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Kol

Tuesday Night

Dark Haven Rooftop

M y body ached from the brutal awakening but power pulsed in my veins. My dreams had been vivid lately, calling out to the omega I knew was mine.

Harlow.

As I burst from the prison, I expected to be met with fear. Yet she only looked at me with reverence.

For a brief moment, I wanted to tear the demon at her side away from her, but I stopped as she managed to speak.

“Close the portal.”

Her words had me running to the edge of the roof, taking in the fissure below, the portal already breaking free.

I was torn.

Hel created us to follow her will without hesitation, yet my mate behind me was vulnerable and in need.

Ignoring the call of blood to be spilled below, I went back to my mate. She was unconscious, her hand clinging to the demon’s. Or half breed from the look of it.

Their scents were intertwined, as if they belonged together. What had Hel done?

My first thought was to leave him, he wasn’t my concern, yet with her hand in his, I couldn’t deny her this, even as white-hot jealousy pulsed in my veins.

He meant something to her yet I was a stranger.

There would be time to fix that when our task was done.

I refused to sleep in stone for Hel again. Her visions had come to pass and I had a job to do, but my mate would be my priority now.

Tucking them under the safety of the overhang, I went to the edge of the roof and pulled the horn from my side, blowing hard.

The low note reverberated in the night before lightning struck in quick succession, bolt after bolt striking the stone figures, waking up my army.

Crouching down, I sprung into the air, my wings catching the wind and propelling me down into the fray of demons below.

Talons met shadow as we waged war on the demons who had breached the portal and betrayed Hel.

For now, my mate would have to wait.

Monty

Tuesday Night

Courtyard

This was not how things were supposed to go. My demons were rebelling against not just me, but Hel. They’d die for it in the end, but this was far more than one commander could handle.

Somehow, Vane and a few power-hungry demons had started a full rebellion.

Even worse was that Harlow needed me and I couldn't be there for her or everyone here would die.

The only bright side was that with this breach in our deal, I might finally get the order to kill Vane.

It would be slow and painful. I’d take my time carving his flesh and forcing screams to tear from his bruised throat. He’d be a shell of the vile man he was now.

Maybe I’d have Harlow watch.

My thoughts fell away as another wave of demons poured from the portal. I’d fought so many waves so far and there were countless more to come.

You couldn’t dangle freedom in front of a demon and expect them to stay away.

They weren’t as strong as the rebellious demons that had fed here for weeks unnoticed. I made easy work of casting them back in. But my magic was wavering as was my strength. I couldn't keep this up, but I had to fight, otherwise Dark Haven would be lost, and Harlow along with it.

A loud blaring horn cut through the sounds of battle and several gargoyles dropped from the roof to join the fray.

It seemed Harlow had awoken the gargoyles. But as they started stemming the tide of demons, I couldn’t find the same fury I'd held for them before.

At this moment, we were allies.

Maybe the gargoyles weren’t the enemy I expected them to be.

Right now, they were our only hope.