14. Blood and Ashes

ASHER

From the moment my consciousness merged with Quinn's, I could sense that I had been snapped back in time. While the wallpaper around me was heavily faded and the wooden planks beneath my feet had clearly seen better days, there were no obvious signs of how far back I'd gone. The weight in the air was extremely heavy, pulled down with so much negativity that I couldn't begin to locate the source of it all.

"No! Please don't!"

My head whipped toward the back of the house. There was absolutely no hesitation on my part, my feet eager to move long before I registered the wail as Quinn's. The house was so small that it didn't take much before I found my way toward an open kitchen, complete with Anita dragging a young teenager through the door by her hoodie. My nostrils flared at the sight.

Quinn clawed at her mother's hand still tangled in the material. Her movements were so desperate that the hood was already beginning to tear. The sound seemed to prompt her to try and jerk around onto her knees.

Anita let go long enough to let Quinn drop and stun her into paralysis. "Where the fuck do you think you're going, you little bastard of a child?" she snarled. A strained grunt squeezed from her lips as she coiled her body to grab another fistful of the material. This time, she aimed for the main piece to avoid Quinn breaking free. "What did you expect would happen when you started to steal from the neighbor's gardens? Did you think no one would notice?"

I seized the doorframe beside me, keeping close enough to it as they approached. My presence here certainly wouldn't be noticed unless I wanted to expend the extra energy. It wasn't a valuable way to use that strength when the past simply couldn't be changed. As much as the sight of Anita turning on her own child enraged me, this had already happened. From the feel of Quinn's soul, I'd been yanked back at least two decades.

My pet was noticeably younger, no older than sixteen. Yet the angelic ignorance haunting every fiber of her being reminded me of someone that had been shut in the house her entire life. Everything she knew was within these walls, from Anita's endless rage to the lack of food gracing a plate she might not even have. Her soul was haunted by hunger and pain. Even if she was beginning to be graced with a height that would eventually help her survive, she simply didn't have the strength to hold her own.

Quinn twisted her body with a desperate attempt to use the force to rip the hoodie off her body. All it would take was a few jerks before she could simply slide out and break free. "I won't do it ever again," she rasped. "I swear it!"

Anita stormed past me with an iron grip on her frightened child, keeping her far too close to allow the chance at freedom. "This isn't the first time you've stolen from Timothy. They might not have the cameras to catch you in the act, but I do! You've been going over there like clockwork, once a fucking week!"

I flexed my jaw and shifted my body to keep them both in sight.

Her mother made a beeline for a door tucked under the stairway, where a small rusted lock swung freely from the padlock hasp. She reached out to yank it further open before she dragged Quinn inside. Loud thunking inside warned that only a stairway lurked beyond and she had no problem dragging her own flesh down those steps.

My grip tightened on the doorframe until the wood started to cave from the pressure. I pulled away from it, taking a chunk with me. The piece simply dissolved into nothing long before it tumbled onto the floor. I threw a quick glance at where it'd vanished before my gaze drifted toward the intact doorframe. The fact there was absolutely no evidence of my rage only blew on the growing flame even more. Curling my upper lip, I ventured through the same door Anita had.

There wasn't a single part of me that was surprised to find a basement lurking beyond that door with a staircase that had clearly seen better days. Anita dragging her child down those steps hadn't helped the condition at all, leaving one step halfway down beginning to split. I hovered near the top while I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness.

It wasn't long until the horrors of the room was revealed to me. While there was a heavy dampness in the air merged together with thick layers of dust on the brick wall, the cluster of objects scattered on the dirt floor were clearly new. One being a small dog cage that Anita had no problem with tossing her daughter into.

The cage was so close to the back wall that Quinn's head smacked against the brick, dazing her long enough to allow her mother to slam the door shut and toss another lock on. As soon as the metal clicked into place, the full weight of her reality sank in. Her gray eyes widened. "N-No! Please don't!" She scrambled around in the cage, flinging her weight against the door.

Both the cage and the lock were new enough to where it could bear the full brunt of the force. Neither one would be willing to cave.

The fear painting her face was nothing like the expression of defiance that I had grown so accustomed to — or the way her eyes rolled up into the back of her head with every thrust I delivered. It didn't matter how long ago this took place, the sight enraged me all the same.

Anita stepped back to enjoy her handiwork. "Since when does your word mean a damn thing?" She jammed a hand into her back pocket and tugged an open carton of cigarettes loose. A few swift movements later, the carton was returned to her pocket with a cigarette trapped in between her chapped lips. She flicked a lighter to life.

Quinn flinched with every try it took for the lighter to emit a small flame. Her piercing eyes honed in on it with an ocean of fear swirling within. When the lighter was tossed onto the table behind her mother, she recoiled.

