‘Wait. They’ll die?’
‘They won’t ever stop feeding their lust, not now that they have my mark on their souls. Their need for food and water will not register. Their bodies will not feel its exhaustion. So yes. These mortals will fuck until they die, and their souls will feed my power.’ He looks back at me. Clearly, my look of horror amuses him as he bursts out laughing. ‘Why do you look so distressed? These mortals did not like you. Most would not care if you were aflame. I assure you, their souls have found their rightful place. And now I have been fed, I am stronger. I can keep this mortal vessel and help you get your desired revenge. It’s what you call a win-win. Besides.’ He points at a small group of people gathering by the exit and at the odd person attempting to stop their friends or partners from doing the depraved act that they are doing. ‘It’s not everyone. The sin-free souls can leave whenever they want. See that guy?’ He points at a man in a white porcelain pig mask wanking himself silly. ‘He’s just happy to be here.’
I run after him, my heels clacking on the floor of Gina’s mansion as we pass through the inside of the house. The power of his lust has spread in here, too. I grimace because it really fucking stinks in here. Everyone is feral, completely at a loss for any self-control whatsoever. Many of these faces made my youth a miserable experience. They bullied, humiliated or ignored me.
But does that make this right? Is the fact that I hate them because they are all massive, self-important, stick up their arses, dick heads enough to condemn them to die in the midst of a giant Halloween-themed orgy?
When we get outside, I take in a deep breath of fresh air and swallow the urge to vomit. It really was repulsive in there.
Lust takes me towards the cars. Parked up ahead is Tyler’s deep red Maserati, parked beside countless other ridiculous cars no one in their early twenties should ever be able to afford.
‘It’s not right,’ I tell him, suddenly finding my ability to formulate my words. ‘Wait!’ I tug on his hand, trying to get him to stop. He’s as solid as stone and continues to walk on, pulling me after him. ‘They can’t all die.’
‘They can and they will.’ He shrugs without breaking his stride and unlocks the car. ‘If their souls were sin-free, I wouldn’t have been able to mark them, so really it’s their fault.’
He may be a demon, but he’s a gentleman, opening the door for me and holding his hand to guide me into the passenger seat. He finally looks me in the eye. A strange serenity emanates from him. A peace and calmness that does not fit this situation at all. He was just publicly fucking me. He held the girl I hate in place, encouraging her to lick his cum from my pussy. And he just spread his curse through an entire party, condemning dozens.
His brow furrows as I look at him.
‘You are looking at my hand as though it is about to strike you,’ he says.
‘It usually does,’ I reply, looking from his hand to his deep purple eyes. ‘How can I trust you? You’re a demon and you just condemned all those people in there!’ Even now, I can hear their moans and cries of depraved pleasure.
He steps closer and looks down at me, tilting up my chin so he can hold my gaze.
‘Their souls were marked for Hell long before tonight.’ He steps closer still, and I can’t help the flinch as he descends on me. His eye twitches ever so slightly before he leans down close. His nose touches mine, and he says calmly and softly, ‘My hand will never strike you in anger or retribution, Little Soul. It will never hurt you unless you want it to. But one thing I do promise. It will drip red with the blood and happily claim the souls of any mortal who has ever, or will ever, dare lay their hands on you. That, my dark little wife, I promise you.’ My mouth dries as I hear his words. My heart feels like it skipped several beats and has now tripled in speed to compensate for it.
He takes my hand and guides me silently into the passenger seat. He even secures the seatbelt around me, guiding it slowly across my chest before securing it with a click. The car door closes, and I watch him walk to the driver's side. The engine starts, its deep rumble rattling through my body.
He looks over at me, raising his eyebrows as he revs the powerful engine.
‘I’ll give this mortal some credit. His choice of car is admirable.’
‘Did you just call me your wife?’ I whisper.
‘You caught that, huh?’ He laughs and slides the car into gear. ‘Time to find my brother’s vessel. Ready?’
‘It’s them. The other two vessels are the Brotherhood. Nate and Kai.’
He nods once. ‘Yes. We are their demons. So, they are our vessels.’
‘You know where they are?’
‘We can smell them. If you sleep, my brothers will lead me to them as I led us to this mortal.’
‘What will happen to the people around them when you find them?’
‘That is for my brothers to decide.’
I look back at the house. A fire has started, and it seems everyone is too busy fucking to put it out.
‘Maybe this was a bad idea,’ I mutter.
He spins in his seat, and the chilling danger I see on his features has me sinking into my chair.
‘You made a pact with us, Little Soul. And a pact with a demon is not something you can undo. And a pact made with three demons like us is certainly not something you can undo. So let my brother take possession of you until we locate the vessel, or endure the consequences of betraying me.’
‘What will happen when I free the next demon?’ I glance back at the house of the damned. ‘Will more people die?’