"I'm not changing," I repeat for what has to be the fifteenth time in the last half hour. We've been doing this stupid dance the moment this chick came in.

The she-demon Payne sent to help me "get ready" for tonight purses her lips as she glares at me. "Master Payne was very insistent."

"Well, Payne can kiss my scrawny ass. I'm not fucking changing. I wear what I want to wear to this stupid ass duel. No one dictates what I wear. Especially when I know I'll be fighting and am going to need to be able to move. So, no, I will not wear that atrocious dress. It's not happening."

She grinds her teeth so hard I can hear them crack. "It's Master Payne," she hisses.

I roll my eyes. "Why don't you just go tattle on me like I just know you're going to do anyways."

She huffs and turns to go to the door. She stops and glances at me from over her shoulder when I call out to her.

"I will never call him Master. He is not and will never be my Master. You can go ahead and tell him that too." I wave her away and she scowls at me before leaving.

Jerome enters moments after she leaves and has an almost identical scowl on his face as the she-demon.

"What?" I snap.

"You're not dressed."

"The fuck ever, I'm not dressed. I'm not dressed the way your precious fucking master wanted me to be dressed. I'm wearing my own fucking clothes if I'm going to be forced to be a part of this stupid ass duel."

Yeah, it's safe to say that I've lost my temper at this point.

Jerome just shakes his head. "Fine. Come."

"I am not a damn dog." I cross my arms across my chest and glare at him.

"Are you seriously going to be this damn difficult all night?" Jerome finally snaps and I have to bite back a smirk. Good. Maybe I'll just piss them all off and make them leave me alone that way.

Doubt that'll work though. My luck isn’t that good.

"Damn fucking straight." His face turns an unnatural shade of red as he attempts to rein in his anger.

He exhales heavily and makes a waving motion in front of him. I'm honestly shocked that he didn't hit me again. "Just try to tone it down, Mercy. Master Payne's father will be at dinner. As well as a special guest."

"Special guest?" I raise an eyebrow at his knowing smirk. It makes me want to smack it off his face.

"Well, guests would be a more appropriate word, I suppose. And you'll be providing the before dinner entertainment."

"Yippee for me," I mutter irritably.

Jerome flashes a dark look my way when we get to a set of large double doors. "You will be respectful when we enter this room. None of that attitude that you've been throwing around since you got here."

I give him a brittle smile but otherwise don't respond. I know I won't be able to promise to behave. If something pisses me off I'll say something. I also don't plan on keeping my mouth shut if someone's being a dick. The sooner these assholes realize that the better.

Jerome narrows his eyes at me for a second before turning to open the double doors.

I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes when I see the extravagance of the dining room. Payne really likes the finer things, doesn't he?

The dishes are all gold, the large table can seat at least twenty. If not more. The seats all resemble miniature thrones and are lined with gold and jewels. There's large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, lighting the room.

I finally tear my gaze off the lights and other decorations and look around at the people that are standing around chatting, apparently waiting for the entertainment to start. My eyes catch on two males standing side by side, watching me and my jaw drops.

“What are you guys doing here?” I send telepathically to Hunter. I knew they’d come for me, I just didn’t think they’d do it so… openly.

He shakes his head slightly. “You need to act like you don't know us for now, Mercy. I'll explain everything soon.”

I look at Talon standing beside him and he inclines his head slightly to me. “That's if I make it that long.”

Hunter tenses slightly. If I weren't watching him and Talon so closely, I wouldn't have seen it. “What do you mean?”

“I'm the before dinner entertainment.”

His expression shutters and darkens as someone claps their hands together to get everyone's attention.

"If I could have everyone's attention please!" Payne's voice echoes throughout the room as he makes his way to me. "I have a little announcement to make." He stops at my side and wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him. "First, I'd like to thank our Lord, Satan and his sons, our Princes, as well as my father for joining us tonight."

He gestures to a man who looks to be in his mid thirties who bears a striking resemblance to Hunter. The demon nods his head. "It's definitely my pleasure. My oldest sons Hunter and Torn are happy to accompany me."

Wait, what?

I meet Hunter's eyes from across the room and his expression is carefully blank, though his eyes tell a different story.

“Hunter?” I send the thought to him, feeling extremely unsure.

“It's not exactly a good idea to tell people right away that I'm the spawn of Satan,” Hunter replies not showing any emotion on his face.

"Next, I have a special treat for everyone tonight," Payne continues. "Two of my warriors will be going against the lovely she-demon at my side in a duel, before we sit to feast."

Someone snorts as a few chuckles flutter around the room.

"I can smell the human on her," a woman scoffs. "She is not a full-demon. Yet, you expect her to be able to take on two warriors at once? It's just pathetic."

I narrow my eyes to study the female as she sneers at me. I chuckle when I see the bitter gleam in her eyes as they continue to dart to the arm Payne has around my shoulders.

Oh ho, someone's jealous.

"Something funny half-demon?" she snarls.

I smile sweetly at her. "Of course not. I don't know what you mean. I mean, other than that bitterness that is so clearly written all over your face. That’s actually quite hilarious." Mainly because this she-demon has nothing to worry about when it comes to me and Payne. Gag. Pretty sure I’d rather die first.

She looks to Payne and says softly, "This child needs someone to teach her a lesson in manners. Are you sure your warriors will be able to do such a thing?"

