Mate to the Demon Kings by Lacey Carter Andersen

20

“You’resure we can trust her?” Alec asked, running a nervous hand through his hair.

Sharen nodded. “She’s a half-breed. And she’s the reason we got out of there alive.”

Kade moved to pick up Ryder. “It isn’t like we have another plan.”

Alec made a frustrated noise and went to help his brother.

She looked one more time around her house. A home she would likely never see again. And then, she stared at her demons. In so many ways, they were still strangers. Their world was still a mystery to her, and why they had been condemned to the demon realm. But no matter how illogical everything she had done for them so far had been, her heart told her she was making the right decision.

They headed toward the door. Her hand reached for the light switch.

The smallest sound came from behind them. She turned, swinging her bag out in front of her. The angel’s sword sliced through it, her possessions spilling out and crashing to the floor, just as her demons spun around.

Frink, the angel that had died just a short time ago, pulled back his sword. His dark hair moved strangely slowly around his inhumanely beautiful face. And his expression… it was murderous.

“You died,” Sharen whispered.

Behind her, her demons set their brother down.

The angel sneered. “For the second time.”

Alec shifted her behind him, and Kade moved in front of her. But still, she could see the angel between their massive shoulders.

“Angels are like cockroaches, you can never kill them.” Alec’s voice held a coldness that made every hair on her body stand on end.

A warmth crawled along her skin, and suddenly, both her demons held swords with blue flames dancing along their edges. Demon magic. Sharen’s heart sped up. Every demon-hunter in the area would have felt their magic. They’ll be coming for us too now.

The angel’s green eyes flashed with rage. “We’re cockroaches? You die and are sent to a world without light. In a pit in the deepest part of the demon realms. But you crawl out, don’t you? Like an infestation. You work together, using your filthy magic, to conceal yourselves as you move higher and higher through the realms. And then, when you get high enough to pass through into the human world, you gather your strength. Or,” and his gaze snapped to her, “you trick some weak-minded human to let you through earlier. We are not the disgusting vermin of the world, you are.”

Alec roared, his skin suddenly shifted to a pale red. “And who decides if we go to that dark hole or to the heavens? What monstrous being?”

“You’ll never know that, you murderous demon.”

Kade’s voice came soft and deadly. “Five men raped and beat our little sister, and they got less than a year in jail, ‘because they had so much potential.’ They didn’t have potential. They were monsters who deserved to die. Our sister had potential. Our sister who faded away, terrified of the day they’d be released, needed to feel safe again.” He moved his sword, rotating it in a way that made the angel take two steps back. “Killing them was the best thing I did in my life. And when their friends jumped us, and killed us, the last thing we deserved was to be punished for extracting the justice our sister deserved.”

The anger in his voice, paired with his calm exterior, made her pulse pick up. Kade may have been Alec’s twin, but he was a different man altogether. While Alec roared, Kade whispered, and yet, both their voices carried.

And now I know why they were sent to the demon realm.

She finally understood why she felt so connected to them. So safe with them. Old horrifying memories clawed at her, but she pushed them back, filling her mind with good images instead. Using the tools a therapist had taught her long ago.

I don’t connect with them simply because of the night I was hurt by someone I trusted, I connect with them because we’re all fighters.These were deadly men, just like she was deadly in so many ways, but they fought for justice too. Her horrifying experience at a young age made her become the strong woman she was now. And the moment these men chose to protect their sister, regardless of the consequences, they became warriors in the fight against evil too.

We’re the same.

And now, I need to find some way to keep them safe.

Her gaze moved to the angel. “Did you know that’s why they were thrown into the demon realm?

Perhaps their admission will mean something to this angel.

The angel smirked. “Doesn’t matter why they were condemned there.” He gripped his sword tightly. “Because I’ll be sending them back.”

She opened her mouth to speak again, but the angel launched himself forward. His blade striking Alec’s. Instantly the angel leapt back, but Alec and Kade followed him as one. They forced him to move back further and further, and then they were all circling around her tiny living room.

Kade spoke, over his shoulder to her. “Get him to the car! Be ready!”

Her hand curled into a fist. Her body demanding that she fight too. Her training whispered a thousand ways that she could attack the angel, that she could hurt him. But when she glanced down at Ryder’s pale face, she knew what she had to do.

Grabbing one of her daggers from the mess of her belongings, she clutched it tightly in her hand, and shoved her money in her front pocket. Glancing at her books, she promised herself that she’d find a way to take them with her. Then, she struggled yet again to heft Ryder onto her shoulders. Breathing hard, she grabbed her keys off the ring on the wall and opened the door.

As she stumbled down the sidewalk to her sleek blue car, she heard the sounds of a battle behind her. Metal clashing against metal. Heavy breathing. And cursing.

