Page 51 of Deranged Demons

The monster drags the tentacle holding Alariccloser to its fanged mouth, and I beat my wings harder as my heart pounds in my ears. Alaric snarls, trying to twist and wiggle himself free, but it’s not helping.

A tentacle flies toward me, and I maneuver in the air, lashing out with my blade. This only angers the creature, and two more tentacles aim for me. One wraps around my legs, and Nate’s roar comes to me from across the bridge.

Alaric is pulled closer to the creature’s jaws, and I watch in horror as my fated mate is powerless to stop it. I slice against the tentacle holding me, but as soon as it falls away another one wraps around my waist, while another binds my legs again. Nate’s clothes slip from my arms, and I’m dragged downward, but a floating blade severs one of the tentacles from below. Green ichor sprays onto Dante’s invisible body, coating enough of him that I can make out an outline.

Nate races across the bridge and leaps, clawing and chomping on the other tentacle until I’m freed, but more tentacles appear, binding me.

Dante and Nate work to try and free me, but I shout, telling them to get Alaric. Prince Callan flies toward the assassin again as the male’s feet near the creature’s gigantic tongue, and Alaric’s gaze connects with mine. There’s a flicker of hatred in his eyes, but then the tentacles around me squeeze tighter, and I cry out as some of my ribs snap. Alaric growls, his eyes igniting with fury, and then his body grows, rapidly increasing in size. The tentacles are forced to release him as his limbs grow larger, and the male turns intoa massive giant. Standing tall, he becomes the height of the castle walls, and he grabs onto the tentacles that are holding me and he squeezes until the blubbery flesh explodes, ichor spurting onto his thick arms.

Freed, I flap my wings, catching myself before I fall, and the sea creature omits a sound that makes my ears bleed. Prince Callan shouts something and lifts his hands. Using his magic, he creates a wind tunnel to surround the beast, absorbing the sound. It must amplify the noise for the beast, as the creature thrashes, its bloodied tentacles swiping wildly through the air. Alaric snarls as he punches the creature, sending the beast flying backward into the water, and the world grows quiet as the creature disappears below the surface.

None of us waste time. I fly to the other end of the drawbridge and as soon as we’re all across, Alaric reaches for the iron crank system. The rusted chains rattle as he lifts the drawbridge, sealing us within the castle walls.

Shade flies down, letting out a stream of panicked comments in my head before settling on my shoulder. Nate shifts back, standing there completely naked, and Dante turns visible again, his clothes coated with green ichor. Prince Callan smooths his hair looking way too relaxed, and Alaric returns to his smaller form. The silver cuffs are no longer on his wrists, and I let out a shaky breath.

“Well, that was a shit show,” I say, because if itwasn’t for Alaric, who knows what might have happened.

“That wasn’t just a monster,” Prince Callan discusses calmly. “That was one of the deadliest sea beasts from Norso. They have powerful natural healing abilities, and it won’t be long until the creature is back to its full strength.”

Alaric nods, agreeing with the archangel’s statement.

“When we’re back in Seral and this is over, I’ll organize for the creature to be returned home,” I say. “King Dalton must have bribed some natives from Norso to help transfer it here. It shouldn’t be too hard to find out who they are.”

“Blake, it looks like we’re not the only ones who made it,”Shade says grimly, and I turn, my lips thinning when I take note of the three alphas around the bailey—the open area that’s like a courtyard stretching around the castle. Two of the alphas are missing limbs and lying in pools of blood, but the third is propped up against the castle wall.

“This one’s still alive,” Nate says, inspecting the third alpha. I move closer to see the shifter is breathing harshly. The male’s eyes are closed, and it’ll take a good while for the wound on his chest to heal, but he’ll be fine.

“Should you check to see if he’s your mate?” Nate says, grabbing the alpha and bringing him closer to me. The male’s head lolls to the side, and I make a face.

“Don’t do that,” I chastise.

“Do what?” Nate asks, holding out the shifter like he’s expecting me to take a whiff.

“That,” I say, indicating to the poor male who doesn’t realize he’s being manhandled. “He’s not my mate.” I could tell from the moment I moved close to him.

“Okay, if you say so,” Nate says and drops the shifter with a thud to the ground. Then he starts stripping off the guy’s shirt.

“What are you doing?” I hiss.

“Well, I’m not goin’ to wear their clothes, now am I?” he defends, gesturing with his head to the other two mutilated alphas whose clothes are torn and bloody. “And seein’ as the archangel couldn’t handle the simple task of bringin’ the outfit I was wearin’ before, this’ll have to do.”

I roll my eyes, but I don’t point out that I was the one who dropped his clothes into the water. When Nate’s finished dressing, I groan and prop the unconscious alpha back against the wall, because the poor guy has clearly been through enough already. As I go to step back, I freeze. A short distance away, another one of my black feathers lies discarded on the stones, and my heart skips a beat. It’s the third I’ve lost since we’ve been in Perstalia, and I can’t shake the sense of foreboding creeping over me.

Alaric watches me carefully, but he doesn’t say anything.

When Nate finishes tying thestraps on his new pants he grins. “All right then, who’s ready to head back to Seral?”

I clear my throat. “We have to survive the castle first,” I point out, striding away from the feather, and peering up at the giant structure looming over us. Despite the worn stone, the tall white towers gleam in the watery moonlight that streams through the clouds above, and crystals sparkle in the crevices between the bricks. The last time I was here, I couldn’t stop marveling at the place, but now just the sight of it fills me with dread. Mentally, I run through the different kinds of monsters Dad might have lured inside. Truthfully, he would have chosen monsters that tested anyone who entered, but now that I’m standing before the castle, I’m almost certain he expected me to come here. Just as I’m certain there’s something nasty planted inside especially for me.

Pivoting, I smack my lips together and address my mates. “All right, I think we all know we’re not going to survive this unless we work together, so I think it’s time to set down some ground rules.”

They all look at me as if I’m overreacting, but no one protests, so I forge on. I hold up a finger. “Rule number one: Don’t get separated. Inside, it’s a maze of rooms and corridors, and I don’t want to have to go searching when you end up somewhere you don’t want to be.” I pace and hold up another finger. “Rule number two: Don’t touch anything. To this day, no one has explored all of the rooms in the castle because ofthe suspected ancient booby traps that haven’t been activated.”

“Traps? What kind of castle is this?” Nate grumbles.

Prince Callan smirks. “Concerned, Nine Lives?”

Nate’s slitted gaze shifts to the archangel. “Curious.”

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