Chapter Eighteen

Dakata

Christa had latched onto his demon side to all but drag him away from Silas and from what had started out being a wonderful morning ‘of getting to know each other’. Only she’d rudely interrupted them. He heard ‘could’ve ended better, just saying’ , float through his thoughts from Silas as he stood in his mansion, in the demon realm, facing his family.

He glared at Christa, ignoring his brothers gathered in the vast living space that was communal in the mansion Dakata had bought for his family. A very ungrateful family to consider snatching him before he had a chance to even finish his coffee and bid Silas goodbye.

“What do you think you’re playing at, Christa?” Dakata snapped, his back molars grinding together as he revealed the depth of his frustration. And more, his demon’s anger at having upset Silas enough to cause his blissful one to be miffed at him. At him! It was Christa’s fault.

“Playing at? Me? You were the one who came down here and set about destroying half of Dusken. Leaving a trail of dead demons in your wake.”

“They deserved it, all of them.” He jabbed a finger at her, Berna, and Luka. “And your memories must be damned short if you’ve forgotten that you fucking helped. Their intentions caused harm to my blissful one. They kidnapped his sister, believing she was mine.” He snarled, his demon’s anger returning with the fresh memory of Silas coming out of the water, looking ravishing in the sunlight. I’m not going to see that again if I don’t work this shit out. “I’ve done the realm a favor by ridding it of the dross.”

“Is that your decision, Dakata?” asked Asmodeus, the king of the demons. His voice lacked any emotions as Dakata swung around to face their ruler.

He wasn’t there when I arrived. Fuck.

Hard eyes glittered with controlled anger. Asmodeus stood a good half a foot taller than everyone in the room, even in his human form. He was still a scary fuck with how his power rolled over anyone within twenty feet of him. The urge to bow was impossible to deny. At the ruler's side stood Merihem, looking all shades of uncomfortable.

Double fuck!

“Under the laws of this realm, yes.” Dakata stepped closer, careful to keep his tone respectful, he didn’t want to lose his head. “Silas is my blissful one. I recognized the blissful bond immediately,” his demon answered for them.

“Only it wasn’t him they took, was it?” The icy, controlled voice sent shivers up Dakata’s spine. The force Asmodeus held gathered in the room, and everyone became still, as if they finally understood the seriousness of the situation.

Dakata met Asmodeus’ gaze and held it. He wasn’t just fighting to save his own life, he was fighting for Silas, too, and that changed everything. “They took Silas’s sister Wanda by mistake. The harm they inflicted on her, Silas felt. By our union, I felt Silas’s and his tree’s pain. Do I not have the right to exact my vengeance for this? Do I not have a right to protect who the Fates have deemed to be the second half of my soul? Of my demon’s?” he argued heatedly.

Asmodeus looked down his pointed nose, his eyes narrowing on Dakata, but he never moved. “Bring this Silas to me.”

Dakata was shaking his head before he could consider what such an action could cause. His family gasped around him, and Merihem winced. “Being in this realm depletes Silas’s life force. In his forest, by his tree would be a better place to hold such a meeting.” He worked hard to keep his tone respectful, while stressing his point. “His soul is sensitive, and the negative energies down here sicken him.”

It was as if everyone held their collective breath when the only sound was the noise of silk rubbing against silk as Asmodeus stepped to Dakata and took hold of his chin in a punishing grip. There, in the depth of his gaze, were the fires of hell where he could cast anyone he chose to with just a thought. “Do you dare to disobey me?”

“When it comes to my blissful one, yes. His safety is more important than anything else to me,” Dakata and his demon said, in total accord. They would sacrifice themselves to prevent Silas from having to endure one moment in his realm.

More gasps came, but Dakata didn’t pull away from Asmodeus's punishing grip to see who it was. As he scrutinized Dakata, there, in the depth of his stare, Dakata saw a flicker of confusion before it disappeared, and he was released. “This bond seems to have stolen the common sense of you and your demon,” he said in an emotionless voice that didn’t stop the chills running through Dakata. “I will need to get the historians to examine blissful bonds. Until then, I will spare your Silas a trip to this realm.”