Can they defeat an angel? Is such a thing even possible?

Clicking a button, she started her car, and then hit the button next to it to unlock the doors. Shoving Ryder as carefully as she could into the back, she closed the door.

Which was exactly when her phone rang.

Pulling it out of her back pocket, it was her friend within the department. Vanessa. Fingers trembling, she accepted the call.

“Sharen, run!”

“Why?” she asked, ice trailing down her spine.

“They’ve sensed powerful demon magic near your home. The Hunters are closing in, but they’re still minutes away. You need to get out of there.”

Without responding, she ended the call.

Pulling her dagger from her sheath, she raced for her house, heart pounding. Inside, her demons were wounded. Deep red blood darkened Alec’s chest, and Kade’s leg was slashed in multiple places. The angel was in no better shape, but she didn’t give a shit about him.

Gripping her weapon, sweat trickling down her back, she crept forward. And then, she leapt onto her enemy’s back. The angel stiffened as she took her dagger and slid it across the creature’s throat.

Jumping back, she rolled and held her dagger out in front of her, prepared to defend herself from his attack. Her pulse raced as Alec moved to the angel, and with a flick of his wrist, severed the angel’s head from his body.

A second later, Kade lifted her into his arms, crushing her to his chest.

“What were you thinking?” Alec asked, but his voice was filled with fear, and wonder, not anger.

Tears stung her eyes. “The demon-hunters are closing in. If we don’t go now, we won’t get out.”

Kade released her, and Alec’s gaze met hers, a thousand unspoken words in his eyes. She nodded, and they turned and ran. Only, she slowed just long enough to scoop up her books.

In the car, she placed her books on the seat next to her, shoved her key in, and her tires squealed as they pulled from the driveway, heading for the highway. Her gaze went to the rearview mirror. The shadows around her house shifted, moving. Hunters who worked in the human realm were different than the ones that hunted in the demon realms. Most of them had magic. And one of their skills was to blend into the shadows.

She recognized their magic. In her head, she counted twelve Hunters before she turned onto the next street.

“Are they there?” Kade asked from the backseat, staring down at his brother.

She nodded.

“How many?” Alec asked from beside her.

“I counted a dozen.”

“Fuck,” Alec muttered, then hissed, shifting beside her.

Her gaze went to him. His blade, no longer glowing with blue flames, rested against his knee. But his hands were pressed to his stomach, his expression one of pain.

“We need to get you three to the doctor.”

Alec met her gaze, and a strangely sexy smile curved his lips. “You happen to know any doctors who work on demons?”

“Not to mention,” Kade added, “the fact that we have Hunters, angels, and the government currently tracking us.”

She rolled her eyes, trying to match their light attitude, even while her stomach twisted. “I’m just saying… all three of you look like you could use some help, you know, before you bleed-out.”

Alec shrugged his broad shoulders. “We’ll live.”

Flying through a yellow light, she raced to the turn off to the freeway. “Did you get stabbed in the stomach?”

“A little. But as long as we take it easy, we should both heal. It takes a lot to kill the undead.”

She laughed, feeling the knot in her stomach loosen.

“What did I say?” Alec asked, a smile in the question.

“I just always thought of the ‘undead’ as, well, zombies, vampires, all that made-up crap.”

Alec laughed. “Nope, demons and angels are their own kind of undead.”

After a quiet moment, Kade spoke from the backseat. “And vampires aren’t made-up.”

She looked back at him, raising a brow. “I think we’d know about vampires, if they existed.”

Kade gave her a defiant look right back. “Like the general public knows about demons?”

She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. He has a point. “Okay, let’s put a pin in that. What do you guys think are the chances we’re safe now?”

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

“Babe, I hate to tell you this, but I don’t think we’ll ever be safe.” A darkness came over Kade’s expression. “I knew we shouldn’t have come into your world.”

Her eyes widened in surprised. “You didn’t want to cross over?”

Kade looked out the window, his expression unreadable.

Alec reached over and took her hand. She watched him as the street lights of the freeway moved over him.

“We all wanted to return to the human realm,” Alec said, his words slow and guarded. “But Kade wanted to ignore the connection we felt to you.”

She watched the baffling demon through her rearview mirror as he sat silent in the backseat. “Why?”

Alec sighed, his handsome face twisting as he leaned back, and then winced. “It’s confusing. You see, to reach the human realm, the perfect number of demons is three. In order to get past the Guardians at each cross over point, and the Hunters patrolling, one demon must always use his powers to conceal the others. It’s too hard to conceal more than two other people. And takes a lot of strength. With three demons, you can take turns. While one of us hides the group, the other two must guide them. And at cross over points, one demon must use his magic to create a hole to slip through.”

