Page 25

Dax

“What the actual fuck, Adonis?! You selfish bastard!” With a surge of frustration, I hurl my glass across the kitchen. It soars through the air before crashing against the tiled floor, exploding into a cascade of sparkling shards that glitter like tiny diamonds scattered across the room.

“Calm down, Dax. I’m sure he has a good explanation,” Killian says mockingly.

Adonis crosses his arms. His shit-eating grin makes me want to pummel his pretty face in.

“Listen… I’m not sorry I did that.”

“Oh, for fucks sake! Do you even know what that felt like motherfucker? Bonding with your mate fully and then just being thrown out like trash because you wanted her all to yourself?!” I yell, throwing my hands up in disbelief.

“Let me finish, Dax!” He yells. I look over at Killian and he shrugs his shoulders and rolls his eyes.

“I have no regrets about my decision because I envisioned my first experience with Dani as a moment just for the two of us. You both reinforced your connections with her while the rest of us were present, and that’s for you to wrestle with.

I anticipated feeling disappointed after our night together, convinced that there was no possibility my demonic rune would ever manifest on her skin… yet it did. It fucking did.”

Killian and I exchange wide-eyed glances, disbelief washing over our faces. “Woah, are you serious, man?” Killian asks, his voice laced with incredulity as he strides forward, closing the distance between himself and Adonis, curiosity sparking in his gaze .

I’m still fucking annoyed with him…

Adonis nods. “Yeah, it’s very faint, but it’s there. You both were right.” He grits his teeth, tension radiating from his jaw as if each syllable is a monumental effort.

“I’m sorry, can you please say those words again for the record?” I tease Adonis and he gives me a look I know all too well.

“Alright, well… this is good, but dammit, Adonis, you knew exactly how we would feel about leaving her after we bonded ourselves to her. You understand the gravity of that bond—what it truly means once we complete it with our mate—and yet you’ve cast us aside like we don’t matter,” I say, the weight of betrayal heavy in my voice.

“I know, I know, and I’m sorry I did that to you both, but I hope you can understand where I’m coming from. I promise you guys, I will make it up to you,” he says with his best cheeky smile, and I roll my eyes because it worked.

“Dani needs a little bit of time to think about everything. This morning, I laid it all bare for her—the weight of the curse that looms over us, the intricate ties that bind us, her ultimatum on choosing either the town or us.”

“I’m sorry, what? What do you mean, choosing us or the town? Isn’t it just one curse? She breaks it and everything is free from Octavia’s curse?” Killian speaks up. Adonis said that last part way too casually.

“It’s in the grimoire… In the spell. Octavia made this spell, hoping that whomever summoned us would choose to free the town of its silly rain curse and keep their soul rather than free us and all who dwell here.”

What in the actual seven realms of hell.

“Keep their soul? What does that fucking mean? And why didn’t you ever tell us any of this! Don’t you think that information is fucking important for us to know?” Killian is now furious. He grabs Adonis by the shirt and pushes him away.

I chime in, “I’d like to know that answer too. ”

“Well…” Adonis sighs. His shoulders fall heavy with what seems like shame. “What I didn’t tell Dani, or any of you, is that if she chooses to free us—which I’m still certain my rune won’t fill in on her because of—”

“Your missing soul,” Killian and I say simultaneously. “Yeah, we know. Quit being a baby about it, dude.”

Adonis gives me a warning glare, but I keep my pissed-off expression.

“If Dani decides to grant us our freedom by performing the spell, she must understand the weight of that choice. There would be… consequences. In doing so, she would relinquish her soul to us, in exchange for our freedom. Meaning she cannot remain in this realm. It would be as if she were making a profound sacrifice, effectively selling her soul to our cause. This decision would usher her into the afterlife alongside us, severing the ties she has to her current existence and leaving behind the world of her loved ones forever.”

“She would fucking die? Are you serious right now?!” My blood is fucking boiling finding all of this out now after centuries, CENTURIES, of Adonis withholding this information.

Amelia walks in, “I take it this is a bad time?” Her eyes dart between the three of us.

“Yes,” I say sharply, never taking my eyes off Adonis.

“She is going to choose us. I know this. She hasn’t said it yet, but I can sense her intentions. She is already incredibly bonded to us three and feels deeply, especially for you two.”

I sigh.

I don’t want Dani to die. I want her to live. To be free. To make a life for herself. And I selfishly want to be the one by her side during it all along with Killian and Adonis.

“You know, you all have the option to choose not to enter the afterlife if you’re freed, right?” Amelia’s bright, cheerful voice cuts through the heavy silence, drawing the attention of everyone in the room .

A hush falls over us as we turn to her, expressions of shock and disbelief etched on our faces. The weight of her words hang in the air, and for a moment, we are frozen—struck dumb by the unexpected possibility she just introduced.

“Wow. You all really are morons, aren’t you?

” She giggles and continues, “You all need to read a book… In fact, you need to read the grimoire. Anyway, yes Dani would have to give her soul up and become a demon like you all— become immortal. But, you all would have a choice. The afterlife is all about strict laws and cosmic balance, and we were all confined here due to our misdeeds in the afterlife. Well, not so much me. I was meant to accompany you clowns on this enlightening journey.”

She can be insufferable sometimes…

“Get on with it!” I growl at Amelia.

