THIRTY SEVEN

Azeroth

The chain on my right ankle chafes as I shift position. The worst thing about being trapped here—well, beyond not being able to get free and see Elodie—is that the chains are magic. They're not made of any physical substance, so the chafing is all in my head. This only makes it more infuriating.

"Oh, come on," I shout into the empty air for the hundredth time. "What are you achieving?"

The tug of magic yanks at me suddenly, pulling me off my feet and dragging my arms and legs back, making the chains snap and pain sear my joints. It's like I'm being transported, only that's not possible while I'm still bound.

It feels as if someone summoned me. But that's not...

My heart thrums a stupid, unsteady rhythm in my chest and I tell it to fuck off, but it won't listen. I shouldn't want her here. I don't. It's just—

Seconds later, Elodie drops in front of me. She stumbles, caught off balance by the move, but rights herself quickly.

My elation quickly turns to dismay. This is the last place I want her to be transported. And this is the last way I want her to see me.

I'm a mess of emotions while I internally analyze what this means. I've had a lot of thinking time since Mordicus trapped me. Plenty of time to wonder if my lack of soul really did erase the way I feel about Elodie like I was afraid of. The feelings that hit me as soon as I see her, though, let me know all that worry was wasted.

I'm just as desperate for her as I was the last time I saw her.

"Azeroth!" She runs to me, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing so tight I practically burst. How did I forget how sweet she smells? Or the perfect shape of her body? Or any of it?

"Sweet one, you shouldn't be here. What happened? Who brought you here?"

If Mordicus is to blame for this, I will end him. I don't know how, but I'll find a way. He might have no morals, and I certainly expect none of him, but a contract is a contract. He is bound to leave her the fuck alone!

"I summoned you, but it didn't work. Not like last time. But at least it brought me to you. Are you alright?"

There's that sweet ache in my chest I thought couldn't get any worse. I should feel nothing. I should feel dead inside.

I don't, though. I don't know whether what I feel is better or worse. It hurts like a punch to my gut for a good half a minute.

I'd love to touch her, cup her face with my hand, but I'm still bound hand and foot. "Sweet, you can't be here. It's not safe."

At that very moment, the puff of noxious smoke I'm dreading appears next to us and clears to reveal the gray-skinned smirking demon I least wanted to see.

"What have we here?" His eyes are aglow as he rakes them over Elodie. I silently harbor thoughts of plucking them from his body.

Elodie clings to me tighter. Her arms are wound around my waist. For a moment I think she's scared, but when she speaks, her voice sounds anything but. "You let him go. His debt was paid."

Mordicus throws back his head and laughs.

I am impatiently planning how to suffocate the foul air from his lungs, only just at that moment, I'm hit with a surge of power. Of desire. The force of it sizzles through my skin everywhere I'm in contact with Elodie. Not the hunger of sexual desire, but a deeper, softer, more powerful force as like to it as the ocean is to a pond. Made of the same stuff, but infinitely larger. I almost laugh. Almost. I hold it back, though, not wanting Mordicus to get wind of what's just happened.

The feel of it buoys me until I'm almost floating. Anything I had left from harvesting her I expended long ago trying to free myself to no avail. Now I'm refilled a hundred times over, and I didn't have to do a thing.

Mordicus has no idea what he's dealing with.

"Ah, that's the thing," he says to Elodie. "Azeroth here has a penchant for racking up debt. Would you like me to tell you what this one was for?" He shoots me an evil glance, thinking he has me over coals.

"No." Her firm answer surprises even me.

Mordicus is taken aback.

"Whatever Azeroth did, it's up to him to tell me if he wants to. I wouldn't believe a word you said, anyway."

Oh, fuck yes. What a fucking goddess she is!

Mordicus scowls. "What the fuck is wrong with humans? Well, if you insist on being stupid, I can't stop you. His soul still belongs to me."

Elodie stiffens. "No. It doesn't. That's impossible."

"Afraid not, little human. He made a deal."

"When?" Elodie is giving him such a fierce look, I can tell she has something up her sleeve. Now might be a good time to tell her she's already given me the power to break the bonds, but I hold off, wanting to see what she'll do.

"What does that matter?" Mordicus's brows knit together in an uglier frown.

"It matters because a month ago, Azeroth promised his heart and soul to me, so technically, they're not his to bargain with anymore."

