15. Changes

ASHER

Quinn was the most relaxed that I'd ever seen her.

I managed to snag a blanket from the living room before it went up in flames with everything else. With my slumbering pet bundled up, I carried her out of the house just as the wood groaned and finally caved in. Hot air rushed past me, carrying charred pieces and smoke with it. The intense smell was enough to solidify my own peace.

The driver remained motionless beside the SUV, the engine already hot and ready to go. As soon as our gazes locked, he immediately reached over to pull the back door open.

It didn't take long to register all the panicked shouting around me. While my desire to stop entirely flooded my veins, I managed to settle for only slowing down my pace to allow my gaze to stray.

The neighbors had emerged from their homes as soon as the flames started reaching toward the sky with most of them armed with hoses to spray it down. They'd barely taken an offense against the fire before they noticed me emerging from within it. The water flow ceased immediately, as did their frantic cries. Every single pair of eyes fell upon me.

The edges of my lips twitched as waves of shock and horror pulsed against me. The humans were terrified that the cause of this house fire had been demonic royalty. I couldn't blame them for wanting to take arms in order to protect their homes — especially when the angels hadn't exactly invested in a critical resource for this kind of destruction. Considering that I didn't give a damn what happened to them, they were on their own.

The driver threw an annoyed glance at the crowd as I approached. "Should I radio the nearby patrol?"

Quiet whispers sprang up behind me as I eased Quinn into the backseat.

"Is that Aspen Gallo?" a woman murmured, her hazel eyes locked on the vehicle.

The brunette bundled up beside her shook her head frantically. "No. That looked more like Quinn Rossi, Jamie."

They saw what was happening to me…and they chose to do nothing.Quinn's voice echoed in my mind as the mortals continued their hushed murmuring. The beast within me started to stir with soft snarls of rage. It was one thing to hear my pet voice her theory, yet it was another thing altogether to hear it from their own lips.

Nothing happened without their prying eyes bearing witness.

Jamie responded with a scoff. "Quinn died in a car accident twenty years ago. You're seeing shit, Bri."

I tucked the blanket under Quinn, although a part of me already knew the cold wasn't going to bother her like it used to. Already, the human blood within her had grown so faint that no one would be able to detect it without looking for it. Which meant I would only have to take her one more time before her humanity faded completely. Pressing my lips together, I nudged the door until it concealed my pet. "Seems like a law has been broken, hasn't it?" I inquired.

A pleased grin crossed the driver's face. "Yes, sir." He pulled away from me, reaching into his front pocket for his cell phone. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he had the main facility overseeing the patrols on speed dial since he was soon murmuring in Italian.

A man emerged from within the crowd, purposely taking his path between the two women so that their conversation ceased into a sudden silence. His brown eyes fell upon me, a familiar rage leaking out across his filthy face. He reached back to rest a hand upon Jamie's shoulder. "Go inside, the both of you. Now."

Jamie straightened her back with a huff. "Do you not see that fire he caused? Our home will go up in flames if we don't get it under control, Timothy."

I promise I won't steal from Timothy again! Quinn's panicked words circled in my head. My upper lip curled immediately. So this was the neighbor whose garden she'd been caught stealing from. All it took was one quick peek at his house for me to confirm that Anita's was the only one armed with outside cameras. The only way Quinn would have been caught that fateful night was if someone happened to look out the window at the right time.

And chose to turn her in.

The driver returned, casting a weary gaze at the crowd while he tucked away his phone. "They'll be here in five minutes. There were three patrolling the neighborhood. One of the squads was about to come our way anyway." He gestured at the SUV. "Should we leave, sire?"

The strategic part within me knew it was probably a wise move to leave this place behind before the patrols got here. Their arrival was going to drive this tension down into pure chaos, especially once the demons started taking them into custody. Yet I couldn't seem to bring myself to get into the car. These were the people who had watched my pet endure hell her entire childhood. Hell, well into her adulthood…and not a single one of them had stood up for her.

