“Every demon has a fated partner, or Chosen, whether they find their Chosen or not is something else entirely, but when they do, they mark their partner, their strength increases, and they are able to reproduce.”
“So a demon can’t reproduce until they find their Chosen?”
“They cannot.”
“It’s all so strange yet fascinating,” she murmured.
“I suppose it is.”
“Have you found your Chosen?”
Had that been distress in her voice or was I looking for something that wasn’t there? “No, I have not.”
She smiled at me and I found myself irresistibly drawn toward her once more. I inhaled her fresh scent, relishing in it as I brushed a strand of raven hair off her forehead. My fingers slid over her soft skin. Her eyes briefly closed before opening once more.
“Do you want children?” she inquired.
“It is unlikely that will happen,” I replied. “If it did, my children would not possess any of my demon traits, only their mother’s. They may look like me, but they will not be a varcolac demon such as myself.”
With my fingers, I smoothed the lines that appeared on her brow. “Why not?”
“Because unlike other demons who come from a pairing like you humans, my type of demon is only born from the fires of Hell.”
CHAPTER 17
Kobal
“Wait…what?” River sputtered.
I couldn’t help but smile at the confusion in her voice as my finger trailed over the small scar on her eyebrow. Touching her helped to ease some of the burden and wrath that had been a part of me since the moment I’d been born. It was the strangest sensation, to feel freed in such a way by this frail mortal, and I didn’t want it to stop.
“There is only one varcolac in existence at any given time. When that one dies, another rises from the Fires of Creation to take their place. I was born from those fires and rose within the chamber as you see me now. The varcolac before me was a woman who lived for sixty years.”
“Why is there only one at a time?”
“Because there can only be one ruler of Hell at a time.”
“Youare the rightful ruler of Hell?”
“I am, and Iwillbe the one to see Lucifer cast aside and defeated. I am the most powerful of my kind to ever rise. I will not fail in this.”
“So you are not born of two demons?”
“I am born of anguish, hate, pride, torment, wrath, envy, lust, greed, and sorrow. I am born of the suffering of the souls and of the necessity to replace a leader who had fallen. Before Lucifer arrived, there had been only six varcolacs born in Hell over a couple hundred thousand years. They were killed during battles with other demons. In the six thousand years Lucifer has been in Hell, there have been over fifty varcolacs. I have survived the longest and am the eldest demon now. I was born with the knowledge of what I am and what I am to carry out. I have none of the memories of my predecessors, but IknowI am to rule.”
“Why are varcolacs the rulers?”
“We have always been the strongest of the demons. Varcolacs are the fastest and by far the most brutal. I fight with the fires of Hell on my side. We are also the only kind who can create and open a natural gateway within Hell, as well as close it. The varcolac also controls the hellhounds.”
“Those are real?” she breathed.
“They are, and they’re more ferocious than you could imagine. They obey my every command. I have left most of them in Hell, guarding the seals to keep Lucifer from opening them.”
As her pulse quickened, I cradled her cheek with my palm, looking to comfort her in some way, though I had no idea how to do so or why I wanted to do it.
“Why do they obey you?” she inquired.
“The first pair of hellhounds was also born of the fires with the first varcolac. Though those firsts have all since died, I still share a kindred spirit with the hounds that is forged through the fires. Unlike me, the hounds are able to breed others like them, but like demons they can only do so with their mate.”
