17. Claudia

17

CLAUDIA

B lood drips from my fingers, warm and sticky. Each drop sings through my veins, feeding a hunger I never knew existed. I lick my lips, savoring the metallic taste.

"More," I whisper, my voice husky with desire.

Saturus grins, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Patience, my pet. We have work to do."

We descend into the basement, the air growing thick with the stench of fear and decay. My heart races, not with fear, but anticipation.

Suddenly, Saturus freezes. His nostrils flare, and a low growl rumbles in his chest.

"What is it?" I ask, tensing for a fight.

He turns to me, his mismatched eyes narrowed. "I sense a power. Similar to mine."

"What?" My blood runs cold. "A demon? Here?"

Saturus nods, his face a mask of concentration. "Powerful. Ancient."

My mind reels. Another demon? What could this mean for Narina? For us?

"Should we turn back?" I hate the words even as they leave my mouth.

Saturus laughs, the sound sending shivers down my spine. "And miss the entertainment? Never."

He pulls me close, his lips brushing my ear. "Remember, you're mine now. No other demon can claim you."

I nod, heat pooling in my belly despite the danger. "Yours. Always."

We press on, the air growing heavier with each step. The basement stretches before us, a labyrinth of shadows and secrets. Somewhere in this darkness, my sister waits. And now, apparently, so does another demon.

My newly awakened senses prickle. Something is wrong. The silence is too complete, the darkness too absolute. It's as if the very air is holding its breath, waiting.

We round a corner, and the stench hits me like a physical blow. My newfound senses reel, overwhelmed by the miasma of blood, decay, and something... otherworldly.

"Saturus, what-" The words die in my throat as my eyes adjust to the gloom.

Chained to the far wall, a figure writhes in agony. Blood - darker and thicker than any human's - oozes from countless wounds. But it's not the blood that makes my heart stutter. It's the eyes. Glowing with an infernal light, they lock onto mine with a mixture of pain and fury.

Another demon. Chained. Bleeding.

My gaze drops, and a scream tears from my lips. Bodies. So many bodies. Young girls, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles, their eyes wide and unseeing.

"Narina!" I shriek, dropping to my knees beside the nearest corpse. Not her. I crawl to the next. Not her.

"Narina!" I scream again, frantically searching each face. My sister has to be here. She has to be.

But she's not.

I whirl on Saturus, fury and desperation clawing at my insides. "Where is she? You said she'd be here!"

He doesn't answer, his attention fixed on the chained demon. Their gazes are locked in some silent battle of wills.

"Saturus!" I grab his arm, uncaring of the danger. "My sister isn't here! Where is she?"

He tears his eyes away from the other demon, looking at me with an expression I can't decipher. "She's not among the dead, Claudia. That's something."

Relief floods through me at Saturus's words. Narina's not among the dead. There's still hope.

The chained demon's eyes lock onto mine. "The one you seek is deeper in the basement. The general isn't finished with her yet."

My heart leaps. Narina's alive. I turn to sprint deeper into the darkness, but a raspy voice stops me cold.

"Wait," the demon croaks. "The general... he's not what you think."

I freeze, torn between urgency and caution. Saturus tenses beside me.

"What do you mean?" I demand.

The demon's chains rattle as he shifts. "He's a demon hunter. Powerful. Dangerous."

Ice spreads through my veins. A demon hunter? My gaze darts to Saturus, fear clawing at my throat.

"How?" Saturus growls. "How did a demon hunter infiltrate the dark elves?"

The chained demon laughs, a bitter sound. "You think the dark elves care who does their dirty work? As long as humans suffer, they turn a blind eye."

I clench my fists, nails biting into my palms. "I don't care what he is. My sister-"

"You should care," the demon interrupts. "He'll sense what you've become. What you both are. And he won't hesitate to add you to his collection."

Saturus's eyes narrow. "Why tell us this? Why help?"

The demon's gaze burns into mine. "Because chaos is coming. And I want to watch it unfold."

Saturus's eyes narrow, his nostrils flaring. "That explains the scent I caught earlier. Dying demons."

My heart plummets. "The general has a weapon that kills demons?"

Fear claws at my throat, not for myself, but for Saturus. I've only just found him, this dark, dangerous creature who's awakened something primal within me. The thought of losing him...

"Saturus," I whisper, reaching for him. "We should be careful. If he can kill demons-"

Saturus throws his head back and laughs, the sound echoing off the dank walls. "A child's toy, nothing more. It might fell lesser demons, but I am far beyond its reach."

I want to believe him, but doubt gnaws at me. "Are you sure?"

He cups my face, his mismatched eyes boring into mine. "I've walked this earth for eons, my pet. A mortal's trinket holds no fear for me."

His confidence is infectious. I feel my fears melting away under his touch.

"It's going to be alright," he murmurs, his thumb tracing my lower lip. "Trust me."

I nod, grabbing his hand and intertwining our fingers. In this moment, I'd follow him into the depths of hell itself.

Saturus grins, a predatory gleam in his eyes. He pulls me close, claiming my mouth in a searing kiss that leaves me breathless and aching for more.

When we part, I'm dizzy with desire and newfound power. "Let's go," I growl, my voice thick with bloodlust. "My sister is waiting."

Hand in hand, we descend deeper into the basement's dark heart, ready to face whatever horrors await us.