Fuck, I wish I had a camera to capture the look of absolute disgust on that bastard's face as he calculates if this could be true.

He turns his baleful glare on me. "You lied to me?"

I laugh. As if he wouldn't have done the same. "Actually I had forgotten, but she's right. I did promise."

Now I can't resist snapping the chains, pushing magic through the cuffs until they snap into glowing pieces and dissolve into air. It's incredibly satisfying to be able to wrap my arm around Elodie. Finally.

"Guess you should have checked my assets more carefully." I smirk.

He lunges for me, but I'm ready. Swiftly, I tuck Elodie behind me and whip my hand up, materializing a magical net. It tangles him only for a moment. But that's enough for me to kick him to the ground.

He swipes it away, the flare of orange light as he dispels it makes it hard to see. I still spot him hurling a flurry of barbed spikes at my face. I'm quick enough—thanks to the boost of energy from Elodie—to evade him, and throw a shield up to make sure Elodie is safe.

When he tries to attack her, that's his mistake. I see his intention a moment before he acts, in the flick of his tail and the tilt of his head. Of course, Mordicus would decide to prey on her, seeing her as weak. God, he disgusts me.

He doesn't realize how much power she gave me. I inject magic into her body. Possessing her, using it to speed her movements and bring her out of harm's way before Mordicus can send a fireball right to where she was standing.

Elodie screams as heat explodes around us and the air fills with smoke. I'm disoriented for a moment and she collapses against my chest. Seeing both through her eyes and my own, I return fully into my body. I can't wait, though, or he'll be on us again.

I drive most of my remaining magic into a lasso, fling out my arm and hope against hope I land my target. There's a screech and I stumble as Mordicus yanks against my bonds, but I have him trapped just as surely as he had me trapped only minutes earlier.

With the last of my reserves, I tether the rope to the stone pillar behind me where he had me bound. Then I step back.

It won't last forever. It doesn't matter, though. I can't kill him, but I can keep coming back to renew the tethers so he stays trapped.

He curses at me, spitting at my feet and lashing his tail. "You fucking worm. You coward. You're just going to squander what you've found, aren't you?"

"Quite the opposite." I reach for Elodie's hand. She places hers in mine and just like that, there's power in me to spare. "I'm going to treasure her. I hope you enjoy the scenery. It could be a long time before that magic wears thin."

He tugs against the restraints and I feel him testing them. Mordicus growls. "You rat bastard! Let me free."

"No. I don't think I will." I turn, on the verge of teleporting us back to my apartment.

"Wait." Elodie's quiet word makes me pause.

"What?"

"Wait. How long will he be locked up here?" she asks me in an undertone.

Mordicus can hear her. He calls out before I can answer. "Too long! Please take pity on me. I'll make it worth your while."

"I do feel a little bit bad for him."

I groan. "How? He would have happily done worse to either or both of us."

"What if he wants to make a deal with us?" I turn fully to see the hint of a tiny smile on her face. I could hug her. Genius!

"Oh, no." Mordicus has already smelled what she has planned, but it doesn't matter. She has him cornered.

"Oh, yes. In exchange for never bothering us again—either of us, in any way—we'll release you. Otherwise, perhaps we'll leave you locked up for good." She leans in really close, truly whispering this time. "We can do that, can't we?"

I chuckle. "I'll make sure of it."

"Also, you have to give Azeroth his soul back."

My heart just about melts. She could just as easily have asked for hers back. She didn't, though. I squeeze her a little tighter. "Oh, sweet. It doesn't work like that. Soul gems that have been harvested can't be returned."

She looks up at me in horror. "But your soul."

"Will grow back quickly if I'm around you. I'll be inspired to be so good you'll never even know it was gone."

She chews her lip for a minute, then turns back to Mordicus. "OK. Then just the part about never interfering with us again."

Mordicus groans. "Fine. Fine. You have my word."

"On vellum, scum. Or you get nothing." I conjure the fresh scroll and inscribe the contract quickly.

He sighs. Mordicus doesn't even read it. He flicks a finger and the deed is done. His swirling, bloody signature appears on the page.

I smile. "Well, that binding should wear off in about a month, I'd say. I will uphold my part of the bargain, and not renew it. You'll be free after that."

I enjoy his open-mouthed stare for a few seconds.

"You're welcome." I give him a mock salute. Then without looking back, I take Elodie's hand and transport us both back to my apartment.