4. Chapter Four

Screams and howls echoed around me. I couldn’t quite muster the strength to look around. I felt so cold. So numb. I couldn’t feel my hands anymore.

“Lori...” I tried to reach her, but even if she could hear my voice, she was too lost to the chaos storming inside her. She was terrifyingly beautiful. Moving at the speed of a vampire, hacking and slashing anything that came into her path. Stealing sins and wielding shadows into deadly blades. Nothing stood a chance against her.

A lance of pain cut through me as my ribs cracked back into place to protect my heart and guard my weakest point. I needed blood. I needed to feed. But I didn’t think that was likely to happen. I looked around, hoping to find a source, but there was nothing. At some point, the cavern had emptied, and the only creatures left were either dead or on the dais. Even Selene had run off in the foray.

My heart beat a sluggish rhythm. I had lost too much blood. Lost too much...

A body landed next to me, startling me out of the blackness that was trying to claim me. I saw Lori leap through the air and land on top of it, punching her hand deep into his chest and removing his heart with a battle cry. Her face was painted in blood, her features sharpened, and her eyes glowed brightly. Normally, they were black with a ring of fire for the iris, the same as Lucifer. But right now, as she let her vampire nature break through, that black was a bright ruby red, just like Mordecai’s. He was right. She would be a fearsome weapon to control. Good job he didn’t bet on her doing it willingly.

Lori held her wrist over my mouth. “Feed.”

I shook my head or tried to. I couldn’t quite tell if I actually moved.

“Feed,” she repeated, her voice lower and huskier than normal.

“No,” I managed.

She huffed out a breath before ripping her canines into her skin and tearing the flesh. Blood instantly pooled in the wound, and she pushed her wrist into my mouth.

Sweet fucking Christ.

I had almost forgotten how good she tasted. It was rich and sweet, dark and complex. A myriad of flavours pooled in my mouth, and I drank heartily of the gift she offered me. I felt my body knitting itself back together and my fangs pierced her skin and released the venom of my bite.

A moan escaped her lips, and her eyes went wide. Her body would be flooded with pleasure, each synapse flaring and zinging with desire until a moment when it built, and she orgasmed. Her breathing increased, her back arched. Any second now and I would see her unravel. God, I wanted to sink my cock deep into her. I’d missed having her wrapped around me. I needed it. I needed to see her come.

One more swallow...

A scream ripped out of her throat. But it wasn’t one of pleasure.

Her wrist was torn from me, and her blood coated my chin.

“Get off me!” she raged, her feet kicking against the floor as she was dragged backwards. I looked up to see a man I didn’t recognise standing over her with a hand wrapped possessively around her throat. I tried to stand but the world spun and my vision turned hazy. Christ, how much blood did I lose? Judging by the size of the sticky pool beneath me, almost all of it.

“Put those claws away, kitten,” the dark haired mystery guy said smoothly. “We don’t want you to hurt anyone else.”

He wore a leather jacket, black ripped jeans and I could see some silver glinting on his fingers. Who was this guy? I’d never seen him before, but it was entirely possible I was delusional right now. I shook my head, trying to dispel the fogginess but all it did was make me lose my balance. God, I was fucking useless.

Come on, Jasper. Move dammit!

Another yelp had my head snapping up to Lori. She was glaring and hissing at the new arrival but he didn’t seem phased. He tucked her blood matted hair behind her ear, seemingly unbothered by the fact that she’d just killed, maimed and destroyed everything she could get her hands on. He was either really stupid or…

Fuck. He was putting her demon in its place. Beneath him in the hierarchy because in the demon world he was the King.

Iver. The Original Demon in the flesh.

Demon hierarchy worked differently to vampires. Our sires held the power and always would. It didn’t matter if you were older, stronger, more powerful than another vampire, where you were in the sire chain depicted your status. Demons were ordered based on sheer prowess. If one demon could make another submit then they would be higher up the chain. Iver was showing Lori that he didn’t fear her demon, which meant he was more powerful than her. Well, more powerful than her demon side at least.

“Iver, how the fuck did you get in here?” Mordecai spat. The vampire looked dishevelled. His normally put together appearance was completely array. Blood smeared down his chin where Lori had broken his nose and his eyes were frantic and wild.

“Nice to see you too, Mordecai. It’s been a minute.”

“Yes,” he replied shortly. “How did you escape?”

Iver grinned over the top of Lori’s head. “Lucifer let me go.”

“What?”

“He wants this pretty little thing back.”

She hissed at him again, her primal side more in control than the Lori I knew. It would take some time for the adrenaline to wear off and her mind to regain control.

“And he sent you to get her?” Mordecai asked. “I won’t let her go. She’s mine.”

No she isn’t, you prick. She’s mine.

Another stab of pain caused a grunt to escape my mouth and all eyes turned towards me. Dammit. I’d hoped to be able to garner some more information on what Iver was up to. I couldn’t tell if he was friend or foe, or maybe he was just playing his own damn game. I wouldn’t be surprised. He’d been in the Pit of Hell for long enough that his outward sanity might be a mask for a raging madness buried within.

“You’re still with us.”

“No need to sound so disappointed, Mordecai,” I managed to say between gritted teeth. I made to stand again, but it was a painful endeavour. Every limb ached and every movement felt like I was being pulled apart.

Mordecai looked to one of his goons. “Take off his head.”

Lori screamed and fought against Iver, but the demon just held her close, whispering in her ear until her movements quietened. I wonder what he said to her?

“You don’t want to be doing that, Mordecai,” Iver stated confidently, his hand idly playing with one of Lori’s curls.

“No, I really think I do.”

Hands grabbed my arms and dragged me towards Mordecai. I barely had the strength to stand and without the support, I was pretty sure I’d be in a heap on the floor.

Iver shrugged nonchalantly. “Seems stupid to waste the only thing you have in your possession that will ensure her compliance.”

Mordecai’s gaze flicked between myself and Lori and I could almost see the cogs in his mind whirring as he debated his next move.

“You make a valid point.” He nodded to the guy holding me. “Take him to the fourth floor. Store him in one of the rooms there until I decide what to do with him.”

“No,” Lori growled as she bucked against Iver’s grip. “Let me heal him, please. I’ll do anything.”

“No, Lori. Don’t.” I didn’t want her to do something she might later regret.

Mordecai’s eyes gleamed. “I’m sure we can come to some sort of arrangement. For now, he looks stable. I’m sure he will stay alive, little one.”

“He’d better,” Lori spat. If I had the strength to chuckle, I would have. Only Lori would threaten the original vampire whilst at the mercy of the original demon.

“Take him away,” Mordecai instructed. “Don’t kill him.”

Lori instantly relaxed. I just hoped that she wouldn’t agree to something stupid in order to have me healed. I would heal eventually, but it would be painfully slow without a feed. The last thing I heard before being dragged off the dais was Mordecai inviting Iver for a drink and a catch up as if they were long lost friends. On some level they were, but I got the feeling that both of them would be keeping their cards close to their chests. Fear blossomed inside me as I thought of Lori caught between the two of them like a goddamn chess piece. I just had to hope she kept her wits about her and found a way to escape.