Chapter Five
Brian
I was actually pretty excited to see how a Lord was made, and I was happy that Adriel was making a new one. God knows we could use all the help we could get. Besides, the more he had, the stronger he became, and he needed that strength to take out Katashniel. He killed Xora himself and Mahmet betrayed him for Katashniel. Raphael explained the Royalty and Lords thing to me in my early demon days, so I knew he was just filling the vacancy left by Xora. Everyone was quiet as Vahiel did his thing over there. I didn’t really understand what he was chanting, but I knew it was a demonic language. I wondered if Raphael knew what he was saying. I’d have to ask him later.
I didn’t know shit about a fucking Bokada demon, and that was another thing Raphael was going to have to school Andre and me on. I knew she had to be a badass like his other Lords or else she wouldn’t have been picked. I watched Vahiel wave his hand over the bowl and gasped when a ball of silver flames shot from it. The flames nearly touched the ceiling, but before long, they died down but didn’t extinguish. Vahiel picked up the bowl and turned toward Adriel and Nakai.
“It is ready, my King,” he said, then turned to us. “If you would all step back.”
I didn’t argue, I just took several steps back until I bumped into another demon. I apologized, and they accepted, so that was it. Everyone else moved back, leaving a lot of space in the middle of the large office. That was when Adriel walked over to the round area rug and flipped it back, revealing a symbol singed into the floor. I had been standing on that rug and now I was wondering what the hell the symbol meant.
Nakai rose from where she’d been kneeling only to kneel on both knees in the middle of the symbol. I recognized some of the sigils, like the ones for binding and eternal. That was only because Raphael had told me about them, how they were used for very powerful spells.
“Please remove your clothes, sire.” Vahiel looked down at Nakai. “You too. Sorry, probably should have mentioned that before you knelt.”
“Would have been nice, my Lord,” Nakai remarked as she rose.
“Yeah, I know, but whatever.” Vahiel waited while both she and Adriel undressed.
I checked her out because she had some nice bits and pieces, but my gaze lingered on Adriel. His body was amazing, and I couldn’t help but think back to the times he had fucked my brains out. It was he who had educated me on so much about myself I didn’t know. For one thing, he tapped into my desire to be dominated. Andre would have faced a lot more resistance from me had Adriel not shown me the light. So yeah, I was looking at the cock of the king that had given me so much pleasure. He hadn’t fucked me in months, unfortunately, and I missed it. But in all fairness, he did have his plate full with all the bullshit that was going on, so I didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like I was left wanting. Shit, I had Raphael and Andre fulfilling my needs and desires, and on occasion, Rohan.
Adriel and Nakai were kneeling in the middle of the symbol and then embraced. Vahiel stepped up to them, chanted something else in that unfamiliar demonic language, and held the bowl of fire above his head. After he was done chanting, he tipped the bowl over, pouring the silver flames on Adriel and Nakai. It was fire, for certain, but it poured like liquid onto them. The flames engulfed both the king and Nakai, and they screamed.
No one bothered to go to their aid, then Vahiel started a new chant. Soon, the flames seemed like they were absorbed into their flesh, leaving them smoldering. Once the fire was all out, Vahiel ceased chanting and took a few steps back. By the satisfied expression on his face, I could only guess that everything went according to plan. Adriel released Nakai and fell back on his side, panting and trembling. I couldn’t imagine how painful that was, but it had to be pretty awful for the king to be that affected.
Nakai had collapsed on her side as well, her body shivering as if she were freezing. Still, no one approached them, we just let them get themselves together. After about five minutes, Adriel had the strength to stand up on wobbly legs. Vahiel was by his side, stopping him from stumbling. He nodded and Vahiel released him. He took several deep breaths, then reached for his clothes and began to get dressed. Nakai took a little bit longer to recover, but once she did, she too got dressed. Vahiel covered the symbol back up with the area rug, which seemed to wrap up the ritual of creating a new Lord. I’ve got to say, it was quite the spectacle with the silver fire. I wondered, was that why all Lords had a silver aura?
