Dark Souls Academy: The Sacrifice (Hell Dimension #4)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

I slipped out of Lilah’s apartment. My heart pathetically dragged on the floor behind me. I balled my hands into fists to keep them from shaking.

I normally liked demon décor. The red carpet and golden demons on the edges were fitting, but right now, it just pissed me off. Demons were always my problem. Whether they wanted something from me, or wanted to kill me, demons were always the cause of my setbacks.

If the Light Souls would let me, I’d go back to Earth, even if I had to be on the run again. I was good at it. Besides, Marnie would be there. I’d kill her bullies, and we could skip off to a dark corner somewhere to hide.

I rolled my eyes and stomped my feet harder on the stupid carpet, squishing some of the demon faces for fun. The whole point of letting Marnie go was to let her shine in the light, not be forced back into darkness because of me. Light Souls got good jobs, homes, and were apart of society. Being with me meant she wouldn’t get any of that. Besides, I couldn’t leave my friends behind. Someone needed to stop Lucifer, and I had the ability to do so.

Pushing all thoughts of Marnie from my mind, I faced my door. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, a mix of excitement and dread. I wanted to see the men who haunted my dreams, but I dreaded the confrontation. I couldn’t rush into their arms or kiss their tempting lips—I had to face them as a force to be reckoned with. A faction leader.

It had to be done. I gulped down a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and lifted my chin as I turned the doorknob to walk in. They all stood and rushed towards me as soon as the door shut.

I growled out and used my air magic to push them back. The tips of my hair turned black, and my eyes lost their pink color, turning into dark pits. With the combination of my horns and the black veins that traveled down my cheek, I knew I was a frightening sight. My Fae side had become a type of shift for me since my demon was now my natural form. My Succubus was colorful and glittery, but my Fae was dark, so the change was dramatic, and hopefully jarring enough to get these fuckers to listen to me.

The men were blown back further than I wanted, but their distance was better in the long run. Yet, my chest hurt watching them slam into walls and the furniture. My dark eyes shot daggers at them when they moved toward me again. They were born fighters. I loved that about them, and I knew no magic would keep them away unless they agreed to respect my nonverbal demand to stay back. My heart sped up, craving for my men to choose right.

Standing tall and aloof, I masked the pain of being near them like this. Controlling the bonds as their center meant I could sense them, but they couldn’t sense me, and it left me feeling lonely. I tugged on the fading mark I’d given Lilah, using it to stay in character.

“I’m here for the information only,” I said, my tone cold and flat. “I don’t care about anything else. You made it clear last time that you’d rather lock me in my room than be my partners.”

My voice surprised even me with its icy detachment. Bones grumbled about his opposition to the locked doors, but he hadn’t stopped them, so I ignored him. They were all complicit in Kain’s decision to treat me like a prisoner.

When Trigger stepped forward again the black veins practically hissed as they descended further down my cheeks. I hoped he listened to my warning. I didn’t know if I could actually hurt them, but I could restrain them and run away. Thankfully, he took the hint and sat down with a huff.

The apartment hadn’t changed much, but it was noticeably messier. The small kitchen area to my right, with its dark-gray theme, did little to hide the dirty dishes piling up. Bones had sent his slaves to the Haven, so no one was here to clean up after the men. They clearly needed at least a reminder to not be slobs because ew.

Alaric and Dex never had slaves because they’d constantly be challenged for them, so they didn’t really have an excuse. Kain and Trigger usually didn’t either because slaves were a target for Tila's relentless torment, but they always had Bones’ slaves. Tila learned that Bones wouldn’t be nice if she touched his property. Some of the stories they told me about her making the lowers eat from a smelly shoe or have them crawl over glass still had anger flare inside of me. However, the men were grownups. They could clean.

The white fridge and tiles were meant to lighten the space, but the discarded jackets and shirts scattered around dragged the ambiance down. Vivian would have a heart attack if she saw her kitchen in this state.

Straight ahead, the small living room felt even more cramped with the five men scattered about, leaning against walls or lounging on the couch. The dark vigor about them filled the gaps in the air. If I got closer, it’d be suffocating.

Alaric had mentioned getting another room enhancer like the ones in the bedrooms, but his father apparently said no. He wanted Alaric to take over the pack, so he was being petty about giving him more gifts. Too bad, as the place desperately needed to be bigger. It didn’t fit six people comfortably.

The dark-gray side tables matched the kitchen color, but they sported knife holes in them now. Even the turquoise pillows and vases were destroyed. These men were acting like fucking animals. If they were trying to get back on my good side, they were failing miserably.

By the time I got to the large TV, which had socks hanging from it, Dex was shifting in his seat. Someone said they were about to clean up, but again I ignored them. The bored feeling was becoming easier to keep the longer I stood there, as if something inside of me was blocking my feelings and I loved it. My demon usually had to use energy to hold my emotions until I could deal with them. This felt like my emotions got devoured, so I didn’t have to feel them ever again. It was nice.

