Slay My Soul

Chapter 25 Asmodeus

The land is empty, stripped of livestock, dry stores, and its people. The sixth empty pack site tonight. I stifle a chuckle as Belestine throws a tantrum, kicking the dry ground like a child while he bellows and belly aches. My own men hide their grins.

“She is my granddaughter Belestine. Did you really think she wouldn’t take precautions?” The vampire King says airily.

“You sound almost proud of the little bitch!” Belestine growls.

“Oh, I am. She’s amazing. Everything I could have hoped for and more,” the King says with a grin.

“She’s still going to die - amazing or not,” Belestine grumbles.

“Only if we can’t get her under our thumb or break her to remake her. My son came close to breaking her. Unfortunately, her mates found her. But the damage is still there, hidden under her false sense of safety. It shouldn’t take much,” the King cautions. “She will only die if her body gives in before she breaks.”

Poor woman. But if one woman’s suffering frees my people, it will be worth it. My people have suffered enough. So many lives were lost in that historical battle against the cowardly Fae. Our men were destroyed, becoming feral until the witches offered us a realm in which we could die out in peace. A meaningless existence, where time no longer meant anything, until the day Belestine summoned me, offering us hope.

Mixed breeding has been allowed to become acceptable once again. Races are now allowed to mate with other compatible races, so we may finally be able to find ourselves mates. Something we have been denied for so long. Belestine offers this hope to us, in exchange for our power being used to defeat his enemies. I have readily agreed. Full control of myself and my army until the final battle is won. Then all my people will be granted freedom (even those who are feral, although that will be done carefully) and all will be given free rein to find their mates. The only exceptions to the search for our mates will be those whose mates have already died, making them forever feral. They will have to be put down, as there will be no hope left for them. They will have already lost their shot at happiness. Even though it was stolen from them, there will be no kind or hopeful second chances for them.

That means my father, our King, will have to be put down too. As the eldest son, I will have to step up to rule in his stead. Something I have never looked forward to. I have been keeping the peace as my father has slipped further into madness, over the last two centuries. Even though ending his life is probably a kindness by now, I am still loath to lose my last parent.

I survey my men who stand around looking bored, awaiting orders. My eyes catch on one of my brothers who has locked eyes with me. I raise my eyebrow. He mouths the word ‘mate’ making me look around for his mate. I look back at him confused, only to find him scowling at me. He points at me and mouths ‘mate’ again. Did he know we were doing this for mates? I motion him forward and he rushes toward me.

“You can disband the army for now and return to your cell,” Belestine orders me angrily. I sigh, wishing he had given me just five more minutes. Unfortunately, the contract makes the order instant and with a flick of my wrist my legion descends back into their realm and I am back in my damp cell, trying to figure out my brother’s attempted message. It can’t be that they know it is for mates. He would have just yelled it out and thanked Belestine. He was trying to tell me something without others knowing. Had he found his mate on one of the battlefields? No, that wasn’t right either. He didn’t seem upset or excited, just intense, as he tried to covertly give me a message. One I had not received clearly enough to understand. I will make it a priority to get him close enough to me next time I summon the legion. Obviously, I need to do so discreetly, without alerting Belestine or the Vampire king.