Page 45 of Shadows Ascend (Remnant Archives #2)

I eyed the cave I just left half of my heart in with trepidation but I wasn’t about to bring my daughter into a fucking demon infested camp and that was exactly where I was going. At the very least she had the pookah to stay with her even if I despised the bastard.

Riella was the future queen of Faerie…it had been foretold . I’d love to hunt down the fucking witch who even dared to utter those words from her mouth because just the thought terrified me and I wasn’t a fae to succumb to fear.

I frowned…Zazion had said it was one of our own .

My fear continued to brew, bubbling just beneath the surface threatening to spill over and drown me.

The last attack of the soulless sleep sent me closer to my goddess damn grave and I didn’t even want to fucking think about the hunger…

every kill had me craving more, needing more.

A disturbing force that wanted to consume.

It was far past self preservation, far past the need to fucking protect, even more hungry than Ethereal’s power, the world destroyer.

I had locked it down enough after years of mental shielding against the cat but I could feel it inside of me too, clawing through the deep recesses of my mind.

“You are worried about her. Don’t be, this land is bound to me and my commands. Nothing can get in or out of that cave for now. She will be safe.”

My attention snapped back to the demon named Zazion and I snarled.

Moving quickly enough that before he could fucking blink my claws were at his throat and another just seconds away from puncturing his wing.

“You don’t get to tell me how I should feel about leaving cub in the middle of goddess damn Hell alone, demon,” I hissed.

Zazion crossed his arms in front of his chest, glancing down at my claws. “Do you really want to go here all for the simple fact of paternal guilt? I’m your fucking way in and way out fae.”

I grinned, my teeth flashing in the night.

“I love it when beings underestimate me. Trust me when I say this, your help is convenient only and we both know it. You need me more than I need you. Fucking oaths are a pain in the ass aren’t they?

You’d think a demon would know how to make a more favorable deal for themselves. ”

Zazion growled and knocked my hand away from his throat. I let him.

Chuckling, I nodded to the blazing pillars of fire piercing the deep red night. “You think you can pull this off?”

The demon wings shifted behind me and I could feel his black eyes boring into the back of my head with loathing. “Taking great pleasure in dragging you in chains through the camp? Of course.”

Snickering, I cracked my neck side to side, “Should be fun.”

Snapping his fingers, heavy chains landed at my feet and I could not restrain the visceral growl, nor the instinctual step back I took at the fucking metal that made me weaker than a newborn pixie.

I did not relish the feel of my newfound power being sapped out of my body and the instant hollow feeling that came along with it, the same feeling Remnant was experiencing right now.

“You act like a human with arachnophobia,” Zazion said dryly, stepping next to me.

“Fuck off, I’m not hyperventilating demon.” But I feared that Remnant would be, her panic attacks had been less since we officially accepted our bond but that did not mean the scars suddenly healed. Flashbacks of my chained soulmate still haunted my own memory.

I clenched my fist still feeling the way my hand broke, pummeling the unforgiving metal over and over again until it cracked. Our soulmate bond was supposed to be a glorious moment but for me it was tainted by my heart breaking for the beautiful fae that begged for her life to end.

At least, I had been able to give her that moment. A moment to heal and a moment to choose. Goddess what I wouldn’t give to hear her laugh in the Cave of Lovers again.

Zazion cleared his throat, arching his brow at me. “This was your idea, remember?”

“Just give me a goddess damn moment,” I growled.

The demon’s horned head snapped up to the skies, his nostrils flaring at a new scent besides campfire ash. I smelled it too, like sour grapes baking in the sun, the same scent of the arrogant feathered companion to the demon queen—the one who killed Remnant’s firedrake.

“What the fuck is he doing out here?” the demon muttered, a spark of flames lighting up in his eyes.

My brow arched, “I take it you two are not fond of one another.” I crossed my arms growling. “This isn’t some sort of lovers quarrel is it?”

Zazion’s tale swished out and he snorted, “I’d rather fuck an imp but our Queen feels differently.”

I snickered, I was starting to like this demon, and instincts told me that even after this journey, I’d be seeing him again.

So naturally, curiosity had me pushing further…

my cat personality peeking through, oh the irony.

I could practically feel Ethereal rolling his eyes, muttering about death wishes.

“So what then? You pine on the sidelines hoping she one day sees you and wakes up to what the angel truly is?”

The demon tilted his head, “Demons do not pine, that is meant for the tortured souls here and it matters not how I feel. My queen is happy with her angel and I will always ensure her happiness. Even if it means I must be on the proverbial side of the angels.” Then he growled, pointing at me.

“I don’t even know why we are speaking of this, we have no time for it. ”

Grinning, I gave him a wink, “I have that effect on others…” I shrugged, holding my arms out wide, “You sure you don’t just want to kill him now?

I’ll help you.” I narrowed my eyes on the de mon, my look lethal, “He’s a dead angel boy anyway.

You know that right? Either I help you kill him, solve all your problems, help you get the girl or I hunt that bastard down on another day for killing my soulmate’s firedrake.

I will take great pleasure handing her the knife to gut him just like he did that dragon. ”

Black eyes bored into mine, a wide grin too bright against his deep red skin spread across his face revealing sharp fangs. “Times up fae,” Zazion purred, snapping his fingers.