He took a deep breath and winced again, shifting slightly. “The thing is, most of the time when a trio of demons reaches a place that connect to the human realm they’ve bonded in a way that… unites their souls. It’s why most of the time three demons share one mate. But with us, we shared women before we died. Becoming demons and working together to escape that dark,” he shivered, “pit of screaming demons, was natural. We became closer. Our souls worked together in an even deeper way, but we always knew we would share one woman.”

I’ve heard of sharing a woman in bed, but sharing a woman in life? That’s new.

She looked at the dark ring on her finger, and curled her blood-splattered hands more tightly around the steering wheel. As strange as the notion was, somehow, it was her reality. She couldn’t imagine a life without one of her demons. They were… hers, in all ways.

After a few moments, Kade spoke, tension lacing each word. “Yes, we all knew we would share a woman, but I didn’t want to endanger anyone. Especially not the woman we would love. They disagreed. Obviously.”

Alec glanced over his shoulder. “Ryder and I thought we could keep you safe. Just live a normal life.”

The mention of Ryder silenced them all for a painful moment.

“But of course,” Alec said, his voice barely above a whisper. “We were wrong.”

“And it might cost our brother his life.” Kade stared down at Ryder, a raw vulnerability to his expression that twisted her heart.

What happens if he doesn’t wake up?She suddenly felt a cold rush sweep over her skin. Her mind ran over the short time they’d shared together. His touch still seemed to linger, not on her skin, but somewhere deep inside. Somewhere that used to ache with loneliness.

She felt Alec brush her cheek.

“Why are you crying?”

Am I crying? She looked at his hand. Sure enough, liquid reflected back on his fingertip.

“I was just thinking about Ryder. What if… what if…?” She couldn’t even say the words aloud. This time, she felt the tears that trickled down her cheeks.

“Don’t even think of it,” Kade said. “He’s survived a hell of a lot more. He’ll survive this.” But he sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince her.

Ahead of them, she turned on her blinker and switched over several lanes to get onto the loop that would take them on the right freeway, and out of the city. They drove around the tight loop, having to slow on the sharp turn, and came out… right into a complete shock. The freeway in front of them was closed off. Speed traps had been laid out, to shred their tires if they drove over them.

Screeching to a halt, her heart in her throat, she stared at the dozen black Hunter cars that had blocked off the road just beyond the speed trap. Hunters stood on the other side of the cars, guns pointed directly at her. And on the roofs of the vehicles, angels with pale white wings crouched low.

“Fuck.”

Alec grabbed his sword from the floor. “Kade and I are going to take care of this. You hit it in reverse and get Ryder—“

Behind them, black cars came to a halt. More Hunters, in dark leather outfits, exited their cars. They drew guns, pointing them at their vehicle.

“What now?” she asked, desperate, her mind spinning as she tried to think of a way out.

“Now?” Kade said. “We turn ourselves in. We’ll be sent back to the lowest realm, but at least you’ll be safe.”

Something squeezed her heart. “No! This isn’t over!”

She tightened her hands on the steering wheel.

Alec shifted her car into park.

“What the hell?” she shouted, spinning on them. “We got this far! There has to be a way! There has to be.”

“There isn’t.” Kade’s voice held absolute certainty.

A desperate idea came to her. She looked down at her chest. Did she still have the angel’s magic? She no longer glowed. But anything was possible, right?

Right?

I’m with you, a soft, familiar voice whispered in her mind. I’ll give you everything I have.

But then a dozen unfamiliar voices chimed in, whispering and me as one.

Heart pounding, she felt warmth spread through her chest and into her limbs like nothing she could’ve imagined. The feeling was overpowering, and terrifying. It seemed to slow her pulse.

And then, her thoughts quieted and the world grew oddly still.

Allies in this war have lent me their strength. Given me their magic. I won’t let them down.

She knew what she had to do.

An image formed in her mind. A way to channel their magic into something that was both powerful and destructive.

Thank you, she thought, unsure which immortal being had given her the idea.

Taking her dagger from the seat between her and Alec, she gripped the hilt. I might not survive this. But my demons might.

“Sharen…” Alec said her name, his voice holding a warning.

I won’t let them send you back to the darkest realm in the demon world. I won’t let you spend another lifetime trying to crawl your way out.

“You said we were giving up, so let’s give up.”

“But your dagger…”

Throwing her door open, she jumped out of her car. A bright light flashed onto her.

“Hands in the air!” Someone shouted.

She obeyed, moving slowly toward the Hunters, all of whom pointed weapons at her. The dozen or more angels rose into the sky, the sight of them breathtaking. Their wide wings were so white they seemed to glow. As one, they dropped to the ground in front of the cars. All had long hair, all moved with an animal’s grace as they stayed crouched, staring through their curtains of hair with eyes that seemed to watch her every move.

