2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Celeste

I t had been four days. Or seven. Or a month. It was hard to keep track of time when you were locked in a windowless room in Hell . But that didn't matter because today, I was getting out of there, even if it killed me.

I wanted to know what happened with Roman and Isaac. I wanted to know what the burst of magic was. I wanted to know if Mariam reappeared and if she was after them.

I wanted to be with them and face this threat together, like we promised.

Most of all, I wished I had drained my medallion's power when I had the chance. At that moment, I was so stunned that I found it after all this time, in Roman's clothing of all places, that I didn't think to use it right away. A grave mistake for sure, because my captor wasn't entirely immune to my magic as I first thought; he was just able to match it with ease. But there were very few living—or dead—creatures that could best me when I was almost at my peak. A demon with bad manners and a very punchable face wasn't one of them.

The ward I had put around the room rang in warning, and I let my magic pour out, ready to strike. Mostly, he had left me alone in this place, but every time I tried to blast the door out, he'd show up angry and kick my ass. He'd also return at random hours with food or water, ignore me when I tried to have a conversation, and leave again without so much as a goodbye.

Despite dragging me to Hell against my will, I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, as Malakai would no doubt have suggested, because, for some reason, he didn't hurt me or try… anything. He just kept me there, safe and alive, as he claimed, and annoyed the fuck out of me with his silence. I had even tried to negotiate my release in return for… whatever he wanted, but that didn't work because he wouldn't even tell me what he wanted from me.

This made no fucking sense! He kidnapped me and then acted like I didn't exist. He didn't touch me, he didn't talk to me, he didn't even torture me. No demands, no taunting, no… anything! Why did he bring me here? To keep me as a pet he didn't care about? Well, this pet was about to go feral on him because I wasn't putting my life on hold for no fucking reason.

My magic lashed out the moment the door opened. The demon stopped at the threshold, watching my spell shoot toward his chest when all of a sudden, the tattoos on his skin shimmered. Shadows erupted from his back like tentacles made of darkness and air, blocking the crackling energy that should have blasted a hole through his torso.

As annoying as it was to see him win this round, I was prepared for it. He might have had powers very much like mine, but his vessel had weaknesses, too. If I damaged him badly enough, he would have to abandon this body, and without it, he couldn't stop me from leaving. I couldn't do this with magic, though, because he knew exactly how to redirect it—or devour it. Unfortunately for him, I had vast experience dealing with someone who wasn't affected by my power, and that same someone had taught me how to fight the likes of him without it.

Even before his shadows receded, I was swinging with my makeshift weapon. I had snapped one of the bedposts and fortified it with magic, so both sides were as sharp as a real blade. I even threw in a spell that protected it from all flames except mine. I wasn't going into this fight completely outmatched. He could dodge my hexes all he wanted, but I'd love to see him dodge this.

My weapon passed through empty air, but I just turned sideways, allowing the edge of the staff to continue its flight as he appeared a couple of steps away from me, wearing his usual annoyed expression. His eyes, though, were watching me with growing wariness, like he couldn't figure out what to expect next. Good, that's exactly where I wanted him.

"Must you always be such an exasperating bitch?" he snarled when I charged him again. He sidestepped me with ease—or so he thought until the other tip of my staff caught him on the arm, leaving a shallow graze.

"If I'm so annoying, you should let me leave. Everybody wins." I smiled sweetly, aiming at his calves next. He vanished, and my weapon missed again, but at least when he reappeared, he stumbled a fraction.

"If you don't put that thing down right now, I'll fucking tie you up!"

My grin only widened. "Joke's on you because I'm into that."

I attacked again. I had used my previous ‘temper tantrums', as he called them, to test his limits—now that I knew his reaction time and his giveaway ticks when he was about to translocate, I planned to kick his ass in a way that would make even Roman proud.

He evaded me again, deflecting my stick with disconcerting speed, which brought up the thought that maybe, just maybe, he had been hiding a few tricks up his sleeve, too. The magic coursed through my veins, making my feet light and my weapon even lighter. I felt no strain, no fatigue, not even pain as I moved from one attack straight into the next. Yet nothing seemed enough to make him falter. He looked like he could evade me forever. The only sign that he was affected by our fight was the deep line of frustration forming on his forehead.

I was just considering a change of strategy when my wooden blade finally slipped past his defenses. Dark blood seeped out of the wound on his side, a few drops falling on the floor before his eyes turned black and he bared his teeth with an unspoken threat. Moving ever so slowly, he wrapped his fingers around the part of the staff that protruded from his body and hissed, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

He vanished again. I whipped around in search of him, but he didn't reappear.

‘Well, that was easier than I expected it would be,' I thought as I allowed myself a small smile. I was sure he'd be back to settle the score, but maybe his temporary retreat would be enough to get out of here.

Magic exploded out of me even before I reached the door, and the poor thing flew outward, landing on the ground with a loud screech. A wave of uncertainty made me pause when heat and the stench of blood and brimstone assaulted my nose, but I refused to let it sway me off my course .

