18. Saturus

18

SATURUS

T he stench of blood and fear hits me as we enter the chamber. Claudia tenses beside me, her eyes fixed on the scene before us. The air is thick with the metallic tang of spilled blood and the acrid smell of dark magic.

"Welcome, demon. I've been expecting you."

The general's voice grates like nails on slate. He stands behind an altar, a cruel smile twisting his lips. Chained to the cold stone, a young girl lies unconscious. Narina. Claudia's sister.

"Let her go," Claudia snarls, taking a step forward. I feel her power surge, raw and untamed, crackling in the air around us like static electricity.

I place a hand on her arm, holding her back. Something's not right. The general's too calm, too prepared. My ancient instincts scream danger.

"Ah, but we're just getting started," he purrs, running a finger along the edge of a wicked-looking blade. "You see, I have a particular... appetite."

"For innocent blood," I finish, disgust coiling in my gut. "How quaint."

He chuckles, a sound devoid of warmth. "Not just blood, demon. Their very essence. Their purity. It fuels me, makes me stronger with each life I take."

Claudia trembles with rage beside me. Her newfound demonic power pulses, threatening to break free of her control. I can sense her struggle to contain it, to channel it effectively.

"You've killed many of my kind," I say, buying time as I assess the situation. My eyes scan the chamber, noting every shadow, every potential weapon or escape route.

"Countless," he boasts. "And each one has made me stronger. You'll be no different."

I laugh, the sound echoing off the stone walls. "You think your parlor tricks can harm me? I am ancient, little man. I've seen empires rise and fall while you were still crawling in the mud."

His eyes narrow, but I catch a flicker of uncertainty. Good. Let him doubt.

"Perhaps," he says, "but I have something you want." He gestures to Narina, who whimpers on the altar. "And I'm willing to make a deal."

Claudia's eyes lock onto Narina's unconscious form. With a primal scream, she lunges forward, her power surging through her veins. But the general is ready. A flick of his wrist sends her flying across the chamber.

I move faster than thought, catching her before she slams into the stone wall. The impact jolts through my body, but I hold her tight, shielding her from harm.

"Foolish girl," I growl, but there's no real anger in it. Her recklessness is... intoxicating.

The general's laughter echoes off the walls. "How touching. The demon protects his pet."

I bare my fangs. "Claudia, free your sister. I'll deal with this pathetic excuse for a hunter."

She hesitates, her eyes darting between me and Narina. I give her a gentle push. "Go. Now."

As Claudia rushes to the altar, I face the general. He's cocky, overconfident. I'll enjoy breaking him.

We clash in a fury of blows. He's strong, I'll give him that. Stronger than any mortal has a right to be. But I am ancient, a force of nature given form. His strikes glance off my armor, while mine send him reeling. The air crackles with energy as we trade blows, the very fabric of reality warping around us.

I hear the clinking of chains behind me. Good. Claudia's freeing her sister.

The general spits blood, his eyes wild with hate. "You think you've won, demon? I've slaughtered hundreds of your kind!"

"And I've devoured thousands of yours," I snarl, advancing on him. "You're nothing but a?—"

The words die in my throat as he pulls something from his cloak. A dagger, ancient and cruel, its blade drinking in the dim light. My blood runs cold.

No. It can't be.

"Recognize this?" he sneers, brandishing the weapon. "Your kind fears it, don't they?"

I do recognize it. How could I not? I forged that blade eons ago, imbuing it with power to rival the gods themselves. A weapon I thought lost to the ages. Its very presence sends waves of dread through me, memories of its creation flooding my mind.

Rage courses through my veins as I lunge at the general. My claws tear into his flesh, ripping through armor and sinew alike. He's strong, but I'm stronger. Centuries of slumber have only sharpened my power.

The general stumbles back, blood seeping from a dozen wounds. His eyes dart frantically, searching for an escape. Then his gaze locks onto something behind me.

Claudia.

She's struggling to drag Narina away, her sister barely conscious. In that moment, I see the general's intent crystallize. He changes course, charging past me with inhuman speed.

"No!" The scream tears from my throat before I can stop it.

Images flash through my mind. Claudia, lifeless. Centuries of emptiness stretching before me. The crushing weight of incompleteness, driving me back into endless slumber. A hundred years of waiting, dreaming of her, all for naught.

I move without thinking. One moment I'm behind him, the next I'm between the general and Claudia. The dagger plunges into my chest, cold steel biting deep.

Claudia screams. The sound pierces me more sharply than any blade.

Pain blossoms, but it's distant, unimportant. I grin, savoring the general's look of shock as I wrap my hand around his, trapping it on the dagger's hilt.

Blood trickles down my chest, but I barely notice. My focus narrows to Claudia's wide, terrified eyes. A century of waiting, dreaming, yearning - it all crashes over me in this moment.

"Claudia," I growl, my voice rough with pain and possessiveness. "I won't let anyone take you away from me. Not now. Not ever."

The general struggles, trying to wrench the dagger free. I tighten my grip, bones cracking under my fingers.

"I've waited a hundred years for you," I continue, holding Claudia's gaze. "A century of slumber, dreaming of the day you'd come to me. You're mine, Claudia. Mine alone."

Something flickers in her eyes - fear? Desire? Both, perhaps. It doesn't matter. She's bound to me now, irrevocably.

With my free hand, I grab the hilt of the dagger. The general's eyes widen as he realizes what's about to happen. He tries to pull away, but it's futile. I am ancient. I am power incarnate. And I will not be denied.

In one swift motion, I plunge my hand into his chest. Flesh and bone give way like paper. His scream is cut short as my fingers close around his still-beating heart.

"This is the price of threatening what's mine," I snarl.

I rip his heart from his chest, feeling it pulse one last time in my grip before going still. The general's body crumples to the floor, lifeless.

Claudia stares, transfixed by the gruesome sight. I can smell her fear, her excitement, her arousal. It's intoxicating. Her power pulses in response to mine, a dark symphony of desire and violence.