‘Don’t even say that!’ Sera screamed.

‘Let me think!’ I shouted at her.

Splashing some water on my face, I tried to shake the awful depression weighing down on me. I think coming off the meds, combined with what had just happened, was making me crazy.

‘I’m sorry,’ I whispered to my only friend in the world right now.

‘It’s okay. I love you,’ she comforted me.

‘I love you too.’ That was the one spark of light I had left in my life. Sera knew I was alive. Sera was there for me. Sera loved me no matter what. Even in my darkest hour.

Sometimes that’s all we needed, one friend rooting for us when we couldn’t root for ourselves any longer.

The next week passed slow and in a military fashion.

6 am: Wake up, bathe, get dressed.

7 am-8 am: Breakfast with psycho demons, and asshole demon gifted.

8 am-9 am: Walk to the creepy red door with Raksha, and receive packages for the Dark Prince.

10 am-Noon: Train privately with Raksha doing basic drills to get my strength back.

Noon-1 pm: Lunch with assholes

1 pm-4 pm: Nap or lie around my room talking to Sera, and trying not to lose my mind. Door is locked.

4:30 pm-5 pm: Get ready for dinner with Raksha staring at me.

6 pm-8 pm: Long dinner with demon assholes, and once a week with Lucy.

8:01 pm: Locked in my room for the night with water, and no food or entertainment.

Today, after we’d finished breakfast and walked to the red door, Raksha informed me that I’d be training with the others.

“Excuse me, what?” I picked up my strides to get closer to her, and make sure I’d heard her correctly.

She smiled. We’d been on good terms ever since she trusted me with the knowledge of her family. And by good terms I meant she hadn’t bitch-slapped me for a week.

“The Dark Prince requires it, and you’re ready. The medication is out of your body, and your neck has been healed a long time,” she explained as we reached the red door.

Well yeah, but that didn’t mean I wanted to train with those psychos!

“Why can’t I just keep training with you?” I pouted.

She gave me an adoring look that was quickly replaced with a sterner one. “I won’t advance your teaching like an Abrus demon would.”

Reaching up, she knocked on the door.

Who the hell trains with Abrus demons, and lives to talk about it?

‘Exactly,’ Sera chimed.

I kept my head down as the portal opened and the man appeared, but then I decided to indulge my curiosity. Looking up once, very briefly, I confirmed that he wasn’t an Abrus demon but another Dark Mage, one with untold power by the looks of his glowing red eyes.

“Hello, Raksha. How is your little pet?” His smooth voice called over to me. He’d been calling me her pet all week.

I wanted to flip him off but didn’t, knowing it would only get both Raksha and me in trouble.

“Fabulous,” she commented dryly, taking a brown paper sack from him.

“Careful with that one. It’s Archangel Michael’s blood,” he cooed.

My eyes bugged out of my head at his words, but I kept my face down while my heart hammered in my chest.

What the hell was he doing with Archangel Michael’s blood? How did he get it? Unless…

It was April when I was taken. Could it be August now? Had they done the Awakening ceremony and found another Celestial?

“My letter?” Raksha held out her free hand.

He shrugged. “Sorry, sweets. She never made the drop-off.”

He started to move backward, but Raksha lurched forward grabbing him. “What do you mean? Where the hell is my letter?”

Risking another glance upward, I saw the man scowl at her. “Look, it’s not my fault your woman didn’t make the drop. Now back up, or I’ll tell the Dark Prince about our little arrangement.”

She cowed, lowering her head, and stepping backward. “I’m sorry. Can you… can you just call and see if everything is okay? Tell me tomorrow?”

He looked annoyed that he had to deal with it at all. “If I have time.”

She nodded and then the door slammed in her face. Raksha stood motionless, chest heaving, no doubt trying to regain her composure. From what I’d understood, her wife sent a letter once a week. It looked like this was the first time she’d missed sending one. That would be scary as hell to me too.

I decided to risk having her freak out on me, and slipped my hand into hers, squeezing softly. Her breathing hitched at the contact, but she squeezed back before dropping my hand and facing me.

“My son has severe asthma. Can’t afford a healer demon,” she shared.

I nodded. I knew all about sickness, considering what we’d been through with my dad. Having cancer and being poor didn’t add up in your favor.

She ran a shaky hand through her hair. “She wouldn’t miss writing me, unless maybe she’s been tied up in the hospital with him.”

