Page 23 of Taken to the Deadlands

“A portal?” I asked. “Is that how you travel? Can you make one?”

She shook her head. “That is not the power I possess.” She lifted our connected hands and showed me as she changed her claws to fingers. “Like manipulation, though it’s hard to sustain.”

No wonder she fingered me like she did.

“To hunt. You visited to hunt humans.”

“Yes,” she admitted. “Though I did try to find a companion once or twice beforeher. I brought them here as well.”

Maybe I should have felt afraid knowing I was just another human she brought here, but I couldn’t. Her intentions seemed good.

Afraid? Not really. Annoyed? Oh yes.

Better not to think about it, though.

I nodded and looked back at the land below. It really was something out of a horror movie. But I wasn’t lying when I said I liked it. It was beautiful. But in the same way Aris was beautiful. Otherworldly.

“If you see there…” Aris pointed out to the far right. It took me a few seconds to figure out what she was pointing at, but I gasped when I saw it.

“More demons?” I asked. I could just barely make out their hunched forms in a large dip in the ground. There were about ten of them, and they seemed to be digging something up.

“I employ them. To dig up the roots of the dead trees. We sell it to make alcohol and potions for witches. Some demons swear they can get high off it.”

I gave her an astonished look.

“Sothat’show you have so much money.”

If I didn’t know any better, I would say the slight darkening of her cheeks was a blush.

“It pays well,” she confessed after clearing her throat.

“I bet,” I said with a light huff. “And them? I didn’t think anyone lived here besides that one demon girl.”

“They live far on the edges of my realm with their families. I allow them free rein of the area as long as they work to dig up the roots.”

“That’s nice of you.” I leaned back to get a better look at her. She just shrugged. When her eyes looked back out at the forest, they turned sad. “When was the last time you came here?”

“A long time ago,” she sighed. “I liked to show this to the humans. Like you said, I thought it would remind them of the forests of their homes, but…”

I didn’t like how the words came harsher at the end. Lead filled my stomach.

“Did they try to jump? Is that how you know it won’t kill us?” I forced out, trying to not make my words sound as hollow as they felt.

Her silence told me what I needed to know.

“It’s okay to talk about them,” I said, squeezing her hand.

“You don’t feel… disgusted?” she asked.

“Sometimes scared,” I admitted. Her face fell. “Sometimes upset. But… You are a demon. And given what I saw, eating humans is in your nature. So, I can’t really fault you for trying to survive.”

“And the companions, what about them?” she pushed.

I bit my tongue before answering that one.

“I’m guessing they all came here unwillingly?” A nod. “Did you… force them to?—”

“Never,” she spat. “I would never. Companion doesn’t always mean sex. Sometimes I just wanted a friend. A partner. I employ demons, but we don’t make friends often. They usually live alone, save for their mates. I just wanted…”

---