Adriel gestured to Nakai. “Pay your respects to your newest Lord,” he commanded.
I wasn’t quite sure what that entailed, so I waited to see what Raphael would do. He began to kneel on one knee, head bowed, so I quickly did the same. At my side, Andre was also doing it, along with the rest of the demons.
“My Lord,” they said, and Andre and I repeated, which was embarrassing because we were the only two who weren’t in unison. I hoped the king wouldn’t be too disappointed. I’d never been to the anointing of a new Lord before. Andre and I were still learning.
“I know, which is why I will not hold it against you, or Raphael, as this is his first time too,” Adriel said.
Well, that was comforting to know.
“You have all done well. Now, you are free to leave and focus on your missions.”
I stood up, as did everyone else.
“Agotos, you will stay,” Adriel ordered.
A few demons gave us some unsavory looks, but left nonetheless. Some shuffled out the door, while others chose to just teleport. Nakai was standing beside King Adriel, and I could tell she was overjoyed by her new position by the grin on her face. I bet she was feeling even more powerful, too. Must be nice. Although, I wasn’t sure I’d want to be a Lord. Seemed like a lot of responsibility.
“It is, which is why I choose my Lords carefully,” Adriel stated. “I have specific missions for each of you. Come here.”
We all walked over to him. Isabella gave me a side-eyed glance, which wasn’t lacking in her scorn. She really didn’t care for me, and I wondered why. Was it because I gave Raphael such a hard time when I’d first been turned? Or was it because she knew he loved my ass more than her pussy? I bet that was it. Adriel chuckled. His back was turned to us, but I could still see his shoulders shaking. He didn’t say anything, but I was pretty sure he’d been reading my emotions and hers.
He turned finally and smiled at me. “You have come a long way, my stubborn Agoto.”
“Thank you, my King,” I replied.
“Here, this is your mission.” He handed me a white envelope and I opened it up to see what was inside. It was just some stats of the only remaining demonic lord who had betrayed Adriel. The asshole, Mahmet. Too bad a picture didn’t accompany it. Kind of hard to search for a motherfucker when you didn’t know what he looked like. I was looking forward to seeing him get his. I was glad that bitch, Xora, was dead. My eyes traveled from the stats on the page to my king’s beautiful silver eyes. “Do you want me to kill him or bring him to you, my Liege?”
“Kill him. I do not need to do it myself. Katashniel will be my prey. It will not be easy, either, killing Mahmet. He is one of the oldest demons alive. He once served alongside my grandfather and father before pledging his alliance to me. You will not be able to take him on alone, so I’m pairing you up with Dakkar.”
Who the fuck was Dakkar?
“One of my most powerful Lords, almost as old as Mahmet,” Adriel said, then raised his hand, beckoning someone.
I turned to see a guy emerge from the shadows like a fucking phantom, I kid you not. He was damn fine, too. I was surprised I hadn’t noticed him before, but then the room had been a bit more crowded. Plus, he was probably in the shadows the entire time, so I couldn’t see him until he wanted me to. Anyway, the motherfucker was gorgeous, and I wondered if he’d taken over a human who looked that fucking good, or was this a form of his choosing? With Lords, you really couldn’t tell because their auras were silver. I also wondered what kind of demon he was. He was wearing an expensive charcoal, three-piece suit, complete with silver cufflinks and a Rolex.
I knew it had to be worth a few thousand bucks, because I was used to what hung up in Raphael’s closet. He stood there like a damn fashion model with one hand in his pocket and the other hanging loosely by his side. His dark hair was cut short on the sides, but longer on the top. His neatly trimmed beard enhanced his strong jawline, and his crystal gray eyes were studying me just as intently as I was checking him out. He was about six-two from what I could tell, which was a formidable height. Damn, he really did look great in that suit.
