Page 118 of Daman
Bitterness landed on my tongue, and I studied Phoenix closer. Envy had picked it up from him. However, I couldn’t tell if he was jealous that Bellamy fucked Elon… or that Elon fucked Bellamy.
“Stand down, Phoenix,” said a voice that sent shivers down my spine.
My pulse quickened, and electricity coursed through my bloodstream. Asa’s red eyes appeared first, staring at me from the shadows of misshapen trees ahead. When he stepped forward, my airways constricted. He looked identical to his father.
I hated the effect Asa had on me—had on all of us. Bellamy felt it too and gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to drop to his knees in a bow. Lucifer’s blood ran through Asa’s veins, causing ours to respond to his presence.
“Yeah, Phoenix,” Bellamy said, eyes pinned on the demon. “Be a good lapdog and do what your master says.”
The demon clenched his jaw but obeyed, taking a step back.
“Stay close to me,” Warrin whispered in my ear, hand touching the small of my back.
“You’ve claimed him as your mate,” Asa said to me, head tilted curiously. His long black hair was pulled back from his face, and he was shirtless, his wings jutting from his shoulder blades. Shades of silver and red mixed with the black feathers. “That should make this easy.”
“Make what easy?” Warrin growled, placing me more behind his massive body. “I will rip you limb from limb before I ever allow you to harm a hair on his head.”
“You’re strong, dragon, but not strong enough to defeat me. My offer still stands. I can take your army by force, but I’d rather have their undying loyalty. I can’t get that unless you’re by my side.”
“I’ll never join you.”
“Pity.” Asa’s gaze fell to me. “He loves you, Envy. More than you deserve. Will you truly be the reason he falls to my sword? If not for you, the ice kingdom would’ve remained neutral in this fight. Then, when I came to propose an alliance, their loyalty wouldn’t have been compromised. Your actions have signed his death warrant. His blood, and the blood of everyone he loves, will be on your hands. Unless.” He held up a finger, the edge of his mouth hitching up. “You release him.”
If I had never married Warrin, Nikolai would’ve eventually sided with Asa. The dragon king had questioned our alliance since the beginning, thinking it had been a mistake, that we weren’t powerful enough to defeat the son of Lucifer and his dark army. Warrin and I would’ve faced each other in battle. We would’ve been enemies.
“You’ll die either way,” Asa continued, taking advantage of my hesitation. Of my doubt. “But you can spare him.”
“Don’t listen to his lies,” Bellamy said. “We defeated Lucifer. This fool is nothing compared to him.”
“Fool?” Asa’s eyes flashed a brighter red, and my brother cried out in pain, falling to his knees in the snow and holding his head. “Let’s see if you still feel that way once your brains are scrambled.”
“Bell!” I tried to rush forward, but Warrin held me back. “Let me go!”
“No.” His arms came around my waist, mouth at my ear. “That’s what he wants.”
“I don’t care! That’s my brother.”
Phoenix wavered in place, eyes darting from Bellamy to Asa. “Sir? Most of the shades have been killed. If we’re going to find the key, we need to move quickly.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Asa released the hold on Bellamy, and my brother slumped forward, hands pushing into the snow. “You’re all so weak. How you managed to defeat my father, I’ll never understand.”
“You’ll never be as powerful as Lucifer,” I said, my voice sounding off to my ears. Deeper. Envy was speaking through me. “You’ll always be lost in his shadow.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Asa asked, eyes widening a fraction.
“The legions of demons under your command only follow you because of him,” I continued, using the power I’d vowed long ago to never use again. I was tapping into Asa’s insecurities and magnifying them. “Belphegor served Lucifer and hates that he now has to answer to a brat like you. He thinks you’re nothing but a child trying to sit at the adult’s table.”
“Stop this!” Asa’s eyes glowed brighter. My head ached, but it wasn’t strong enough to take me down. Envy had tangled Asa in a web of self-doubt and bitter jealousy, weakening him by weakening his mind.
“You’re a disappointment,” I said, walking closer to him and shaking off Warrin when he tried to stop me. I was too focused on breaking Asa down. And fuck if I wasn’t getting a sick enjoyment out of it. “You’re a son who will never live up to his father’s reputation. Everything you have, your army, even the power singing in your blood, wasn’t earned. The throne you sit upon will never truly belong to you.”
Asa grabbed his head, hands pressed hard over both ears. “I’ve earned it!”
“Have you?” I was only a handful of feet from him now. “From where I’m standing, you’re just a pitiful replacement for the Morningstar. Belphegor, Ramiel, and everyone is just waiting for you to fail. If your father couldn’t defeat us, why do you think you’ll fare any better?”
Commotion stirred behind me, and I looked to see Warrin and Phoenix locked into combat, swords sparking as they collided in the air. The demon had tried to attack me. Probably to shut me up.
“I’m going to enjoy tearing you apart,” Asa hissed between clenched teeth. “How dare you speak to me like this. You’re not even worthy to stand in my presence.”
