Page 35 of Her Demon Daddy
I’m escorted to the back of the dungeons and thrown in a cell of my own. My body smacks the floor, and I try to get up, my arms weak from the grip the xaphan had on me. I manage to lift my head and look at the two that were holding me, staring at them and imagining I’m ripping their fucking heads off.
“Where is Siara?” I scream. “Take me to my cousin!” I stand up and grab hold of the bars of my cell as I watch the xaphan walk away. “I have royal blood, and I deserve to be treated as such!”
No excuse works. The xaphan that escorted me here walk out of the dungeon, and a dungeon guard walks over to me. He’s a demon, and I know his type. Probably fresh out of training, aiming to look good for Vag’thimon and a complete hard-ass. Not that I have the power to convince anyone to help me, but someone more seasoned might have given me a better shot.
“Maybe you should worry more about yourself than that human bitch you brought with you. You’ll most likely be executed, anyway, so spend your last day thinking about that.” He smirks and gets close to my face. “Oh, and I heard Vag’thimon has taken a liking to your precious Siara already.”
19
SIARA
Imeet Asmodeus’ eyes after the portal and can’t maintain any sense of expression. My mind is too overwhelmed, and my body is drained. My world has been turned around so many times in the past few months, and this is the last time I think I can handle it.
I see the sorrow in his gaze and desperation in his frown, but they mean nothing to me. I thought he had a semblance of humanity, and I feel so stupid for letting myself be tricked by a demon into thinking he was anything else.
I wince as I feel my legs ache and arms droop over the xaphan’s grip. If I had any more energy or emotional bandwidth, I would probably cry as the xaphan whisks me away from him. I don’t look back. I’ve seen enough.
The xaphan drags me to the opening of a small road on the outskirts of the gothic town. There’s another one waiting for us there, the same one that confronted Asmodeus. I think his name was Theliel. I begin to hear screams and furious words from deeper in the center of the city.
Although I’m furious with Asmodeus, I still worry about him. The crowd sounds large, and these demons and xaphan are out for his blood. I don’t know what demonic court punishments are like, but I assume they’re much worse than any type of legal sentence from my home.
I expect them to take me toward the menacing sounds of fury and outrage, so I build a steel wall around myself emotionally. It’s the only tactic I have left to protect my brain and my body from more damage. Instead, they keep walking me along the side streets.Good, I can’t deal with anything else.
Theliel exhales and grins at the other xaphan holding me. “We can breathe easy now.”
“Finally,” the other comments with a chuckle. “I thought he’d never submit.”
“Of course, he did,” Theliel replies. “He’s too weak a demon to hold his own.”
Their comments are offensive, and a delusional part of me wants to stand up for Asmodeus. I decide not to and instead follow along with them weakly and listen to their conversation.
“He didn’t look good, either.”
“No, but that’s what decades of isolation and self-pity will do.”
“He’s not filled with pity,” I say quietly.
They laugh at me, and I bristle as I realize they don’t think I’m a threat. I understand why they wouldn’t, seeing as how they’re workers of the Divine. I’m a measly human that was kidnapped by a demon. As I think of Asmodeus holding me captive and taking advantage of my empathy and kindness, my stomach begins to turn.
I stop walking with the xaphan and hurl on the side of the road. The acidity burns my throat, and the awful taste of nothing but stomach fluid plagues my mouth. I close my eyes and dry heave as my body purges whatever is left inside me.
Once I’m done, I stand up again and dazedly look ahead of me at the side streets. I could fall over right now. Nothing sounds better than a warm bed and waking up from this nightmare.
Theliel takes a towel out of his pocket and hands it to me as the other xaphan lets go of one of my arms. I take it from him suspiciously, wondering what kindness inspired him to care for a captive like me.Fuck,I think as I wipe the acid from my face.I’m a captive again.
“Are you alright?” Theliel asks as he meets my eyes.
His gaze is surprisingly gentle, and I wonder if they’re not here to hurt me. Asmodeus did call them angels, after all, but they didn’t seem to like the word much.
“I’m far from alright,” I comment as I hand the cloth back to him, looking over him like I’m studying a majestic, rare creature. “Who are you?”
“I am Theliel.”
“My name is Grawlin.”
“And what are you?” I ask, straightening my posture and recovering from nausea. “Clearly, you’re not demons.”
Grawlin snorts as he laughs. “At least she didn’t call us angels. I hate when humans do that.”