Asmodeus glanced at Merihem, and back was the fierce monster who ruled with an iron fist. “Your actions have no such rationale, Merihem.”

“He came at my request,” Dakata defended his best friend quickly. “They all did.” He would not let them take the blame for his actions. Asmodeus had never been known for being lenient.

“I’m well aware of who aided you, Dakata. And as this is a situation, not encountered in many eons, I will need to seek council.” His gaze swept the room, landing on each individual. “That does not mean this is an end to this matter. There will be consequences, as no one has the authority to run amok in my realm without my permission. ”

With the threat hanging in the air, Asmodeus disappeared with Merihem.

“Fuck, brother, you know how to create a shit storm,” Rahart muttered, rubbing at his temple. “I can feel his anger swarming in my mind.”

“You aren’t the only one.” Christa stomped on her heels to Dakata, her worry clouding her eyes. “What do you think he’ll do?”

Dakata shrugged at his inability to think of an answer when a sudden wave of fatigue hit him. “I….”

“You’re looking a little pale, brother,” Luka stated, coming closer and taking hold of Dakata’s arm to guide him to a chair. “Is it the run-in with Asmodeus or…” he grinned cheekily, “all the sexy time with your tree nymph?”

“None of your business,” Dakata said wearily, too tired to snap. What’s wrong with us?

We want Silas.

Was that all it was?

Dakata remained unconvinced as he eyed those all staring at him with varying degrees of concern.

“We need to talk about what happens now.” Berna took the seat next to Dakata. “Are you going to continue to run your record company? Manage the bands and shit like that?”

“Always about the money.” Christa glared at Berna, hands going to her hips. “Maybe if you weren’t so lazy you might offer to help Daks.”

“What about you? You do nothing but shop,” Berna pointed out quickly, getting a look that could sear the clothes from a body for daring to criticize her.

Dakata found it hard to lift his hand as he went to intervene. What the fuck?

“Stop,” he finally managed, his hand flopping back into his lap. He eyed it before looking back at his family, wondering if he was getting ill. Had Asmodeus cursed him, despite his claim to investigate further before doling out a punishment? Dakata was clueless and too tired to focus on more than one problem at a time. His family's worries were pressing on him, and he was concerned about Merihem. One problem at a time.

“The company will always require some of my attention… however, that does not mean one or more of you could not step up and assist to take some of my workload.” Warming to the idea of getting more time with Silas, he glanced at Luka. “You could take on managing the bands. Your love of music and knowing what the current music trends are up and coming would benefit us.”

Luka’s smile was genuine as he nodded. “I could do that.”

Shifting his attention to Christa. “You could take on sourcing and booking venues. You are great at wangling to get things at reduced costs.”

Her usual smooth brow wrinkled. “What would that actually involve?"

“I can get Scott to send you all the information you need.”

He didn’t wait for her to answer when his alarm grew at how his head felt too heavy for his shoulders when he attempted to glance in the direction of Rahart. “I’ll get Scott to look at each section of the company and send you all a brief resume of them. Choose which suits. But make no mistake, you are all going to answer directly to me,” he slurred.

His thoughts became cloudy. He attempted to reach into his pocket for his summoning stones to call for Scott and missed his pocket.

Was he dying?

There was a cry of alarm as he slid bonelessly against the back of the chair. His eyelids were too heavy to hold open, they closed against his will as he fought whatever was happening with what remaining energy he had.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Has Asmodeus cursed him?”

“Shit, he weighs a ton. Fucking help me before he slides to the floor and bashes his head.”

The voices came at him from a distance as his awareness wavered and hands clutched at his legs and arms, another under his head. Floating, he groaned when they placed—dumped him on the hard floor.

His last thoughts as he slipped into oblivion were of Silas. I’m sorry, my blissful one, for leaving you. If you can feel me, know that I will protect you from wherever I’m cast.