“Now that you two have assessed each other, I’ll make the proper introductions,” Adriel said, which recaptured my attention. I turned to the king and he smirked. “Brian, meet Dakkar, he is a Nostera demon. Dakkar, meet Brian, an Agoto. You can feed on the blood of your victims as he takes their soul. You’re a perfect match.”
I heard Andre cough softly when Adriel make that “perfect match” statement, and by the curious expression the king was giving him, he’d heard it too.
“Does it bother you, Andre, that I’ve paired your mate with another male demon? One just as handsome as you are? Whose cock I will grant Brian the opportunity to take pleasure in?”
Damn, he really knew how to dig in on someone’s insecurities.
Adriel tossed me a look out the corner of his eye, and I knew it wasn’t without warning, so I decided to shut my thoughts up.
“I’m waiting for your answer, demon. You know I don’t like to wait,” Adriel told Andre.
“I wouldn’t agree that they are a perfect match as you stated, my Liege,” Andre said.
“Oh, and why not?”
“Because only his mates chosen by the Agoto are his perfect mates, Sire,” Andre stated.
Adriel laughed and clapped his hands together. “Well, I cannot argue with that logic.” He turned to me. “I will be granting you permission to sate your pleasure with Dakkar and vice versa. You both become incredibly aroused after feeding, I will not have either of you losing focus because of your carnal necessities. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sire,” I said.
“Of course, my Liege,” Dakkar agreed, and it was the first time I’d heard his voice. Holy shit, it was as deep and sultry as smoke and as smooth as satin. I felt a chill of seduction tingle down my spine and it lingered around my asshole, just teasing it. I did want to fuck this dude, but I felt like it would be a betrayal to my mates. I thought this partnership was going to be more trouble I didn’t need. Raphael and Andre were obviously going to be jealous. Why not just pair me with Raphael then? I wondered. He was strong as hell and vicious.
“Because you will need a Lord with you and Raphael will have his own partner as you will both share the same mission. Do not act like my command doesn’t appeal to you, Brian,” Adriel said, outing me.
I looked around, feeling uneasy at having everyone’s attention on me. “I apologize, my King. You know best.”
“Exactly. You’d do well to remember that and never question my command.”
I bowed because I knew I’d pissed him off. I also took a step back to really show how sorry I was. “I will remember, Sire.”
He turned to address us all. “My other knights will be busy cleaning out the demonic trash that infest this world, not just this city. Every day, more demons are siding with Katashniel. We must eliminate them.”
“What about his knights, my King?” Ade asked.
“They are of great importance. I want them all killed, and I have no way of telling how many he has. Mahmet, the one Lord blocking me from finding him, needs to be eradicated and once that happens, I can find Katashniel and I will make an example out of him.” Adriel leaned back against his desk, crossing his arms over his chest. “In the meantime, Andre, you and my other knights will be responsible for taking out all of Katashniel’s knights. They bear his marking, a crude crest of a ‘K’ on their flesh.” He snorted. “Sheer stupidity it is to brand his demons, but it only proves his own insecurities, as if a brand guarantees loyalty. It does not. Out of my eight Lords, only two decided to betray me. And any worthless demon who feels the grass is greener on the other side will also face my retribution. So, Andre, this is your task.”
“Yes, my King.” Andre bowed.
I knew he had no problem killing evil demons. In fact, he loved that shit and often times, came home horny as hell and wanting to ravage me when he’d taken out a couple of demons in one night. There was even a slight smile on his face as he thought about how much fun he was going to have hunting them down.
“I’m happy to see how eager you are, Andre.” He turned to Raphael next. “You will also be tasked with tracking down Mahmet, as I’ve said, and you will work with Oria.”
I saw Raphael stiffen, and it was a reaction I wasn’t used to seeing in him. What was it… fear? Was Raphael afraid of Oria? I saw the demonic Lord sitting in the chair, her little legs swinging as she smiled up at Raphael. She looked adorable in her little pink dress with its lace and ruffles, her ruffled socks, and Mary Jane shoes. However, the vibe emanating off her was anything but friendly. As a matter of fact, it was downright terrifying. I didn’t know what kind of demon she was, but I could freely admit, she was creepy as fuck. Maybe Raphael was smart to be afraid.