"You're a bastard child. Your word is useless." Anita puffed on the cigarette until it thrived, burning away the cheap material eagerly. She tugged it free from her lips and approached the cage, tapping a finger against her chin. "I suppose that means the little room you've made for yourself up in the attic has to be locked up. You were using the fucking drain pipe to get out of the house. Can't have that, now can we?"

My young pet shrank away as her mother approached, soft whimpers escaping her. "Please don't keep me in here," she pleaded softly. "I won't touch their gardens ever again. T-They'll never have to worry about seeing me." Her gray eyes followed Anita all the way over to beside her cage.

It didn't matter how much young Quinn pressed her body against the opposite side, the bars of the cage prevented her from getting out of her mother's reach. Now that she was trapped, nothing could stop Anita from leaning down and pressing the end of her cigarette into her exposed shoulder.

My upper lip curled as Quinn thrashed against the cage with a noise trapped between a wail and a high shriek. The emotion threatened to spiral out of control when Anita simply smirked, pleased by the noise. This was the woman that had so willingly handed over her own daughter to me, along with the annoying organization the child had tied herself with? I had sensed the greed from the beginning, but there was truly one hell of a corrupted soul lurking within this woman.

"P-Please stop…"

The rage simmered to a low dormancy when a soft whisper nearby jolted me out of the scene unfolding before my eyes. I swung my gaze over toward the far corner, stunned to find my pet barely upright. If it wasn't for the fact she was pressed up against her own wall, there was no doubt in my mind that she would've crumbled onto the damp floor.

My pet was completely oblivious to my presence with those piercing eyes locked on the fragments of her memory still playing out. She kept her arms trapped against her chest as she struggled to take in deep breaths. Her lungs were desperate for the oxygen, but that didn't mean she got much beyond the sharp inhales. She was borderline a panic attack with the pale complexion to prove it.

Quinn continued to rock slightly, her bottom lip shaking. "I won't do it ever again… Please don't hurt me, Mama…"

She spoke in perfect sync with her younger self and the word choice enraged Anita. The woman drew back long enough to slam her boot into the cage, sending it onto its side. "You will never refer to me by that again! I may have birthed you, but you are a bastard child. There is barely any of my blood running through those veins. I should have buried you alive as soon as I could walk."

I thought my own father had been a cold son of a bitch — yet this mortal was truly something else.

A tear slid down Quinn's cheek as she watched Anita jab at the teenager relentlessly with the cigarette until a nice cluster of burns had collected on her pale skin. She flinched every time the teenager did, almost as if she was reliving the pain all over again just by being here. It wasn't until Anita delivered one against the back of her neck that an agonized scream ripped through the basement.

Any ounce of self-control I had with not intervening until Quinn had separated herself from the memory snapped. I bounded across the room, cutting far too close to the psychotic bitch for my comfort. It took hearing those noises from my pet's mouth for me to remain fixed upon her long enough to wrap my arms around her and trap her against my chest. "This isn't real, pet," I growled into her ear. "The pain…The fear… None of it is real. It's already happened."

Just like when I had found her twisting on the bed, Quinn put every ounce of her strength into fighting me. She pushed against my chest with sharp pants. If it wasn't for the small part of her that was still human, she would have succeeded. That tiny sliver allowed me to keep her pinned against me until the fight finally ceased.

I tightened my arms as she slumped against me. "Quinn…"

"I won't do it again, Mama," she sobbed. "I'll never steal from their garden again… I'll starve until you're rid of me."

Rage surged through my veins with such a blinding heat that I immediately released her, planting my hands on her shoulders to jerk her back enough to jolt her out of that panicked haze. "You have been rid of her, Quinn Rossi. She no longer has any control over you. The bitch can't keep food from you until you starve. She can't lock you out of the house until you freeze to death or you're picked up by my men."

The movement was sudden enough that the uncontrollable sobs ceased immediately. Quinn stared at me with wide eyes. It took her far too long to realize that the noise behind me had faded into muffled noises while my hold on her felt real. Several tears escaped down her cheeks as her eyebrows furrowed. "A-Asher?" she rasped. "How…? Are you…?"

The recognition in those stunning eyes gave me enough comfort to where I could release her long enough to move my hands. I cupped her cheeks and brought her closer. "Did I jack a ride into your nightmare? Yes, I did. I am a man of many gifts, pet, and they're not all located below the belt."

That wasn't one of the times that I had pegged where it would take her a few minutes to register my words. When they finally sank in, her lips curled and a ragged laugh escaped her. It was shaky, but it was still a true warm noise that clashed with the corruption behind me. She covered my hands with her own. "You didn't have to do this."

