Page 50 of Fated to the Demon Lord

“Now disarm the human.”

Before I could respond. Vaelor grabbed my arm and twisted it. I gasped and dropped the sword, letting it fall.

He released me. “Forgive me. I—I couldn’t stop.”

What was happening? I looked at the slave trader. He lingered at the top of the stairs, the finger from the dead body bound to a string encircling his neck. It gave off a black power. The hedge witch stood behind him with a clever smile on her face. A sickness gripped me.

Namar stroked the bloody finger as if it hadn’t just come from his comrade. “It is handy having a hedge witch around. A simple spell and the dead become controlled by the dead—those they’ve killed, that is.”

“Spirits are easy to manipulate before they bond with their body,” the hedge witch added.

Shit. Vaelor was being controlled by the power cast on that finger.

“It's not so fun to be forced to do another’s bidding, is it?” Namar sneered. He walked down the steps. “You will not touch me or anyone except for the girl. Pick her up and take her outside.”

Vaelor, inside his possessed vessel, spun and picked me up in his arms. I stiffened. I was horrified at the idea that Vaelor could be ordered to kill me in an instant and he’d have to do it—even if I knew in my bones he didn’t want to. I thought about struggling, about fleeing, but a worry in my gut kept me in place. Besides, we were being caught by a slaver. It wasn’t worthwhile for him to hurt the goods, at least not until we were sold. Not to mention there were still spirits out in the woods—the only place to escape to. They wanted me dead all the same. For now, sticking with Vaelor and the slave trader was my safest choice.

Vaelor carried me outside, a storm of dark fury raging behind his eyes at being compelled to serve another’s will, yet his grip on me was surprisingly gentle. The slave trader walked up to a caged wagon and unlocked it. “Put her here.”

He deposited me at the slaver’s feet, and I stood there, nowhere to run. Namar gripped my face and pried open my lips.

“Get your fucking hands off her,” Vaelor seethed.

Namar ignored him and continued to peer into my mouth. Then his gaze slid over my body. “Oh yes, you will fetch a nice price. Now get in.”

I had no other choice with Vaelor at my back and him in front, so I got into the cage.

Namar slammed the enclosure shut and locked it. An evil grin spread across his face as he turned to Vaelor, who still lingered outside the cage. “Come out of him,” he said to Vaelor.

Vaelor faded from the hobgoblin’s body, and it slumped onto the ground, the hobgoblin gasping and whimpering. Gods, he looked exactly as I did right after Raxus possessed me.

A savage fire showed in Namar’s expression. This demon must mean something to him. “Are you well, brother?”

The demon rose to his feet, anger in his eyes. “I—I will be once I’ve taught this bastard a lesson.”

Namar handed his sword to the demon, who spun to face Vaelor. I watched from my cage, an odd fear pulsing in my veins.

“Grab the bars,” Namar commanded.

Vaelor’s expression tightened, and he looked as if he were trying to resist, but then he reached out and his right hand closed around one of the bars, forcing him to interact with the physical world.

My anxiety twisted. “What are you doing to him?”

The hobgoblin whom Vaelor had possessed came up and slammed the blade through Vaelor’s back. My entire frame shook at the savagery of it. Vaelor gasped, his second hand coming to the bars as his legs collapsed from under him.

“Stop it!” I was at the bars looking at the agony etched on Vaelor’s face, my heart twisting painfully.

The demon pulled the sword out. Vaelor flinched, and he cried out. The rage in the demon’s expression wasn’t gone, and he slammed the blade through Vaelor’s body a second time.

Vaelor sagged, and he released a low whine.

I fell to my knees, gripping the bars next to him. “You monsters! You fucking monsters! Leave him alone!”

Namar frowned at me. “You look as though you need some breaking. Then again, I know a few buyers who enjoy them feisty at the beginning.”

The hobgoblin standing over Vaelor watched me with pleasure as he twisted the sword inside Vaelor with a loud squelching sound. Vaelor’s grip on the bars tightened, and he groaned.

Shit. What could I do? I was helpless to stop it. “Please, I beg you.”