My magic sang in warning even before my foot touched the ground. It happened so fast, I had no time to react before I was violently yanked back.

My back slammed against a hard chest, and a set of long, rough fingers wrapped around my throat. He caught my weapon with his other hand when I tried to stab him in the face, but the spell that protected the wood resisted his power… at first. Deep, glowing cracks appeared over its surface, and a moment later, white-hot fire burst from inside of them. I screamed when their scorching tongues licked my skin, letting go of the crumbling staff even as the demon's arms tightened around me.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a real menace, Red?" His breath sent cold shivers down my spine, making my head spin almost as much as the lack of air. And the way he said that nickname… it sounded like a curse and a prayer all at once.

‘Fuck,' I thought when he picked me up and carried me further into the room while his shadows sealed my escape. The moment he set me down, I threw all my weight against him, trying to disrupt his balance so I could free myself. He just scoffed and pushed my face against the wall, grabbing my hand and twisting it behind my back until my shoulder was ready to pop.

"Enough!" he snarled, bending it even higher. My vision blurred from the pain. "Devil knows, I tried to be… nice ," he spat the word like it offended him, "but I can't have you thinking you can do anything you want just because I can't cut you open and feed you your organs! So reap what you sowed!"

The pressure on my throat disappeared just when I thought I might pass out. Leaning my forehead on the cold stone, I tried to get some air into my lungs before he could make good on his threat.

My eyes snapped open at the familiar clank of metal. I jerked, no longer caring if my hand broke, but before I could do anything, something clicked around my wrist and a painfully familiar weakness spread through my body. While I fought with the dizziness, he bent my other arm behind my back and cuffed it. Cool metal pressed on my neck as well although I couldn't quite remember when he put that on me.

The moment he released me, I tried to free my hands, but the shackles barely allowed me to reach my lower back before the movement tugged on the collar around my throat. A vicious cough rocked my body, making me stumble, while he just watched as I landed heavily on my stomach. When I looked back up, the goddamn demon was smirking .

"Why the long face? I thought you said you liked being tied up?" He squatted next to me, the epitome of fucking smugness, while he studied the collar around my neck. Helpless rage filled my chest, so when he reached for my face, I pulled my legs to my body and kicked. His eyes widened in shock, but he caught my ankle just before my heel connected with his cheek. The darkness returned to his gaze, and black veins spread under his skin, showing me the infernal creature lurking within.

"Fucking brat!" he snarled, using my leg to drag me toward him. I kicked again, but he easily avoided it this time. When he grabbed my collar and pulled me to my feet, there was little I could do to stop him. Bending down until our noses were touching, he stared into my eyes with all the malice of his demon soul, like he thought that would be enough to make me cower. I stood my ground, but when the black retreated to his irises, I exhaled a small breath of relief.

That only lasted until he threw me over his shoulder and stomped toward the other end of the room. At first, I thought he was taking me to the bed, but when he passed it by, my stomach hollowed. He dropped me on the ground in the corner, yanking the chain that connected my collar to my cuffs and attaching it to something on the wall. Finally, he shackled my ankles.

I didn't bother fighting him this time. With my magic out of reach and me already tied to the wall, I didn't want him to decide that cutting my legs off would do the same job as binding them. I had the feeling that today I might have pushed him further than ever before and his strange protectiveness of my body wouldn't be enough to stay his hand.

"Why?" I snarled when he rose to his feet, stepping away from me. "Why did you drag me here? If you wanted to kill me, you could have done it in the crypt! What exactly do you want from me?"

His eye twitched at the mention of the word kill , but he just spun on his heel and headed toward the door. I cried out in frustration, but he didn't so much as take a look back.

I hated it. I hated all of this. Why was it so hard to tell me what he wanted? What did I have to do for him to fucking do something, even if it was to… kill me?

"Wait," I gasped as understanding swooped in. He had said he couldn't cut me open and just now, he had winced when I suggested killing me. He wasn't protective of my body; he was protective of my life. "You don't want me to die," I whispered. How could I be so stupid? It had been right before my eyes the whole time! What other reason would a powerful demon have to do this?

His step faltered. It only lasted a second, and then he continued toward the door, moving even faster. "Leave now and when you come back, I'll be dead! I give you my word!"

He halted. I shook my head in disbelief as I watched him ball his hands into fists, back muscles flexing under the shirt. I was going to force him to talk this time, or may the goddamn devil take me.

"I know how to take my life, even with my hands and legs tied," I said, making sure he heard every grain of desperation I currently held. "So tell me the truth or I'll fucking end this. I have a lot of experience dying, you know."

He didn't reply for a long time, and I thought he would just leave when he turned on his heel and stormed toward me with a furious expression. My heart lodged in my throat, fear and excitement battling inside of me while I held my breath. He crouched beside me, squeezing my cheeks between his fingers.

"You want to know?" he snarled in my face. "Fine! I'll tell you!" His grip tightened painfully, but I made no sound, afraid he'd change his mind. "Demon powers come from making deals, and the deal I made with you is the strongest…" His fingers dug deeper into my skin. "...longest…" He leaned in, his eyes unblinking as they bore into mine. "...and the most important one I currently have." His face was so close, his nose brushed mine, the smell of smoke and brimstone wrapping around me. His attention switched to my lips before he captured my gaze again, and the way he smiled sent an icy chill down my spine. "So as long as you are alive, your magic is also mine."