They never attempted to protect her.

"Sire?" The driver prompted me to get in.

I simply nudged the car door shut with a hand before leaning against it, offering up a silent statement of what my intentions were. Timothy had honed on me as soon as he'd gotten outside and I had no problem with resuming the intense staredown we had going. The rage swirling within my soul simply grew as we maintained eye contact.

I didn't anticipate snapping, nor did I expect to simply black out. All it took was a slight scowl on Timothy's part and a blink on mine for me to find my surroundings completely changed. The entire crowd had scattered like ants, every single human making the feeble attempt to escape. A flick of my hand was all I needed to coral them in with fresh flames.

Most of the houses nearby had already been emptied due to the Rossi family home consumed by flames, leaving them trapped by my rising rage. Lights coming on from the next block over hinted that the rest of the neighborhood had heard the frantic screams with some of the residents already at their windows. That didn't mean any of them were willing to break the curfew by coming to their rescue.

They were going to quietly witness my rage — just like these bastards had done with the abuse inflicted on my pet.

I curled my fingers with a soft snarl, willing the flames to flick off in pieces. It didn't choose specific victims. Instead, it was completely content to choose them at random — or rather, those that happened to be a little too close to the fiery barrier. Only a small part of me was pleased as the aroma of burning flesh started leaking into the air as my victims started dropping to the ground like flies. A chorus of shrieks brushed against me in a chaotic song.

It was still not enough to appease the enraged beast within me.

Approaching headlights were enough to jolt me out of the haze that had descended upon me, but it wasn't able to maintain my attention for long. I caught movement from the corner of my eye. My gaze swung toward the street.

Although the first patrol had arrived to start performing their required duties, Timothy didn't seem to care about the consequences. He'd just witnessed a dozen of his neighbors being baked alive and that made me the ultimate threat. Not even his own wife deserved his undivided attention when his own ass was on the line. He bolted toward the street with the intention of making it across before the soldiers could file out of the jeep.

The demon manning the gun bolted to the roof of the jeep immediately shifted the weapon in his direction. "Halt, mortal, or I will shoot!" he roared.

The others piled out quickly, switching off the safety on their weapons before kneeling. Half of them were trained on Timothy while the rest were focused on the remaining survivors that had managed to avoid my flames.

I released a snarl that attracted the soldier's attention in my direction. "Do not kill him. I want him alive."

A brief nod on his part was all I needed for acknowledgement. He immediately shifted the weapon lower with the intention of taking out a less critical body part — but one that would still maim the bastard long enough for him to end up in my custody.

The beast within me yearned for his blood. I longed to see it spilling out onto the street, staining it for weeks to come. This was a man that had turned Quinn into her own mother, causing the nightmare that would haunt her for years. Any fool could see the poor girl was starving and simply look the other way. Which could only bring me to wonder what Anita had offered in return. My upper lip curled.

I'd be damned if I didn't find out what the reward had been by the time he took that last breath.

Timothy skidded to a halt. It was no secret that humans couldn't move with the same blinding speed that my kind could, leaving him to fall short of his goal. The second line of soldiers lurked just ahead of him, leaving him to stare down into six gun barrels. He flexed his fingers, shifting those dark eyes from them to the one soldier still stationed at the back of the jeep. His forehead was already layered with sweat as he fumbled with what fate he wanted.

Death lurked at the end with every single one of them, leaving him with the agonizing choice of how he wanted to die.

I flexed my jaw as his head shifted in my direction. Fear started leaking into his aura until it threatened to saturate the air around him. Normally, the smell would be enough to tame the rage within me long enough for me to enjoy a few minutes of amusement. Not tonight. Its presence was enough for me to snarl in his direction with my demonic fangs exposed. The call for his blood was beginning to become too strong to ignore.

The mortal seemed to sense it, the decision made for him. He was desperate for a quick death and he knew I wouldn't be the one to give it to him.

