Page 3 of Dormeo
After an uncomfortably long pause designed to demonstrate how powerful and important he is, his deep booming voice calls from far inside.
“Enter.”
A man who has a flair for the dramatic, sits on a throne with a roaring fire on one side, and a table laden with sumptuous food and drink on the other.
Kneeling in front of him, head bowed, is a snivelling, beady-eyed wasp of a man. Though he trembles with fear and keeps his gaze lowered, the clenched fists at his sides betray his true feelings about this situation.
And his hatred for the demon in front of him.
Only the desperate come here, knowing they’ll sell a piece of their soul to leave with whatever they need. But that doesn’t mean they have to be happy about it.
“Farly here has come to us in need of some assistance,” my father says, his eyes gleaming with delight at whatever predicament the man before him has found himself in. “And as I’ve told him, of course, we’re happy to help. For a price.”
LordFarly stiffens. If someone called himFarlyin his own land and didn’t address him with his title, they would probably hang for it. But here, he’s powerless, and is forced to endure the disrespect in silence.
“You,Father. Notwe. I am so far uninvolved in whatever Machiavellian scheme you’ve come up with to entertain yourself.”
My father’s fake, and quite frankly, terrifying smile fades briefly, and his mask slips from the almost normal visage of a lower-level demon to the horror that lurks beneath. Whatever plan he has up his sleeve, it’s one he’s particularly proud of, which doesn’t bode well for the man cowering before him.
Farly quakes and fails to smother his gasp, catching a glimpse of the real monster he’s dealing with for the first time. The reality of what he’s done appears to be sinking in as he shuffles backward on his knees, face pale, and heart racing.
He may have a heart attack before he leaves with whatever he came here for.
“Let’s not exaggerate,” my father says through gritted teeth, beckoning me closer with the long black talons that curl from the tips of his fingers.
Reluctantly, I approach, wishing he would leave me out of this one but knowing that resisting is futile.
Farly looks like he wants to bolt for the door but knows it’s too late. There’s no going back now.
“Ash is going to take goodcareof your collateral. She’s in safe hands.”
Farly’s gaze drops to my huge black hands and grimaces at the sight of my claws.
“And provided you honour your side of the bargain, Rose will be returned to you at the end of our agreement.”
My mind flits to the woman currently riding Gaap’s giant cock, another piece ofcollateralmy father recently collected. I doubt whoever left her here would consider what Gaap is doing right now astaking careof her.
The muscles in Farly’s back bunch and twist as he turns to look at me, with more backbone than most of the human men we see down here.
“She is not to be harmed. Nor… used against her will.” Farly pales as he says the last part.
If Gaap gets his hands on her, she’ll be more than willing.
“For a man who’s agreed to hand over someone he supposedly cares for to the devil himself, your concern for her welfare reeks of hypocrisy.” I drawl, enjoying how he grinds his teeth in anger at being called out on his bullshit.
If he wanted her safe, he would never have brought her here, no matter how dire the circumstances he’s found himself in.
This last-minute show of acting like he gives a shit is to soothe his own guilty conscience. Nothing more.
“Ash will guard her personally.” My father’s assurance floors me.
This is new.
Surely, there are better things I could be doing for him than babysitting some spoiled Lady who’s about to experience a spectacular fall from grace. What is so important about her that I need to be dragged in to babysit?
“Anyone could do this job.” I complain, aware that challenging my father’s decision puts me on thin ice. “I thought you had otherpriorities for me.”
Like how to eliminate the various threats from other supernaturals, all looking for control of this very gateway.
