Page 99 of Demonic Cage
The demons are crazier than ever. They tear their black skin with their wings, biting into each other’s flesh to the beat of the techno music.
I have enough willpower not to climb onto Darya; the roar of the crowd filling me with a long-lost calm. The music pauses momentarily as the Demon King descends with me in his arms, and the crowd bows. I know they do it for him, yet they look towards me. They’re looking at us. They bowed to us.
The feeling of how good it would be to command someone takes hold of me. To control. Never to fall into a trap again. Darya waves the monsters back into position with a flick of his wrist, and they continue the evening.
Nárs appears beside us, and lifting me from the ground, dances me around by the throne, laughing.
“Little Flower! I’m so glad you’ve come!”
I smile. The lights blur, everything slows down.
“Yeah,” I respond cheerfully.
Nárs finally sets me down and looks into my eyes. Darya has disappeared from our side, chatting with Kripot.
“You’ll finally enjoy this cruel night!”
I laugh and sit down, moving my head to the beat of the music. Darya steps beside me, offering up his slashed wrist to me. There’s no need for explanation; desire for his blood widens my eyes. Its taste is now sweet and spicy. I can only swallowtwice before the demon withdraws his hand, sinking to one knee beside me. He gently kisses the remaining blood off my lips. I slowly return the kiss, and a short sigh escapes my mouth. He pulls away, smiling at me, and my heart thumps loudly as I smile back.
“Aren’t you taking me dancing?” I ask. His silver hair fills my vision like white light, his gray eyes slowly becoming black.
“Later,” he says, turning back to Kripot.
I furrow my brow, and Nárs whistles. It’s as if a bird flies out of his mouth, entering one ear and exiting the other, but when I blink, there is nothing.
“I shuddered at that kiss. What do you think would happen if I kissed Kripot?” he asks.
I laugh. “You’d end up dead at the foot of the stairs.”
He closes his eyes.
“At least he’d notice me!” He licks his lips. “At least it would hurt!”
I ruffle his hair. He might say more, but I’m focused on something else. A dark-skinned woman walks up the marble steps. Her coral-colored hair is dull, her face sunken and bony. Bruises cover her wrists and ankles. Some of the wounds seem too deep, only partially healed.
Nárs follows my gaze.
“She’s been chained ever since she kidnapped you. Defied her king.”
I watch the broken Léthé, who still won’t look at me. She sits much more cautiously in the fur-lined armchair than last time. Her pains must be severe.
I smile. Darya did this for me.
“Why didn’t he kill her?” I ask Nárs, causing the demon to raise his eyebrows. Laughter bursts from him, and he leans back and forth in his seat. I can’t help but join in; every fiber of mybeing desires the mermaid’s severed head. I hope she screamed with each blow.
“I adore you!” the demon beside declares, embracing my shoulder.
I lean into the hug. “Although I’d be glad for that to have happened, Darya gave the siren too much power.”
Jealousy pierces me when I think of what more Léthé could have got herhandson, thanks to Darya.
“Won’t she turn against the Demon King?”
“The Kraldem can do anything with her. She won’t stop loving him.”
Then I’d like to know what would be more painful for her.
I leap up beside Darya. Sweet dizziness envelops me, but I don’t care. I grip his leather coat as he looks at me.
