Page 71 of Hellish Fae
“Why? That’s what you have to say. Why?” Each word he says gets a little more growl in it than the last. “Maverick took me to where they lay their demons to rest. He said Voren has one too. Corva could exorcise you, and you know it. Just . . . let this all go. Let yourself be free of all this, and finally live your life.”
Live my life. It’s that easy in his little mind. My mates are demons, and he wants me to just vomit up a centuries-old corpse from inside myself and seal my mates away in the Torch.
He wants me to just let the hate that’s surrounded me all my life win.
“No,” I whisper, my chin tipping up hard. “I could get rid of the essence inside me by myself, Zaviar. That’s not the problem. The problem is everyone else. Everyone who thinks their lives are worth more than demons and humans. I refuse to accept that that’s the way the world is supposed to be. And I’m going to fix it.”
The curses that filter out of his mouth don’t distract me from sorting through my thoughts.
I’m going tonight. Right now.
I’m going to gather any weapon I can find.
And I’m going to make the fae realm the way it was always meant to be before it gets any worse.
Once and for all.
23
Sisterly Love
Aries
My wings glide effortlessly through the night air, and it’d be the calm before the storm if I wasn’t surrounded by an entourage of winged men I clearly told to fuck off.
They never listen to me. Never.
“I think we should sneak in through the roof. There’s an escape route there that leads directly down to the demon’s quarters on the lower level,” Krave says loudly over the whipping wind.
“We’re not doing that,” I answer flatly.
This is my uprising, and I want to rise up the right way.
I drift lower through the enormous tree limbs that hide me away until I’m slipping right into the high hedges of my mother’s rose garden.
The scent brings back too many memories.
Too many things from my past crash through my mind.
When I was twelve, a boy kissed me for the first time. He was tall and handsome. All long legs and boyish smiles. He was a demon. My father’s demon. And when we snuck away to the beautiful garden, laughing and passing coy touches here and there, he kissed me.
I stumble in my steps as I pass the small curved concrete bench tucked away from sight.
Blood still stains the brick there.
I vividly remember the way that boy’s throat split clean open from my brother’s knife when he found us hidden away there.
They left the demon boy to rot until the flowers and the dirt buried him naturally. Just like they did with the little one who was my only friend. The maids and the guards were ordered to leave his bloody corpse there as a reminder.
A reminder I won’t ever forget.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath to calm my already slamming heartbeat. My hand lingers on the cold brass of the doorknob.
“This entrance is directly below my brother’s room. He isn’t to be disturbed. Ever. He sleeps when he likes, and he rises when he likes. So I won’t be interrupted. I’ll do it.Iwant to be the one to do it.” I cut a hard stare toward Damien and then Krave.
Only Damien has the good sense to look worried.
“Did I ever tell you how sexy you are when you tell me what to do, love?” Krave says with a slashing smile and smoke wafting from his fingertips.
