Page 23 of Hell Bound

He was eating it up, and the leer he gave her told me they’d slept together, and he had every intention of doing it again.

Fuck him all you want, Tavila. Whatever keeps him away from me.

She met my eye and smirked, and I couldn’t fight back the eye roll at the triumph in her expression.

Was it really a win to take something someone didn’t want?

“A sad prize, isn’t she? It’s a shame you needed her to claim your throne. There were far more…intriguingprospects.”

“Sometimes sacrifices must be made. And it’s a bonus that I possess what he wants most. I know it kills him inside every day that she’s mine and I don’t even deign to touch what he covets.” Asmodeus turned to look at me, likely looking for a reaction, but I had none. Besides half-wondering if Tavila had read my mind because she’d taken the words right out of my mouth, his words had no impact on me.

Someone apparently wanted me, or whoever the real Lilith was, but it made no difference.

The only thing I wanted was to be back home, and I wasn’t going to let any of these demons distract me from that goal.

“You could always find a new queen. One that would actually be worthy to stand at your side. Any of us would be proud to take her place, especially me.”

“While you entertain me endlessly, you still aren’t of royal blood. That’s the only reason I’ve been forced to keep her as my wife. But as soon as I can procure a better, stronger princess… well, I won’t be saddled with such a weak queen any longer, and I’ll be free to permanently dispose of the trash.”

I said nothing, but his conversation with the desperate lady’s maid in his lap revealed a lot.

Like the fact that my time here was limited, and the countdown had started before I’d even been notified that the game had begun.

Being called trash sparked my temper, but not enough to make me respond. I was quickly learning that giving him the reactions he wanted would only make my life harder.

I kept my eyes forward, hiding my clenched fists in my lap under the table.

Disappointed that he didn’t get a rise out of me, my “husband” turned away and started talking about his plans for later in the evening. The things he intended to do to her were far too graphic in nature to be said aloud with an audience, but it didn’t stop Tavila from moaning and humming her approval.

Being next to the two of them was making me physically ill, so I stood and headed toward the stairs of the dais.

Asmodeus paid me no mind. Grateful for that small mercy from the universe, I descended into the milling people.

Some stares still burned into my flesh, but many demons had returned to their conversations and drinks. Hopeful I’d find someone willing to fill in some degree of the information I was missing, I wove my way through in search of a solitary guest.

Can I command them to tell me what I want to know?

I was queen, after all, so was that within my power?

We were about to find out.

“Hello.” I greeted a male demon with crimson skin and pure black eyes, steeling my nerves against the trickle of fear that stole over me. That gaze was so empty, yet it was a void that bore weight. “Are you, uh, enjoying yourself?”

His stygian gaze flitted to me before shifting away, his dark ruby lips pursed in… distaste?

Well fuck you, too, then.

I moved on, searching for another individual partygoer. Morningstar crossed my line of sight, and my stomach flipped.

He stalked along the edge of the festivities, never quite breaking an invisible line.

His predatory nature was evident in every move of his lithe body, the muscles beneath the dark clothes he wore shifting like the wolf inside him was close to breaking free.

I hadn’t seen the beast yet, but I already knew it would be terrifying.

After all, it was strong enough to make the rest of them follow its commands, even the one who’d been snapping at me when I arrived.

When our eyes met, my breath hitched and my pulse picked up.

---