The seventh soldier jerked his weapon slightly, using the noise to attract Timothy's attention. "Kneel before I fire! We will not tolerate your disobedience."

Timothy paled. "I will not be taken alive," he rasped. "I refuse to accept a prolonged death!"

Because I had issued the order to the soldiers in our native tongue, the poor bastard didn't realize they had no intention of letting him force their hand. As soon as Timothy charged for the street with a strangled noise, the soldier fired off a single round that tore through his lower leg. The angle was enough for the bullet to pass through his leg before tearing into his foot.

The double wound was enough to bring him down.

The six soldiers lined up on the ground pounced as soon as he face planted, their cue to move also setting off the others. Every single survivor was carrolled in seconds, their backs tucked against the very flames that still raged on.

A low snarl escaped from me as I watched one of the men secure Timothy by throwing on some plastic handcuffs. My eyes didn't stray until more headlights fell upon me, the other patrols arriving with a transport vehicle. Every single part of my body was restless. None of these men were dragging their heels in any way, yet they couldn't move fast enough for my satisfaction.

None of the soldiers were willing to approach me until the rest of the neighbors were piled into the transport van. Once Timothy was the only one left, the demon manning the gun on the jeep hopped down and came in my direction. He offered a quick bow of his head before he murmured, "What would you like to do with the final mortal, sire?"

"Patch him up and toss him into the back of my SUV." I gritted my teeth, snarling out the order through clenched teeth. "I don't want him bleeding out before I get him to his final destination."

He dipped his head again. "Yes, sire." Turning on his heel, he fired off the orders to his fellow soldiers and several lunged to heed the command.

Pained noises were squeezed from Timothy"s lips as the soldiers stopped the blood loss pulsing from his leg wound. He didn't have the strength within him to fight against their iron grip as they shifted gears and dragged him toward my waiting vehicle. The trunk popped open, allowing them to toss him inside.

The gunman ventured in my direction. "Is there anything else before we continue our patrol, sire?"

I jammed my hands into my pants pockets. "Let the fire spread until it reaches city limits and ensure the rest of the neighborhood remains in their homes. I don't want a single one of them leaving."

"As you wish."

The restlessness within me only grew now that the humans had been dealt with and the soldiers had carried out their final immediate task from me. I flexed my jaw and reluctantly made my way back toward the SUV. It took everything I had not to yank the door open. I could sense Quinn still slumbering away within and I had no desire to wake her until it was necessary. I eased down onto the seat beside her.

The driver threw a quick peek in the rearview mirror. "Home, sire?"

"No." I gently pulled the door shut before relaxing. "Take me to Nico's. We have a guest for him to enjoy." As the car pulled away from the sidewalk and started moving out of the neighborhood, I reached into my jacket to pull out my cell phone. I fired off a quick text to Nico.

The demon lord returned with a short text, no doubt anticipating I would be visiting tonight.

I returned the phone to my pocket and shifted my gaze down toward my slumbering pet. It was comforting to see nothing but a relaxed energy hovering over her skin. Taking her to her childhood home to destroy it with her own hands — as well as tweaking some painful memories with one that couldn't be ignored — had been a long shot. Yet, it had worked and she appeared free of that torment.

Now there was only a small piece of humanity lurking within to erase and then she could start taking the official steps to become my queen.

"I was under the impression you'd bring me something that wouldn't break quickly," Nico scoffed as two of his own men pulled Timothy into his home. His upper lip curled as the mortal continued to whimper, every movement no doubt agitating his wounds. "Why in the hell didn't you send this one to Cade with the rest of them?"

My upper lip curled to expose the tips of my demonic fangs. "I'm in no mood to give him the quick death he desires."

The demon lord responded with an irritable growl. "Don't tell me that pet of yours has really gotten under your skin with her sketchy past." When I didn't respond, his red eyes narrowed into thin slits. "You're fucking with me, right? We're on the verge of a war with the angels, Asher. You can't afford to have a distraction like that girl. What she endured is her past, her problem."

