What I was about to do to a certain Fairy would be excruciatingly painful, but he would heal for the most part. Choosing The Kev was a conscious decision. He was the deadliest of the four and could withstand the most pain. Strangely, I was concerned about damaging him. However, when all was said and done, if we all came out in one piece he would understand… possibly.

I would owe the Fairy tremendously, but nothing was without cost. He would forever have a piece of me within him—not the best case scenario, but the only one available at the moment.

Taking Fate into my arms and placing my hand on her face was more harrowing than falling from Grace. It permanently withered something inside of me, but at the same time fed my vicious need for retribution—something that would always be a part of who I was.

Without pause, I let my mind wander and enter The Kev’s. His gasp of shocked agony assured me I was exactly where I wanted to be.

“Take the pain,” I instructed harshly. “Let me in.”

“I want to kill you,” he hissed as his own vast power of self-preservation tried to push me out.

“Get in line,” I shot back. “Can you stand up?”

Fate laid her hideous head on my chest and ran her fingers up my arms. I turned my back to Elle. My Siren’s heartbroken gasp almost derailed me. I had eternity to make it up to her. However, if I didn’t succeed I had nothing. I let Fate play her disgusting game of seduction. It was buying me time.

“You’d better have a very good reason for this, Devil,” The Kev growled with a fury that was impressive. “If this is a game and you’ve truly changed sides, I will come for you and destroy you. You will beg for death, you sick son of a bitch.”

His anger proved his strength. Very few in this Universe could survive having the Devil inside and come out unscathed.

“If this is a game I’m playing, I will let you destroy me. I will hand you the Sword of Death myself and demand you end me.”

“Tell me what you want. I can’t endure this much longer,” The Kev shouted in my head. “Give me instructions. NOW.”

“When I kiss Fate, I will steal back my soul and throw it to you,” I told him. “Move quickly and without sound to Elle. Place my soul on her heart and insist she take it inside her body.”

“Are you serious? What the Hell is that going to do?”

“Hopefully get your disrespectful ass out of here alive,” I snapped, ready to let my presence in his mind become even more painful. I held back. Leaving the Fairy as a vegetable wasn’t going to help matters and it was wrong. Damn it, my conscience was growing like the Grinch’s fucking heart—or Pinocchio’s nose.

“Hopefully?” he queried, furious.

“If you have a better plan, by all means share it now,” I bellowed inside his mind. “If not, shut the Hell up and do as I command.”

“You’re an asshole,” he growled.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” I replied. “After you watch my soul go into Elle, slip back to the Fairies and take cover. It will get very ugly very fast.”

“I will do this. But tell me that you haven’t given me something I will have to carry with me always,” he said flatly.

For the briefest moment, I considered lying until what I wanted was accomplished. However the Fairy was too smart for deceit and I owed him the truth.

“I can’t tell you that. What I can tell you is that you will not regret it. I will make it worth your while,” I promised.

“That’s not possible,” The Kev answered back, coldly. “Make your move now, Devil. I don’t have much strength left. Hosting you is draining me. It’s now or never.”

Grabbing Fate’s wrists and pulling them above her head, I aligned my body to hers. I felt no desire, only repulsion. She didn’t notice. As my lips closed over hers, I intertwined our fingers. My soul fell to my hand as I deepened the Judas Kiss. Quickly shifting and grasping both of her wrists in one hand I did a backward toss to The Kev and angled Fate away from Elle.

With my lips still locked on Fate’s, I watched as The Kev did as instructed. What I’d neglected to take into account was that I was now facing my Siren. Her eyes met mine and I felt gutted to the core. Amethyst tears filled her gaze and rolled down her exquisite cheeks. She would understand soon. She had to…

“This is so right,” Fate murmured against my mouth, rubbing her body against mine. “Why have we never done this? We can rule the world, you and I.”

“Or maybe not,” I said flatly as I watched The Kev fly back to Gemma, The Shelia and Lizard and move them out of harm’s way. “Open a portal now,” I shouted to Elle.

My soul had given Elle strength. However, she too was now going to be partially Demon. My soul inside her body would have ramifications. I had no clue how they would manifest. The thought of her being cursed slash blessed with the cross-dressing side effect made me actually smile.

Thinking the smile was for her, Fate stared at me in confusion. “Why do you want a portal? We can be happy here in Kismet. No reason to leave, my evil love.”

“Elle, open a portal now,” I bellowed, waving my hand and temporarily trapping Fate in a ring of black flame as I backed away from the abomination. I knew she would counteract the fire, but I only needed a minute once the portal was opened.

With a scream that I felt vibrate through my entire body, Elle called on everything she had left and followed my order. The ceiling of the Ice Palace opened with an eerie groan and wail. I sighed with relief as the crystal death chamber was now dappled with sunlight and amethyst glitter.

A large violet orb floated above us—sparkling and shimmering as if it was alive. Fate’s shriek of fury reminded me that I didn’t have time to admire the beauty that my Siren had woven. Fate was battling her way through the fire and time was of the essence. There was still another piece of the puzzle to be placed and I was going to finish the game.

“You tricked me, you disgusting lowlife scum,” Fate growled, beginning to chant a spell that would extinguish the fire holding her.

“Pot, kettle, black,” I snarled as I centered myself and focused on my power within.

Pulling on magic as old as time itself, I let go of every petty desire that consumed me and reached back to memories many centuries old. The words were of no particular language and could have been chanted silently, but I was leaving nothing to fate. Destiny and the woman who controlled it were not to be trusted…

Glittering black fire engulfed me as I gave myself over to the enchanted energy of ten—the ones I would always be tied to whether I wanted to be or not. Some Immortal rules were simply what they were—no rhyme or reason. I used to think it was fated, but a power higher than any I’d ever considered was truly the only ruler of fate—and it wasn’t one person—could never be just one. Together the ten created our own destiny and apart we balanced each other. They were the ones I needed to serve justice. No man is an island. No man or woman can every truly rule autonomously. Any theory in its purest form was doomed to failure. A compromise meant there was a winner and a loser. However, consensus meant something entirely different.

I was about to cut a large deal… a very large group deal.

The words were on the tip of my tongue and the black fire licked seductively at my skin searing my body in a way that made me feel alive. The eternal magic that roared through my blood comforted and empowered yet made me realize as strong as I was—there was something far stronger. And as selfish as I was, no one could ever call me stupid.

“You will pay,” Fate shrieked like a banshee as she clawed at the spell I’d cast to hold her. “I will destroy you. I will make you pay until the end of time.”

“Good luck with that,” I told her as I raised my arms to the sky—the very same sky that cradled every single dimension known to man and Immortal alike.

Choosing a language that would be clearly understood by all present, I spoke the spell I’d never used in my eternal life. I’d only ever heard it twice and it would have to be amended since it was last uttered many thousands of years ago, but change wrought change and I was an adaptable sort when necessary.

Fate’s terrified screams of realization were too late for her to escape. The immense room now felt small as the ones I’d called for arrived. I expected most to show, but needed them all. Only one could possibly ruin the outcome with his absence…

One by one they came. It was glorious and surreal.

And the one whom I doubted…

He came.