Page 5 of Resurrection (Daemons & Lumens #2)

CHAPTER FOUR

Devon

I leaned against the SUV in the circle drive, waiting for Seraphina.

Every part of me hated seeing her hurting.

When the guards tased her, I wanted to kill them all.

My thoughts were a mess. Everything Andras said to me in the Great Hall echoed in my mind.

I became increasingly less certain of what I knew to be true.

But what was I supposed to do? Ask her to tell me the truth?

She would lie to me. Tell me what I needed to hear.

The memory of that night at the party flashed in my mind. I was so rough with her, furious as I fucked her. And she didn’t fight me. She moaned for me and told me I was hers and she was mine, even as I gave her pain. Seraphina took it all willingly.

The girl filling my thoughts stepped out with her guards, the sun catching in her silvery blue hair.

She wore fitted black jeans, and a charcoal gray sweater hung loosely off her toned arms. Her shoulders were pushed back, and she held my gaze without flinching.

Her sea-blue eyes pierced through my soul all too easily, and I swallowed thickly.

I needed to know the truth, and I needed to hear it from her.

Two of the guards shoved her into the SUV while I walked around the other side.

The remaining guards filed into the second car while these two climbed into the front.

As we made the thirty minute journey to the bank, Seraphina stared out the window in silence.

I didn’t want to speak to her in front of these assholes.

They were sheep, loyal followers of the Kings, and I knew they’d report anything I said back to their masters like the good little pets they were.

We were going into the bank alone, though, while the guards waited by the exits to make sure she didn’t try to run.

The general public didn’t know the most powerful and deadly cult was gathering soon to change the world.

The Kings required discretion, at least until the time came for their power to become known.

I was all mixed up about that too. My father didn’t want to be part of this.

He wanted out, I was sure of that. At least I thought I was.

And then she killed him, so I would never know what he truly wanted from me. From all of this.

When we arrived at the bank, I took the keys from the guard and uncuffed her wrists.

She finally looked at me. “Thanks.” She spoke the singular word with only a hint of sarcasm, and I savored the small bit of attention she offered.

I pulled her arm through my own, needing her close even when I wanted to throttle her. “Let’s go.”

The bank wasn’t overly busy, and as soon as I dropped the Blackbyrn name, we were whisked away to the heavily guarded area where the vault and boxes were located. An unremarkable bank manager escorted us to a small room where her box rested on a table at the center.

“Let us know if you need anything else,” the pudgy manager mumbled and bowed awkwardly, unsure of us, before finally leaving.

“Here.” I pulled out the key and passed it to Seraphina.

She turned to me, ignoring the box. Her bright and clever eyes captured mine. “Why are you doing this?”

It was time. I returned her hard stare, needing to see the truth in her eyes when I spoke.

“I saw a video of you killing my father. You set a house on fire. He was in Seattle brokering a deal for the Kings. They found his body bound and tortured and burned. There were cameras outside, and they caught you entering the house after him and rushing out as the fire spread.”

Seraphina’s eyes widened, never leaving mine as I spoke. The pain and sadness in them mirrored my own. She licked her pink lips and reached for me. “Devon. I swear on my sister’s life I did not murder your father.”

She seemed so sincere. I closed my eyes, searching my memories for that video of her setting the fire.

It was strange, they didn’t feel like my memories anymore, and I was starting to think Andras was right.

Seraphina’s delicate hand reached for mine, and I opened my eyes once more to take her in.

Our fingers twined, and I held my breath.

Her bright eyes held me captive as she spoke.

“I cannot say that if I had the opportunity, I would let him live,” she murmured, hurt and anger flitting across her beautiful face. “He was one of them. He was there when my sister and mother were murdered.”

My brows pinched together. She was right, of course. He was there, and he didn’t stop it from happening. And I hated that. Hated that someone I loved could hurt her so badly.

“I know.”

She squeezed my hand. “I also stalked them all over the years. Your father seemed to distance himself from the others. He would disappear, and even Tibby couldn’t find him. But it was always on his own, without the Kings. When we found out he was dead, I suspected the Kings. I think you did too.”

Of course I fucking did. I hated The Obscuritas. The other Princes and I all hated the cult as soon as we were old enough to understand it. And especially after that fucking ritual.

The truth in her words hit me like a fucking freight train. She didn’t kill him, and even as she said as much, I realized I knew that all along, but was just too stupid and angry to see it. The memories of my father’s death began to warp and fade. A familiar pain pierced my mind.

The Kings began training us to withstand mind control when we were children.

They needed heirs and soldiers who wouldn’t be compromised.

And yet, I let them in. In the years I spent away from The Obscuritas, my mental shields grew weak.

These weren’t my memories. These images of my father being burned weren’t real.

The video was fake, just like Andras said.

Somehow I was so careless, and Laszlo or Samuel got into my head, making me believe the lies. Fuck. I shot my brothers.

I dropped to my knees, the weight of my actions from the last week crushing me like an avalanche, threatening to swallow me whole. “Seraphina.” I choked out her name. “I’ve fucked everything up.”

She patted my head like I was a child. “You really did.”

I looked up at her, and she smirked down at me. But I couldn’t smile back, not while I was still wallowing. “Sassy woman. I’m serious. How can I fix this? You’re a prisoner. You’re all prisoners because of me. I don’t know what to fucking do now. ”

Seraphina gripped my biceps and pulled me from my knees. I gazed down at her as she placed her hand against my cheek.

“You’re going to keep playing the part of hating me. Right now, The Obscuritas Kings believe you follow their orders. Let’s keep it that way until we can come up with a plan to save us all.” She turned back to the safe deposit box and pressed the key into the lock.

