Page 48 of Shadows Ascend (Remnant Archives #2)

" S hroud yourself back into the shadows and step in," the demon commanded harshly, widening his wings, indicating we step into either side of the leathery membrane.

"You're going to cover us with your wings." I placed a hand on my hip and pursed my lips. "As if no one is going to notice how they suddenly sprouted legs?"

The demon hissed, swiftly gathering me in his wing and sandwiching my body to his back like a bedroll. With one powerful thrust, he hoisted me off the ground without so much as a grunt, then peered down over his shoulder at my shocked expression. "Yes," he simply stated.

"No." Emon growled loudly, his claws slashing downward. "Unhand my soulmate."

Peeking over the dark ridge of the demon's wing like a mischievous child, I snickered at the furious expression on Emon’s. "I am perfectly fine, shifter, it is rather cozy here." I shot him a wink. "I think you should join me."

He snarled at the demon, "he did not ask for permission to touch you, little umbra."

I goddess damn loved this shifter. He saw my scars, my trauma, and instead of trying to erase them, he protected them. "I am giving it now, Emon."

His fury lightened slightly and I could see the slightest twitch at the corner of his mouth as he studied me in the demon's wing.

"This is fucking ridiculous," he growled through our bond.

"We don't have time for this," the demon snarled, "that feathered head only lasts a heavenly seven minutes if we are lucky, we need to move."

Emon turned on him, fangs lengthening, "That's not my problem, demon, it's yours. I'll hide within the confines of the shadows. Your kin are too fucking pissed outside to take notice of me."

The demon's body vibrated before he released a dark laugh, the wing holding me not even straining.

Stretching his opposite wing out wider, he grinned.

"You may have blood coating your hands shifter but you're not a completely immoral depraved beast without a soul…

to them you smell like a sweet fucking virgin and they will be like flies on honey the moment you step out of this place.

Only my cum would stop them from finding you in your shadows at this point. "

I guffawed at the matter-of-fact way the demon rationalized his stance and the darkening features of Emon’s face, likely thinking about being marked by the essence of another male.

Emon purred in my head , "You like that idea, don't you? "

I licked my lips, it did seem intriguing. “Perhaps.”

The demon looked between us, watching our exchange with gleaming eyes. "Sorry to disappoint you little goddess but I’m in no mood to fuck a fae tonight. Your beastly lover wouldn’t be able to handle me anyway."

Amused, I cooed at Emon, "You hear that shifter, he thinks you cannot handle him."

My soulmate's eyes glowed even brighter. "I always love it when beings underestimate us."

I laughed, the sound carrying within the yurt, but still not loud enough to be heard over the drums. Emon was good at playing the underestimated bait. Not many would play that card but he did, a patient predator, striking when you least expected it. His cunning was my equal in every way.

Again, the demon huffed and stretched his opposite wing out wider, fixing Emon with a hard expecting look. "Cut the shit, fae. Now hurry along shifter king and let us be done with this."

Emon cursed, smoothing his hand over his braided hair, his claws sheathing and unsheathing. With a harsh sigh, he pulled his shoulders back and stepped towards the large expanded wing.

Zazion shuddered, with what I could only assume was disgust as he quickly wrapped Emon tightly within, like he was scum he had to suffer touching. The slight stiffening was the only indication the additional weight from my shifter caused him any strain within his enclosed hold.

"We speak of this to no one," Zazion added, before turning toward the entrance.

Emon chuckled softly. "Oh I don't know about that…sharing that demon’s cuddle is a great start to a story over a stiff drink."

I hummed in agreement. "Yes and with their treasured wings no less. I am told wings are quite sensitive."

"Shall we test that theory, little umbra," Emon teased.

"You may try, fae, but it will be the last breath you take," the demon snarled softly before wrenching aside the heavy fabric of the yurt.

Swaying with each heavy step the demon took, I blinked over the ridge of his wing at the sudden bright light of roaring towers of fire, quickly using the demon's shadows to hide my peering eyes while watching the debauched spectacle.

My curiosity of beasts had always been my greatest weakness and that's what these beings were in their raw form.

