Wren’s fingers dug into the earth. The Wilders meant a lot to her; she’d done everything she could to keep them protected over the years, and she took it hard whenever one was lost. Corson hugged her close.
“We have to go,” I said.
“Where are the others?” Corson demanded.
“I sent them to locate Lix and the hounds. We’ll meet them at the campground; we’ll never find them again in these woods.”
“Then let’s go,” Wren said as she wiped tears from her eyes and blood from her cheeks.
They rose, and I glanced back at where Wrath vanished. I had no idea why I was stuck with a Chosen who cared so little for anything outside of himself. I was not the most caring of demons, but at least I stood for something.
He only cared about revenge and destruction and had little concern for life. However, I couldn’t deny the incessant pull I felt to go after him. Instead, I ran in the opposite direction.
Chapter Thirteen
Wrath
I will not go backfor her. I willnotgo back for her.
With every step I took away from the foolish woman, my irritation grew. When flames came to life at the ends of my fingers, I suppressed them. If the calamuts sensed my building rage, they would attack.
However, I couldn’t believe I’d been saddled with such a tenderheartedfoolfor a Chosen. She was ademon, and she was going to risk her life for two humans who couldn’t crawl out from under a table. She clearly lacked in the brains department, and I was better off without her.
I didn’t know what would happen if we never completed the Chosen bond; other demons claimed it would eventually drive us mad, but I was stronger than most demons. I could, andwould, survive without her in my life.
Yet, every step I took away from her became increasingly difficult to make. Considering she was surrounded by her self-righteous friends, returning to her would do me little good. They would try to destroy me as soon as we left this forest, and I would gladly kill all of them too.Shewould probably try to destroy me as soon as we were out of the woods.
I’d have no problem killing her friends, but I didn’t think she’d like that very much. And I loathed that I cared about her being upset. She’d happily see my head on a spike, and I was considering her feelings, something I’dneverconsidered for anyone before.
When I came here, I simply planned on claiming my Chosen. She could deny me in dreams, but seeing each other again and in the house of the nymphs, a place designed for hedonism, it would be far more difficult. I didn’t care if she liked me or not; I would be inside her. And now I found myself concerned about the woman.
I had to get my shit together, and I couldn’t do that while I was still so close to her. Out of this forest and away from Bale, I would get my priorities straight again. Then, I would claim my Chosen, bend her to my will, take her away from the varcolac, and if possible, use her to help me destroy him.
That last part would probably be tricky as she was loyal to her king, but taking her away from the varcolac would be a blow to him. She was a powerful fighter and one he would miss.
Her words ran through my mind again.“Neither is a vendetta held against a varcolac who doesn’t know you.”
It didn’t matter if he knew me or not, he’d kept me locked away for millennia, just like the varcolacs before him. They kept me in that seal; they took away my freedom and nearly destroyed me more times than I could count. The confinement wasn’t the worst part; no, it was the never knowing when, orif, we would ever be set free.
When we were locked away, nothing was said to us. And then, for millennia, we remained trapped within that box, feeding on the leftover wraiths of Hell, fighting and fucking, and sometimes slipping away for days, weeks, andcenturiesbefore returning to discover ourselves still trapped within our hideous fate.
There were times I went insane. We all did. And there were times I was certain I couldn’t take one more second of being in there. Then that second would pass, and the next, and the next until they flowed into thousands of years.
Tilting my head back, I inhaled the fresh air. It was tainted with the stench of blood and terror, but it was still one of the most amazing things I’d ever experienced. I remembered walking free of the seal, walking away from all the destruction, and emerging into the bowels of Hell.
At the time, it was falling apart around us. Boulders were breaking off and falling free of the road out of Hell. The stench of death permeated the air, but that rot and the acrid scent of Hell couldn’t stop me from savoring every breath of freedom that filled my lungs.
Then I arrived on Earth and learned what fresh airreallywas, and I stopped to inhale it often. I despised that so many demons had allowed this plane to change them, but I was aware it was changing me too.
I didn’t think the scent of it had permeated me yet like it had the demons who had been here for years, but I appreciated the beauty of this world. The thing I liked about it most was, despite the sparkling blue of its magnificent seas, the scent of its trees, and the freedom of the open plains, it was as brutal as Hell in many ways. Many of the humans and animals here were as ruthless as any demon or hell creature.
I did not like that so many demons had been corrupted by this place, but I was never going back to Hell, and I would never be locked away again; I’d die first.Thiswas my home, and as soon as the varcolac was dead, I would retreat somewhere else to live. I would breathe the fresh air, create havoc when I was bored, and, whether she liked it or not, my Chosen would be by my side when it happened.
I considered going back for her, killing her friends, and dragging her away. She’d be pissed, but she would get over it eventually, and if she didn’t, so what?
However, a low creak from the calamuts doused my plans. I didn’t care what Bale wanted, but these trees would kill us all if I started another fight in this forest. No, I couldn’t take her now, but I would soon.
Arriving at the corner of the building, I stopped and released a low whistle. I tapped my foot as I searched the shadows for Zorn. Where was he? Even if something happened to him, he would still live while I drew breath.
