Page 30 of Queen of the Wicked (Afterlife #1)

Erebos

A t the beginning of every month, Erebos held open court for the demons in Hell who chose to reside there after they’d been freed.

They stayed in the villages outside of the castle, some opting to live a few miles south for more land, but most trekked across the desert plains to make requests to the lord.

Whether more cattle were needed on their farm or their water supply was running low, Erebos did what he could to help the citizens who wished to live peacefully beneath the glamour Izara provided.

Townspeople gathered in the ballroom, where his throne was moved from level one and placed upon the dais.

These meetings were not meant to be intimidating, nor did Erebos want to come across that way.

Their souls had already repented for their sins, so there wasn’t a need to add more fear onto them than necessary.

It was a line Erebos tried to balance, one between a just and stern ruler.

Bastian had ordered these meetings to come to a close, wanting Hell to be as miserable and decrepit as he was, but Erebos would never bow to the current king.

Justice and compassion were both adjectives the current king lacked; he took pleasure in watching those who threatened him suffer, but citizens who were freed in Hell and paid their dues to Erebos were capable of a second chance. They were redeemable.

And Bastian, vile as they come, refused to support anyone who reminded him of his brother.

It was a constant reminder that the realms ran smoothly under his leadership, and despite how hard Bastian thought he worked, they were unraveling under his rule.

Then again, maybe that was what he intended to happen all along.

Regardless, Erebos did whatever possible to become the opposite of Bastian.

One by one, the lord sat on the throne while different requests filtered in.

Eryx remained at his side, offering insight and stepping in when needed to escort the townspeople on their way.

Food and supply shortages, housing regulations, and marriage licenses were discussed for hours, and by the end of the day, he was exhausted.

With heavy feet, Erebos climbed the spiral staircase leading to his study until he felt a tug of unease down the bond he shared with Alessia— the mating bond.

Tiredness forgotten, his senses were on full alert as he followed that tug to her side of the castle.

He had tried to distract himself from thoughts of her today, but it was nearly impossible. The corn field was in clear view from his bedroom balcony, and he watched her the entire morning bathe in the red sun, skimming her hands along the stalks until he was forced to hold court.

She was damningly beautiful, frustratingly witty, and utterly alluring in every possible way.

The more time he spent with her, the more intriguing she became, and witnessing Alessia master her powers yesterday, with smoke encircling her like a halo of darkness, had the bond throwing a full-blown fit.

It was impossible for her not to feel the pull towards him, too, but perhaps they both felt the need to focus on the more pertinent situation: getting his powers back so they could be free of this forsaken blood pact rather than cave to lust. But Erebos knew that even if they did somehow discover a way for him to regain his powers, they’d still be left with the mating bond, and he didn’t want to think about what would happen then.

If she’d even want to accept it.

His black shoes clacked against the marble floors, quickening his pace when he heard scuffling further down the corridor. That string between their souls became shorter, signaling he was almost there.

When he rounded the corner, he went deathly still for all of a second before springing into action.

A man had Alessia pinned in an alcove, his hands dangerously close to her breasts. A knee was wedged between her thighs, and his free hand gripped her chin to force her to look at him. “You’re a tease,” the man sneered. “Walking around in these thin dresses.”

With two long strides, the lord was seconds from prying the middle-aged man off of her until Alessia’s power shot out, creating a collar of black smoke around the man’s neck.

She trembled in fear, but her focus remained on holding him captive as his feet left the floor, suspended in mid-air without Alessia lifting a finger.

Red rings encircled her emerald irises, but Erebos wasn’t afraid of her. He had been in her position before, holding the power over someone’s life, but unsure what to do with it.

He brushed against Alessia’s mind, thankful when she freely opened the link between them. Are you all right, Little Mortal?

I could kill him, she blurted. Her voice shook in her response. I could kill him right now.

Is that what you want to do?

No. I mean… I don’t know. He was going to hurt me. Her eyes, which had been glued to the man, drifted to the collar still wrapped around his throat. I don’t know what to do, Erebos.