“Is that going to be a problem?” Adriel asked, cocking one eyebrow as if challenging Raphael.
Raphael swallowed. “No, my Liege. I will see it done.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that. You are intimidating enough on your own, Raphael, but with Oria by your side, I doubt any demons will dare cross you both,” Adriel said. “As for the rest of you, find the demons who are trying to reopen the hell gate and kill them. Make sure none of the portals have been activated.”
“Didn’t we close the gate, Sire?” I asked.
Adriel turned to me. “I closed the main gate, yes. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be reopened. It was closed once before, after all, and demons managed to open it.”
Well, damn, this seemed like a never-ending battle with this gate shit.
“It will be until we eliminate any and all demons who deny my rule,” Adriel stated.
Up until this point, Raphael, Andre, and I had just been taking out the demons we knew had escaped hell. We had been tracking them down one by one and killing any demon who had or was helping them, like the ones killing publicly. But now, we had actual missions. Raphael and I had to track down a fucking Lord, which was going to be hell considering the motherfucker was a seer demon. Of all the assholes who could betray Adriel, it had to be one that could see his own future. And Andre was going to be on the toughest mission yet, hunting and killing demons who could be as powerful as he was or even more so.
“Does everyone understand their missions?” Adriel asked.
“Yes, my King,” we all said in unison, which was a bit odd.
“Good. Now go.”
I didn’t teleport. Instead, I walked out of the door with Andre and Raphael behind me.
“Be careful, love,” Isabella said as she brushed past Raphael, making sure to caress his jaw along the way.
Raphael caught her dainty hand, kissing it. “Always, my dear. And you do the same.” He released her hand and she giggled, then turned to sashay down the hallway. She did have a great ass, too bad she was catty as fuck.
“Really?” I asked, commenting on him flirting with her.
Raphael rolled his eyes. “Says the one who just got permission from our king to fuck his partner.”
“Hey, I didn’t ask for it,” I protested, throwing my hands up.
“But I’m sure you’re excited about the opportunity. He is quite handsome, just your type,” Raphael remarked.
“Suit and all,” Andre added.
The laughter behind us startled the shit out of me and caught Raphael and Andre’s attention. We turned to see Dakkar stepping out from more shadows. What was it with this dude and shadows?
“You’ll be happy to know that our gracious king has given me permission to fuck not only you, but your other two mates. I suppose he didn’t want there to be any jealousy.” Dakkar shrugged, then smiled. “Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing the three of you naked. Until then, we should leave… come.” He walked passed us and nodded his head at me to join him.
Well, that was something I wasn’t prepared for. I looked at Andre, and he was just as perplexed as I was. I could tell by the shrug he gave me. I looked at Raphael. “Are you okay with that?”
“The king decreed it. Whether or not I or either of you agree is irrelevant. Now, go.” Raphael nodded in Dakkar’s direction and I took the hint.
“See you later,” I said, then jogged down the hallway to catch up to the tall, dark, handsome and deadly Lord. “Where are we going?” I asked.
“Chicago,” he said.
“Why Chicago?”
“I have some intel that it’s a hot spot for demons. Besides, the queen of Fourth-hell is there. We need to speak with her and do some investigating,” he said.
“A demon queen? Will she let us in her territory?”
Dakkar snorted. “She is outranked by our king. She has no right to deny a Lord or knight of his army access.”
Okay, well, that answered my question. “Can you teleport?” I asked.
He nodded. “But we might be there for a few days. You may want to pack a bag, so I suggest you go home and do that. I’ll meet you outside of your extravagant condo in an hour.” With that, he shimmered out of existence, leaving me looking at empty air.
As excited as I was to be able to go to Chicago… I was nervous about being with a demonic Lord, especially one I didn’t know. I wished he’d paired me up with Rohan, at least we had history. I knew him and his quirks. Well, better get ready to go. I teleported back home and started to pack.