Chapter Twenty-Five

Inever anticipated the swift progression of physical intimacy with my treasure. The way she eagerly embraced my touch, seeking connection in the most intimate of places, ignited a primal longing within me. The desire to intertwine our souls grew stronger, as if begging to be fulfilled.

I forgot to announce to Ember that I had not told Juniper she was my mate, however. An important detail that had ruined my plans. I was too elated with the strengthening bond between us to tell my mate more, a mistake I truly regretted. I feared that Juniper would believe I was keeping things from her—which I did not want her to think.

I needed to mend my mistake by explaining to my treasure exactly what a mate was before I left to take care of Samael, so she had time to ponder and ask Uriel more harboring questions.

Uriel was intelligent, despite her childish ways. She would calm my mate”s concerns and explain in a reassuring manner what this bond was while I was away.

Once everyone dispersed from the tables to say their goodbyes, I knew it was my chance to explain what it meant to bind our souls together, and that she too would become a goddess and become one like all of us at the table. Unfortunately, my mate turned the conversation so quickly my body succumbed to her desires.

To her lust.

I cannot deny her, especially if she wanted to please me.

And tasting that glorious cunt of hers was not bad in the slightest. I craved more of her, I craved to be buried deep inside of her body, but time was fleeting, and I knew we were late.

What worried me more were the fleeting words I would get bored with her. That I would not want her in time. It was preposterous, and I would find out where these thoughts came from and destroy them.

How could she ever be boring? She brought the most laughter into my domain in centuries.

I would destroy so many in her honor.

Once we left the bedchambers, I promised her time to ourselves, that I wanted to take her on another date. A proper one and get to know one another. There was no denying that she was mine, but human customs were still important. I wanted to know more about her past, why she thinks she is—unworthy to keep forever.

I will crush those fears.

My treasure once said that we hardly knew each other. If we need to spend more time together, getting to know one another is what she wanted, I would give her all the time she needed.

Once Ares and Mariah arrived, we all said our goodbyes. It took a great deal for me to turn my back and take my journey away from the palace, but we had work to do, and that was to get revenge for Juniper and to save those women.

As soon as my mate slipped out of my sight, a heavy cloud of gloom enveloped my mood. Hypnos and I trudged back to our domain, nestled at the foot of the mountain, descending swiftly into the hot depths of the caverns. The musty scent of earth and rock filled the air, while the sound of dripping, steamed water echoed through the narrow passageways.

Azrael stood patiently at the dimly lit end of the narrow hallway, his grip firm on the cold, steel hilt of his gleaming sword. The piercing screams reverberated through the cavern, intertwining with the metallic clanging of chains, creating a haunting symphony of despair. The air hung heavy with the acrid scent of fear and desperation, as if it permeated every crevice of the stone walls. Inside the cell, a fiery and volatile Samael relentlessly pounded against the unyielding wall, his frustration palpable, his magic contained and suffocated within the chains around his wrists.

“I said, set me free!” He rattled his chains as my brother and I entered.

With my scythe in my hand, I entered his cell. Samael grew silent when he saw me approaching.

“Grim Reaper, I demand to know what I have done! Your demon fetched me, not giving me any reason!”

Samael, adorned in a jalabiyas, a modern Egyptian attire, was disheveled by Azrael’s beatings. His body was grimy, coated in a layer of sand and soot. A slight bulge protruded from his belly, likely a consequence of excessive indulgence in drink. As I entered the dungeon, the pungent stench of alcohol assaulted my nostrils.

I walked forward, my scythe clicking onto the cave floor. Samael pushed his back against the wall, a small grunt coming from his throat.

“There are procedures for this, you know,” he began. “If I have committed a crime against magic, I am to go to the council. Why am I brought here? And to you? What crime have I even committed?”

Out of my peripheral, I saw Hypnos lean on the cave wall. He looked down at his claws and picks at the imaginary dirt.

“You have committed a crime. A crime that slipped through the cracks of your warlock and witchery council of earth, or whatever the fuck it is. Your crime filtered to me, and now I must deal with it. It interfered with the gods, and now you are in more trouble than you realize.”

Samael’s eyes widened. Well, his right eye barely moved. Azrael had done a number on the fool. His eye, split lip, and bruise on one side of his cheek made up for that.

“In fact, your crimes are so grave, I may just take your soul right here. Let Lucifer, the Destroyer, have his fun with you,” I laughed darkly.

“Brother, I’ve never heard you laugh so sadistically. I don’t know if your treasure would like that,” Hypnos chuckled.

I raised a brow within my hood, toward my brother.

“P-please, just tell me what I did. I’m sure we can come up with something. I don’t think I did anything wrong. What could I have possibly—”

I forcefully drove my scythe into the rugged stone surface, causing the entire cave to tremble. Loose rocks and massive boulders cascaded down to the ground, creating a deafening roar. The air became thick with the scent of dust and ancient stone.

