Page 16 of How to Accidentally get Trapped in Hell

I’m so lost in my anger that I don’t realize where I’m going until I bump into someone who doesn’t scurry out of my way stuttering an apology.

“Woah, dude. What’s your problem?” Zephyr huffs.

It’s then that I look around for the first time since leaving Belz. I’m startled to see the palace walls around us. I must have come here on autopilot. When I don’t respond, Zeph waves his hand in front of my face.

“Hello? Hell to Zarreth? The fuck is going on with you?” my brother asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Sorry. I was distracted,” I mumble, scowling when he chuckles at me.

“Ya don’t say.” He shakes his head in amusement. “You okay? It’s not like you to be so unobservant.”

“I’m fine. Just ran into your girlfriend,” I sneer.

His eyes widen at the animosity in my voice before quickly morphing into a death glare. “What the fuck is your problem with Maddy? She’s never done anything to you,” he snaps.

“Hasn’t she?” I raise a brow in challenge before rolling my eyes and shaking my head. It doesn’t matter. He wouldn’t understand. He’s too fucking pussy drunk to actually care about how this whole situation makes me feel. And I tell him as much.

“Fuck you. She’s my fucking mate! I’m not fucking pussy drunk just because I’m happy I finally found her. Hell, I’m fucking ecstatic! If you’d pull your head out of your ass for two seconds you’d see what I see.”

“All I see is a half-human bitch that’s tearing my family apart,” I snarl. “I don’t care what you see when you look at her. If I never see her again it would be too soon.” I spin on my heel and stomp back down the hall leading to the door. I have to get the fuck out of here before I do something I’ll regret. Like tearing my brother apart.

I should be happy for him… both him and Belz. Finding your fated mate is a huge deal. It doesn’t happen often and when it does, it’s celebrated. But every time I think about her I remember how her mother betrayed me. When I see her, I see Luc lashing me with his cat-o-nine-tails, eyes dark with fury and a spark of hurt that tears me up worse than the spikes from his whip ever could.

I won’t lie… at least not to myself… When I first saw her, I was attracted to her. Besides her creamy skin and delectable curves that I instantly wanted to explore, I felt some kind of pull to her. Something deep inside me told me I needed to learn everything there was to know about her. But as soon as I found out Zofina was her mother… It’s like a switch flipped. She was the reason for my torture. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be a shell of my old self, pretending everything was fine. Pretending the demon who was like a second father to me hadn’t chained me up and tortured me for helping my best friend, his daughter… her mother.

Now it doesn’t matter if I still feel that stupid pull. Even knowing it’s probably the mate bond calling to me. I can’t ever see her as anything other than my downfall. She ruined my life simply by existing. I’ll try to be happy for my brother, but that’s the best I can do. I won’t join her harem. I won’t let her suck me in and destroy me even more. Mate or no, it’s not worth it.

Somehow I end up back at the house. I don’t remember the walk here. I was so lost in thought and apparently, once again, walking on autopilot. As soon as I open the door, Fireball attacks me. Shit. Has he been locked up all day?

“Down boy,” I order, attempting to push him off me so I can enter the room and close the door. He, of course, doesn’t listen. Just keeps his paws on my chest, licking me between excited barks. I can’t help but laugh at his reaction to seeing me. It’s enough to pull me out of my bad mood. This is how every demon should be greeted at the door. Though it would be better if it was a woman lavishing me with attention because she missed me so much.

Of fucking course, that thought brings the unwelcome image of Maddy jumping me as soon as I get home. And now I’m pissed off all over again. I don’t want to think of her like that. Ever. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like my cock has gotten that memo. It’s hard as steel from the brief vision of her with her legs wrapped around my hips and my fingers digging into her perfect ass as she attacks my mouth like a starving woman. I swear I can feel the heat from her pussy as she grinds against me in her fervor. It was a flash of an image in my mind, here one second and gone the next, but I have a feeling I’ll remember every detail for as long as I live.

I finally push my way inside, slamming the door in my annoyance that once again, she’s invading my thoughts. I know I should just get used to it. She’s not going anywhere. But I’m a stubborn asshole at the best of times, and I vow to never let my resentment go. I don’t care if she is my mate. She’ll have to be happy with the two she has. She’s not dragging me into her bullshit.

“Hey, man. I thought I heard Fireball going crazy,” Oz calls from the hallway as I walk past it to the kitchen. I need a strong drink to help rid me of the painful memories she’s dragged up.

I ignore my best friend as I grab a glass from the cabinet before reaching for the Rieken and pouring a hefty splash. I feel his presence behind me as I down the entire glass.

“Rough day?” he asks with a teasing lilt. I continue to ignore him as I fill the glass once more. “Fair enough. Drinking to relax or to forget?”

“Forget,” I growl in response.

“Okay, then. Be right back.” He nods once before heading back the way he came.

I wish he wouldn’t. I’m really not good company right now. I don’t want to snap at him like I did Belz and Zeph. But at least he won’t try to get me to talk about my feelings.

A minute later, he returns with his own bottle of the dark amber liquid. Reaching past me, he grabs a glass before retreating to the living room and sitting in his oversized chair without a word. Sighing, I take my bottle and glass and join him in the living room, sitting diagonally from him on the couch. We sit there for a while, both of us sipping our drinks, not saying anything until I’m finally drunk enough to attempt to make conversation.

“How was work?” I grumble, thinking that’s the safest conversation. Boy was I wrong.

“It was… interesting.” At my raised brow, he elaborates. “Luc brought Maddy to Torture Hall today.”

“Great. Bet that went well. I can just imagine the little princess bawling her eyes out when she sees what happens in the rooms.”

“Actually, she was surprisingly okay with it all. She even helped Luc and I torture this one disgusting soul. A bit disappointing because I was looking forward to watching her squirm as Luc and I tortured him. But it was also hot as hell to watch her use her powers to make him scream. She’s so powerful she could torture him better than me with just a thought. Fuck. My cock’s still hard.”

“Oh, fucking hell. Not you too! What the fuck is so special about this bitch? I’m so tired of everyone falling all over her!” I seethe. “And I swear to fucking Lucifer, you better keep your fucking dick in your pants. I don’t care how hot you think she is, or how much I hate her. She’s still my brother’s fucking mate. Don’t fucking come between them.”

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