From my minimal view I could see demons of all shapes and sizes dancing and fucking around the multiple fires. Their screeching and roars echoed along with the thundering drumbeats and steady slapping of sodomizing flesh.

A beautiful naked human woman was suddenly thrown in the wake of Zazion's steady prowl, her deep blue eyes raised up towards mine through the mess of long blonde hair—pleading, but there was no way she could actually see me.

I stiffened in Zazion's wing, the pull to help her consuming all my senses, especially when another grotesque demon landed directly behind her, raising her hips up and impaling her with one swift thrust straight into her ass and rutting her into the ground.

Seeing the wings of the powerful Zazion she clawed at the ground reaching for them.

Her efforts were thwarted however when the lusting savage behind her yanked her hair back, raking open her skin with his claws as his other hand pawed at her breast, never stopping his vicious thrusting.

With fury I reached towards the shadows. I would stuff them down this demon's throat and suffocate him without anyone ever knowing I was here.

"Don't," growled Zazion, turning his head down towards me, whispering quietly, not even bothering to acknowledge the vicious assault.

"That is not a human woman, Goddess of The Well.

They are called Rakshasa. Evil entities that change their form to manipulate others.

They are like sirens relying on your soft morality to draw you in and then they eat your soul.

Perhaps at one time they were once human and deserved mercy but then again they have been judged by the Redeemer on earth and sent here.

" The demon shuddered at that, as if he feared this redeemer .

"Demons do actually have a job here in Hell, fae.

We are to make sure their suffering has no end. "

After a brief pause, he faced forward recognizing that I would not do anything foolish for now.

Unfortunately, I couldn't stop watching.

A second demon had joined his comrade with a club in hand, kicking them over and he squatted, impaling the Rakshasa with his spiked weapon, thrusting it in and out of the creature's body while taking his long cock in hand, pumping it fiercely to the drums. The demon beneath them roared, his thrusting following his brethren’s rhythm.

"Fortunately for demons we do not hold the same moral guidelines as other species might, and have no problem with their manipulative screams…we find pleasure in it." Zazion added as the violent assault escalated.

Opening my aura sight, I grimaced. Zazion was right, there was nothing redeemable about the Rakshasa. I had seen many auras in my lifetime but nothing equated to this…it was putrid and sinister, a patchwork of other auras surrounding it, grieving souls it had consumed.

Realizing it could not be manipulated as Zazion continued to walk away, the beautiful woman shifted into a grotesque mutilated animal.

Howling, the other two demons called forth more of their friends.

My view of it was quickly hidden as demons swarmed with whips and chains, not caring if they were lashed as well as they continued to sodomize the creature.

Shuddering I averted my eyes, only catching the outer surface of the demon Zazion's aura. The blazing hot red surrounding him was intense and gorgeous. It was the exact replica of his queen.

Thoughts racing, I reached out to my soulmate’s mind . "Emon, when you looked at my aura, what color was it?"

"White…a golden glow so bright it was almost white," he said, the mystified awe in his voice the same as when he first looked upon me with my own powers.

I breathed in deep. "I have not looked upon my own aura since we bonded. It is difficult to do on oneself but it was never that color before, shifter."

It was a moment before Emon spoke again. His tone low and calculating. "It has changed since you accepted the soulmate bond."

I flinched at the sudden loud shriek ending quickly on the other side of us—- Emon's side.

"Witches fucking cunts," Zazion cursed softly and the drumbeats faltered, “did you really just fucking kill one of my demons with my own knife, shifter?” he whispered sinisterly, low enough for only our ears.

Then he looked up at the sudden pause in the revelry, multiple pairs of demon eyes gazing at him warily and with confusion as to why their leader just killed one of their own.

"Burn the imp! He displeased me, unable to handle a single fucking fae while I was gone.

Hell take him and Lucifer curse his shameful line!

" The demon bellowed, covering up what-ever the goddess my soulmate had done.

"Emon, what-ever possessed you?"

My shifter snarled. “I could smell your blood on that demon and there is no being in this world that I will allow to live with your blood staining their hands."

My lips twitched. "What about being a patient predator, shifter?"