I stroked her jaw with my thumbs, causing my pet to shiver against me. This was a movement that I could tolerate — the type that immediately got me hard. "I didn't have to do what?"

She averted her gaze, nibbling on her lower lip. "Break me out of that cycle. I've had these nightmares all my life. I'm used to going through it alone. Dealing with the weight of the memories by myself."

My jaw flexed as I struggled to curb my rage. It was quickly simmering now that Quinn was free from her nightmare — and it helped that the events behind me had simply ceased entirely — but that admission threatened to almost completely revive it. I pulled one hand away, tugging down the top of her tank to expose her marked breast. "A week ago, this would've meant something else entirely. I don't think you realize how much things have changed since I first took you, pet. This isn't a brand showing that you're nothing more than my current plaything. You are mine in far different ways than I'd planned."

Quinn's eyes widened. Even if she didn't intend to lock gazes with me, they still found their way back to my face. Her cheeks darkened to a rosy pink as my knuckles brushed against her delicate skin.

I had no problem with shifting my hand enough to keep rubbing my knuckles along her breast, encouraging that blush to deepen until I could feel the heat radiating from her. "I take care of what's mine, pet," I growled. The desire weighed down in my voice until the words were barely anything more than a husky noise.

The goosebumps along her skin revealed my own desire was beginning to seep into her soul. She sucked in a sharp breath and clung to me, desperate not to let her wobbly legs bring her down.

I inched forward until I had Quinn pressed against the wall, keeping her trapped. "I will never let you starve. You will always have a roof over your head as long as you are willing to put up with my overprotective ass. Any pain I inflict upon you will purely be voluntary. You control whatever I deliver. The abuse you endured from your own flesh and blood will never be done by my hand."

Her lips parted as the disbelief washed across her face. "We've barely known each other for long. How could you make a promise like that to me? I'm your pet."

"You were just a pet to me, Quinn Rossi." I shifted my hand from her breast up to her throat. My grip on her wasn't tight. Just enough for the pleasure to rip through her body and leave her shaking against me. "An incubus doesn't just knot for any succubus. It takes a possible mating bond for it to happen. Which means my interest in you from the start wasn't random. We were meant to cross paths. I was meant to buy you. And…"

"You were meant to knot me." Her voice was soft.

There were far too many words fighting for dominance that it was all I could do to nod.

It didn't take long for Quinn to start nibbling on her lip again. While there was a part of her that yearned to drop her gaze, the overwhelming pull between us refused to allow that. "So, what does that mean for us?"

I leaned against her, allowing the full brunt of my hardened cock to press into her pelvis. The soft gasp squeezing from her lips was enough to make it twitch, and I hungered for the hot haven of her pussy. As delightful as it would feel, the dreamworld wouldn't carry over the same sensations that I liked to lose myself within. We could fuck in the basement and alter the memory enough to where it might stop tormenting her like this…or I could simply jolt her out of it to bury myself within the real thing. "That depends on you."

She balked at me. "On me?"

My lips curled into a wide, coy smirk. "I am more than prepared to take over the throne with you by my side, but my people would be concerned which part of yourself you would choose."

Quinn's eyes narrowed into thin slits. "I thought you said my humanity was fading every time we fucked."

A deep chuckle rumbled from my chest. I leaned forward to nuzzle her neck. "Because it is. That doesn't mean they won't ask the question of where you want to place your loyalty."

Although desire haunted her aura so much that I could practically taste her scent on my tongue, annoyance seeped into it. It created a strange combination that, while I didn't mind it, I certainly didn't enjoy it as much as raw hunger. "Why the hell do I owe humans anything? You saw what I endured growing up, Asher, and that was just my mother. Our immediate neighbors knew what was going on. I was far too underweight for them not to know. That didn't mean a single one of them lifted a finger to help me. Never once did they slip me something to eat."

I delivered one hell of a nip to her neck, causing her to jerk against me. "Would you join arms with humanity should they ever desire to rise up against my family? My kind?"

Quinn slipped her hands in between us, trying to push me back. As much as I wanted to keep right up against her, I allowed her to put a little distance between us. The irritation swirling within those piercing eyes had only grown more intense. "There's no way in hell they could convince me to turn against you."

I responded with a quiet laugh that only prompted those eyes to narrow further. "I know that. I can sense through our new bond that you're not attempting to deceive me. That doesn't mean the rest of the demon kind will accept just an answer — a promise."

The heated emotion started shifting into a weary one. My pet resumed nibbling on her lip. "They're going to want me to prove my loyalty, aren't they?"

"Yes." I closed the distance between us, bringing my cock right up against her pelvis again. I shifted my hips slightly to squeeze a groan out of her. The noise caused me to harden to the point that, even in a dream, it was beginning to get painful. That could only mean I was going to wake with the immediate urge to bury myself within her. "We call it the old ways. Five vital tasks to prove to the demon race that my choice for queen deserves the throne."