Normally, I could dismiss his agitation by simply brushing it off and continuing to do what my heart desired. That wasn't going to be the case tonight. I lifted my lip further so there was no way he could miss my fangs. "Watch your words carefully, old friend."

Nico scowled and shifted his gaze toward his men. "There won't be a kingdom left for you to rule here if you're determined to burn it all for your queen, Asher." Although he preferred to take a fresh soul down into the fiery abyss below and put them through his wide range of torture devices, he didn't seem to have the same nauseating thrill about this poor soul. Granted, he did raise a vital point. That didn't mean I had to acknowledge it.

"I've burned what I wanted to."

For the first time in years, the demon lord rolled his eyes. "Is there a reason why you spared this one?"

Was there really one beyond that burning desire to take my rage out on Timothy's fragile body from the part he played in my pet's abuse? Probably not. I pressed my lips together and watched the demon lord's men strap the poor soul up to chains that had lowered from the ceiling. It always fascinated me how the lower levels of the house would adapt to whatever needs Nico happened to have.

Right now, it was eager to please me.

I blew out a slow breath and shook my head. "I really don't enjoy repeating myself, Nico. If Quinn is to become my queen, then I won't hesitate to warn the human race that I will not tolerate any mistreatment toward her. I don't give a damn if the abuse took place twenty years ago. It will be punished."

He clicked his tongue softly. "Did she ever make her loyalty known?" There was an unspoken question lurking beneath. Will she proclaim her loyalty to you…or does she still stand by the mortals?

"Would I tear into human flesh if she hadn't made it known where she stood?" My tone took on a dry edge. The annoyance still clung to every single word like venom, yet I was more restless than irritated. I wanted to smell blood dripping down onto the pavement. Hell, I needed to see it pouring from multiple wounds.

A soft chuckle escaped him. "I highly doubt it. The humans took care of it for you when it came to the bitch that turned your pet and her organization in. Such a shame that money will go to waste." He crossed his arms over his chest. As his men finished hanging Timothy up, he lifted his jaw slightly. "If you can trust her not to wander where she doesn't belong, feel free to take her upstairs to rest."

All I gave him was a small nod that I was both grateful for his offer and I understood the terms. Nico was a private man when it came to his humble abode upstairs, but he knew I was wary about the idea of leaving Quinn to slumber in the SUV outside. I teleported outside long enough to retrieve her from the backseat and give my driver the order to return home until I called.

It only took me a minute to remember how the demon lord had laid out his floor plan. Every muscle in my body was tense that all the movement would jolt Quinn from her slumber, yet I managed to get her to the bedroom and on the bed without waking her. My movements halted when I pulled away, graced with the comforting sight of my pet lost in the dream world. This time, without the torments to haunt her.

I tugged the nightstand drawer open, taking great care to avoid looking at the collection of sex objects tucked away inside — as well as knives that really didn't belong. My skin was crawling by the time I managed to uncover a notepad and a pen. I barely managed to catch myself before I slammed the drawer shut. Still, the wood didn't hesitate to give away my presence and my gaze swung toward Quinn.

She simply curled up into a tighter ball.

I didn't realize that I had trapped a lungful of air until my lungs started to burn with protest. Releasing it, I jotted down a quick note and left it where my pet would find it quickly. Only then did I finally pull myself away to return downstairs.

Nico's men had finished with Timothy by the time I returned and the demon lord had started his typical pacing around our weeping victim. His red eyes flickered in my direction. It was all I was going to get when it came to a greeting. There was an air of restlessness about him and he was eager to tear into our victim.

Timothy pulled on the chains, causing the metal cuffs to dig into his wrists until blood started to trickle down his arm. "I-I don't understand," he rasped. "Why did you bring me here? Why wasn't I sent to the prison with everyone else?"

Why didn't you kill me when I ran?