I snarled at the iron chains that suddenly cinched around my entire torso, the hideous sound of the clanking metal and the immediate loss of my power heavy on my solid frame and my mind.

This was the only time to be fucking grateful for wearing a goddess damn shirt. Although it had lost much of its brightness, something I hoped Riella would not be too upset about. I glanced back at the cave and then snarled.

“Get me further away from here. I don’t want that bastard anywhere near my daughter.”

Zazion snickered with no sense of urgency in his demeanor, “Unusual for one to trust a demon over an angel. What kind of fucked up world do you live in?”

“One where pretty things are true monsters inside. Your angel is rotten, I know you smell it.”

“He’s not my angel and all things stink here, its fucking Hell. Speaking of pretty—”

I saw his fist coming, I could even make out his sharp black tipped claws but my shifter side was drained from the iron and there was no way I could avoid the contact that sent me careening to the side.

My nose shattered on impact, the force of the demon’s hit even fracturing the other bones in my face right before I hit the ground with a loud thud.

Blood poured down my throat and I growled, rolling onto my back and ignoring the way the irons into it, I glared at the smug demon.

“Did that make you feel better, demon?”

“Shut the fuck up fae and play your part,” he hissed, waving his hand. I growled low when a gag dug painfully into my mouth, shooting sharp pain through my fractured face.

I didn’t have to pretend at being pissed the fuck off when the asshole demon’s foot kicked me over onto my stomach, his heel digging into my spine with enough pressure that with just one more press he would fucking sever it.

I snickered through the gag, my eyes flashing up at him in knowing, meeting the brightness of his own. Oh this bastard was enjoying this.

Fucking demons.

Growling loudly, I squirmed a bit pathetically. This would be the time Ethereal would tell me my acting was abysmal but again…audience.

I heard the soft landing of the angel just feet away from us instead of smelling him, my nose obliterated from Zazion’s strike. No matter, I didn’t want to smell his spoiled rot anyway.

I fake roared through my gag, thrashing a little bit against the chains, then stilled when a sharpened object dug into the back of my neck, threatening to puncture the vulnerable flesh. “I’d stop squirming like a fucking worm before I slice open your spinal cord, fae,” Zazion growled.

“This doesn’t look much like the panther you went hunting for, Zazion.”

I stilled, pretending to breathe heavily through my gag, low rumbling growls emitting from my chest.

The demon chuckled. “That’s because hes a fucking shifter, Shaniel. Honestly, did heaven not educate you enough on the other beings of this world, or is your brain truly full of feathers too?”

The grinding of the angel’s teeth was audible to my sensitive hearing. “You know that I did not receive such an education, demon. I was just a cherub when I was taken. Your queen would be displeased to hear you mention it… again ,” he drawled.

Zazion chuckled and I trembled to hold back my own laughter.

What a fucking prat.

I grunted when the demon’s booted foot kicked me in the side breaking a rib, forcing a real growl from me this time. Asshole must have sensed my mirth and effectively changed it with his vicious assault.

“Oh dear…” Zazion drawled, “Did I hurt your virtuous feelings again, Shaniel? Apologies, my delicate feather.” His mockery was not helping…

and I bit on the gag just to stop from chuckling, focusing on the pain instead.

“Now, are you actually here for something or was it that you were concerned for my well being?”

Shaniel huffed and I fucking wished I could turn my head to see his face but the damned demon’s talon was still sharply digging into the back of my neck. “If it wasn’t for our Queen, I would not put up with your insolence.”

My brows rose.

"I will return back to camp to let your queen know you have captured the beast. She will be pleased you have not failed.”

Zazion chuckled darkly, “You seem disappointed, feather.”

The sharp whoosh of wings disturbed the air around us, breezing over my body. “Return to camp immediately, demon. Once you deposit the prisoner then we will have your full report. Do not leave her waiting.”

I renewed my squirming, fighting the chains and hissing through the gag, pretending I did not want to go into that camp.

But they both ignored my best acting yet.

“It’s so cute that you think you can give me orders, Shaniel, like a baby imp cutting its horns thinking it is a fully fledged demon.

” Stooping, he hauled me to my feet with ease, surprising considering my bulk.

Instantly, I felt the blood drip down my face, finally getting a good glimpse at halo boy.

“Now piss off, feather. I’m fucking busy. ”

I growled and thrashed in his hold but my eyes stayed locked on the pompous face of the angel, his heavenly features pulled back into a sneer that did not do well for his flawless complexion. I wanted him to know his death was coming and when it did, these were the eyes he was going to see.

Zazion shook me hard, rattling my teeth. “Stop your growling, fae. Your fight is futile now.”

Looking between us, Shaniel spat, “Disgusting,” before he launched into the night, banking back towards the demon camp where the looming fires turned his bright white feathers into a hue of orange.

“Prick,” Zazion spat, watching him go, sharp fangs extending from his mouth when he set me down on my feet.

I chuckled against my gag, wiggling my eyebrows at him since I could no longer speak.

“Shut up, fae,” Zazion snapped, his black gaze dragging over my fractured face with his tail swishing behind him in irritation. “Lucifer’s cock, your acting is atrocious. You’re going to fucking get us killed the way you are going.”

I grinned widely from behind the muzzle and shrugged.

The demon grinned back, seemingly taking sadistic pleasure in the thought of our deaths…or maybe it was just mine. “Very well.”