Now her frazzled nerves were beginning to get the best of her. Quinn's eyes dropped to my chest, and her mind seemed to struggle with the ability to pull the words together.

I seized her chin and prompted her head up enough to bring those stunning eyes back to me. "That doesn't mean you'll have to face it alone. I will be by your side for every single one of them. It would be impossible not to be since it concerns your loyalty to the demon race — and me."

Quinn sucked in a sharp, ragged breath. "What will I have to do?"

"We will speak of this once the sun has risen. For now…" I slid my hand along her throat until my fingers were coiled around the back. "...I want to take you somewhere and fuck that pussy."

She stared up at me with a quizzical glance. "Where?"

My grin only grew bigger, far more wicked. "No, no…Can't spoil the surprise. You'll just have to break from the nightmare, pet. Then I can corrupt this memory in my own way."

Her gray eyes widened as my words hinted at my intentions. Although there was a hint of weariness, it was completely consumed by an entirely different emotion: desire.

My pet was going to follow me wherever I needed her to go — fire and all.

QUINN

The nightmares had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember. There was no way in hell that I could endure the life I did with my blood mother without scars being left behind in every manner possible. The physical ones might have finally started to fade thanks to the demonic blood running through my veins, but it couldn't do a damn thing for the ones left on my soul.

The fact that I hadn't endured a nightmare in the first days after Asher brought me into his home was baffling. Then again, my sudden reality change was nothing short of whiplash. I had known from the moment I had been chained up to that conference table that sex was on the horizon, but neither of us had expected him to knot me. The first time he did, it changed everything.

So, when it came to him literally making an appearance during one of my worst memories shouldn't have surprised me. It took him pinning me against the wall for me to realize he was actually there, not as a figment that simply didn't belong.

Asher managed to jolt me from the dream fast enough that I stared up at the ceiling in a daze. The only thing that seemed to register in my mind was the fact that he had me bundled up in his lap, and I had one hell of an erection pushing against my back. The sensation was enough to leave me wet. I quickly worked my way off him, eager to tear his jeans off.

The prince caught my hands before I could tug the button free. "Not here," he murmured. "Not yet."

Confusion tore through my veins. I eased back onto my haunches with a whine. "You're going to turn me on like that and make me wait?"

A pleased chuckle rumbled through his chest, the noise leaving me squeezing my legs together in desperation to stifle the desire ripping through my body. He leaned forward to bring his face close, a mischievous look haunting those golden eyes. "You won't have to wait for long, pet. Change into something comfortable while I call for the driver to take us to our destination."

I narrowed my eyes into thin slits as he pulled off the bed with that smirk still growing. Asher was quick to retreat from the room, which didn't give me a chance to protest the situation or persuade him for a quickie first. I released a frustrated groan before I finally crawled down the bed toward the small dresser nearby.

Not enough time had passed for me to stuff the drawers full with clothes yet, although a part of me could sense it wouldn't be much of a problem with how much my role had changed. For now, I settled for the simple t-shirt and leggings folded inside. A pair of tennis shoes a moment later and I was ready. I was pacing throughout the small room by the time Asher returned.

The prince hovered in the doorway with that smirk still dominating his face. "Can't sit still?" he teased.

"Obviously not," I growled. "I woke up horny as hell. The only thing that's going to fix this problem is your dick."

"Soon enough." Asher angled his body and gestured for me to follow him.

There wasn't a part of me that was willing to protest, not when I knew part of what was waiting for me when we got to our destination. Where that would be was still very much in the air, but I could care less as long as it wasn't too far away. I trailed after the prince out of the house and to the waiting SUV out front. My cheeks flushed with a burning heat when he insisted on opening my door for me.

A week ago, that would have been considered nothing short of an insult.

Even the driver seemed stunned by the prince's sudden change of behavior where I was concerned. He snuck brief peeks at me through the rearview mirror while Asher slammed my door shut and made his way around to the other side. When the prince eased inside, he quickly averted his gaze. "Where to, sire?"

Asher leaned forward to hand him a folded piece of paper. "Take us to that address."

I watched the transaction like a hawk. With the chills trickling down my spine, I was antsy to uncover what the destination would be. A part of me was even annoyed that the prince hadn't outright given it vocally. He's just trying to torment me now.

The driver was quiet for a moment while he read what was written down. "Should I request additional protection?"

My fingers curled until they dug into my leg. Just where in the hell is he taking me that would require protection? As much as I yearned to break the tense silence and demand answers, I knew it was far better for us all for me to just remain silent. I started fiddling with the seat buckle in a desperate attempt to keep my mind distracted.

