Mate to the Demon Kings by Lacey Carter Andersen
18
Kade openedthe one eye he could still see out of. There was a sound in the darkness. He was sure of it. Straining against the chains that kept him standing, spread and vulnerable, he tensed in preparation.
The shapeshifter moved through the darkness, still wearing Henry’s face. His expression was as dark and cruel as ever.
Without a word, the creature went toward his table of torture tools.
Kade flinched as the man’s hand ran over each of the many things he’d already used on him. Tools he’d never imagined in his wildest nightmares.
“I can’t decide if you really don’t know or if you’re just this stubborn.” The creature looked back at him, his hand curling around the handle of a whip. “So, which is it?”
Kade took several deep breaths, pulled at his reserves of strength, and spit.
The man’s lips curled in disgust. “What a fitting response—from a demon.”
He pulled the whip from the table and flicked the long, black weapon. Kade tried not to flinch again. His back still burned where the crisscrossed marks decorated his flesh.
“Here’s the thing, demon, I no longer need to know how to extract her powers. My father showed me… and he failed.”
Is this good or bad?
“My goal has changed, because I’ve come to realize that perhaps you and I should become allies rather than enemies.”
“In your fucking dreams.”
The shapeshifter chuckled. “Demons have never been accused of being overly wise. Why don’t you try listening first, beast?”
“I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”
“Even if it could overthrow Caine and save your little wife’s life?”
Kade stiffened.
The man leaned closer to him from behind, his hot breath disturbing as it puffed on his neck. “I believe that I’ve outlived my usefulness to my father. Now I’m no longer concerned with helping him achieve his goal. I’ve created my own. I plan to destroy my father and take his place.”
“And how do you intend to that?”
“I intend to kill him.”
Kade’s mind raced. Was the shapeshifter telling the truth? Or was this another lie?
“It seems to me a lot of people have tried to kill him and failed.”
The shapeshifter moved from behind him and circled to stand just in front of him. “But no one knows his secrets the way I do. Or his weaknesses.”
I’m not sure about this, but let’s see where his plan goes.“So what do you suggest?”
“It’s simple really. You’re going to call Sharen and help me spring my plan.”
Trust the shapeshifter?“No.”
The creature’s hand tightened on the whip. “You’ll do as I say. Because if you aren’t a good little demon, you’re going to be a dead little demon.”
Fuck. Now what?