Behind her, she heard the other doors to her car open. Instantly, the attention snapped to her demons. Good.

Reaching for the angels’ magic, she imagined what she wanted. A tingle ran along her skin. A warm ball of magic grew within her until she felt it pulsing through every inch of her being. Then, it changed, shifting within her as if it was a part of her.

I can do this.The knowledge made her heart slow and her focus sharpen.

With a strength she didn’t know she had, she drove her dagger down, slamming it into the road.

Like an explosion, a wave rolled out from where she stood. It sent the road and everything on it, including the vehicles, Hunters, and angels, into the air. They went flying, in all directions.

Shocked, she looked behind her. Kade and Alec stared back at her, their mouths hanging open. Their vehicle untouched. But behind them, the road was broken, gone, as were the vehicles that had blocked them in. Nothing but dirt surrounded them. Dirt, and small patches of black road. It was truly as if a hurricane had picked up everything around her, in a swirling mass, and sent it flying in all directions.

Moving on legs that felt numb, she climbed back into her car, as did Kade and Alec. No one spoke. She shifted the car into drive, and she started forward, bumping off their small patch of road and onto the brown dirt. She made her way toward their destination, trying her best to find the smoothest path. All along wondering when the angels and Hunters would gather once more.

But with the destruction her spell had caused, she imagined it wouldn’t be any time soon. She felt a ping of sadness that she’d been forced to hurt her fellow Hunters. But then, Alec took her hand, and Kade touched her shoulder. In that moment, her heart seemed to swell.

“I think you might have some explaining to do,” Kade said, squeezing her shoulder gently.

She opened her mouth, but a softer voice cut her off. “What did I miss?”

Her breathing stopped as Ryder slowly sat up, looking around in confusion.

Alec answered him, his voice filled with happiness. “Just the fact that we married a bad-ass.”

Ryder rubbed his head. “Hate to say it, but I already knew that fellas. Now, where are we headed?”

She answered, feeling foolish as happy tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “To a city called Shady Falls. To a new life.”

Ryder collapsed back against the seat. “Well, I’m exhausted. Wake me when we get there, okay?”

She laughed. He’s going to be fine. And maybe, just maybe, we all will be.

Her phone rang again, spoiling their happy moment.

Stiffening, she released his hand. Whatever this is, I need to know. Even though it’s probably trouble. She pulled her phone from her back pocket, careful as she drove around another random chunk of road.

“Don’t answer it,” Alec said, his hand closing over the one that held her phone.

Glancing down at the phone, she saw the number was unknown. I bet I know who this is. Maybe she can help us. She ignored Alec, shaking her hand free of his, and clicking the button to accept the call.

It was, as she suspected, her friend within the department. “You’re working with them.” Vanessa spoke without hesitation, her voice a statement rather than an accusation.

The truth spilled from her lips. “Yes, I am. But I haven’t lost my mind. Actually, I’ve finally started to figure things out. And what I’m realizing is that I’ve been lied to, for a really long time. And they’re lying to you too.”

Her friend, Vanessa, was silent for a long moment. “Why do you think we spent your life shaping you into the perfect Leader?”

Why doesn’t she sound more worried? Or even shocked?

Sharen felt ice run through her blood. Because maybe she isn’t. “What are you talking about?”

Her friend’s voice came, cold and calculated. “Did you really think it was a coincident that the week after your trial ended, and they gave that piece-of-shit a slap on the wrist, you were recruited into the program?” She laughed, a harsh, awful sound. “No one makes a better soldier than someone who has been wronged. Who has been turned into a victim, but wants to be strong.”

She can’t actually be saying…

She felt sick. So sick she feared she’d hurl. “They arranged all of that?”

“We arranged all of that. And the best part? You never even knew what you were. You filthy, little half-breed. But I want to tell you, so there is no mistake, we will never, ever, let you go. So run little half-breed. Our Hunters like a challenge.”

Then, the line went dead.

Alec snatched the phone from her, removed the battery, and tossed it out the window. His expression said everything. He’d heard their conversation, and even he had been shaken by it. Her gaze slid from him to the end of the apocalyptic disaster area she had created, and back to the road leading out of town. Her car bumped back onto it, even as her mind spun, turning over the psycho’s words over and over again.

I’m a half-breed? Me? If what she said was true… what am I, angel or demon?

And how much of my life was orchestrated? My rape, but what else? How many moments, how many friendships, were all part of their plan?

And why? What’s so special about me?

“Sharen, are you okay?” Alec asked.

Something dark moved through her, replacing her shock with a dangerous anger. “Yes, but I’ve come to a decision.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’m going to take down The Universal Protection Department. And every one of those bastards.”