Page 50 of Hellish Fae
My eyebrows lift at that confession because one, I had no idea he was a morph. They’re terrifying when they know your fears. They feed right off of it. And also…
Valkyries are said to be prideful warriors. Massive and powerful creatures. Hateful creatures. No one hates demons more than the protectors of gods.
A sinking emotion drops through my stomach, and I look at him differently now. The man who’s scarred beyond repair. The one with runes carved so deep into his skin, it’s like he’d do anything to stop himself from his own dark fate.
And that’s when he strikes.
His blow arcs down so fast, the blunt end of my broken blade barely collides in time with his. His weapon lodges there within the frayed splinters of my sword. My arms tremble from the force of his strength. His body melds with mine, and stinging heat sears into me where his skin brushes mine.
With my sword, I fling him off of me. He storms right back. Within the span of a single breath, his blade is cutting through the silence and jarring into mine once more.
His battering attacks come one after another after another, until my body is trembling from exertion, and my breath is ragged.
He never once uses the deadly iron blades along his arms. It’s like he’s going easy on me, or perhaps he thinks it’s a fairer fight.
“How come you haven’t morphed with me?” I ask breathlessly. I do it to distract him, but I also ask because I’m so fucking out of breath I just need a minute.
“It’s not something I care to share with anyone. I don’t like that side of me,” he says on a casual tone. Not one fucking bit out of breath.
“Show me.” I lift my chin tot him and he studies me for a minute.
And then, he unfortunately does exactly what I asked of him.
He changes into my biggest fear.
How he knows what I fear is beyond me, but he’s clearly paid attention. And it’s just enough to distract me.
His big body melts down into a small frame. His limbs don’t break into crawling creatures like snakes, or spiders. It isn’t a beast I fear most in this world.
The young boy tilts his head, his shining crown moving right along with him. It isn’t the prince’s crown though. It’s the larger, heavier crown of a king. The smile he gives me is one I’ve seen all my life. It used to be genuine once upon a time.
It’s terrifying now.
And seeing my brother as king and ultimate ruler of the Kingdom of Ashes, that’s more fucking terrifying than any monster Ryke could have shown me.
My brother wouldn’t just enslave demons as my father does. He’d annihilate them. He wouldn’t stop until he’d made their race a long-lost memory of extinction.
With a flicker of magic snapping around him, the bulging muscle and long scars cast across his body before he morphs back into demon I know. Big leathery wings shadow across his handsome face.
And then he swings at me.
I fend him off but I’m still shaken and he just keeps coming. Blow after blow after blow. He shoves me back until just a few feet of space separate us.
“Give in yet, baby?” he asks with that same asshole smile. His big body barely has a sheen of sweat clinging to his skin.
His cockiness pisses me off more than anything he could ever say.
But it’s clear he’s too strong for me. Not just physically, but his power too. Fae are naturally stronger than demons, but thanks to Corva, he’s a mixture of high fae, powerful Valkyrie, and demonic energy.
I can’t win.
Not fairly, anyway.
But I know better than anyone that life isn’t fair.
I drop my shattered weapon to the floor, and it hits with a solid thump. From along the wall, Zaviar tilts his head at me with a shocked expression lining his handsome face. Damien now stands in the doorway, his sweeping gaze dragging from me to his friend slowly. He seems healthier than when I saw him last. His attention holds on me with gleaming interest. His new smooth black wings loom behind him. They’re a massive shadow behind him and they only appear to deepen the concerned look in his dark eyes.
Neither of them can seem to believe I just gave in.