Asher settled in his seat with a pleased smirk. "There's no need."

I arched an eyebrow at him. For a man who had a father that was apparently way past the usual amount of paranoia, he was certainly confident in himself.

"Understood." The driver tucked the paper into his front pocket and threw the SUV into gear. He didn't offer anything further to the conversation while he guided us down the long driveway. The iron gates ahead didn't part until we were bearing down on them.

"Shouldn't you blindfold me for this?" I lowered my voice to a soft whisper. There was a part of me that immediately felt like a fool, especially when demons had better hearing than a human could hope for. Hell, mine had even started to improve. I could hear the prince's steady heartbeat from the other side of the car.

Those piercing golden eyes slid over toward me. "Should I?" The edges of his lips twitched. "Is that what my pet desires?"

All it took was my breathing hitching on his unspoken, teasing offer for the decision to be made for me. I couldn't find the will within myself to speak as he raised his hands up to tug his tie loose. A simple gesture from the prince was all he needed for me to lean in his direction so that he could tie on the makeshift blindfold.

It was hard enough maintaining the patience required when I didn't know where we were going. Now that one of my senses had been taken away, I could feel my nerves threatening to spiral out of control.

Asher had absolutely no desire to help tame that frazzled energy. He simply rested his hand on my inner thigh, occasionally dragging his fingers closer until they brushed against me. It was such a simple and brief touch, yet it lit me on fire every single time. A soft chuckle warned that he had me exactly where he wanted me: unsure of what was going on and horny as hell.

I had no idea how much time had passed before the SUV finally slowed down before coming to a complete halt. The engine continued running while the prince eased out of the SUV. When fingers released me from the seat belt, I jerked.

"Relax, pet." The prince took hold of my lower arm, guiding me along the back seat until I reached the small metal step attached to the outside of the SUV.

I didn't move without some kind of prompt on his part. Only a small part of me tensed when he released me long enough to kick the door shut. The weariness faded as soon as he took me by the arm again and started leading me on. The cold breeze brushed against me occasionally, although it didn't nip at my soul like it did when I was a child. Yet, the sudden adjustment to the temperatures was nothing compared to when a door opened. A faint energy slammed against me.

It was enough to squeeze all of the air from my lungs.

"Before I take this off… I want you to understand there is a reason why I've brought you here. Your childhood is haunting you, pet, and I seek to corrupt those memories in a different manner. You are no longer trapped in this hell. Physically doing something about the source will help end these nightmares."

I gritted my teeth, a mixture of weariness and panic seeping into my veins. Oh, no… My lungs restricted the airflow as the prince finally tugged his tie off my eyes, revealing my childhood home. There hadn't been much time that passed between my own blood locking me out of the house and tonight, yet there were so many boxes littering the ground floor.

Anita had taken her illegal business to the next level.

The emotions tearing through my veins quickly dissipated, replaced by pure rage. I curled my fingers until my nails started to dig into my palms while I drifted toward the back of the house. Even the kitchen was being used as storage space, except this room had been raided. Most of the boxes had been emptied and then tossed about. There was absolutely no sorrow on my part with that.

My mother deserved to be robbed of her newfound riches.

I nudged an empty box away from me with the tip of my shoe. "Did she get a reward for turning us in?"

"Yes."

An empty laugh escaped me before I had the chance to stop it. "I fucking knew it." Flexing my jaw, I closed my eyes and attempted to shut out the sight of the boxes. Granted, it was before any bond had been formed between the prince and I. That didn't stop the rage from growing that the woman had managed to screw me over in the worst way possible at the time.

Guilt had haunted me for several days after the rest of the organization was killed. Hell, I didn't even know if the brothers were still alive. Yet the way the prince embraced me was nothing compared to the desperation of trying to fit in with them — and failing miserably.

The window on the back door had been broken with the intent of getting at my mother's illegal stock, allowing the next breeze to wash in a disgusting aroma. My stomach churned at the smell of rotting flesh. While my mind was still reeling from it, I found my eyes drifting toward the tiny backyard. There was only a large tree to take up most of the space and a small figure was currently hanging from the one low branch.

It took me far too long to realize it was my mother's body swaying in the wind.

Holy fucking hell… My throat was dry within seconds, making it extremely difficult to speak. "Did you…?"

"Have her killed?" Asher approached me with slow, cautious steps. "No. Your mother's greed did that, I'm afraid. I had no desire to go through the lengths it would require to do the transaction in private. Rumors were already circulating about her sudden wealth when the others learned the organization that you were a part of had been completely torn apart. Only a fool wouldn't be able to put those pieces together."

The noise that snuck out of my lips was nothing short of bitterness. "Good riddance," I muttered. Turning away from the kitchen, I fully expected Asher to simply ease out of my way and let me continue my mindless wandering. I froze when he remained in my path.

