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“Shit,” Sky muttered under his breath.
Chen leaned out from the bar to stare at the center of the road. They’d left behind the city, popping out on the other side in what felt like a wild, rocky area. The only lights they had were from the colorful lights on the cart that were still flashing cheerfully.
But now, they were dancing along the enormously tall form of what was most definitely a demon.
Chapter 22
Chen Bo Cheng
The demon stood well over seven feet tall without including the impressive silver horns that rose from his head. His face was hard and sculpted with full lips that were currently curled into a snarl. Fathomless black eyes pinned Sky for a moment and then settled heavily on Chen.
Chen slid his left hand to Moon, seeking a little reassuring contact, while every instinct demanded that he reach for his sword with his right. Yet, he didn’t. He would not be the one to instigate a fight. Particularly since he wasn’t sure he could win against a demon.
Sky cleared his throat twice. “Hi, Zal. Long time no see.”
That, at least, wiped the snarl from his lips. The demon dragged his gaze to the Sky, though it snagged briefly on the minion clinging to the witch. “Skylar,” he greeted. “We have a problem.” His liquid black eyes shifted right back to Chen.
“Oh, do not start your problem shit with me!” Sky growled at the demon.
Well, it would have been impressive if he wasn’t attempting to peel a round, horned minion off him like a mother trying to free herself from a clingy toddler.
“We’re not causing any problems for you or the underworld. We’re just cutting through.” Sky huffed and half fell from the stool. Settling his pack on his shoulders, he marched up to the demon. “If you hadn’t stopped us, we’d be in the human realm already.”
That got Zal’s eyebrows to lift, his eyes widening. “Cutting through? The underworld is not your private highway to use for shortcuts.”
Sky sniffed and straightened his shoulders. “Fine. I guess this makes us even.”
“Even!” the demon roared. “What in all the gods makes you think I owe you?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Great King Zalramon of the Underworld. Maybe it’s because you kicked open my door, causing a leak of underworld magic, and allowed some of your own creatures to escape into the human realm. After you made that mess, you left it to me to clean up.”
The sarcasm was getting thick in this part of the underworld. If Chen hadn’t seen it, he wouldn’t have believed it. Zalramon was starting to appear…uncomfortable. His brow furrowed, and he twisted his neck as if trying to loosen tight muscles.
“You were causing problems,” Zalramon countered stiffly.
“And you could have sent a message via one of the minions. We could have set up a time for a meeting,” Sky shot at him.
The demon made a scoffing noise in the back of his throat and folded his massive arms over his chest. “A meeting. Like you’re some Wall Street hotshot.”
“Zal, it was an emergency.” Sky held out his hands toward the demon, his tone softening for the first time. “You know I wouldn’t be here causing problems for you if it wasn’t. We were cutting through to get my friends to my house. The fae have returned, and they’re causing all kinds of problems.”
The demon shuddered from the tips of his horns to the soles of his very impressive black boots before spitting on the ground. “The fae. You can keep them in your realm. No trying to send them to me.”
“I’m hoping to avoid them as much as possible myself. Hence, the shortcut during the day.”
Zalramon made a show of sighing and throwing up his hands, revealing fingers tipped with long, black nails like talons. “Fine. Go. But that one stays here.” As he spoke, he pointed at Chen.
The calm that had fallen over Chen evaporated in an instant. A chill that ran deeper than his vampiric powers bit into every muscle and centimeter of flesh.
“No!” Moon roared while Chen pulled his sword from its sheath on his shoulder. If he had to, he was fighting his way to the realm of the living.
“If you take him, take me as well,” Moon shouted. “I’ve bound our souls together.” The blood witch lifted his left fist into the air and Chen caught a red shimmer from the corner of his eye. The thread. That precious bond holding them together was still visible. Yet, was it strong enough? Could it withstand an attack from the king of the underworld?
Not that he wanted to see Moon’s existence end here. He’d give anything for Moon to escape this place and live a long life.
But he was selfish enough to want Moon’s soul to follow him into the next life. For them to have a real shot at finding each other again. If they couldn’t have their happily ever after now, could they find it when they were reincarnated?
