The Demon’s Queen (A Deal With A Demon)

I lie in bed next to Azazel each night, tucked against his strong, warm body, only to wake up alone each morning. When we have sex, it’s frenzied, as if each time is our last. We share meals, the conversation stilted and filled with things unsaid.

It feels like we’re saying goodbye in slow motion. Truly, this time.

I love him, but how can I let myself sink fully into something that should be a joy when the circumstances make it a horror? I’m still trapped in the castle, still knitting away as if I’m the miller’s daughter, trying to spin yarn into forgetting my reality. In the weeks that follow, I finish both sleeves of the sweater and complete the ribbing of the hem.

I’m weaving in the last end when the entire castle shudders. In my time here, we’ve never had anything resembling an earthquake, and from the way the floor suddenly angles beneath my feet, that’s not what’s happening now. “I’m going!”

The shaking continues as I hurry down the newly opened hallway and a single staircase. I nearly keep going, but the castle raises a step in front of me, stopping me in the doorway near the front entrance. I realize why immediately.

Azazel stands there, taking up even more space than he does normally. I thought I’d seen him furious before, but that was nothing compared to how lethal he sounds as he snarls, “What are you doing here?”

For a horrified moment, I almost convince myself he’s talking to me, but he doesn’t seem to even be aware that I’m close. Instead, he’s glaring at . . . I shift a little to the side, trying to stay as much in the shadows as possible. Oh.

The bargainer in the doorway is nearly the same size as Azazel. The familial resemblance is uncanny: the same crimson skin, the same bald head with the same shape horns, the same massive body. The same ruggedly handsome face. The only difference is this bargainer’s dark eyes are flat and furious. Brosh. It has to be.

He spreads his arms, arrogant and hateful. “I heard you were looking for me.”

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you where you stand.”

“You’re too honorable.” Brosh says it like it’s an insult. “Which is why you’ve taken us down a route we may never recover from as a people. That stops now.” His grin is downright mean. “I challenge you for leadership of this territory.”

I expect Azazel to curse him. Maybe to attack right here and now. He certainly looks like he wants to. Instead, he laughs in disbelief. “You bloody fool. You actually think you can beat me.”

“I know I can.”

Azazel shakes his head. “So be it. I accept. I’ll have the square cleared within the hour. Get out of my sight until then.”

Brosh backs up slowly, still smiling. “Best say goodbye to your little human. She won’t survive to see nightfall.”

I flinch. I can’t help it. I’ve had some truly horrific experiences with exes, but I’ve never been threatened so casually—or intentionally. The doors slam shut in Brosh’s face, then the lock clicks loudly in the sudden silence. It won’t be enough to keep him out, not when Azazel has accepted his challenge.

Azazel has accepted his challenge.

“Don’t do it.” I step up and into the hallway, crossing to Azazel. “Don’t fight him.”

His brows go up when he sees me, but he doesn’t chastise me for eavesdropping. He just pulls me into his arms, holds me close like he may not get another opportunity to do so. “This was always the plan, Eve.”

Eve. Not baby girl.

There’s no reason for that distinction to hurt, less reason for it to worry me even more. I cling to him and bury my face in his chest. “Please, Daddy. I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.” We might be broken to a degree that there’s no fixing, but I still love him. I don’t want him hurt. I sure as fuck don’t want him dead.

He strokes a hand up my spine and cups the back of my head. “You’ll be safe as soon as he’s dead. I intended to challenge him, but he’s made things even simpler. He challenged me. No one in my family, my territory, or the entire damned realm can say it wasn’t fairly done.” He kisses my forehead and steps back. “And when he’s dead, I’ll nullify the contract and send you home. You have my word.”

I stare up into his handsome face. This is what I wanted, isn’t it? To be safe. To return home and regain my freedom. To get my life back.

So why does the idea of it feel so empty?

Azazel doesn’t give me time to process. His attention snags on something behind me. “You heard.”

Ramanu’s voice sounds just as troubled as I feel. “I heard. You sure about this?”

“Yes.”

Ramanu sighs. “Then I’d best get to work on getting the square ready.” They clear their throat. “Eve, I’d like to introduce you to Lenora. She’s been here a little while, but you’ve been distracted and I didn’t want to intrude.”

Distracted. That’s one way to put it. I make myself drop my arms and turn away from Azazel to find a pretty white woman standing next to Ramanu. She’s got lightly tanned skin, long dark hair, and a sharply curious look on her face. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“All good things, all good things.” Though Ramanu is trying to put a good face on things, their tone is distracted and worried. “Keep an eye on her.”

“Of course.” Lenora accepts their distracted kiss and then they sweep away, slip through the doors and out of the castle. She raises an eyebrow at Azazel. “Don’t you have some preparing to do? I have a spell or two that could come in handy if you’re interested.”

“That would be cheating.”

There’s the soft sound of movement behind me, and when I turn around, Azazel is gone. I can’t help the way my shoulders drop at the realization. “What if he loses?”

“Then he dies, and Ramanu and I spirit you back to the human realm before that bastard Brosh has a chance to lay a single finger on you.” She takes in my stricken expression and winces. “Right. Wrong priority. You’re not worried about your freedom—you’re worried about him.”

“Of course I’m worried about him,” I snap. It’s not fair to take my fear and frustration out on this woman I just met, but I can’t help it. “I love him.”

“Hmm. Have you told him that?” She holds up her hands when I glare. “Guess not. I’d advise against any last-minute declarations of feelings until after he wins. That kind of thing gets distracting.”

“You are not helping,” I hiss.