“Succy—”

“Don’t.” I put my hand up. “Let’s get on with this.” My tone was harsh, and it hurt to know I was speaking to my mates like this. I called on my wind magic, asking the energy to move a dining chair over to me by the door. I plopped my ass in the seat.

Kain growled out when the others sat back down. “You’re being ridiculous. I just want you safe.”

I hissed at him. It was a slow threatening sound like a snake gave to warn off people. “No, you want to control me and make decisions for me. You were shutting me out of everything, and then had the audacity to demand I stop going on hunts or trying to find my parents. We’re not working as a team, and I refuse to be pushed into a corner. You know my demon won’t allow it.” I moved my arms back and forth as if cleaning an invisible whiteboard. “This is not why I’m here. Tell me the information or I’m leaving.”

“Stop running from me,” Trigger growled out.

I growled back. “Stop giving me things to run from.”

My magic flared, making Dex jerk back, but Trigger shifted into his dark demon form. He became bulky, grew horns, and the red marks on him moved around his skin.

“It’s the cowardly way out.” Kain might as well have slashed my flesh opened with that one.

I stood, flinging the chair backward. “I run so I don’t hurt you. I promised I wouldn’t be another fucking person who hurt you, but you are making it really fucking hard. My demon has changed and will not tolerate being treated like dirt. She will force me into fighting for dominance and that would just hurt all of us. You assholes know this, but you can’t give up your top-dog spots until I rip them away.” I threw my arms up, my stomach twisting. “I’m done.” The numbness closed in, and I embraced the detached sensation.

I made it to the door before Alaric spoke. “Lucifer is committing mass murder in two days. He plans to kill every slave outside of the academy, no matter their age. He’s called all his troops and people in. The slaves have gone into hiding.”

My heart froze with the rest of my body. All the slaves who were eighteen years old and younger were trapped inside, so they would be easy to kill. Then, a hunt would begin, and my brother, Zar would be at risk. Until he had a Queen, he was considered a slave. They’d come to the academy last. I had to do something, but what?

“We need to work together.” I didn’t know who said it, but I shook my head.

“I don’t work with people I can’t trust.” I ran out the door, pushing them back with my magic, again, so they couldn’t follow. I wouldn’t have the strength to fight them off if they tried. The desperation for their touch would leak through, and they’d never listen to me. I used a teleporting potion that hung from my belt. The green liquid splattered on the ground. As the magic had my body fading the mess on the floor turned to mist.

My body wholly faded and materialized next to Lilah’s bed. My heart broke as everything inside of me demanded I go back to them, so I didn’t notice the squirming form on the bed right away. Lilah’s face was scrunched as her hands gripped the blanket. For a second, I thought she was having a nightmare until I saw the body under the blanket between her legs.

The moment I realized what was happening, so did my shy-about-sex friend. Her mouth shut and her eyes widened. When the man moaned, she snapped out of her shock.

“Aaah!” Her screams pierced the shock holding me frozen and stung my brain. “Oh shit.”

I took a step away from her as the man spoke. “Yeah, let me hear you. This pussy is mine, not the fucker who bit?—”

Her body shot up in the air. “Stop. Demarcus, get away!” She kicked him in the face. With her strength he flew off the bed.

“What? What’s going on? You said yes.” Demarcus stuttered out. His head had hit the hardwood, so he didn’t notice me right away.

Laughter overtook me. Demarcus sat up with a stiff back. “I was just helping the wounds...” His voice trailed off as my laughter turned to giggles.

“Stop laughing!” Lilah screeched, throwing a pillow at me. Her face was beet red.

I pointed at her. “You win! You’re the first to get caught having sex, and I’m the Sex Demon. Vivian said it would be me or her. We never thought it’d be you.” I lifted my communicator to send the message right away. “I’m going to message Zar, he’ll tell her for me.” I turned to the door, the weight on my shoulders not as heavy as it was a second ago. The smile on my face wasn’t fake this time.

Lilah covered her eyes with a groan. “No, don’t.” She hiccuped. “He wasn’t… My vagina was broken and?—”

I lifted my hand with a small chuckle before I lost it again and made her mad with my amusement. “I’ve decided to head back out for a bit. Carry on.”

She squeaked when Demarcus sat on the bed. “No, nothing to continue. My vagina is fine.”

I kept moving away.

“Ivy? My vagina is better. Nothing was going on,” she cried out. The desperation for me to believe her was clear in her tone. I was many things, but a faker wasn’t one of them.

"If you let him finish, it would be even better. ” I moaned out the last word.

That had Demarcus joining in on my chuckle fest. The smack that followed was priceless. Good for her.

This was exactly what I needed. A good laugh. I had forgotten what that felt like. It gave me hope for the future. Now, I just needed to let the small reprieve from the acrimony of my life to help my mind come up with a plan or tons of innocents would be lost. Damn, there went my good mood.