The prince closed the distance between us with slow, casual steps. As soon as I was within reach, he reached out to seize my chin. "I didn't bring you here to unbury painful memories, pet. This house was nothing more than a hell to you, one that I seek to remove. Destroying it myself would do absolutely nothing for those nightmares. I want you to bring this house down."

All of the questions that had been buzzing around my mind finally ceased. Reality sank in so quickly that the air caught in my throat, and the room threatened to tilt around me. Now it made sense why Asher would be eager to bring me here. Leaving it behind like I had done absolutely nothing when it came to stopping the nightmares.

Asher only broke eye contact long enough to grab a sledgehammer that had been abandoned nearby. With his fingers coiled firmly around the handle, he reached out to take one of my hands and transfer the heavy tool. "Go wild."

I stared at him for a moment in shock. Part of my soul was completely baffled with what I would even do with such a thing. The rough surface of the tool's worn handle felt foreign in my hand. While it didn't seem like my body would understand what to do, I soon found myself peering around the room. All it took was one look at the empty boxes and my mother's body outside before the rage returned in full force.

Why did it take the prince claiming me before I finally got the justice I deserved? I hadn't asked to be brought into this world. Hell, I wasn't the one that had chosen to lay with a demon so recklessly. It wasn't easy to obtain medicine when it came to birth control, but I could feel it deep within my soul that my mother hadn't even tried.

She'd probably allowed herself to get pregnant with the hopes of roping in a man to use to her advantage. Anita just hadn't planned on it being a demon, resulting in a bastard child. Which meant my blood father had been eliminated not long after he impregnated her, leaving her with a mouth to feed and no extra income likely.

Asher seemed surprised when the first thing I did was turn on my heel and drag the sledgehammer behind me. While he was genuinely confused about what I had in mind, my body knew what I wanted to do even without my mind in agreement. It wasn't long until I found myself staring at the door that concealed the source of all my hell. The fact the lock had been put back on baffled me.

Anita had gone from keeping me in this endless torment to attempting to conceal it from the rest of the world. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that the thieves hadn't broken the door down simply because she'd left enough of her goods lying around the house. Easy access meant a quick retreat.

Curling my upper lip, I shifted the sledgehammer behind me before I finally raised it off the ground. The damn thing was heavier than I wanted it to be, yet my growing strength allowed for a solid strike. The wood was far too old to put up much resistance. One blow was enough to completely split it in half. A few kicks from me and the entrance to my personal hell was exposed.

The searing heat of the rage burning through my veins had been enough to give me the strength I needed to obtain that access to the basement, yet that strength seemed to be sapped away by the muggy air that hit me in the face. I simply abandoned the sledgehammer and trailed down the steps empty-handed.

From the way the wood groaned beneath my weight, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that the sledgehammer would have broken them just from the movement alone. I brushed that thought aside as I quickly reached the bottom of the stairway. All that lay before me and the basement that haunted my dreams was a single step. I couldn't bring myself to take it, leaving me forced to stare at all the metallic devices that had been left behind.

My eyes found their way over toward the small cage that had been my bed for most of my teenage years. It didn't matter that I'd hit a growth spurt that left it impossible to move inside. I would still find myself stuffed into it, spending every agonizing minute just struggling to breathe. The lack of room simply ensured I couldn't get away from Anita.

I didn't need the faint steps from Asher for my mind to register that he'd descended the stairway and drifted past me into the heart of the basement. "Is this why you asked me where my loyalty lies?"

The prince didn't answer. He simply jammed his hands into his suit pockets and peered at me in silence.

Flexing my jaw slightly, I surveyed the grim scene. "I wasn't allowed outside very often. Certainly not when the other neighbors were out. That didn't mean they weren't aware that Anita was my mother. I was filthy and underweight. Fresh burns on me every week. Hell, I even had bruises that should have raised concern. They never lifted a finger to help me."

How could I forget those few memories where a neighbor happened to be outside when Anita would allow me a brief moment in the fading sun? It didn't matter who saw me. There was always sorrow lurking within their gaze and it was usually mixed with another emotion. Sometimes it was horror, sometimes it was guilt. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that they wished they could simply forget they'd ever seen me.

The bitterness soon fanned on the flame within me, finally prompting me to leave the stairway. I made a beeline past Asher to grab a jug of gasoline that had been tucked into the corner. The fact it was still here left me reeling. Anita had kept it for a scare tactic. I could still remember how she'd threaten to pour it all out on me and bake me alive if I didn't offer up enough screams from the cigarette burns.