“He’ll be okay. You can’t go to worst-case scenario yet. Let’s see what tomorrow brings,” I tried to give sage advice. Maybe the asshole would actually call her wife and deliver good news.

She nodded curtly, seemingly composing herself. “Not a word of this to anyone.”

I bowed my head. “Of course not.”

She looked at me overly sternly then. “Is it true that you nearly killed a Grimlock demon to release your best friend from a demon contract?”

The memory brought a slight smile to my face. Lincoln nearly killed me for doing it, but I could look back now and laugh at how insane that was. “He submitted, or I would have.”

She smirked. “I’d have liked to see that. Come on. You’re training with the others today. Can’t be late.”

As we made our way back toward the main living quarters, I felt that I’d finally turned a new leaf with Raksha. Maybe, just maybe, if I could get her to trust me, she would help me get out of here.

‘Now we’re talking,’ Sera agreed.

Until then, I needed to lie low, do what I was told…

And stay alive.

Chapter Six

We stood outside two large double doors. Inside, I could hear grunting noises and the sound of punches landing. The way skin sounded smacking against skin could never be mistaken for anything else.

Raksha looked into my eyes. “I can’t protect you in there. The Dark Prince wants only the strongest in his inner circle, and if you don’t make the cut, he’ll dispose of you, or find a way to motivate you to do better.

I gulped. His motivation meant Shea or Lincoln would come to harm.

“If you prove yourself to be as powerful as he says you are, then it’ll keep him happy,” she continued. “When he’s happy, he’s not thinking about motivating you. Understood?”

I hadn’t really thought that if I wasn’t badass enough, it would make him mad, or make me seem useless. Now I felt like I was going into the job interview of my life, and my family’s safety hung in the balance.

“Understood.”

I squared my shoulders, trying to prepare myself to go into training with demons. Full blown, freaking demons. It was clear now that Raksha was just another prisoner. The smartest one, who kept him happy, close, and her family safe. Now she was trying to help me, and I took her advice seriously.

Stepping closer, she lowered her voice. “Remember two things. One, what you do here is a reflection of me.”

I nodded. We may have turned a corner, but if I disappointed her, she’d beat me into submission, I had no doubt. Her family’s protection was also my responsibility now.

“And two, first impressions are everything.”

“Okay.” I smoothed my shirt and hair, to look as presentable as possible.

Her hands landed on each of my shoulders, while she shook her head. “That’s not the impression I’m talking about. I want you to pull your wings out, pick out the biggest demon in the room, and kill him.”

My jaw dropped. “What!”

She rolled her eyes. “This is like the first day of prison. Go in there, and prove to them that you aren’t a little bitch.” Then she spun and threw the doors open, disappearing inside.

What the hell!

‘I think I like her,’ Sera commented.

‘She’s psycho.’

‘She’s trying to keep you alive. Shea and Lincoln too.’

Sighing, I pulled my wings out, relishing the feel of them emerging after so long, and followed Raksha into the room.

This was going to be interesting.

The moment I passed through the door, the smell of sulfur and acidic blood hit me. I scanned the area and my stomach dropped when I saw Lucifer sitting in the bleachers that stood off to the side of the fighting area.

Does he come here every day or just because I’m here?

A Brimstone demon was glaring at me from across the room. He stood next to an Abrus demon of all things. When I met his gaze, his tongue snaked out, and he licked the air in a sexual way, then winked at me.

“Come here, Barbie. I’ll give you the ride of your life.”

My eyes snapped to Raksha, who sat next to the Dark Prince. She gave a small curt nod.

Was that a ‘kill the Brimstone demon’ nod, or a ‘hey, nice to see you’ nod?

A few of the demon gifted were off to the sides, chatting, or going through weapons, not bothering to look at me.

The Abrus demon laughed at what the Brimstone had said, and then they started to goof off with each other, making crude sexual gestures my way.

First day of prison.

Walking past a weapons cabinet, I grabbed a small dagger that reminded me of Sera in both weight and length. Then I grabbed a larger sword, much like Lincoln’s, and moved into a fighting stance.

No one was paying attention to me, and the two demons were too busy laughing at each other, so I raised the hand with the dagger and closed one eye. Taking aim at the Brimstone’s face, I threw it.

As it sailed through the air, the demon-gifted humans off to my left took in a collective sharp breath. The dagger sank into the Brimstone’s collarbone with a thunk, his face a mask of shock.