The Darkness Within (Demon Elite Death Squad #1)

BLADE 2

Blade paces in the small, dark alley behind the bar, running a hand through his hair as he replays the moment in his mind—the moment he’d kissed Rayne. Her lips had been soft and warm, sending a jolt of electricity through him that felt like both salvation and damnation. He’d tried to keep control, to hold back the intensity of his emotions, but the taste of her had unleashed something primal within him.

Scar leans against the wall, watching him with a mixture of amusement and concern. “You know, you’re acting like a teenager. It’s a little embarrassing.”

Blade glares at him, but there is no real heat behind it. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Wouldn’t I?” Scar raises an eyebrow. “It’s not like you’re the first demon to find a mate. Though I’ll admit, it’s rare. Lucky you.”

“Lucky?” Blade scoffs. “I’ve just put a target on her back. Rake isn’t just any rogue. He’s an underboss. He has informants everywhere. If he catches wind of this, Rayne will be in danger. And I…” He trails off, the words sticking in his throat. He’d never thought he’d have someone to protect, someone he’d be willing to sacrifice everything for.

Scar’s expression turns serious. “Then we will have to find Rake before he finds out about her. It’s that simple.”

Blade nods. Scar is right. The hunt had become personal. It wasn’t just about fulfilling his duty anymore; it was about keeping Rayne safe, even if she didn’t know it yet.

They start moving through the city, using their senses to track any trace of demonic energy. Blade can feel the faint pulse of Rayne’s presence in the back of his mind—a new sensation that both reassures and unnerves him. He knows where she is, knows she is safe for the moment, but the thought of being away from her, of not being able to protect her if something happens, is enough to make him tense.

They reach an abandoned warehouse on the edge of town, one of the known haunts of rogue demons. Scar inclines his head, and they move in silent unison, their steps barely a whisper in the dark. Inside, the air is thick with the stench of rot and decay. Blade’s eyes narrow as he scans the room, his senses heightened, ready for anything.

Suddenly, a flicker of movement catches his attention. A rogue demon, lurking in the shadows, its eyes glowing with malice. Blade moves first, striking with a precision that leaves no room for escape. The demon snarls, lunging at him, but Blade is faster. He dispatches it with a flick of his wrist, his blade slicing through the demon’s neck. The body dissolving into a puddle of dark goo, evaporating into nothingness.

“Not Rake,” Scar mutters, kicking at the remains.

“No, but he’s close,” Blade replies, his voice tight with anticipation. He can feel it, a faint trace of Rake’s energy lingering in the air, like a ghostly whisper. They were getting closer, but it wasn’t enough. Not yet.

The city streets were empty as Blade and Scar leave the abandoned warehouse, the remnants of the rogue demon still evaporating into a dark, foul-smelling mist. The encounter had been quick, but it confirmed what Blade already knew—they were getting closer to Rake. He could feel it in the air, a faint trace of Rake’s presence lingering like a ghostly trail. They walked in silence, the weight of their mission pressing down on them as they move through the dark alleys.

Scar breaks the silence first, his voice low. “Rake’s getting bolder. First, it’s the feeding off humans, then the whispers of him rallying other rogues. If he keeps this up, he’s going to tear a hole in the Veil.”

Blade nods, his mind already racing with the possibilities. “He’s trying to build an army. He thinks he can take on the Demon Council, bring chaos to both our world and the human one.”

Scar scoffs. “Arrogant bastard. He was always trouble, even before he went rogue. I heard he used to be part of a powerful clan, one that dabbled in blood magic. Rumour has it, he’s trying to resurrect some of the old ways, the ones that were outlawed centuries ago.”

“That would explain the disappearances,” Blade replies, his gaze darkening. “He’s not just feeding on humans—he’s harvesting them. He needs their blood and their souls to fuel whatever dark ritual he’s planning.”

Scar spat on the ground; disgust clear on his face. “Makes sense why the Council wants him taken down. If he manages to complete that ritual, he’ll gain enough power to threaten even the Elite.”

Blade’s grip tightens on his weapon as he processes Scar’s words. He’d heard whispers of demons practicing the old ways, but those were supposed to be legends, stories meant to scare young demons into submission. But now, with Rake leading the charge, those old nightmares were becoming real.