The strong aroma from the gas was enough to leave me nauseated, yet I refused to let myself go still. I didn't bother unscrewing the cap. I simply twisted my upper body and cast the jug at the brick wall. A surge of peace washed through me when the plastic split from the sudden force, allowing the gas to flow freely onto the damp earth.

The prince drew back slightly before those piercing eyes swung my way. A hint of curiosity swirled within them. Although the words were haunting his mind, he didn't utter a single word.

A part of me that yearned to retreat upstairs and start unleashing hell upon the rest of the house, to leave it a hollow shell before I set it on fire. Yet, this was the source of all my pain and agony. I'd made a beeline for the basement just because it haunted my nightmares. The rest of the house didn't matter, not when I rarely saw it. That realization ate away at the desire to ruin the other rooms. I started tearing the basement apart. My mind was fixed on finding that goddamn lighter.

The basement barely contained anything beyond the instruments Anita would use to torment me, leaving very little hiding spaces for it to be. I found myself checking every corner and shadow twice before I acknowledged it wasn't here. With my luck, it was probably tucked into her pants pocket.

"Quinn."

I whirled around with a frustrated huff. It took me a moment to realize that Asher was holding up a hand with a small flame dancing on his palm. As soon as our gazes locked, I understood. This bastard had the ability to summon fire and he was more than willing to give me what I sought.

He held it out toward me. "Come."

The rage burning within me simmered to faint background noise. I didn't hesitate for long, quickly closing the distance between us. A part of me wondered why he was even asking me to join him when that type of magic simply wasn't possible for me. It wasn't until he reached out with his free hand to grab mine and turn it over that it started clicking. I tensed as he tilted his right hand toward my palm, anticipating the flames to scorch my skin.

Aside from an eerie heat, it did nothing more than trickle onto my palm like water and continue burning. I shivered as he transitioned his hand beneath mine to help me remain steady. "Why isn't it hurting me?"

A soft chuckle escaped Asher. The sound wasn't loud enough for me to catch the velvet edge in the noise, but it was enough to weaken my knees and almost bring me down. The edges of his lips twitched, the prince no doubt able to sense the surge of desire. "I am a man of many gifts, pet. Not only do I have the ability to pierce your dreams — should I ever have the need to do so again — but my bloodline is naturally gifted with fire. It destroys what I ask while protecting me. Because we are bonded…that protection extends to you."

An excited shiver ripped down my spine. I sucked in a sharp breath. "So while the house burns…"

"You'll be unharmed, yes. We can remain here until it is nothing more than mere ashes." Asher drew his face closer, a wicked glint in his eye. "Should that be your desire."

"You promised me that you'd corrupt my memories."

That smirk widened. "Do you still want me to?"

I'd woken from the nightmare with my underwear already wet, Asher's presence enough to keep my body on fire in its own way. Hearing that unspoke offer again simply made the dampness on the material grow. "I want to ride you while it burns around us," I breathed.

The prince released a pleased hum, hooking his free arm around the base of my back. One yank was all it took to bring me against him and push his hard cock into my pelvis. "Release the flames, pet," he growled in my ear. "Set it all on fire until nothing remains."

That was all the encouragement I needed to tilt my hand further until the flames dropped down onto the gasoline waiting below. It didn't take much for it to catch fire and it spread rapidly throughout the basement. As soon as it was released, I was drawn into Asher's arms and escorted upstairs.

The smell of smoke quickly flooded the air, bringing with it a heat that would have sent me tucking tail a week ago. Tonight, I was completely void of the urge to bolt. Desire haunted my veins by the time we made it back onto the ground floor. I turned on Asher before he had the chance to cave to it first, my fingers frantically undoing his pants.

I couldn't overlook the amusement haunting those stunning eyes when his hard cock sprung free, eagerly standing at attention. "I knew you were hungry for it, pet, but that's quite a record."

I released a low growl, the sound borderline animalistic. Resting my hands on his chest, I pushed against him until his back hit the wall. "Sit."

A week ago, I wouldn't have dared to risk the dominant tone that was now woven within my words. There was a part of me that feared this would immediately turn the prince off, and I'd have to find my release without him. All it took was a deep growl of his own for me to understand I hadn't ruined the moment. Taking dominance seemed to heighten his desire even more.

My prince wanted to be commanded. He was borderline feral. I'd just uncovered a kink that he probably didn't even realize he had.

Asher tugged his arm away and slid down the wall until he was seated below me, allowing me to shed the bottom half of my attire. The heated edge to his expression grew even more intense as I eased down to straddle him.

"Are you going to help me erase this place?" My fingers curled around his cock, squeezing a hiss out of him. Delighted shivers trickled down my spine.

His fingers dug into my hip. "Fucking hell, pet," he rasped. "Get on it so I can bury myself inside you."

