Page 48 of Hunted By Fear

“Rome is pulling her mind apart and rebuilding it like it’s a game, like she’s a set of Legos, and you're worried about why you weren’t first?!” He pulls me down until we're damn near nose to nose. We’re close enough in height that I could easily use the floor to even the playing field, push out of his hold, and maybe even deck him for good measure.

But as his words sink in, I can’t make myself move.

He’s right.

Fuck, I hate when he and Asta are right. They're always so level-headed and logical, and I know I’ll never hear the end of this.

Even worse, KaihatesAeri, supposedly, so if he can see this, I’m really fucking up.

I let my hurt ego blind me to what’s really important here. It doesn’t matter whose mate she is; even if she’s never mine like that, she doesn’t deserve to be stuck with Rome the way she is.

Even so, I want her to be mine, and I want to be hers.

I’ve never wanted that before, never cared if demons were mateless for eternity. What did I need a mate for?

Someone to tie me down and try to tame me? No thanks. I’d been freed when I fell to Hell with my brothers, and I never intended to wear shackles again.

But with Aeri, it doesn’t feel like shackles. It doesn’t feel forced or like she wants to change me. I might have worn a different face that night with her in the bar, but it was the most I’d been myself in a long time. No expectations or impossible standards like I’d grown used to.

With Aeri, everything is easy, natural, and right in a way I’d never experienced before. I can see why some search for their mate for all of eternity.

“You're right.” My shoulders slump, and I let my head hang, unwilling to fight even if I think it might do us both good to let off some steam.

“What?” The shock in Kai’s voice is almost laughable. His hand loosens from around my throat, and I stand in front of him, meeting his gaze. His brows draw together as he watches me as if waiting for me to say something else or throw a punch.

Not that I blame him; this is a bit out of character for me, but everything feels different with Aeri, and as I watch him, I know for sure it’s not just me who feels it, no matter what Kai tries to say.

“You're right, I’m being stupid and selfish. I want her, want her to want me, and I hate that Lulu got her first, but that isn’t what this is about. Right now, we just need to get Rome out of her head. Then, once she is mine, I can show her all the ways I’m better than Lulu and the fucking rest of you.” I rub my hands together like the villains from the old movies as a wicked grin pulls at my lips. Ideas of how I’ll show her begin to fill my mind, and while I have other things to worry about, it won’t hurt to write the ideas down for later.

Lulu is already in the lead! He let us bring her here, to his fucking castle, having the imps cook her whatever she wants, providing beautiful dresses–ones that I would love to see on the floor as much as I love seeing them on her–and of course, holding her when the rest of us had been away.

Had he planned that?

No, he wouldn’t do that, right?

I have more work to do than I thought, because it’s not just him; Bast has been cozying up to her a lot lately. I have lots of ideas, but I need to start small. Maybe I can convince her to let me stay with her tonight. What had Bast done to get her to allow that? The last thing I need is to scare her more.

“Let me know if you need any help, or if we find anything to try.” I leave him standing alone in the library as I make my way back up to my room.

I stop in the hall, turning back around to head down to the kitchen. I’d intended to head back up to my Darling, but I need to have a few words with Bast first.

One of the best things about being here again is having the full extent of our powers back. On the surface, we could feel each other, but anyone else was more complex; the power required to sense them depended on the shield they had and the distance. Mortals were easy, but almost every demon and angel was able to do at least a halfway decent shield, which meant findinganyone required power, and most of the time it wasn’t just a little bit.

Here in Hell, I can feel every demon, everywhere, in every ring, and all the unfortunate souls that call this place home.

The only exception is Lucifer, who can mask himself from anyone, but he rarely does; in fact, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen him do that.

Wait.

My steps falter as I turn into the dining room and feel him.

When did Ruin get here?

Ididn’t bother going to the shop much since Rome’s little visit. It didn't feel the same, didn’t offer the same escape from reality.

Despite that, I also didn’t want to go back to Heaven. I’ve already searched the library and talked to a few people without trying to raise suspicion, but the last thing I need is to run into Rome there.

The way he made me feel the day he visited me at the garage… I’d never felt like that before, the rage and hatred.