Page 24 of Unholy Fate (The Corruption of Evelyn Adams #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

AZIZ

I paced my lavish apartment in Hell, restless for no good reason. The tension between Levi, Ian and me over Evelyn gnawed at me. I’d come down here to Hell to try to unwind, but it wasn’t working. I poured myself a glass of fire-infused whiskey, the liquid glowing faintly as it swirled in the crystal glass.

A faint knock at the door pulled me from my inner debates. I scowled, setting my drink aside. I wasn’t expecting company.

The door opened on its own, and the Seer glided in, a tall, ethereal figure with pale, glowing orbs and long silver hair that shimmered in the dim light. She was one of the few beings in Hell that Lucifer gave a wide berth to. She’d given him far too much valuable information over the years. Keeping her happy was too vital to the running of Hell. Plus, she’d been a great fuck over the years.

“Asmodeus,” she said. “You look tense.”

I raised a brow, leaning casually against a nearby table. “What do you want, Seer?”

She stepped closer, her movements fluid and almost hypnotic. “I’ve had a vision,” she said cryptically, trailing a finger along the edge of the glass I’d just abandoned. “But first, why don’t we enjoy each other’s company?”

“Not tonight.” I stepped away from her touch. I usually enjoyed a good reprieve with the Seer, but somehow the idea was repugnant at the moment.

The Seer tilted her head, genuinely surprised. “You’re refusing me? That’s a first.”

I shrugged, attempting nonchalance, but I couldn’t ignore the pang of surprise I had at my own response. Why had I refused her? A fleeting image of Evelyn crossed my mind, her defiance, her vulnerability, the fire in those eyes. I clenched my jaw, shaking the thought away. This was ridiculous.

“Something’s changed,” the Seer said. She always knew. “You’re attached to her, aren’t you?”

Of course she knew about Evelyn. She was the Seer, why wouldn’t she?

A slow smile crossed her face and she stepped closer. “Let me show you something. A piece of your past that might explain your current fixation.”

Before I could protest, she placed her hands on my temples. The room dissolved into darkness, and I was plunged into a vision of a time long forgotten. A different life. A different me.

I stood on a rocky plateau, surrounded by fire and chaos. My brothers, other Titans, stood with me, our faces grim. Before us lay Uranus, our father, bound and writhing in fury. I, Hyperion, held a jagged sickle in my hands. My brothers chanted in unison, their voices filled with anger and defiance. Together, we stepped forward to enact our revenge.

My brothers and I forced Uranus onto the ground, our combined strength overpowering him. Uranus’s roars shook the earth, but we did not falter.

I gripped the sickle tightly, its blade gleaming wickedly. “For too long, you’ve oppressed us. Your reign ends here.”

With a swift, brutal motion, I brought the sickle down. Uranus screamed, a sound that reverberated through the heavens as blood and ichor spilled across the ground.

The act was both horrifying and empowering. Centuries of oppression lifted from my shoulders, replaced by a cold, triumphant resolve.

I gasped, stumbling back as the vision faded. I was back inside my lavish apartment. The vision had been so vivid, so real. A memory. They were my brothers. We had been titans.

If any of what I’d seen was true, anyway.

The Seer watched me with a serene expression. “Do you understand now? You’ve always had a thirst for power, for dominance. Evelyn stirs something ancient within you.”

I scowled, unwilling to admit she was right. “Enough. Get out.”

The Seer smirked, her task complete. She vanished in a shimmer of light, leaving me alone with the lies she’d spewed to upset me. The vision she’d given me had been vivid and tugged at my memories, yes, but it didn’t mean it was true. She was manipulating me.

Wasn’t she? Had it been real? How could I know?

I paced the room, reeling at the revelation but then I pulled out my phone and texted Levi, my fingers flying across the phone’s screen. It was time to put my anger and restless energy to work.

We need to talk. Now. I’m at my place in Hell.

Moments later, Levi appeared in a flash of smoke, lounging against the wall. “What’s up, big guy?”

I didn’t waste any words. I punched him square in the jaw, sending him stumbling back. “That’s for taking her ass first.”

Levi wiped the blood from his lip. “Really? You’re mad about that?”

With a grunt of rage, I leapt forward, crashing into him, my shoulder slamming into his chest and driving us both to the ground. Once on the floor, I straddled him, raining blows down on his face, my knuckles slamming into his cheek and chin.

“I want her. You can’t have her,” I grunted as I punched.

Levi lifted his hips, sending me tumbling over him, face planting on the floor. In his rage, he lifted a chair and brought it down on my back, the wood splintering and sending pieces everywhere. Pain lanced through my upper body, but I rolled over and sent a kick into his stomach.

Bending over while clutching his stomach with one hand and in obvious pain, Levi was still able to lash out with his free hand, and he punched me in the jaw. My head snapped around and my vision went gray, almost black. Damn, he’d nearly knocked me out.

“You’re being a dick.” Levi grunted, straightening up as I got to my feet.

“Oh, yeah?” I said, glaring at him.

“Yeah. For fuck’s sake, you were the first to–”

Before he could finish I lunged forward again, grabbing his shirt, and spinning, using my hips to toss him across the room. He hit the floor, his skull bouncing on the ground as he did. Rushing toward him, I tried to bring a foot down to stomp his head, but he managed to roll away and leap to his feet, attacking me again.

The two of us clashed, our blows echoing through the room as we traded punches and insults. “You got her mouth first,” he said, slamming me into the wall. “And her first blood. Stop being such a hypocrite.”

I countered with a brutal kick, sending him sprawling. “You knew I wanted that, and you took it anyway.”

Neither of us gained the upper hand; our strength and skills were too evenly matched. After several minutes, we both collapsed onto the floor, panting. I sat up, wiping sweat from my brow. “This is pointless,” I said. “We’re wasting energy fighting each other.”

Levi chuckled, leaning back against the wall. “Agreed. Truce?”

This was a bad idea. A truce was almost guaranteed to go sideways. “Just for the night.”

Levi grinned, already scheming. “So, what’s the plan? We need to show her what she’s missing down here.”

My earlier anger faded as an idea took shape. “There’s a ball tonight. We’ll take her to it. Let her see the finer side of Hell.”

Levi raised a brow. “What about Lucifer? You know he would hate us bringing her here.”

I waved him off dismissively. “Lucifer never attends the balls. He’ll never know.”

What Lucifer didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. And even if he did find out, I could handle his wrath. The fun we’d have with Evelyn was worth the risk.

Levi chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re playing a dangerous game. But count me in. This should be fun.”

We shared a brief knowing look before he vanished to make his own preparations. So many possibilities. I would need the perfect outfit, something that would showcase my power and dominance. And Evelyn... I would ensure she was dressed to impress, a temptress that would make every demon in the room envious.

As I considered the evening ahead, a flicker of anticipation coursed through me. This ball would be a turning point, a chance to draw Evelyn further into our world, to bind her to me in ways she couldn’t even imagine.

A single thought lingered, a possessive growl that echoed through my very being: She’s mine. No one else gets to claim her. Not Levi, not Ian, not even Lucifer himself. Evelyn belonged to me, and I would make sure everyone knew it.