I was pretty sure that if he wasn't squeezing my cheeks, my jaw would have hit the floor. ‘The deal I made with you.' That's what he had said, but how was that possible? The demon I sold my soul to was… was… so different! I knew it was unreasonable to expect him to keep the same body all this time, but his demeanor that night… was of an entirely different person. And what did he mean, my magic was his as long as I was alive? How was that possible?

"What happens when I die?" I asked, the words barely comprehensible because of his grip. He released my jaw but didn't back up.

"I lose access to that power, obviously," he sneered. "Which is why you're here. You die too much up there. "

My frustration returned with full force, and I snarled. "It's not like I want to die!" He scoffed, rising to his feet and turning his back to me. "I'm not done talking! Hey, I'm serious! If you leave—"

"You won't do it," he said without even looking at me. He strode to the cupboard in the corner and retrieved the bowl of water sitting there along with a washcloth. "Do you know why?" I wanted to retort something insulting, but the nasty look he sent me made me hesitate. "Because this is your last immortal life." A small smile tugged on his lips while I stared with disbelief. "Once you die, there will be no coming back for you."

I opened my mouth to deny it, but the words remained stuck in my throat. I had sensed the end of the cycle coming, even Nym did, but it had been a possibility until now, not a certainty. I wasn't afraid of death anymore, yet… eternity in Hell suddenly sounded too real, too close.

"If you kill yourself now, you're done." His voice sounded distant, hollow, but as the notion sank deep roots into my mind, I knew he wasn't lying. "You will delay my plans, but I won't disappear. You will. Forever."

The world grew quiet around me, the frustration and anger all but gone. A strange sense of dread, one I hadn't felt in a very, very long time, squeezed my heart, making my chest ache.

I had never had much to live for in my previous lives; I went through the motions because it was better than rotting in the earth, but now… now I had a place where I was accepted and wanted, people who loved me and valued me. I wasn't ready to part with those things after waiting so long to have them.

"How is that possible?" I asked, my voice cracking. "How can m-m-my cycle end when my deal hasn't been… completed?"

He said nothing, seemingly too occupied with stripping his shirt off and checking on his body. He was hurt, I realized when I noticed the blood slipping from several places. The side injury had been my doing, but I was pretty sure the bite mark on his shoulder wasn't from my teeth. In fact, I didn't think it was from human teeth at all.

He made no sounds of discomfort as he started cleaning the gash I gave him, looking completely taken by the task, like I wasn't even there. I waited for him to finish, hoping that he was too focused to answer before, but when he switched his attention to the bite mark without saying a word, something in me snapped .

"Answer me!" I shouted, pulling against my restraints, only to be yanked back. "You were the one that fucked up my deal in the first place! If you had let me live back then, I would have completed it within days!" He shot me an exasperated look but said nothing. I snarled, struggling against the goddamn cuffs until the skin broke around one of my wrists. "Why are things different now? Is there a limit to how many times I can come back to life? If all those I sought revenge on are dead, how am I supposed to get my revenge?" Silence. "Look at me and give me an answer, damn you! This is all your fault! You can't break your deal!"

He met my gaze again, frustration oozing from him in waves while I panted with helpless rage. If there was one thing I hated more than being attacked, it was to be ignored.

The demon finally pushed himself off the table, striding my way. I held my head high even as he stopped before me, looming like death itself, but if that ticked him, it didn't show on his face.

"I thought I told you to shut the fuck up already," he said in a painfully controlled tone.

"And I told you I want answers," I replied through gritted teeth. "Until then, fuck you."

His eye twitched, and he leaned down, holding my gaze. He was so close that I considered head-butting him just so I could release some of that irritation that was threatening to consume me. Too late did I notice the rag that he was still holding and when I did, he was already trying to push it inside my mouth.

"I'll… fu… ing... ki…" I shouted through the fabric, shaking my head in an attempt to spit it out, but he grabbed my hair and yanked it back. His shadows brushed over my cheek, wrapping around my mouth and keeping the rag in place even as he let go of me. I screamed, glaring at him with all my might, but he just smiled.

Tears of frustration welled in my eyes while I watched him dust his hands like he had touched something dirty. I pulled my legs toward my chest, ready to kick him, consequences be damned, when his eyes shot to mine. The true and unadulterated madness I saw in his gaze was the only thing that stopped me from going through with my plan. I had seen his anger, and I had tasted his violence, but what lurked beneath the surface this time was older, stronger, and infinitely evil.

"You are much more tolerable when you're quiet," he said almost jovially, running his hand through his hair while his smile widened. "Now be a good fucking witch or stay like this for the rest of your life." My nails dug into the soft flesh of my palms at the finality of his words, but aside from snarling in defiance, I dared not go any further. "There is no point in playing games with a demon. You already lost the moment you signed your soul away."