I grunted in agreement and watched over her shoulder as the old box opened easily at her touch. A beautiful blade with a ruby fastened in the hilt rested inside. She picked it up and gasped.

“Holy shit. What is that?” She could barely get the words out as the power of the blade vibrated the air around us.

“Your relic. We each have one. See the symbol near the ruby? Do you recognize it?” I watched as her mouth popped open.

“I dreamt of that symbol one night, maybe five years ago. I got it tattooed on my side the next day. What is it?” she whispered, her voice laced with curiosity.

“It’s something related to the power we have. It’s not in any language we know. Our fathers used the books to find the relics then forced the tattoos on us. The relics give us power, healing abilities. Access to some strange magic, like having wings.”

Seraphina shook her head. “But why do I have one? Why did my mother hide this for me to find?”

I shook my head, because I truly didn’t know.

“We got ours after that first ritual. Maybe you had one then as well. The books they have on these rituals, it’s all strange.

I didn’t want to believe any of it. It was all fairy tales and magic and shit when we were younger.

But when they killed your sister and your mother…

it all became very real. And I left. I tried to leave it all in the past. I tried to get my father to leave then too.

But he was too deep in it. And they promised him things. ”

“What things?” She looked up at me, her eyes searching.

Nerves and emotions bubbled up with the memories. My feet anxiously propelled me across the room, unable to remain still. “They promised him my mother and sister could come back.”

When I turned back, Seraphina’s pretty eyes were filled with sadness. “Oh, Dev.”

I shrugged, trying not to think about it for too long. “It’s not true. I don’t care what kind of magic they have access to. The dead are dead. I’ve lost them all now, and they aren’t coming back.”

Seraphina walked toward me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I circled my arms around her immediately. She was so small and so fierce. I let her strength feed into my own.

After several minutes, she pulled away and stared down at the blade. “If my mother hid this for me, then maybe she knew things the Kings didn’t. Maybe it will help us.”

Her hopeful tone latched onto my heart. I wanted to believe that.

For her and for my brothers. I couldn’t handle losing anyone else.

Not at their hands. From this moment on, I would do whatever she asked of me.

Be whatever she needed me to be. I would never doubt her again.

“I will do whatever you need me to do. I’m yours to command, mera dil . ”

Seraphina looked up at me and smiled. The sight made my knees weak. It had been so long since I saw her smile. “What does that mean?”

Staring into her captivating eyes, feeling things I’d never felt for anyone else, I knew this was it.

Without a doubt, I would do anything for this woman.

“It means my heart. It is yours. It’s always been yours.

I’m sorry for hurting you, mera dil . I will do anything and everything to make it up to you. ”

I brushed my fingers across her lips, and the blood in my veins heated at the look in her wicked eyes. A plan was forming in her brilliant mind.

“Then follow me.” Seraphina stuffed the blade in the back of her jeans and grabbed my hand, pulling me to the door.

She peered out. No one waited for us. We stepped into the hall, and she dragged me toward a staircase going all the way up to the roof.

I followed her, enjoying the view of her ass swaying with each step.

She pushed open the door, and we squinted into the brilliant sun. “And what exactly is your plan?”

“We’re going to fly out of here.” She smiled brightly, and I wanted to bottle up the beauty of it.

I laughed, because absolutely not. “I don’t use my wings like the others. I don’t want anything The Obscuritas gave me.”

She walked toward me, the winter wind whipping her hair and a smile playing on her plump lips. She was a goddess. “I don’t think it was from them. I have my own theories on that. But even if your power was from them, why not use it? Make it your own. Fuck them and their rules.”

I smirked down at her, this clever creature I had no business wanting and definitely didn’t deserve. “I’m not as skilled as my brothers. I don’t think I could carry you.”

Seraphina wrapped her arms around my neck, and I immediately grabbed her waist. Having her alone like this was making my dick hard and my possessive feelings rage with need for her.

“Don’t sell yourself short.” She reached up and brushed her lips against my ear. “There’s a devil lurking inside you, Devon Parrish. I’ve seen him, and I am not afraid of his bite. Let him out.”

Her words raised goosebumps over my skin, my blood singing for her and her alone. I turned my head to kiss her, but she shoved me back. Before I could recover, I watched in horror as she ran for the edge of the roof.

“Seraphina, no!”

“I trust you!” she screamed before jumping off the edge of the roof.

I sprinted toward her. After everything, this would not be how Seraphina fucking died. I willed my body to change, my power rushing to obey as I leapt after her.

Her arms were spread wide like a soaring bird of prey, and I straightened into a dive, my weight carrying me down faster.

The sidewalk below was horribly close. I cried out for her as my arms circled her waist. I pushed all my strength into my power, and my wings snapped open.

The wind hooked beneath the dark-gray feathers just before we met the ground and carried us upward.

I pumped them hard, pushing us into the clouds and toward the sun.

My wings carried us higher, and I held her tightly against my body.

Seraphina laughed and wrapped her arms and legs around me. “You’re incredible, Dev.”

I kissed her pretty, wicked mouth. “Everything I am pales in comparison to everything you are, mera dil .” I kissed her again as we flew through the skies. “I will never betray you again.”

“No more talking. Only fucking. Take me to ground and make fucking love to me like you mean it.” Her words were urgent, and I growled as she ground her hips against my own, my cock pressing almost painfully in my jeans.

I let the currents in the air guide me as we dove through the sky. We weren’t far from the mansion, but I wasn’t ready to return her to our prison. They would figure out we left soon enough, but for this brief moment, she was all mine.