"Would you prefer I send you to prison?" I inquired, planting myself in front of him. Although I was consumed with the same overwhelming desire to pace with my kin, I was forced to suppress it and keep myself still. It was certainly worth it when his dark eyes were fixed upon me instead of the one threat that would tear into him.

The mortal trembled. "Certainly better to be an empty husk than beef jerky for demons."

Nico responded with a strangled noise, which was due more to his attempt to stifle a snicker. He slowed his steps to keep himself behind Timothy so that being out of sight left the mortal heavy with fear instead of confused by his sudden amusement.

Still, the fact the mortal had managed to make the demon lord laugh was rather impressive. Santino was usually the one that caved frequently. Yet that seemed to dissipate out of nowhere and the sudden change to the energy in the air attracted my attention toward him. Something had caught his attention. From the violent shift of the energy, he had gone from amused to livid.

A panicked squeak escaped Timothy when the demon lord lurched forward, grabbing a fistful of his shirt only to tear it off his torso. Enough force had been used to where he was now swinging on the chains, causing the cuffs to dig further into his wrists.

The sweet smell of iron in the air certainly appeased the inner beast within me, although now I was curious as to what had caught Nico's attention. I drifted toward the side until he came into sight. As soon as our gazes locked, I realized the rage went much deeper than he was letting off.

Nico gestured at our sobbing guest.

Pressing my lips together, I joined him behind Timothy and followed his narrowed gaze. It wasn't until I spotted the black ink peeking out from the shredded material that I realized why the demon lord's mood had changed so dramatically. I cocked my head to the side and reached out to brush the dangling pieces away, exposing the tribal winged fox kissing the mortal's skin. The burning heat tore through my veins with so much strength that I could do nothing when my muscles stiffened. I couldn't do anything more than stare at the tattoo while I shook with rage.

Timothy jerked as a piece of his shirt brushed against his skin. "You don't have to do this," he panted. "All you have to do is kill me and I'll be out of your hair. Please…"

I flexed my jaw, releasing the rough material so that I could drift back into Timothy's sight. "Why would I want to do that when your own skin is covered with such curious marks?" I purred. My lips curled into a coy smile when the mortal paled at my words. "I'm not one to compliment how the angels set up how this country ran, mortal, but I am rather impressed they avoided giving your kind too much. You were all more fixated on trying to survive day to day instead of caving into your inner desires. Which meant something like a tattoo was…useless. It couldn't feed you and it certainly couldn't clothe you from the cold. It would simply be money wasted."

His wide eyes remained locked on me. "You're a demon. It's natural for you to want my kind to cave into those desires."

A deep chuckle rumbled from my chest. "I specialize in tempting other races, not the mortal one. You're absolutely useless to me, Timothy." My grin widened when his skin took on an ashen edge.

"H-How do you know my name?" the mortal stammered. "My wife, she…"

Although a hint of annoyance leaked into my veins when the poor soul tried to shift the topic away from what his own skin offered as evidence, I managed to suppress it. I would leave that growing rage to Nico. With the amusement still swirling within me, I jammed my hands into my pants pockets and peered back at him. "Why do you think I was there, mortal? As the prince of my race, I certainly have much better things to do…"

He cringed as I tilted my head, delivering an obvious gesture at the tattoo on his back.

"Such as finding out why you chose to stain yourself with the mark of a bastard child." I let my tone take on a snarling edge. The beast within was certainly getting in the mood to play and I yearned for the fear leaking off him to saturate the air around us. He was already putting out enough for me to know that I was getting under his skin rather quickly.

It was only a matter of time before the poor soul pissed on himself.

Timothy shivered violently, causing the chains to clank. "I don't know what you're talking about."

There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to attempt defiant bravado and insist on pure ignorance about the true meaning of the tattoo. That method was actually working for him until Nico trailed the edge of his blade along the entire length of his back. He jerked against the chains with a noise that couldn't be anything other than an animal in agony.