I could hear Emon's smile. "Zazion's knife has been right here the whole time, I took it as an invitation to play.”

Grunting and making sure the demon’s got lost in their new disgusting task, Zazion began to stride forward.

Anger emphasized in every powerful step he took, our sway increasing like rocking a babe that stubbornly refused to sleep.

"Try that shit again shifter king and I'll break our agreement and leave your daughter stranded in hell without her parents. "

Fury had me latching onto the shadows in the darkness but I paused when the demon stiffened and Emon's low purr reached me over the demons’ celebrations.

"Not before I rip out your spinal cord and tear these wings from your back like fucking twigs leaving your poor little queen left with an invalid to protect her. "

The demon grunted and I realized Emon's claws were slicing into his side.

"Go ahead demon, threaten my mate and my daughter’s future one more time," Emon added with a hiss. “That kill was clean and just, more than a demon deserves and you know it.”

Zazion chuckled darkly. "Cease your prattling, fae. Before we are both found out and cannot make good on our promised threats to each other." His powerful wings shook us slightly in retribution before the three of us fell quiet again.

I bit at my lip, our previous discussion before Zazion interrupted with his vicious vengeance on my behalf nagging at me. "Emon?" I whispered in his mind.

I could practically see his grin. "Hmm, little umbra?"

"About our auras, if what you say is true, then my aura is the exact replica of yours. I should know because the beauty of it nearly dropped me to my knees the first time I saw you."

Emon chuckled in my head. "Well we can’t have that, little umbra. It is my job to fall to my knees in reverence of you, not the other way around. I will fight you for it if I have to. It is my new religion and I am determined to be devout."

Flashes of Emon on his knees, in the glow of the moon, and falling stars reflected in his eyes were suddenly so vivid I could still feel the smooth slide of his mouth against my sensitive skin. I exhaled shakily. Had it truly only been a day since that night?

"The demon Zazion has the same aura as his queen," I whispered softly in Emon's thoughts.

Another brief pause. "They are soulmates."

"Yes. So it would seem."

Emon snorted in my head. "Poor bastard. I wish him all the luck…that's a time I never want to relive again, but I would if it were the only way I could ever have you forever."

I frowned. "What do you mean shifter?"

"The desperate lost feeling of having your soulmate right in front of you, looking into her eyes knowing that she is yours forever, to love and cherish and yet…she ca nnot see it."

Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes, this fae destroyed me in the best way. "I see you now, shifter."

"Do not fret, my little umbra. I was blessed in having to earn your love. It will always be one of the greatest accomplishments of my life."

"Only one of them?" I said teasingly, but I knew he could hear the catch in my tone, the way he could make my heart weep and soar at the same time.

"Yes, my love. One of…there are two others. The second greatest is our daughter."

I swallowed. "And the third?"

His voice was a soft caress in my mind, endearing, devotional, burning. "The third is knowing that I have yet to let a single day pass without making sure you both know you are loved so wholly and irrevocably, forever and ever by me."

A single tear fell down my cheek and wiped it away with shadow. "I love you too. Emon."

Slowly, the howls of the demons around us grew more silent, the fires were pinpricks in the distance and nothing but a dark maroon night surrounded us within a shadowy landscape.

Zazion grunted and unfurled his wings, setting us down gently.

I staggered when sharp needle-like pain stabbed into my legs, having gone numb while the demon carried us like babes to safety. A large, black tipped hand steadied me.

"The caves are up ahead," he said low, his black eyes even darker in the dim light as he released me. "Your daughter is hidden within, under my own power, but it will end the minute you step inside. Follow the caves and you will find passage through the rest of these lands into Wrath’s territory."

I nodded, letting go of his hand, my legs already healed. "If we are headed into the territory of Wrath, what is this territory called?"

Black eyes gleamed as they turned down towards me. "Greed. These are the lands of greed and she does not give up what is hers so easily. Remember that, Goddess of The Well."

Snapping out his wings, he hesitated. "Be sure to tell your fierce little fae queen goodbye for me, she is brave to face down a full grown demon prince of Hell, and for that she will always be welcomed here."

Then he launched himself powerfully into the night, disappearing in its deep red canopy.