Shackled (The Lord Series) by Carlos
272. Olivia - Demon II

I put a hand on my right hip and stick it out. "You already did that by helping my father and brother torture and drug," the love of my life, "my friends before locking them in the same room as me. I still have nightmares of the beating I received back then." Azael reaches me, and he grabs my neck with such force my back slams into the door. My butterflies rush to protect me, but I make them return to the Bitch, afraid that she will get away before Anton can exact his revenge and I kill her. "Before you die, you'll tell me where the daggers are," he spits in my face.

Did he hear me, or is he dismissing what I said?

Despite the pain in my back, I smirk.

"I would offer you a mint, but I'm not sure what stinks the most-your mouth or your attitude." Azael squeezes my neck harder. I try to get the gun from my waistband and try to keep him distracted at the same time. My voice is weak as I say, "Maybe you should shove it up your ass, but it won't fix all the shitty things you did."

I manage to pull out the gun when Mose comes rushing up the stairs. He is drenched in blood, and cuts cover his torso and arms. Only a few strips are left of his pants. His eyes are deep red, wrath showing in them, while the wings on his back are black as the night, claws instead of fingernails, his face no longer that of a normal human, letting me know that Mose is gone, his soul consumed by his demon.

A wave of sadness hits me instantly. I might not love Mose, but I didn't want him to end up like this. Because of me.

He sacrificed himself for me.

Why would he do something like that? Because Azael said I'd have to spend the night with the one who won the tournament? The experiments were the only ones that never intentionally hurt me. I would have survived a night with one of them. But what of my bond with Ansel? It's still fragile, and it would have no doubt broken... I don't want that. Despite Ansel bonding with me without bothering to ask what I thought of it, I don't want to break the bond between us. I don't think I can love him, not the way he wants me to, but...I don't want to lose him again, not after what happened to Levi. Grief grips me, but I push it back for when I have time to deal with it.

Not focusing on the pain, on the void in my heart it's hard, but I have to do it if I want to get out of here.

Even from a distance, I can see Mose or his demon-or what entity possesses him now-trembling with rage. Does he hate me for having to consume his human part?

Azael turns on his heels and yanks me in front of him. His hand is still around my neck. "Take another step, and I'll break her neck."

If Azael wanted me dead, he would have done so, not only threatened to do it. "I bet you never thought Mose would pluck your feathers when you decided to experiment on him," I antagonize Azael as I place the handgun against my stomach. If I die, it will be on my terms not by Azael's hands.

"No!" Mose roars as he moves faster than anyone I've seen before.

The butterflies flutter their wings aggressively before flying to me. Mose reaches me first and pulls me away from Azael before he can hurt me.

"Mine!" Mose growls before biting Azael's neck, ripping chunks of his flesh with his teeth, and spitting them close to my feet.

First a heart, now a jugular. Cannibalism has never been sexier. Are all demons into it, or only Mose? Dinner with him will be interesting. I hope he won't invite people over so he can make hamburgers out of them.

Did I hit my head, or...am I trying to be funny? I remember being sarcastic when I was younger, but now I have a very dark sense of humor.

Mose is not angry at me but at Azael. I don't know how to feel about it. He is even protecting me, getting hurt so I'd have a chance to get away alive.

Maybe knights still exist.

Azael claws at Mose's chest, his long fingernails sinking deep into Mose's muscles.

Even knights need to be saved from time to time.

The hand in which I hold the handgun trembles, but when I raise it at the level of my eyes, it's steady. Camila's dead body appears in front of my eyes, and I instantly get sick. What if I miss and kill Mose? Azael's fingernails sink even deeper into Mose's chest.

Do I let Azael kill Mose, or do I at least try to help him?

Should I get closer?

The butterflies gather around me, flying under my arm, their presence calming me.

My darkness likes Mose. And I refuse to give up on him.

I breathe in and out, not wanting to miss my target-Azael's head. I push any fear and any negative thoughts away and fire. Brains and pieces of bone splatter on the walls, my shirt, and Mose's face.

My legs give in. I didn't miss like on the night I killed Camila. I saved Mose.

The office door opens, and Anton pokes his head out. "The entire place will blow up in five minutes."

"Just like Azael's brains," I say before starting to laugh uncontrollably.

"You," Mose sneers and throws Azael's body to the floor-I doubt he is dead, but at least he is not a threat right now-and goes after Anton, who quickly retreats back into the office and closes the door like that would do any good. Fuck! Mose is still angry about Anton trying to kiss me.

I yelp in pain. Mose stops in his tracks and looks at me. "I hurt my ankle," I lie. My eyes meet his. "I don't think I can walk."

Forgetting about Anton, Mose comes to me. "Mate," he growls as he picks me up in his arms. I press my palms to his chest, trying to stop the bleeding.

Mate?

Then it clicks for me. If I'm a hellstar, I...have mates, which explains my bond with Ansel. Death, chaos, destruction, and havoc surround us, but the screams fade into the background as I put my palm against Mose's cheek. The anger in his eyes is replaced by a gentle look.

My breath catches in my throat.

How can he look like that at me when he is doomed never to enter the Garden of Eden and spend eternity in the Catacombs?

I never saw a demon consume his vessel, but what if Mose is not lost and is still there somewhere, waiting for me to pull him into the light? To guide him back to me?

Something stirs inside my heart, and before I realize what I am doing, I say, "Mine."

As soon as the word leaves my lips, I realize I mean it. Even if there's no love between us, I care about Mose. He is mine.

My body starts to glow, and it engulfs his body. The butterflies surround us as a link forms between Mose and me. How the hell did that happen?

I'm too tired to analyse everything. Later, when I'm out of here and have a good night of sleep, I'll think about it.

The bond feels different from the ones I have with Ansel or him, but it feels right.

Mose presses his lips to mine, but I quickly push him away. His eyes narrow, clearly not happy. "You need a shower. But before that, we need to get away from here." He turns on his heels and starts walking. The butterflies drag the Bitch after us. "Anton is coming with us."

Mose looks down on me. "No."

"He is a friend."

"No."

"What about Azael? We need to make sure he is truly dead," I try to make him see reason.

"No."

"Can you speak more than one word at a time?" I huff.

"No."

Great. Just great.

I'm stuck with a mono-syllabic jealous demon.