Page 19 of Taken to the Demon Court (Stolen Demon Brides #3)

OROS

F or once, I had to admit that my sister had been right about something. Eros was the type to make decisions based on her feelings. Her anger. More often than not, that led to some not-so-great outcomes and ideas.

But taking Eve to the party had been a bad idea.

We accomplished our goal… but at what cost? Eve’s mental health? Our relationship?

She would never look at us the same way. I had watched my father and our kind devour humans. Hell, I had been a part of it once upon a time.

But for Eve, this was so far out of left field, so horrific… something her kind should never have to see.

But she sat through it—for us.

Is it worth having Eve witness the worst of our kind?

Was it worth it to watch her face as the humans pleaded for mercy and Father and his men dug their teeth into their flesh?

We almost succumbed to the bloodlust ourselves; it was hard not to when fear was so potent. But we were grounded by… Eve .

She was more important than all that was happening around us. More important than even our most innate instincts.

Eve’s own fear started to fade after a while, muted by her horror. Fear turned into disbelief. Turned into anger. Turned into… something I couldn’t decipher.

We got her out of there as soon as possible, we took her to bed, we cuddled around her, but the damage had already been done. She might not have stayed for the whole thing, but what she had seen was enough to damage any human’s psyche.

She won’t want to stay. Eros was right. I was wrong. My plans were not as perfect as I once thought them to be. And because of me, there was a chance that she might want to leave for good and never come back.

But that was always the point, wasn’t it? the little voice in my head said, reminding me that we had struck a deal with her, and when the deal was over, she would go home.

I ignored the voice. Ignored what we were supposed to do and just focused on her .

I would have to make it up to her. I would have to show her that we were not them . That Eros and I would forever protect her and treat her like the gift she was.

I didn’t know when my thinking had changed. When I started wanting to keep her instead of letting her go. It seemed like I’d always thought of her that way, somehow. But my desperation as I tried to figure out a way to get her to feel safe with us again surprised me.

Maybe it was that crazy shadow demon entering our room and reminding me just how easy it would be to take her from us.

She had held Eve’s life in her hands, and we had sat there, at her mercy.

That knowledge was nagging at me. A constant fear in the back of my mind that made me stand closer to her, hold her tighter.

But I had to push these thoughts away, even for just one night. Because tonight, I needed to show Eve that I wasn’t a monster.

“Eros doesn’t know about this,” she said as I led her through the crowded street, weaving in and out of demons as they passed.

The city was boisterous, as always. Demons native to this realm and from all different realms came to the city center to trade, bargain, and dabble in the less-than-legal auctions that were going on behind the scenes.

It wasn’t the safest place for a human, since any random demon could decide that they wanted her for themselves and try to take her. But with me at her side, they wouldn’t dare.

A lot could be said about how dirty the city center was. How depraved. Even Father turned a blind eye. But not because he enjoyed what was going on in the city.

Because it was so far out of control, it took on a life of its own.

She was wearing a dark cloak I’d stolen from one of the servants and was slathered in a special fragrant lotion that would hide her scent from whoever passed by.

It wasn’t enough if a demon was in close proximity for very long, but it would do for our journey. If we were fast enough.

I wore a cloak as well, carefully hiding my pink hair and filed horns, the things that would scream to anyone with eyesight that I was a royal.

“She knows some things,” I acknowledged, pulling her around a corner. We were getting close. The alleyway was dark and damp with the smell of rotting demon flesh, but at the end was a carefully hidden doorway that only a select few could access. “She doesn’t like to know the details.”

“Ooh, are you breaking the rules , Oros?” she asked, her teasing tone as sweet as her nectar.

She’s going to be the death of me.

“Every rule in the book,” I admitted, bringing us to a stop when we reached the door. They didn’t open it right away, but I could sense the demon on the other side.

They opened a little window, but instead of peeking out, they took a deep sniff, just before the door opened enough to allow both of us to slip in.

Eve let out a surprised gasp as I jerked her in and the door was slammed behind us.

I took my hood off, motioning for her to do the same, but she wasn’t looking at me. Instead, she was looking beyond, her eyes wide, and a shocked—and I hoped truly happy—smile was spreading across her face.

Before us were steps that led down into a huge warehouse with multiple stories, stalls, food stands, and even living quarters… all filled with humans.

It was just as lively as the world outside, but in there, the humans didn’t need to fear. They talked, they laughed, a few were even walking hand in hand.

Inside a demon universe where their kind was dinner, this small place in the inner city was what many called home.

“So you finally brought her,” Angelica said with a smile as she walked up the steps, taking in a fully intact and healthy Eve. Her hair swung behind her, almost hitting one of the two demons who followed her. “A pity Eros still will not join us.”

I didn’t remember the first day I met Angelica, but I did remember the day she showed me her power in an effort to get more people to help out with her cause.

She’d approached both of us, but I was keener to lend my help than Eros. And even then, it wasn’t much. Angelica used her husband's status and demons to get humans in and out of dangerous places. To bring them here and take care of them.

I just helped them stay under the radar and provided some sustenance and shelter at times.

“At least one of us should have plausible deniability,” I said .

“Is this what your deal is?” Eve asked, turning to me. There was still a smile on her face.

I shook my head.

“Our deal was that Eros and I would never eat another human again,” I admitted. “Not a hard feat; we haven’t eaten humans in forever. This is a sanctuary Eros and I helped Angelica build.”

“Without them, I would have been found long ago. My husband is blissfully unaware of the things I do here; he’s just happy I come back to warm his bed.”

Lies. Angelica was a powerhouse on her own. It wasn’t every day that a human could survive the way she had to thrive and help others in her very same position.

She could have left a long time ago, but she stayed so she could help others.

“He’ll listen to anything you tell him,” I reminded.

Angelica shrugged. “Yes, but I don’t trust him to keep this secret. Their lives are too valuable.”

Eve was still shocked as her eyes roamed the vastness of the space. I hoped this would show her the type of demons Eros and I were. It might not be enough to erase what she saw, but it was something. A reminder that we weren’t all as cruel as Father and his minions.

“Humans. Right in the middle of a demon city,” she breathed. “How?”

“I’ll show you.” Angelica held her arm out for Eve. “Oros, watch the door, will you? Eve is safe with me.”

My skin burned when Angelica sent me a wink. Is it that obvious how infatuated I am with her?

But I didn’t care, especially not when Eve leaned against me and placed a kiss on my cheek before prancing off to follow Angelica’s lead.

I couldn’t stop my hand from coming up to rub the spot her lips touched.

I’m so fucked.