“You are well aware of your transgressions,” I declared with a fervent intensity. “That is why you sought refuge in Egypt, within a den of wicked souls, both men and women, selling their very essence. What better place for a renowned warlock to hide, hmm?”

My nails elongate, morphing into sharp claws, as I extend my hand and swiftly raked them across his chest. The sensation of flesh tearing beneath my touch sent shivers down my spine.

He cried out, but I didn’t pierce his skin deeply. I needed him to be somewhat coherent.

What a pathetic warlock he is.

I tilted my head and rubbed my chin.

Maybe I will get back to my Juniper quicker than I thought.

And this pleases me.

“I suggest you come clean with your sins.” I gripped my scythe. “First being how you summoned a possessing demon and then handed it off to some female who now runs a sex trafficking ring in the disguise as a strip club.”

Samael blinked at me. “What?”

With a menacing snarl, my shadows coiled around the warlock’s neck, constricting like vipers. The air thickened with his desperate gasps for breath, his futile attempts to break free stifled by the suffocating grip. As the chains strained against his weight, his body hovered agonizingly above the ground, a helpless puppet in the clutches of my darkness. His anguished cries pierced the air, echoing with a mix of terror and excruciating pain.

“I said, who did you transfer the possessing demon to? Koozoth. The demon named Koozoth was transferred. What is the female’s name you gave him to?”

Samael’s screams died, and I forced my shadows to let go of him. He fell to the ground, taking big gulps of air.

“F-female? I-I don’t know if it was a female,” he whimpered.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was not faring well.

Azrael stepped forward, his leather gloves tightening as he balled his hands into fists. He nodded at the warlock and I waved at him to do his job.

To torture the bastard.

After hours, a sense of boredom began to settle. In the dimly lit room, I noticed Hypnos already dozing off in the quiet corner. The faint scent of sleep hangs in the air as I felt a hint of restlessness creeping up on me.

I kept thinking of my treasure back at the palace. If she was alright, I could have let Hypnos do this on his own. But as he snored, I think better of it. He was the softer of the two of us. He would have put the warlock to sleep and messed with his mind. I didn’t need my brother accidentally messing up the warlock’s memory.

Azrael grunted, no doubt frustrated by my command, Azrael could not kill the warlock. A ripping sound hits my ear, and I saw his facial scar that went from the side of his mouth up to the right side of his jaw rip right open, showing rows of razor-sharp teeth in his mouth.

“Enough,” I commanded, raising my scythe.

Azrael backed away, his skin forming over the bloody mess his face had made.

As I approached, Samael is bloody, broken. Most of his teeth were lying on the floor, his body bruised and maimed. This wasn’t my forte, this wasn’t what I enjoyed. I was glad to have Azrael, and I had many more errands for him to run after this little warlock’s soul was extracted from his body.

“Please–” Samael gasped. “Just end it, please end it all.”

I let out a soft chuckle, my laughter filling the air as I slowly lowered myself to the cool floor. Leaning in closer, I spoke in a hushed tone, barely audible. “All in good time,” I whispered, the words floating delicately through the room. Gently, I placed my hand on his back, feeling the warmth of his body against my palm. “Now,” I continued, my voice steady but filled with anticipation, “reveal to me the name of the woman to whom you transferred the possession demon, Koozoth. I need to know who I am dealing with.”

Samael panted. He didn’t lift his head to speak, and he can barely move his neck.

“Listen, please,” he begged. “I–I do not know who he or she was. There must have been a spell cast over them when they requested a demon. A glamour.”

I snarled in frustration.

“They paid me handsomely. It was the first time I have ever done such a thing. I’ve only done it once. It is my only magical sin. Please forgive me.”

“And did they ask you specifically for a replicating demon?” I pulled back on his hair and looked him in his face.

He closed his eyes tightly so he could not see the despair of my shadows within the hood.

“Y-yes. That it was important. You can read my soul if you wish.”

I did not hesitate. He willingly gave, so I entered his mind. I fought through the memories, hunted them down until I found exactly what I was looking for. Ten years prior, a faceless person handed over a large sum of money. I could not understand their words, just like Juniper’s mind.

I pulled out of his soul and cursed, dropping the pathetic warlock onto the ground.

All of it was worthless.

Hecate emerged from the depths of darkness, the goddess of witchcraft. She stepped forward with a deliberate and unhurried gait. Her presence was accompanied by a faint scent of earthy herbs and a hint of smoky incense. With a piercing gaze, she remarked, “Ah, I thought you possessed one of my warlocks.”

She was dressed in a black suit, her bright red shoes and nails a brightly lit contrast against the darkness of the cave.

“A shame. He had prospects. Now I see why the Fates had not gifted him a mate, however. Thanatos, are you finished finding your information?”

I let out a huff of irritation. “I have no more use for him. He is yours to punish. Do you wish for me to take his soul?”

Hecate chuckled, her red high heel shoes clicked closer to his now unconscious body.

“I plan on having him suffer in his body for a bit. Transferring possessing demons is a serious crime. Also, I’m upset his home coven didn’t find out either. They will need to be punished as well.”

