Page 128 of Hell Bound

The sight of her mouth made me sick, and when I looked away, I saw it.

The golden chain around Lilith’s wrist, binding her to Asmodeus’s belt like she was a child, or a dog.

Fury rose in me, but when Asmodeus put his hand on Braith’s shoulder and pushed, my hands rose automatically.

I caught the slip of a Spectral demoness, feeling the emaciated body beneath the dress, my anger dampened by revulsion.

“You may enjoy him, as you’re welcome to enjoy all the pleasures of my court.” Asmodeus’s eyes were a hawk’s eye, sharp and flat.

“Oh, perhaps I will.” Braith ran her fingers over my chest, tracing lines through the sweat, and my stomach clenched. Her black tears had smudged onto my skin when she fell into me, leaving tarry streaks behind.

Lilith’s red lips had pressed into a tight, flat line.

“Have you considered breeding them?” Duke Sorath asked idly, as though inquiring about the weather.

Asmodeus stepped back into the retinue, jerking the chain and forcing Lilith to follow him. “Interesting idea. A handful would make for good studs…”

“Well, if you ever do, let me know.” Sorath’s gaze drifted back to Pypentha, who looked like she was just barely holding on to her human form right now. “I can think of a few potential studs, as well.”

Asmodeus laughed, the sound echoing off the high walls, and waved a hand. “Let us continue the tour. You’ll have time to sow all the seeds you’d like tonight.”

The Cthurhains led the way out, and as soon as Asmodeus’s back was turned, I watched Lilith.

Her head began to turn back—and stopped.

She faced forward, her shoulders a little hunched, and followed after Asmodeus with that chain tinkling between them.

I pushed Braith away from me. “You should go.”

“Oh?” Those bony fingers reached for me once more. “And not enjoy the pleasant company I’ve been offered?”

I held her at arm’s length, and Pypentha let out a snarl that made even Braith’s head snap around.

“The training yard is no place for alady,” Pypentha hissed, her eyes flashing with hellfire. Her claws were already growing, the sharp teeth distorting her raspy voice. She bit off every word, fur sprouting from her skin. “So you should leave before you get hurt.”

Maybe it was because Pypentha sounded like she would be more than happy to make that happen, but Braith took one step back, then another, and finally scurried after the gaggle of insipid courtiers.

Pypentha let out a shuddering breath, clenching her fists so hard her claws pierced her own flesh.

In the silence left in the wake of their departure, we all heard the drops of her own blood falling to the ground.

“I won’t let him breed me,” she finally growled, the wolf receding a fraction at a time. “I will throw myself from the pinnacle of this castle before I allow such a thing.”

“Nobody will.” I took one of her hands, forcing her to unfurl her fingers. As soon as the claws popped free of her flesh, the wounds began knitting. “If there’s one thing I promise, I will save you from that.”

Deasley let out a sigh, shuddering in place. “Well, at least that’s one thing I’m saved from,” he said gloomily.

“Don’t talk like that,” Pypentha snapped. “If it is the last thing I do, I will make sure you rip out Odragir’s throat, and show that shit-stain of an incubus that we arenothis dogs to breed.”

I watched Deasley from the corner of my eye as he wiped sweat from his face, still pale.

It was, after all, thanks to Duke Sorath that he was here in the first place.

Bells rang before I could get them back into formation. It was time for the daily patrol, mostly to make Asmodeus look like we were diligently working on his behalf, and then…

Time to dress up for another pointless dinner, in which we would be paraded around and potentially sold, one after another, to demons who saw us as nothing more than warm bodies for the night.

It was a relief to become a wolf, to shed this skin and just run.

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