A pleased chuckle escaped me. "Do you know whose mark is on your back, Timothy? Truly?"

The demon lord didn't give him a chance to respond — especially when we both knew he was simply going to cling to that ignorance. He started moving his blade back and forth along the mortal's back until the smell of piss leaked into the air. If it wasn't for the overwhelming almond smell of his fear to override it, the mood certainly couldn't be salvaged. This time, he drifted around toward the front of our guest with the tip of his blade still gracing his fragile skin.

I merely lifted my chin while the demon lord continued to work on our guest. "The mark of the bastard Nephilim is considered nothing more than an act of betrayal against the current ruling crown. Hell, it certainly passes off as such for the angels. Do you really think it is wise to bear the mark that neither of our races are willing to tolerate?"

Every muscle in the mortal's body stiffened until he was nothing more than a stiff chunk of meat. He couldn't bring himself to relax until Nico finally pulled his blade away. Sagging, he sucked in rapid pants with the feeble attempt to draw oxygen into his lungs. Judging from the paleness of his skin, he certainly wasn't getting it.

Or perhaps it is the gunshot wound starting to take its toll, I mused.

Timothy hung his head, droplets of sweat dripping onto the floor below him. "What…makes you think…he still stands…against him?" he panted.

That was enough to bring Nico to a halt and send his eerie red eyes in my direction.

I scoffed softly and eyed the shaking mortal. "Rather bold of you to suggest the angel prince would stoop so low to form an alliance with the Nephilim," I remarked.

There was only the occasional scream from below and a sudden vibrating noise in the demon lord's pocket to break the sudden silence. Nico threw a quick glance in my direction before he pulled away, retrieving the small device. He drifted far enough away to where our guest couldn't eavesdrop on the conversation. When he returned, his expression had shifted into one that couldn't be deciphered. "That was Archer," he murmured in our native tongue.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I eyed Timothy until the poor soul had to drop his gaze to the stained floor below him in a desperate attempt to shut me out. "What did he have to say?"

"Your sister finally quit moving." Nico jammed his cell phone back into his inner jacket pocket. "He tracked her all the way back to New Orleans."

I mused over his words for a moment. "Was he able to get a more accurate location?"

New Orleans meant Louisiana. It was one of the first locations that I had gone after during the first rounds of negotiations with Marcillo. The state was vital in more ways than the farmland that helped feed the paranormal races. Only a fool would ignore how useful the art of voodoo could be when it came to maintaining the upper hand in an impending war. It also promised that I had eyes and ears down there.

Nico's red eyes honed in on me. "Your sister made a beeline to a manor down there…one that belonged to the former ruling family."

My head whipped in his direction. The movement was enough to squeeze a panicked squeal out of Timothy while causing my demon lord to tense. I couldn't find it within me to argue that this was nothing more than a coincidence, not when the manor's location was considered sacred land in respects to the original demonic family that guided our race. Because my father had chosen to leave it as a monument of respect, I'd opted to do the same.

Why would Calianna go to an abandoned mansion? Taking the mark of the Nephilim was a crime itself, yet it didn't quite reach the level of stepping foot on land that was meant to be left alone. It was just as foolish for her to seek that out as a refuge as it was for her to lie to our father in order to leave Italy.

So what waited for her there?

Flexing my jaw, I turned away from our weeping guest. "Father ordered cameras to be installed in order to ensure the manor was left alone. Have Archer tap into them to keep an eye on who comes and goes. I want pictures of every single new face he comes across."

"Understood." The demon lord pulled away to deliver the order.

Timothy trembled as I slowly shifted my attention back toward him. He pulled on his cuffs in a feeble attempt to break free and pull out of my reach. "I-I have nothing left to offer you," he rasped.

I pressed my lips together and approached him until his aura was weighed down with fear. "Why do you bear the mark of the Nephilim on your back, mortal?"

"Why should I tell you a damn thing?" he fired back.

