Page 24 of Taken to the Demon Court (Stolen Demon Brides #3)

EROS

I need to make things right.

The guilt that was weighing on me since Eve had been taken was immeasurable.

Knowing we couldn’t both go and risk Father’s suspicions, I had volunteered to go with Freya to find and rescue Eve. We were on a strict time limit, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to Eve.

What if I had told Oros as soon as she got back?

What if we’d gone away, never to return?

Those thoughts and more just kept running over and over through my head.

Knowing she’d been taken to that vile place, one that used humans for their own gain… I couldn’t handle the guilt. Knowing my father had left her there made me see red, and I wanted to get even.

I want to rip his fucking throat out.

We could leave our birthright. Leave our home. But it would go against everything we had worked so hard for.

It’s not that Eve wasn’t worth it; she was worth everything. I didn’t care if we’d ever come back to the palace .

But I—we—needed to make sure she would always be safe.

We burst through the doors and watched as humans screamed and scattered in response.

I held my hood tighter as I weaved through the lot of them, looking for Eve. Freya was by my side, and I knew Angelica and her team would be coming in after us to attempt to subdue the demons while they got as many humans out as possible.

As it turns out, the whorehouse had been on their radar all along. The owners were the same ones who had opened hundreds of others across the realm, trying to stay hidden and moving once they knew Angelica got a whiff of them.

But she would always find them and would stage a break-in once every few months to rescue some humans.

Eve was the perfect excuse they needed to finally pull the plug.

The humans cowered as we rushed in, probably thinking we were clients , but once they started to realize we were there to save them, they rushed at me.

I cursed under my breath as hands reached forward to grab me.

“Go with them!” I growled and motioned toward Angelica’s team.

Most of them heard me; those who didn’t, still tried to rush me.

Clawed hands grabbed my shoulders and yanked me back, so I twisted in their hold, striking them with an open hand.

My claws sank into their skin, demon blood spurting everywhere. Probably the madam, based on the anger in her expression.

Good. She’s going to pay.

She reached for me again as I hit her, blow after blow, and the struggle had my hood coming off, exposing my pink hair and horns to her.

Her expression immediately changed, and she froze .

Without hesitation, I readied my hand over her heart. The bloodlust was taking over, but it was different this time.

This is revenge.

I wanted to paint the walls with her entrails. I wanted to rip her face off. Tear her heart out and eat it in front of her in those last few moments before her consciousness went out.

Rage took over me.

“Eros!”

Eve.

The sound of Eve’s sweet voice had me freezing. Go to her , my mind commanded, even when my body wanted nothing more than to finish the demon in front of me. With great effort, I turned to look at her. She, Freya, and a human man were all together, staring at me.

“We need her,” Angelica said, appearing at my side, her hand coming to hold my wrist to stop me. “She will show us where the other houses are, won’t you?”

My eyes darted back to the demon, who shakily nodded her head.

“Good, ” I hissed. “And then you better make sure she pays for this.”

I didn’t wait for her answer; in seconds, I was crossing the room to Eve.

Tears welled in her eyes as she saw me and broke out into a run, meeting me halfway. Her body melted into mine perfectly, like she was always meant to be there.

To be ours.

A thousand different emotions ran through me.

Relief.

Happiness.

Excitement.

… sadness.

She was back in my arms where she was supposed to be. Where I knew she belonged. But that didn’t take away from the danger of our world.

This had happened because of Father. The king. The one who still ruled over the entire realm.

Who’s to say it wouldn’t happen again?

Who’s to say it wouldn’t be because of me ?

I wanted to run away with her more than anything… But would that be enough to save her?

No. It won’t.

“Oros is waiting for you at home,” I said, cursing myself when her face lit up.

“Home,” she breathed. “Let’s go home.”