Vane waltzed in a few minutes later with a triumphant smirk on his face. He pointed to a sigil on my doorframe and chuckled before closing the door.
“Do you know what that means?” he asked as he leaned against the wall. I’d never wanted to smack a smug look off anyone more. He really thought he was winning, and the fact he got me here and Monty wasn’t fighting, meant he was either an idiot and Monty would kill him, or something had changed.
“No,” I finally answered when he refused to continue until I did.
“It means your little protectors can’t get to you in here,” he said with a dark laugh. “But my other demons can. I hope you enjoy your time here in solitary. By the time Ivar finds you, there will be little left.”
The way he said ‘my demons’ like he had control over them was telling of his narcissism. I’d met their commander and their queen, the lower demons weren’t the ones with the power.
“Who is Ivar?” I demanded. What the hell was Vane’s problem?! “And what the fuck do you mean the other demons can?”
“Oh, you’ll be their favorite meal,” he said. “And no meds to hold them back so you’ll be extra tasty.” He was obviously ignoring part of my question. Typical.
“You’re a sick fuck, they’ll come for me,” I growled as I frantically searched my brain for anything I could use against him. He knew more about that world than I did. But from the way Drake talked, he was merely human. Why did the demons listen to him? And who the fuck was Ivar? Hel didn’t mention him... wait, that might work. “Or Hel will.”
He froze at that and swallowed hard. Guess I found his weak spot. Checkmate, asshole. Whatever his plans were, they didn’t involve her at all. A revolution in some capacity.
“I was promised protection, even from her,” he argued. “Not everyone is happy with the way things are run.”
“They owe you nothing, you don’t think you’re just a fucking tool?” I growled. “They’re demons, Vane. Not exactly trustworthy.”
“Deals are unbreakable,” he said. “And I have more than one in place.” He was smug, sure of himself, and that wasn’t good.
“Why are you being so forthcoming?” I accused. “You’re spewing out your secrets like I won’t spread them around.”
The smile that spread across his face was cold enough to send a shiver through me. I wasn’t going to like whatever he said next. I just hoped there was a piece of me left when Monty found me.
“Because when we’re done with you, there won’t be anything left to find.”
* * *
The first demonscame to my room while I slept. I woke up to my arms and legs bound, unable to fight back as one sat on my stomach and two more leaned over the sides of the bed.
“Get off of me!” I yelled as I thrashed against the bindings, but it was useless. The thick leather straps were secured to the bedposts, and I was unable to stop them. True fear struck through me, knowing that I couldn’t escape or fight them, that they could do anything to me.
The demons all let out a hiss and took deep breaths, breathing in my fear with terrifying excitement.
They feed from it. Stop freaking out.
Even with my internal warnings it was hard to shut it off. Everything in me wanted to pull away, to run as far as I could. But I was helpless.
“I knew you were a demon! The spawn of Satan from the moment you were brought into this world!” My grandmother’s screeching voice drowned out the slurping and hissing from the feral demons feeding from me. This time she was here, frantically waving her thin arms at me as she watched the creatures devour my emotions like their last meal.
“Let me go! She’s not here, she’s not real!” I shouted until my throat was hoarse.
“She is. Your grandmother knew of our kind, knew what you were capable of,” the demon on my chest corrected me. “Too bad exorcisms don’t actually work!” They all three cackled at his words, and despite knowing it couldn’t possibly be true, that seed of doubt was planted. Hel did say I was chosen by her... it could be true.
Each flicker of doubt, worry, and defeat fed them until there was no energy left to think or fight them. As I drifted out, I weakly called for Monty, Drake, Roman, and Hiro. Anyone that would listen.
But no one came.
* * *
Days had passed in solitary.My nights were filled with a trail of demons, one after the other, pushing me to my limits. Even in my sleep I couldn’t escape them as they created nightmares that would haunt me for years to come.
Again my body didn’t feel like my own, it was being used to feed an army of demons and, somehow, their commander once again couldn’t save me.
Or wouldn’t.