"Perhaps I might consider giving you a quick death if you offer up some useful information." I started pacing in front of him, keeping my gaze locked on him every time I turned in the other direction.

It was never on the agenda to offer a prisoner hope, yet I couldn't resist. Fear always tasted sweeter once the host realized that it was nothing more than false hope. Timothy straightened slightly as it pulsed through his veins with a comforting heat. "And my wife?"

"That depends on you." The edges of my lips twitched. It took everything I had to suppress the smirk. Allowing it to run freely would simply prompt the human from believing the promises I offered. I wanted him where he succumbed to that intoxicating hope just because of the mere fact that it was like quicksand. Once he started tumbling down that rabbit hole, he wouldn't escape it. "What do you have to offer me? The more you give me, the more I will consider such a mercy for both of you."

He slumped forward with a soft whimper. "The angels started coming around more as they lost territories to you. They spoke of an impending war and they needed our help to win it. Their success would guarantee our freedom. An easier life for us."

It took everything I had not to cave into a fit of laughter. Had the angels really won the mortals over by promises of a heaven on earth? They were the ones that had originally set up a system for the entire North American continent where only their own kind would benefit from the comforting pleasures of life. Absolutely nothing had been done to help survival become easier to bear with humanity.

Humanity was such a fragile race. It didn't come as a surprise that they would succumb to that belief. There wasn't a single one of them alive today that remembered how it all began: empty promises. At least my race was willing to follow through with such tempting offers. We just didn't disclose the dire consequences that came with it.

Timothy's eyes fluttered shut. A part of me worried that the poor bastard had fallen unconscious due to the steady blood loss. It wasn't until he started murmuring softly that I realized he was simply trying to cling to what little strength he had left. "Marcillo started losing too many territories to you… His kind was losing hope. None of the other races were willing to take up arms to help him regain the country."

That admission pleased me more than I was willing to admit. Most of the other royal families stood to lose everything if they took such a risk. The only one that could attempt such a bold stand and actually survive a small piece of the war were the vampires. Yet none of them were willing to accept Marcillo's request.

I cocked my head to the side. "Just what was he offering for their loyalty?"

"T-The northern half of the country and Canada."

Well, then. It was certainly a shit load for Marcillo to lose, but he had lost most of the country to me already. At least this offer stood to give him half of those back with the possibility of taking the other race to war later on. It was a shitty option to consider — which was what made it such a desperate move.

Nico returned, venturing into my view long enough to gesture for me to follow him off to the side again.

Clicking my tongue, it took everything I had not to shake my head and continue the interrogation until Timothy was too far gone. The weary edge in the demon lord's eyes was enough to prompt me not to. I reluctantly followed him over to the side of the room. "Marcillo is making promises he certainly can't keep," I mused. "He's become desperate."

"Desperate enough to head straight to the same location as your sister," Nico answered. He lifted his jaw slightly when I narrowed my eyes at him. "As well as the Nephilim."

A surge of rage tore through my veins. "Are you suggesting that my sister chose to deceive my father in order to leave Italy…and join forces with the bastard?"

The demon lord produced his cell phone, a picture already pulled up on the screen. He didn't speak a single word as I was forced to take in the sight of my sister falling into the arms of the Nephilim himself.

Calianna betrayed me… She betrayed us both.My upper lip curled and a snarl ripped from my lips. The sound was enough to squeeze a panicked whimper from our fragile prisoner while even Nico appeared weary of the rage swirling within me. Only a small part of me was relieved that he hadn't handed over his phone while delivering the bad news simply because it would have ended up a ruined mess.

So this was what it had come to. The angel prince had gone rogue and sought out an alliance that neither of our races swore we'd ever allow. My sister had lost all common sense, fleeing our father to seek out attention from a dead man walking simply for what he was.

"Archer was able to backtrack the feed." Nico kept his distance from me as I struggled to control my growing rage. "Looks like Marcillo had your stolen shipment of guns delivered to the manor. The bastard is gearing up for war."

