griffin snorts.

  Lucy turns to him with narrowed eyes. “Only she calls me that,” he roars, just as a click sounds. We all turn to see Xaph’s neck straighten as gold shimmers across his body, and then he’s on his feet, blinking.

  When he realises what happened, his mouth drops open. “You-you killed me! That is punishable by death!”

  “I saw nothing.” Lucy shrugs.

  “Me neither,” my men c
horus behind me, and I wink at Xaph.

  “Serpent, you can’t seriously expect us to let her lead. She clearly is not mature enough to uphold a prestigious position and seat such as this!”

  “She is and can,” Lucy responds, yawning.

  “Serpent!” Xaph protests. “She knows nothing! How will she lead? No, it cannot be allowed, she would need too much guidance and help.”

  “I’ll help,” Lucy declares, and everyone gapes.

  Xaph stares at him. “You will help?”

  “Why not?” he asks, voice clipped.

  Slowly, a smile covers Xaph’s face. “You are finally taking your place. It is good to see, even if your first stand is with this child. Fine, you wish her to be your responsibility, you shall have your way, but if she fails it will be on your head. Your position and life lie with her now. If she fails, you both die. Understood?”

  “Understood. Now, you are boring me, so if that is everything…” Lucy drawls and turns to walk away, but Xaph stops him.

  “It is not, in fact. She was not the only reason I sought you out. We have a problem, a big one, with the dragons,” he informs us.

  “Dragons?” Aska echoes, stepping forward. “What kind?”

  “They are breaking through, I saw it myself. Eight of them flew from the entrance to Klasfor and into the world.”

  “But—” I stumble and look at Aska. “Why? Aren’t they trapped there?”

  “Voluntarily. They didn’t want to be a part of this world.” He frowns, appearing confused. “If they wanted to come through...they can. I found a dead male, one from my childhood, not too far south of here. He had been killed in a challenge with another dragon, which is not uncommon, but if it is spilling into this world…” He shakes his head.