Prologue

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The screams of the humans below thrummed through her, vibrated in every cell. Her wings snapped open as she pulled out of her dive, massive clawed legs reaching outwards, eyes narrowed in glee as animals fled before her.

The fear was tangible, delectable. A tremor ran just under her scales as a mighty paw wrapped around a cow. With macabre she pushed back up into the sky, ripping the animal in half, watching the blood spill down on the thatched rooftops; scrambling people below not bothering to fight back.

Not anymore.

A roar bellowed out of her tooth-lined maw before she dived back down, fire errupting from her chest, billowing down-

Zee snapped upright in her cell, cuffs yanking her arms at awkward angles.

"Sleep well, Princess?"

"Quiet well, actually. These luxury suites are just to die for."

The guard snorted through his oxen nose, scimitar weilded and resting against his shoulder. Despite being detained it provoked her ego to know she was still threat enough to warrant being under such strict watch. Her gaze wandered over the cell.

Brick, sparsely furnished. The only way out through the guards. She sighed, sagging against the cool wall. It hurt.

Something inside of her hurt. The thought of never seeing him again. That he was the reason she was down here. The irony wasn't lost on her.

"Come." The door swung open, a mass of intangible shadow writhed before her. "Interrogation."

She rolled her shoulders, "Thanks, Cowface. Getting a little stiff in that position."

"Don't speak." The shadow demanded, whacking the back of her knee.

Zee growled but complied, retaining her composure. She'd never let these lesser demons see her squirm. Her boots clicked as they walked, leather pants swishing. A demon in another cell was screeching, begging, arm outstretched and grasping.

"Shut up." Cowface hissed, his sword cutting out swiftly.

Zee rolled her eyes as the prisoners arm fell to the ground with a heavy thud, dark liquid oozing onto the brick. Pathetic.

The cell block faded to hallways, various demons bustling, none sparing her a second look. They paused before a large door; she felt it before she knew. Recoiling she could feel the fear clawing up her throat, the cold leeching into her body, permeating her bones.

"In there?" Wide eyes met the unsympathetic ones around her. "B-but-"

"In there."

The door swung open wide, a shoved sent her stumbling inside. It was dark, of course it was. The door slammed behind her and she was consumed in shadow. That was fine, she was made for the dark and nightmares. What was inside the room waiting is what shook her.

Sit. The voice demanded.

It was sourceless; everywhere, nowhere, inside her head. Shaking she forced herself to breath slow, sitting as her eyes adjusted.

Why do you remain in that human disguise?

The more the demon invaded her mind the more disoriented she felt. "I don't want to intimidate you." She replied flippantly, kicking her feet up on the table.

Do you know why you are here?

Zee sucked in a deep breath, feeling it invading her mind; tendrils shoving their way into her conciousness with painful force, ripping memories and thoughts out and into the forefront. Tears nipped at her eyes and stung her nose at the last image they had of him. His beautiful dark curls laying gently over his dark, freckled face. The glow of his inner light washing almost all of his humanity away in its illumination.

Abidan. Fingers tightened on her forearms, her disguise cracking to show the marble skin beneath.

Her head rose, chin titled, eyes narrowed. "I fell in love."

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