“Right.” Lenora shrugs. “Look, if Azazel is half as good as Ramanu is, he’ll have this in the bag. Did you know Ramanu ripped off my ex’s head in a similar tournament battle? It was deeply impressive, even if the blood got everywhere.”

I blink. Obviously I am aware of Ramanu’s and Azazel’s prowess as warriors. The fight in front of the castle all those weeks ago was proof enough of that. But while that experience traumatized the fuck out of me, apparently violence excites Lenora. She’s practically vibrating as she recounts the battle, giving me entirely more detail than I need. By the end of it, I’m feeling woozy. “That’s . . . something.”

Her smile is sharp. “And it stopped you from freaking out about Azazel for a little while.” She loops her arm through mine. “Come on. We may as well get a good seat.”

I find myself digging in my heels. “It’s not safe.”

“Honey, it’s about as safe as it can be. Brosh is confident enough to challenge Azazel, so he won’t fuck with you in the meantime.”

I don’t know how this woman seems to have such a grasp on things when I’m spinning out, but maybe that’s part of what drew Ramanu to her in the first place: She’s entirely unbothered by this whole fiasco.

Truth be told, the thought of waiting in my room to find out if Azazel is dead or victorious is too much. I nod jerkily. “Okay, fine. Let’s go.”

To my surprise, the castle doesn’t try to stop us. The doors open easily, and we march toward the square where Ramanu took me shopping on that ill-fated day. In the time Lenora was spinning her bloody tale, the center of the square has been entirely cleared and a crowd has gathered around the perimeter.

Ramanu themself is there, and they seem exasperated as they wave us over. “You know, when I told you to help, I didn’t intend for you to bring Eve here.”

“I know,” Lenora says primly. “But I’m still helping. I’ll keep her safe so you can focus on Azazel.”

I know Ramanu called her a witch and that magic exists, but it’s still hard to wrap my head around humans using it. Ramanu, on the other hand, looks visibly relieved. “Thanks, love.” They press a quick kiss to her lips and nudge us backward into an open doorway. “Stay here.”

A hush falls over the crowd as Brosh steps out of an alley and into the cleared space. He’s still grinning as if he’s not worried in the least. I would be less worried if he didn’t seem so confident as he rolls his massive shoulders and bounces on his toes like a boxer ready to go. I’m pretty sure his claws are longer than they were in the castle too. The easier to disembowel the man I love with.

Azazel walks out of the castle a few moments later. He’s changed into a pair of pants and little else. It seems like a terrible idea. Where is his armor? Shouldn’t he have a damned helmet or something? At least a neck guard to keep from having his throat ripped out!

Brosh yanks his shirt over his head and tosses it to the ground. “The mighty Azazel. Ready to die, cousin?”

Azazel doesn’t speak a word. He simply holds out a hand and crooks his fingers in a gesture that conveys “let’s get this over with.” I don’t know if his lack of theater is comforting or concerning, just a mask for a deeper worry.

There’s no time to decide. Brosh charges him, more bull than bargainer. He’s so incredibly fast—too fast. Azazel jumps back but too late; a swipe of Brosh’s claws opens up four deep gashes on Azazel’s chest.

I slap my hands over my mouth to keep my cry of concern internal. I won’t be the one to distract him, not when he needs every bit of his wits about him.

“Very good,” Lenora murmurs in my ear. “You’re doing well, Eve.”

Why be concerned about me when he may very well die right before my eyes?

There’s no space to ask. Brosh is on the attack again, swinging wildly. Azazel barely dodges the swipes, barely keeps a step ahead of his cousin. They circle the cleared space, sweat already gleaming on their bare skin. Sweat and blood on Azazel’s.

And Azazel hasn’t landed a single hit.

I don’t realize I’ve started shaking until Lenora wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Shh, shh, it’s fine. He’s playing a good game of strategy. I know it’s hard to see when you care about the person involved—trust me, I know—but he’s got things under control.”

Her words buzz over me but don’t penetrate. Not when my heart is being stalked by his enemy, his cousin, who clearly wants him dead. And he’s slowing down. Brosh lands a kick to Azazel’s chest and two swipes to his chest and shoulder. More blood paints the cobblestones. Only one person’s blood.

Brosh laughs and spreads his arms. “Is this your leader? He’s as weak as he’s made our territory. Pathetic.” He turns . . . and runs right into Azazel’s claws.

I gasp. The sound is lost in the midst of the crowd doing the same thing. Someone screams. A handful of people cheer.

Azazel appears tormented as he holds his cousin’s shoulder and shoves his claws deeper into Brosh’s stomach. Deeper and up . . . to rip out his heart. The man falls to the ground, dark eyes glassy with death. Azazel stares at the bloody heart in his claws and drops it on top of Brosh’s body.

As if sensing my gaze, he lifts his eyes to mine. There’s nothing of the man I’ve come to know so well, of the bargainer I love, there. Only emptiness.

Ramanu steps forward and raises their voice enough to be heard over those gathered. “The challenge has been issued, accepted, and completed. Brosh is dead. Azazel is victorious!”

This time, the cheers are loud enough to shake the very city.

Lenora squeezes my shoulder. “That’s about enough of that. Let’s get out of here.”

“Yeah,” I say numbly. It’s not even the death that’s rocked me this time. It’s the implication. Brosh is dead. Azazel managed to do it honorably, which removes the threat against me, once and for all. That means I can go back to my life. I can go home.

Too bad home has started to feel a whole lot like a magical castle and a giant bargainer who holds my heart.