Doesn't this come full circle? My upper lip curled to expose my demonic fangs.

"How do you want to handle this, boss?"

I pulled away from him with a soft snarl. As soon as my golden eyes swung his way, Timothy jerked against his chains with a fearful noise. The scent started leaking from his aura in heavy waves, yet it wasn't enough to appease the inner beast. That part of me wanted to draw blood and I didn't care where it came from as long as that sweet aroma clung to my skin. "Instruct Archer to take men down to New Orleans. I want eyes on that manor until we know just how much the Nephilim's organization has grown." I left the demon lord near the stairway before he had a chance to confirm the order.

Timothy trembled as I approached. "I have nothing left to say to you."

"I don't think you've redeemed yourself enough for a quick death, mortal," I snarled. As soon as I drew close, I started to circle him like a predator honing in on their prey. "What does the Nephilim want with my sister?"

He paled. "I don't know what you're talking about." His voice shook, threatening to give out.

That doesn't sound like a man that is blissfully ignorant. Raising my hand, the air shimmered until a small dagger solidified and nestled against my palm. I didn't give Timothy much of a chance to process that I had summoned my own little personal weapon before I flicked it around to close my fingers around the handle. An enraged snarl escaped from my lips as I lunged forward, thrusting the blade into his chest.

I was extremely careful to avoid any immediate, vital organs. A quick death was no longer on the plate now that he wanted to play ignorance. While a pained cry was squeezed from his lips, I dragged the blade down. I could feel it scraping up against his sternum. Once I reached the bottom, there was absolutely no resistance left. My weapon sliced through his skin like butter.

Timothy thrashed against the chains, wailing in agony while the demon lord stood idly by with a weary expression painting his face. It was clear by the desperation in his eyes that he sought a chance to offer exactly what I was after.

I couldn't bring myself to stop long enough to give him that. My rage was spiraling out of control with red dots painting my vision. Hell, I could barely find the will within me to maintain the proper airflow. All my inner beast wanted was blood spilling on the floor and only his blood would do. There wasn't even a hint of satisfaction going toward that blood lust despite all the shrieks flooding the manor. Hell, I couldn't even be appeased as his skin finally split open, allowing all of the organs within to simply fall free.

Blood sputtered from Timothy's mouth as he struggled to take his final breaths. Not even Fate was willing to give him that much. He ended up choking before his head hung and the noises escaping him ceased. Only the occasional dripping joining the massive pool at his feet broke the silence that surged forward to beat against me. Not even the agonized screaming from the pit below could break it.

Nico remained near the stairway, the weariness within him growing. It wasn't often that I lost control like this. The mere fact that I'd snapped over the recent news was enough for him to maintain a safe distance away. Just because he wasn't the source of my rage didn't mean he couldn't become an unintentional casualty.

I stared at the motionless body hanging before me for several long minutes. There was so much blood and other bodily fluids staining Nico's floor that it should have been enough to drive away this frustrating haze. The longer I took that sight in, the more I realized it wasn't going anywhere. My rage was still burning strong. It wasn't until the faint sound of a heartbeat in the distance reached my ears that it finally shattered.

I raised my gaze toward the ceiling as it grew stronger with every minute that passed. It only took me a few minutes of tracking it before I realized the sound was originating from Nico's bedroom. It was already gaining speed, which could only mean that my pet was starting to wake. Although the searing emotion was still tearing through my veins with so much strength, that didn't stop me from growing hard.

It stunned me when the smell of blood was completely masked by Quinn's scent, despite an entire floor between us. My rage started to dissipate immediately. A few twitches from my cock was all I needed to understand that the only way I was going to bring myself back under control was by retreating to my pet.

I didn't give Timothy"s body much more than a quick, final glance before I pulled away and made a beeline for the stairway. All that mattered was getting to the room before she fully woke and use her intoxicating embrace to chase away the growing darkness within me.