“Alright, alright, geez. The liberation from the afterlife was not merely a vengeful act against demons, gods, creatures, and angels; it was, in fact, a profound decision that mirrors our unique natures and the far-reaching repercussions of our actions. Each of you is now presented with a remarkable opportunity—should you choose to embrace it—to delve deeply into your intentions and desires in ways beyond your reach in your previous existence. This is a chance to navigate the labyrinth of your choices, to confront the shadows and illuminate the paths that lay before you, as you seek to understand the essence of who you truly are.”

“The Nature of Free Will,” Adonis whispers, his voice a mere rustle in the room’s stillness.

“Yes! Exactly,” she continues, her eyes shimmering with a fervent intensity. “Though you’ve always had free will, rather than thriving on manipulation and deceit, demons can wrestle with the profound concept of choice, examining it through a more enlightened lens. ”

“The choice to stay or return is up to each of us,” I say though I am questioning more.

“Ding ding ding! It’s time for all of you to shatter the chains of your predestined paths and liberate yourselves from the narrow and conventional beliefs that paint demons solely as malevolent and manipulative beings.

You were all condemned to learn, to grow.

This curse was meant to happen so you all could grow, and once you do, you can re-enter the afterlife.

Embrace the opportunity to forge new identities and a new purpose.

Each of you embodies unique facets of love, shimmering like different vibrant colors.

” Amelia smiles at each of us. “Demons are not inherently evil or doomed to the fiery depths of hell; rather, a chance for redemption and transformation. Of course, Dani must make the pivotal choice to break the curse that binds you all here and give up her soul willingly… I’m not sure how she feels about becoming a demon, but if she takes that brave step, the power lies within each of you to determine what unfolds next.

The future is yours to shape and mold as you see fit.

If you all choose to go to the afterlife, Dani can choose to go there as well. Or, you all stay here.”

“But the town... I thought it was between breaking the curse of the town or us. That’s what Octavia told me and that’s what is in the grimoire. She told me we could never be free because of what she took from me. She used me, and damned us all.” Adonis’ brows furrow.

“Octavia was nothing but a venomous manipulator, Adonis!” Amelia’s voice held an intensity I had never heard before, her words cutting through the air with fierce clarity.

“Every single thing she told you was drenched in deceit. If Dani manages to break your curse—and I believe she will—the grip of the town’s curse will shatter along with it.

Though she would be agreeing to becoming a demon, she could essentially choose to stay in this realm with you all or choose to go to the afterlife.

This is all about free will. Octavia has taken something essential from you, Adonis, and we must reclaim it.

You have to dig deep and fight for it. For all of us. Fight for Dani.”

“How can I fight if I don’t even know who I am? How can I love her when I am missing that part of me?!” Adonis’ anguished words pierce through the stillness of the room, sending a sharp pang through my heart.

“Adonis…” Amelia begins gently, as we watch the turmoil flicker in his deep-set blue eyes. “You don’t need to dwell on that void within you. Instead, perhaps you should immerse yourself in your profound feelings for Dani. Embrace the warmth of those emotions, let them guide you.”

“Why haven’t you spoken up earlier, Amelia?” Adonis inquires, a mix of confusion and frustration etched across his features.

Amelia takes a moment, her ethereal presence shimmers in the dim light as she gazes into the distance, her voice a soft, melodic whisper.

“I don’t know… perhaps it’s because you never thought to ask?

I’m a celestial being, Adonis, cast down from celestial heights to guide you, to guide all of you.

My purpose isn’t to unveil every mystery or provide the answers to every question swirling in your mind.

Part of your banishment is growth, and you can’t grow if I give you all of the answers now can you?

Dani, though, she’s an incredibly wise woman, and her love for you all radiates like a warm glow. I know this deep within my being.”

Love .

“What do you mean, ‘love’?” Adonis asks as I process all this information.

“Oh, gods! You all need some serious help. For being demons, you aren’t the brightest bunch.

Guess its true, man really does need a woman to give them the answers,” she snickers and then continues.

“Adonis, you should know this. But I guess if you can’t pull your head out of your ass and stop with your self-pity, it would make sense that you haven’t realized it yet. ”

“Oooh, burn!” Killian jokes as he and Amelia touch their fingertips together like they always do and make a hissing sound mimicking fire being put out.

The three of us erupt into laughter, the sound bubbling like a spring as we savor Amelia’s witty words, but Adonis stays stone-cold.

“What?” she replies, her voice laced with playful innocence.

“It’s true! And deep down, you all know it.

” A radiant smile spreads across her face as she glides over to Adonis, her fingers gently resting over his heart as if to emphasize her words.

“Dani loves you. She loves all of you,” she declares, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Now, who wants to lend a hand in sprucing up the house?!”

A chorus of groans echo through the kitchen, the vibe now thick with reluctance.

Adonis, visibly flustered, mutters something under his breath before quickly retreating from the room, leaving behind the remnants of a lively gathering.

I need to talk to Dani. The urgency swells within me, a magnetic pull on my heartstrings that urges me to seek her out.

“Um… I gotta go. Thanks for everything, Amelia.” I approach her and gently kiss the top of her head, a simple gesture filled with warmth.

Love. That single word echoes relentlessly in my mind, weaving through my thoughts like a haunting melody. I feel like a dick that I didn’t tell Dani I loved her the last time we were together. Though, Adonis kind of fucking ruined that for me.

I know that Dani craves solitude right now, but the desire to be with her overshadows everything else. I can’t ignore the beckoning call of my heart.

I’m going to her and I’m going to tell her how much I fucking love her.