The confident, courageous woman he’d gotten to know since she arrived was nowhere to be found, and in her place was a twenty-something, young girl who was terrified by the choice her power provided her with.

Erebos understood how much that kind of responsibility could weigh on someone’s shoulders, and he wouldn’t wish it upon his worst enemy.

He told himself it was the only reason he decided to help her.

Alessia’s soul wasn’t like the ones Bastian stole to use at his discretion in Heaven.

The lord and her were kindred spirits, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, and she was also his mate.

His hands had been stained with blood for years. He could handle another soul for her.

Let me decide for you, he offered.

What? No. I wouldn’t ask that of you. That isn’t fair to ? —

Erebos was already slamming the idiot’s back against the stone wall with enough force to knock the wind from his lungs. The smoke collar remained around his neck, cutting off enough of his airway to prevent him from speaking.

Erebos craved his power in that moment, if only to use it to bestow the most unique torture methods he could think of. He’d make it slow for the man before him. Excruciatingly slow.

“I didn’t expect this from you, Callum,” Erebos sneered. The man’s eyes grew wide as saucers at the realization of who beheld him. “Your progress has been outstanding. It is a shame for it to come to an end so soon.”

“Y-Your Majesty,” he gasped, the collar vanishing as Alessia slumped against the wall.

“T-This is all a misunderstanding. I was only trying to introduce myself.” Thrashing against his hold, Erebos kept him pinned with hardly any effort.

He may not have his powers, but the adrenaline racing through him provided the lord with an uncanny level of strength.

“Show me mercy,” Callum pleaded. “I beg of you.”

“See, I don’t believe this was a misunderstanding at all, Callum.

” Erebos moved his face closer until his breath brushed against the man’s rotten teeth.

“Your first mistake was getting close enough to her vicinity to touch her. Your second was insinuating that she is dressed provocatively when she is free to dress as she pleases. And your third…” The lord chuckled darkly, loving the way Callum whimpered in his hold.

“If you think I will be anything but merciless when it comes to her safety, you are sorely mistaken.”

Did he hurt you? Erebos asked.

Not yet. Erebos gritted his teeth at the fear still laced within her response. I was on the way to your study for the meeting when he cornered me.

It wasn’t often that demons seeking redemption went back on their word, but for some, the temptation was too great to pass on.

Callum had worked for Erebos in the kitchens for about a year, and from what he gathered, he had made good progress.

Sexual assault wasn’t part of his history when he first arrived in Hell, but sometimes demons sprouted new desires, no matter how hard Erebos tried to bring them to the light.

And he didn’t grant mercy to predators.

Go to my study, he requested. I will join you shortly.

He pressed his forearm against Callum’s throat to block his airway before shooting off a message to Izara. I need you to get Ambroz for me. There is a soul we need to banish to the Unknown.

The Soul Seeker’s response was immediate. As you wish.

I’m sorry, Alessia whispered to him down the bond. I know I’m supposed to keep the black magic hidden, but it came out before I could stop it. Whenever I’m threatened, it ? —

You have nothing to apologize for, he replied.

If you’re in danger, you should always use it, no questions asked.

At the trembling of her lip, he softened his gaze, knowing she stared at the Lord of Hell in all his fury right now rather than the man she had gotten to know beneath the layers of hardness he hid behind. Are you still doing okay?

I’ll be fine, she replied.

That wasn’t what I asked.

Normally, Erebos would be delighted to send a soul like this to the Unknown.

He didn’t carry his powers, but he could still bring Callum to the torture room and have his way with him before never having to see his face again.

He’d get creative, picturing what exactly he had intended to do to his mate had he not shown up in time while he carved out his insides.

But he found Alessia’s state of distress more important, and her quivering limbs were all he needed to see before his priorities shifted. Ambroz appeared a moment later, floating idly for further instruction. “Escort Callum to a cell on level one,” Erebos ordered. “I will deal with him later.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” With a bow of his skull, Ambroz latched a bony hand to dig into Callum’s flesh. The man knew better than to protest his fate, and as he sobbed in Ambroz’s deathly clutch, being dragged towards the bed he made for himself, Erebos felt no pity.