The flames were already beginning to advance beyond the basement, parts of it coming through the floor nearby while the rest of it simply traveled up the steps. Most of the house was so old that it didn't offer much resistance. Although it was getting closer, the heat never rose. It was simply a comforting sensation that heightened the emotions driving us.

My urgency to be taken by him once again completely overrode the need to be patient long enough to wet his cock. I seized him and guided him to my pussy. As soon as the tip threatened to pierce me, I lowered onto him. I was soaking with juices to the point where it didn't take long to coat him, bringing him inside fast enough to leave my walls stinging.

Asher groaned, digging his head into the wall. "I don't even have to restore your virginity, pet… Your pussy still feels as tight as the first time I took you." He jerked me down the rest of the way, squeezing a noise trapped between a startled cry and a high squeal of pleasure. "A forever virgin in your own way."

I immediately started moving against him, grateful the angle was allowing me to control the pace while hitting my clit directly. The bastard had teased me enough since we'd woken to where it was already sensitive and begging for relief. His hands remained locked on my hips, but he didn't dare take away control from me. With the chills tearing down my spine, it didn't take long for me to quicken the pace.

The prince winced slightly as my nails dug into his shoulders.

I stiffened, starting to slow down so I could grab onto something else. Another squeal escaped from me when he immediately started moving me, continuing the pace that I had started.

"I don't think you've realized quite yet, pet." Asher's eyes rolled up into the back of his head. "Pain turns me on. Don't stop what you're doing just because I react."

The permission was enough for me to let go of that part of myself that was still unsure about holding all of the control, especially when I didn't quite know what his boundaries were yet. All I could do was offer a nod that I heard him before I took over the thrusts. The flames started trailing along the floor behind me as I fell back into the comforting, frantic rhythm that took me right up that intense mountain.

I could feel my walls closing in on Asher's cock as the pressure continued to climb until the movement against him sent me spiraling over the edge. My entire body seized up as the orgasm ripped through me. For a solid minute, I couldn't bring myself to move another inch or suck a lungful of air. When the orgasm finally released me, I sank against him.

Asher didn't hesitate to pull away from the wall, immediately lowering me onto the floor so that he could resume the thrusts. I'd already set a frantic pace that left every part of my pussy screaming from the rough contact. He had no intention of letting up now. With a firm grip on my legs, he kept me pinned against him while he pounded my pussy. It didn't take him long to start pulling me right back up that same mountain.

I reached out to dig my nails into the wooden floor. If it wasn't for the brief rise in temperature, I wouldn't have known that I had slammed my hand down in flames. Just feeling the strange sensation of it dancing against my skin was enough to send me spiraling into another orgasm. I was still consumed by it when I felt the growing swell at the base of his cock. His knot. The presence of it sent me straight into another orgasm and I wailed from the intensity.

Asher leaned down, latching onto my neck with a wild snarl. His demonic fangs grazed my skin and left a thin trail that stung in their wake. I didn't have a chance to beg for the bite before he sunk them in. The sensation picked up where the growing knot left off.

Red dots started to paint my vision. There wasn't a single part of my body that knew what to do between his knot and the bite. My lungs were struggling to expand and take in air — even just a little bit. It didn't matter how desperate I was to get something in, I wasn't getting a chance to take a breath. My grip tightened on his legs as the darkness started to close in. "A-Asher!"

He dragged his fingers along my exposed stomach. "I want this belly to be swollen with my children. Heirs to continue our bloodline." His golden eyes flashed. "All I need is one word, pet."

I sucked in a sharp breath. Our bloodline. Asher was asking permission. My back arched as he delivered one hell of a thrust, squeezing a groan from me. "Y-Yes!"

My demon seemed to sense that I was beginning to lose consciousness and he took the pace to another level. It didn't take long until his knot had become fully swollen and my body locked him in. The first time the knot was met with resistance, I was sent into another intense orgasm and he slammed a hand down beside me. His entire body shook as his own release tore through him, squeezing his cock dry of his seed.

Smaller orgasms continued to rip through my body, tempting the darkness even more. If it wasn't for his weight against me, I probably would have strayed right into it just like that first night.

"Breathe, pet." His voice was ragged in my ear.

I trembled against him. "That's…hard…to do," I panted.

A deep chuckle rumbled within his chest. Turning his head slightly, he nuzzled my ear before gently nipping on the raw wound on my neck. "Would you rather me carry you out of this house half naked?"

Even if I'd wanted to answer him, I didn't get a chance to. My body was still struggling to regain air and the darkness was tired of waiting for that to happen. While his cock continued to twitch within me, triggering smaller orgasms, the rest of the house was lost to the shadows. I found myself tumbling into that endless abyss. It didn't matter that the fire raged on around us. I was safe with my prince.

I was at peace.