He smirks. "Of course not. That's why you will fight her first Damiana."

Bastard failed to mention more than one fight. Fucker.

Her face falls slightly before an arrogant mask slips into place. "Of course, my love."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever, let's get this shit over with."

Hunter's father laughs outright. "She's eager to hurt is she?"

My eyes cut to him before I make my way to the glass doors that lead outside with Payne and Jerome directing me.

Outside there's a large pit that I'm assuming will be where I'll be fighting. Movement in the pit draws my attention. I glare at Payne.

"Are you fucking serious right now?" I demand, pushing away from him. I don't make it far before his hand is clasped around my throat and I'm being dragged back towards him and in his face.

"Oh, I am very serious, Mercy. I want to see what you can do. Why would I make this easy on you?" He taunts.

Twin growling sounds from behind me and I instinctively know that it's Talon and Hunter and they aren't at all happy by the way Payne's got hold of me. Payne smirks at them and lets me go.

I rub my throat to ease the ache his grip caused. "You have hellhounds down there. You expect me to fight your people and deal with hellhounds at the same time?"

He shrugs. "It should be simple enough for you." His grin turns feral. "That is, if you are who everyone thinks you are."

"Hellhounds only answer to their masters or to supremely powerful upper level demons. They're also hard as fuck to kill, but you still expect me to do it don't you?" I ask, appalled.

"Of course. It'll be fun."

"I can't wait until I kill you," I growl at him.

"It'll never happen, Mercy. You know that," he says with a smug smile. "Now, be a good girl and go fight."

I don't get the opportunity to say anything else because he pushes me over the edge of the pit, making me roll down the hill, rather ungracefully.

I get to my feet in time to dodge a hellhound coming right for my throat. I back away, keeping alert for the other two hellhounds that are in the pit with me and shout up at Payne, "You're one dead motherfucker as soon as I get the opportunity, you fucking bastard!"

It was bad enough that he is making me do this stupid fight but the fact that he added hellhounds and pushed my already unhappy ass down into the pit without warning? Yeah, now I'm fucking pissed and I want his blood.

The hellhounds all pounce at me at once. Fuck.

I dodge quick enough to get past two of them but the third one manages to tackle me to the ground and wastes no time in going in for a bite.

My mouth opens in a scream as the hellhound bites into my shoulder, red hot pain lances through me as the wound sizzles in its mouth from its poisonous saliva.

Hellhound saliva isn't poisonous to all supernatural creatures but for some reason it is poisonous to half-demons. At least, it’s poisonous if it gets in their bloodstream.

It's only deadly if you don't have the antidote within the first twenty four hours. Thankfully, I've got a bit of time to get that damn antidote.

Yanking my dagger off my hip - thank fuck Payne gave me a few of my weapons back - I reach back and slice into the hellhound's leg. It whelps and lets me go, giving me enough wiggle room to push it off to the side and get up in time to avoid one of the other hellhounds coming at me.

Jesus.

A hellhound comes to stand in front of me and growls at me. I snarl and snap my teeth at it. It's head tilts like it's confused by my actions but the growl is still rumbling in its chest, it's blood-red eyes fixed on me.

The other hellhounds surround me and each of them take turns snapping their teeth and growling at me while circling me, waiting for a weak spot. My legs are a little wobbly from being thrown down here and adding the wound on my shoulder isn't helping at all but I'm still sturdy enough to move when needed.

From my peripheral I can see the she-demon Damiana make her entrance in the pit, but most of my attention is focused on the hellhounds surrounding me.

Damiana's brow furrows when she realizes that the hellhounds aren't actually attacking me, just growling and snapping at me.

"What's the meaning of this? Attack!" She bites out at the hounds.

I grab the other dagger off my waist on time for the hounds to pounce at the she-demon's orders.

Lovely, looks like she's one of the few demons who can command them. Fuck my fucking life.

I dodge one hound, clipping another in the jaw with my foot and slicing at the other with my dagger. Over and over we go through the dance. They get a few good bites and scratches in on me while Damiana stands off to the side with a smug smirk in place.

Bitch is hiding behind the hounds. I’d laugh if I had the energy to do so while attempting to fight off these damn dogs.

My entire body is covered in hellhound bite and scratch marks, my blood flows freely to the earth beneath us. Thankfully, I'm not the only one bleeding and tiring out.

“You've got this Mercy, just remember what your uncle taught you,” Hunter says encouragingly into my mind.

“I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.” I grit my teeth as one of the hounds manage to bite into my leg, tearing my jeans and skin.

Fucking shit hole that hurts.

I bring my dagger down and stab the hellhound in its side. It promptly lets me go and limps backward.

“Don't give up Mercy.” Hunter's words should have sounded encouraging, but all it did was irritate me. I don't want to give up but I can't keep being these fucking things chew toy.

"Just fucking stop!" I shout out loud without realizing it.

The air grows eerily quiet except for Damiana's outraged shriek. Even the hounds have stopped growling. I frown when I notice they're looking at me, panting and wearing an expectant expression. Well, as expressive as they can get, being the dogs of hell.

"Uh, sit?" I say in an admittedly shaky voice. The hellhounds automatically obey, sitting on their butts and wagging their tails as their tongues roll out of their mouths. Holy shit. If it weren't for the red eyes and their huge size they'd look like a regular dog.

What. The. Hell?