The two of them pause near a dimly lit street corner, hidden in the shadows as Blade considers their next move. “We need to find out where he’s holed up. If he’s really trying to complete a ritual, he’ll need a place of power, somewhere with ancient ties to the demon world.”

“Are you thinking the Crossroads?” Scar asks, raising an eyebrow. “I thought they were just a myth.”

Blade shakes his head. “They’re real enough. Old meeting points where the veil between worlds is weakest. If Rake’s there, he could use that power to amplify his own. We have to get to him before he completes the ritual.”

They moved on, navigating through the quiet streets as Blade’s mind churns with the lore he’d been taught as a young demon. The Crossroads—legendary sites connected to Drebos, the demon realm, where ancient beings once struck deals and forged pacts that shaped their world. It was said that these places still held traces of that dark magic, power that only the most reckless would try to harness.

Blade’s thoughts drift as they walk, recalling the lessons he’d learned about the Veil. The Veil was a mystical barrier separating the human world from Drebos, their realm. It was meant to protect both worlds, to keep demons from running unchecked among humans and to prevent humanity from discovering the darker truths lurking in the shadows. For centuries, the Demon Council had tasked the Elite with maintaining the Veil’s integrity, hunting down rogues like Rake who sought to tear it apart for their own gain.

In Drebos, demons lived under a strict hierarchy, with the Council at the top, ruling with an iron fist. They kept the old laws, governing everything from magic use to the punishment for demons who betrayed their kind. It was a harsh world, but it maintained balance, something that was constantly under threat from rogues. Rake was one of the worst—an underboss who had once held a position of power within the Council’s ranks, but had chosen to turn his back on their rules.

The rogues were demons who had forsaken the Council’s laws, seeking power or freedom at any cost. They fed on humans, harvesting emotions, life force, even souls, leaving behind only death and destruction. And when someone as powerful as Rake went rogue, it created ripples that could threaten the stability of both worlds.

Scar glances over, breaking into Blade’s thoughts. “So, what’s the story with Rake? You know him from before, don’t you?”

Blade nods, a grim look on his face. “We crossed paths once. He was different then—ambitious, sure, but he had a code. He believed in the old ways; said they gave our kind purpose. I didn’t agree, but he kept it under control. Until he didn’t.”

Scar’s brow furrows. “What made him change?”

“Power,” Blade replies. “He was never satisfied with his place in the Council. He wanted more, wanted to break the chains he thought were holding him back. Eventually, he found others who believed as he did, and that’s when he disappeared, going underground. By the time we realized he’d gone rogue, he’d already started gathering followers.”

They fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Blade knew that hunting Rake was about more than just stopping a rogue demon—it was about protecting the fragile balance between their world and the human one. If Rake succeeded, if he managed to harness the ancient power he sought, it could mean the end of the Veil, the end of everything Blade had spent centuries protecting.

They stop in front of a dilapidated building, another of their informants’ supposed hideouts. Blade knew they couldn’t afford to waste any time. Rake was getting bolder, and with each passing day, he was coming closer to completing his plan.

“We need to find his followers, track them down so that they can lead us to him,” Blade states, his gaze steely. “If we can disrupt whatever ritual he’s planning, we might have a chance to stop him before it’s too late.”

Scar nods, determination hardening his features. “We’ll need to call in favours, tap into the old networks. He has eyes everywhere, but so do we.”

Blade knew they had allies in the shadows, demons who hadn’t forsaken their loyalty to the Council. With their help, they might be able to find Rake before he could unleash the chaos he so desperately craved. But they had to act fast, had to move before Rake’s army grew too powerful to contain.

As they slip back into the night, Blade can’t shake the image of Rayne from his mind, the feel of her kiss, the taste of her that still lingered on his lips. He knew he was playing with fire, risking everything by allowing himself to be close to her. But as he faces the darkness ahead, he finds himself clinging to that small spark of light she’d brought into his life, a reminder of what he was fighting for.

The hunt was on, and Blade knew that he wouldn’t rest until Rake was stopped, until Rayne was safe. And he would do whatever it took to make sure that the rogue demon paid for every drop of blood he had spilled.