“Ah, so you are making him an example.” I nodded my head. “That is for the best.”

Hecate bowed her head. “One of your reapers can take his soul when I am finished. I see you are rather busy with this project and a certain little mortal.” She winked.

I rubbed the back of my hood. “Word travels fast, I see.”

Hecate laughed. “Of course it does.” She sauntered up to me. “And being one of your closer friends, I’m glad I found out. Congratulations, Thanatos. I expect the first invitation to the soul bonding ceremony.” She patted my face and turned away.

“Hecate?” I called to her.

She turned and raised an eyebrow.

“This female we are looking for, the owner of this club. She can hide her appearance and voice. The warlock couldn’t remember her, nor could I see her in Juniper’s memories. Is there a way to break it so I can see?”

Hecate laced her fingers together and pursed her lips. “If this magic she is using can block her face in memories, it would be difficult. We need to know the source of the magic. Magic grows every day, it evolves. Even I cannot keep up with evolving magic.”

I nodded. I knew this very well.

“But I will try. I’ll dig through his mind and see what you have seen,” she said.

I gave her a grateful nod, and she vanished with the body as I turn away from the scene.

“Azrael, there is a list on my desk in my private quarters. Fetch it and bring every mortal soul that is on the list to the dungeon. Have some fun with them on the way down.”

Azrael didn’t smile. He let his long black hair sweep in front of his face and turned when I dismissed him.

Hypnos yawned and returned to my side, following me as I took the stairs.

I felt the anger rolling off him in waves.

He must not have been sleeping as heavily as I thought.

It took a great deal to anger him, and I’m sure my own is festering him as well. It was damn ludicrous that Samael got away with what he did—transferring a possessing demon to another person. There were more tangled webs we would have to deal with, and we were no closer to finding this female.

“What now, brother?” Hypnos flipped his long white hair behind his back. “Your reapers and demons are at the assembly, waiting for your orders. What exactly are you going to tell them since you have no identity of this owner?”

I huffed once we reached my private quarters on the mountain. I saw Azrael had already retrieved the parchment, holding all the souls that have ever touched or looked on her in lust.

They will suffer shortly.

“Drastic times, drastic measures,” I murmured.

I quickly reached for the whetstone on my cluttered desk, feeling its cool, rough surface against my fingertips. With determination, I motioned for my brother to follow me toward the concealed door in the dimly lit living room. As we stepped through the tapestry, we ascended the steep stairway leading to the top of our mountain.

I made a mental note to widen the stairs, to lighten the hallways. Juniper was my mate, and my time living as the depressed bachelor was now over. We would ascend to the mansion above on the mountain. We would have the gardens regrown to her liking, perhaps created from her soul light and hover over our mansion to give light over our mountainous terrain so she could gaze out over the magnificent view.

I would lavish upon her every desire, providing all the comforts her heart yearned for, recreating the familiar earthly delights. We would embark on regular journeys to revisit her home on earth, yet during our stay here, I would ensure she embraced the enchanting novelties of her new home.

While I enjoyed savoring the comforting glow of my treasure’s light, its gentle warmth seeping into my very core, my soul yearned for the embrace of darkness for now. I craved its all-encompassing presence, a cloak to shroud me as I readied myself to face those entrusted with executing my commands. They must grasp the weightiness and urgency of this mission.

As we ascended the mountain and arrived at the majestic mansion, my brother and I stepped into a grand hallway that exuded opulence. The air was heavy with the scent of burning candles, while the flickering light cast an eerie glow on the dark crystals adorning the walls. The smooth marble floors beneath our feet felt cool and polished, adding to the luxuriousness that I had never much cared for.

We made our way toward the platform, the reapers and demons aligned with Ember’s cause part before us, creating a path as we stride forward.

I took two steps at a time and once I reached the platform that held the dark throne that I had yet to sit on in all my years, my shadows encompassed it all while my brother waited at the bottom. He faced the crowd, his hands behind his back, and turned to smirk at me. “Such a showoff.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I want the demons who have been frequenting the strip club to push further. An auction is fast approaching. Get in on the deal.” The demons to the right of the platform nodded in agreement.

They are glamoured in human skin, adorned in expensive suits. “Wave around cash if you have to. Find out the owner’s name, fake, real. I need to know something.”

I fiddled with the whetstone in my hand and projected my voice louder, “Reapers, infiltrate the club. The owner is under a glamour as well. Stay in your death veil, when you are 100% sure you have the owner in your sight—” I take the whetstone and roll it over my scythe’s blade. It makes a shwing sound, and the reapers that have been called into the room watch as a light slings over their blade. “Cut through the veil and seize them.”

The reapers held on to their scythes tightly. I haven’t given my reapers the gift to cross into the living realm. They can only pull souls into their veil. The reapers I have had charge of these operations I trust, and I know they will serve me well.

“This facility has hurt my mate–your future goddess,” I growled.

Reapers and demons murmured amongst themselves.

“They will not go unpunished.”