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

Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

W hen the Headmaster acknowledged Ark, he gave me a quirked eyebrow. The seriously-another-mate expression on his face had me rolling my eyes. Not today or ever old man.

“Ark is my assistant. Drama with the other Incubi makes his presence necessary.” I quirked my head in thought. “Or I can kill them all? It’d solve my problem.”

He chuckled as if I said something humorous, and Ark made a little squeaking noise, but for some reason, I didn’t care if they died… I shook my head and smirked to play off the joke aspect because I knew killing for no reason was bad. Right?

The Headmaster shrugged. “Got it. I’ll have him go through the oath spell.”

I nodded, but I wouldn’t be there for that spell. There were two different kinds, and the faster one had people’s mouths disappearing. I’d seen it before and didn’t plan on witnessing it again.

My footsteps were loud on the cement floor as I entered the surprisingly bright cell. The room was magic infused, it cleaned itself and couldn’t be destroyed. Believe me, last week a banshee was in this room. Their claws were the deadliest in Hell, and she didn’t even leave a scratch. Since the demon was a Potens Demon, nothing was in the room except him.

The chain that bound him was demon warded. Light Soul enforcers loved to use them on us Dark Souls. I had a small taste of them when they carted me to Hell. Those babies were sucking his magic and making his brain fuzzy. He could still think but forming more complex mental functions—like creating a plan to escape—took a lot. The neurons wouldn’t connect correctly.

The prisoner lifted his head to meet my gaze. His arms were above his head, as he dangled from the ceiling. His feet barely brushed the floor.

Whoa. Even drained, tired, and beaten, the guy was gorgeous. Yet, he was almost too pretty, like Ark. The thought made me gasp. Was he Lust? My sin, and the person that started my magical line. He wasn’t related to me, but his power helped create the Sex Demons… If it was him.

Ark paler than before walked in alone. His fingers poked at his lips, making sure they were back. The spells effects only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to traumatize a person.

The Headmaster kept out of this part, so I knew he had already left. He was still bound to Lucifer, so he needed to stay in the shadows. I nodded for Ark to lower the prisoner’s arms. There was only one switch where I pointed on the wall, so I hoped he got the meaning. Thankfully, the little shit did. The demon’s arms fell to his side. The relief on his tired face was beautiful like he prayed to whatever god he believed in.

“Oh good, just the little Queen I wanted to talk to,” he said, his tone incongruous with his battered appearance. Whoever had captured him last night had given him a hard fight. His black clothes were dirty and torn, but the bruises on his face were nearly healed. Pity—he could have used a few more. My demon instincts made my horns grow longer in challenge, and the air around me stirred, giving me goosebumps.

Walking into the room fully, my hips swayed as the scent of blood filled my nostrils. “I do like talking. Do you?” My pink magic floated out of me to tauntingly twirl around him. If this was Lust, would this even work?

“Mmm, it has been a long time since I smelled beautiful magic like yours.” His pupils dilated, but I didn’t know if it’d loosen his tongue like the others.

It was worth a shot. The pink swirled more and thickened. It played with him as if my magic thought he was a new puppy.

He knew what Succubus power did to people. If I let the energy touch him, it would make him my mindless slave. He might react differently, but I bet it’d still drive him crazy not having release.

“Wait, wait!” he screamed.

I did out of curiosity. “I know what you’re after. I can help, if you promise that I can be a part of your new Hell.”

I quirked my eyebrow at him, letting my magic touch him. He moaned. So, it did affect him.

In theory, if I let my magic control him, he’d never be the same again. I could make him my puppet, or I would leave him to rot in a constant hunger for more of my magic like a junky who would never get a fix again. Well, if he reacted the same to Succubus magic.

I smiled despite my unease. “And what do I want?”

He smiled with me like we shared a secret. “Lucifer’s head on a platter.”

I scoffed. Done with the smiling shit. “And what information do you have for me?” My tone said I didn’t believe him, but he didn’t rise to my bait.

“I can tell you where the Sins will be. We hold a piece of him, and while most of us are still giving him power, Lucifer won’t be stopped.” He shrugged, playing it off like he wasn’t as desperate as I knew he was.

I shook my head and stepped towards the door. “I don’t believe you. I saw how you guys were treated like kings. You wouldn’t give that up.”

His chuckle was bitter, and as the effects of my magic wore off, his head steadied, and his expression cleared.

His voice, initially shaky, quickly gained strength into something smooth, like a caress. “Faceless kings who are prisoners, forced to obey Lucifer’s every command. When he first fell, he was a good angel—prideful, perhaps, but nothing like the demon he is today. My brother has killed and abused countless demons of my sin. You might not see us as family, but I feel a connection to all of you.”

His pink eyes, which I noticed were similar to mine, flicked between Ark and me.

“You may never fully trust me, but know that I can identify those who need to be eliminated. There are only three of us with any morals. I won’t name them now, in case this doesn’t go as planned. They’ll fight alongside us regardless.” His desperate tone suggested he was speaking the truth, but trust was not something I could give easily.

I needed to find spells or curses to verify his honesty. I turned away. This conversation was over. “I have a lot to think about. The lack of trust is the issue, so I’ll be back when I find a way for you to prove your sincerity.”

He let out another bitter laugh. “So, you’re just going to keep me locked up here? I can’t survive on just food. I need to feed off the damned souls of Hell and lust.”

I hesitated, caught off guard. “How long can you go without it?”

I knew demons fed off the souls of the damned to gain power or avoid starvation. The memory of their agonized wails from my childhood flashed in my mind, and I suppressed a shiver. Another issue to address if it proved true. Lust might be compliant now, but like other powerful Potens Demons, he wouldn’t be contained forever.

“About three days, but I’ll become primal if you wait that long.” He meant he’d become a predator and go hunting for his meal, which wouldn’t be good for anyone.

So, two days. The rectangular flowers around the academy walls prevented the souls from coming into the Academy. How was I supposed to get one down here?

Another fucking thing I needed to find answers for. A flare of longing for my mates hit me. They were so good at finding answers to relieve my stress. Not anymore, a bitter part of my brain whispered, taunting me.

"Understood.” I nodded.

He called for me again, but I didn’t listen. Right before I closed the door, he threw a metaphorical grenade through the crack, blowing me up into tiny pieces.

“I know where your parents are!”