The Mercenaries Dark Desires (ICS Book Three)

Chapter One - The Silent Promise

The Silent Promise

The Demon Realm, Nilfheimr.

The whip cut across his shoulders. The boy didn't make a sound, his face hard as stone.

It struck again, slicing open tender flesh.

Clenching his fists, Nicholas jerked roughly, tugging on the heavy chains. The cold steel offered no comfort, biting into his skin and drawing blood. His arms burned, forced to bear his weight as he hung from the ceiling.

Outside the heavy door of his cell Nicholas could hear the roars and screams of the slaves. They were deep underground, in the dungeons of Lord Ivan's stronghold, Nalborne. Built into the side of a mountain high in the north, the fortress was nearly impenetrable. Prisoners sent here never escaped. Even if one did they would be met with the blistering cold of the mountain. It was enough to freeze even a demon to death.

At times Lord Ivan would chain a slave outside, just to watch them die slowly.

His vision blurred, sweat dripping into his eyes despite the cold chill that seeped into his bones. Before him stood the captain of the guard, the burly fiery demon staring at him with emotionless eyes the color of ice. The demon's thick arms were crossed, his large frame blocking the cell door as if he feared the boy would try to escape at any moment.

The captain's fears were warranted. Nicholas had killed many when the demons came to take him.

Weak and alone after the destruction of his village, he'd managed to drag himself to a nearby town. Rumors had spread quickly about the boy cursed with immortality. No one would dare to take in the cursed human boy, forcing him to scrounge on the streets for food like a stray beast. Night after night he lay in the muddied alleyways, willing for a death that would never come.

When the demons came the villagers had all but handed Nicolas over and begged the bastards to take him. He'd fought back to no avail, too weak to kill them all.

Dragged to Lord Ivan's stronghold Nicholas was now forced to suffer a new kind of hell.

In the dark cell stood several fiery demon guards, their blue eyes watching wearily as Nicholas' torturer raised the whip once more. Their black clawed hands stayed close to their weapons, knowing better than to let their guard down with him.

Again and again the whip struck, until his back burned and the pain melded into one agonizing torment.

Most would cry in agony. Scream and bellow. Beg for mercy.

He laughed.

The guards shifted on their feet, uneasy with the cold sound reverberating off the stone walls. Nicholas ignored them, his dark eyes glaring at the captain of the guard, edging the fiery demon on.

"Stubborn little shit," the captain mused. Cupping the boys chin the demon twisted Nicholas' head from side to side. "I'm going to break you, boy."

Nicholas simply grinned. They could try and break him. It would only make him that much stronger.

The demon snorted. "I'm going to rip that grin right off your face."

His grin widened.

The demon raised his hand, striking the boy hard. Nicholas' head whipped to the side, the sting radiating up his cheek. He licked his lips, tasting blood in his mouth, his grin never wavering.

"Don't know why Lord Ivan keeps you. Should cut your damn head off." The demon grabbed Nicholas by the hair, yanking his head back. "Would that even kill you, boy?"