Page 3 of Fated to the Demon Lord

“Please,” I begged.

Finally, he gave a reluctant nod, and he hurried over to the bed, dropping to the floor and scooting underneath. It was obvious, but the only good hiding place we had.

“Aye, you minotaur,” the demon troll shouted. “She’s barred the door, come and knock it down for me, will ya?”

I rushed over and grabbed the stew and put it on the fire. Then I threw on another log and stoked the flames until it crackled. Hopefully, the smell and sound would help drown out any sign that there was a second human in the room.

I raced toward the cabin’s far corner for the ax, then positioned myself beside the entrance. The handle was slick in my sweaty hands, and I found it difficult to keep my breathing steady and to stop my arms from shaking.

A powerful impact struck the door, causing its hinges to groan. With the subsequent strike, the door’s bar fractured. Next, a pair of horns thrust through the wood. With a grunt, the horns disappeared, and then an arm reached in through the newly created holes and lifted the bar from the door.

The demon on the other side emitted an evil chuckle. “We’re coming for you, little human.”

I swallowed and shivered. Death did indeed come for us all, but I would give my life if it meant keeping my brother alive.

The bar dropped to the ground, and the entrance burst open.

I swung the ax as hard as I could.

The troll that came through the opening caught the ax by the handle. He released a throaty laugh. A cruel grin spread across his face as his other hand snaked out and wrapped around my throat. “Hello, human.”

A large minotaur prowled into the cabin behind him. His bull’s head swung from side to side as he stalked around the space.

The troll squeezed, and I relinquished the ax and pulled at his fingers as my world narrowed. I struggled to breathe.

“Do you know what I like more than a dead human?” He asked, drawing me close so I could smell his rancid breath and see his blood-covered teeth. “The money I make from selling your insignificant life to the highest bidder.”

I spasmed as I fought for air.

“Hold on, Raxus. This human can cook,” the minotaur noted, observing the pot of food. “Maybe better than our current ones.”

Raxus’s eyes gleamed. “Maybe we will keep you then as our own little slave, and you can pleasure my brothers with your weak, helpless body.”

His fingers unclenched, and I crumpled to the ground, coughing through a fire-filled throat. He grasped me by the hair, and pain sparked through my head and neck as he dragged me along the floor toward the door.

“Let her go!” Gerand raced forward with a cooking pan in his hand, striking Raxus upon the back.

My heart dropped to my stomach and churned. “No… Gerand.”

The demon turned. “Look,” Raxus said to his minotaur companion. “There is another one. Snatch him up and let’s head out.”

The minotaur lumbered across the cabin and too easily yanked the pan from Gerand’s grasp and scooped him up. Gerand struggled and kicked, tears streaming from his eyes, his face pale with fear.

“No, no, no…” I cried in a dry, raspy voice. I grasped the base of Raxus’s armor. “Please, I will allow you to do whatever you want to me. I’ll do whatever you want, just let him go. Let him go, please.”

Raxus sneered at me. “Poor, powerless human. Don’t you know? We’re already going to do whatever we want to you.”

“Hold still.” The minotaur struck Gerand across the head, and my brother froze in shock as blood trickled down his cheek.

Red flashed before my eyes, and I clawed at Raxus’s meaty hand that grasped me. I’d kill the minotaur for that. I’d kill all of them. “Don’t you touch him! Don’t you touch him! Gerand!”

My fighting didn’t faze Raxus. “Put him with the ones to be sold. I’ll place this one with the camp slaves.”

Tears fell warm on my cheeks while I attempted to pull away. I tried to get out of his grasp, but he simply held on to my hair. “No, please, I beg you, put us together, put us together! Gerand! Let him go! Gerand!”

The demons merely laughed as the minotaur threw Gerand over his shoulder and stalked from the cabin.

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