Fated to the Demon Queen (Book Two of the Demonic Angels Trilogy)

Chapter 1-Aylin (The Day of Amara's Rescue)

Seth and I are guarding the side door of this decrepit warehouse, hoping to Hades these filthy bloodsuckers try to sneak Amara out this exit. It didn't appear that there were any other exits, but that means nothing. My castle has twelve secret pathways leading in and out of my city.
Luck seems to be on our side as I see the door open. Immediately, my power starts to rumble to life, ready to destroy the people keeping my sister prisoner. Seth readies himself as the door opens, and two vampires come out, both their arms around a deathly ill-looking Amara.
My power goes completely dormant like a switch's flick as musk, patchouli, and mahogany reaches my nostrils. I freeze, my eyes widening as red eyes snare my own, and the bond snaps into place. The same red eyes. They're all the same.
I take a step back. No, no
Anybody but one of those things
"Aylin? What the hell is wrong with you?" Seth hisses, "Fuck" he snaps when I don't answer.
You're a Queen, and your sister needs you. Get yourself together, Aylin. I scold myself
"Give her to us now, and we'll make your deaths quick," Seth yells at them, taking charge.
I take a deep breath, practically choking on his intoxicating scent. I walk up next to Seth, my chin high. Amara mutters out a weak no, and my eyes snap to her. Both are supporting her weight; she's pale, she's thin, and her head is completely lulled back as if she doesn't even have the strength to hold it up. And my own mate was one of the ones who did this to her.
"My name is Samirah; this is Damon. We're the leaders of the resistance against Silas. We will hand her over, but you must hear our case." the female says
Seth growls as we walk closer to them, ready to tear them limb from limb. I watch as any muscle tone left in Amara gives away, the female also noticing lifts her limp body bridal style. Seth looks like he's about to shift and pounce. 
"There is no time for arguing; we need to get her to the hospital." I snarl at everyone before I grab Amara, and Seth grabs Damon
As much as I would rather portal her to the Underworld hospital, Roman would want her in his pack, so that's where I portal all of us. The medical staff are in a frenzy as they start to care for Amara. I watch them anxiously from the corner as the female vampire tells them about the events over the last week. I'm disgusted; vampires destroy everything they touch.
Yet here I am, mated to one.
I can feel his eyes boring into me, but I refuse to look at him. I breathe shallowly; his scent is affecting my train of thought. As the female finishes, Seth snaps at her, asking if she's done, and she refuses to leave. I need the man behind me gone so I can focus on my sister.
"Seth, escort him to the cells while I deal with this one." I snarl, losing my composure momentarily
I slam the female into a chair, likely harder than I need to, and bind her with my magic. The idea of gagging her appeals to me, but I refrain so she can continue to give the doctors information on Amara's time as a prisoner. When his scent no longer taints the air, I finally take a deep breath.
I push him out of my thoughts. My family is the only one deserving of my focus right now. Hades knows what Amara has been through, and I won't fail her now like I almost failed her back at the warehouse.
I exhale a relieved sigh as the doctors finish with Amara, and they explain that her condition is not as bad as it appears. When Roman orders us from the room, I linger, pulling the blinds shut so he can have a moment of privacy with his mate, then I portal the female to Roman's cells. I put her in a different wing than Damon, one so they can't conspire, and two so I don't have to see or smell him.
We all sit in silence in the waiting room; even Azrael is silent, a true rarity. For once, possibly even the first time ever, I wish for the chatter, if only to drown out the emotions swirling around in me.
I must reject him; there's no other decision. Regardless of his role in Amara's suffering and rescue, it simply would be a union looked down upon. My own people suffered at the hands of overly ambitious vampires when they attacked us along with the angels; I certainly could not subject them to be ruled by one. Even if neither was a factor, I...I couldn't look into those eyes.
I internally scoff at my own weakness, but it's a fact. If I could erase the color red from the underworld, I would. My fists clench as I think of those evil eyes, and I immediately take a breath and blink once before the memories flood me again. I've relived that night many times, and focusing on my misery right now would be selfish.
Although, I need to get away from here, just for the night, only after my sister is cleared and awake. There's a meeting with Parliament and the spokesperson for several different towns tomorrow to check in and ensure their needs are met and update us on current events in the towns. I would go to that while I allow Amara to spend time with her mate, then I would come back and be fully present with my family when she was ready for it. It's been too long since I checked in on the underworld anyways; the last nine days have only consisted of searching for Amara and trying to sleep. Yes, that was a good plan.
Several hours later, we all leave the hospital. My mood is much higher after spending time with my family and Amara's. Father and Azrael have always lifted my spirits; when nothing else remained in my life, they did, and we always had each other. We now finally had Amara with us after almost 21 years.
My immediate family meant everything to me. I have other blood relatives, but it's more of a business relationship, as some oversee different lands in the underworld. Father did that purposefully to keep them preoccupied from his reign or overthrowing my own. There's no love in those relationships. Then there was Mother, who did her best but was absent at the end of the day more often than not.
Then I must admit, Roman and even that buffoon, Seth, are growing on me. I respect Roman as a leader; I can see he cares deeply for his pack and prioritizes their wellbeing, and above all, he loves my sister, and she loves him. There's something to be said for the purity of their love for one another.
My good mood instantly dissipates as I step into Roman's packhouse, and his scent calls out to me. Are the Gods taunting me? Last I checked, he was in the cells with the female; why is his scent so strong in these upper areas? I growl as I realize my ability to take a deep calming breath is yet again hindered.
"Aylin?" Father says, giving me a hesitant look
If there was one thing Father was good at, it was picking up on the slightest change in anyone's demeanor. He had tried to hide his more prolonged stares at me as we sat in the hospital's waiting room, but I was equally as observant, so I knew this was coming.
"I have business at home; I will reside there for the night. Please come find me in Parliament's meeting quarters tomorrow when Amara is ready to be revisited, and of course, please find me immediately if there's any change in her condition." I tell him curtly, not giving him a chance to press further as I portal to my own room at home in the castle.
I change into my proper underworld attire before I exit for my throne room, giving nods of acknowledgment to the servants who rush through the castle. They all hastily bow to me as I walk through the halls, ready to finish their duties and start their nights.
The servants are almost exclusively incubi and succubi, who must have sex to survive. So, at night and on their days off, they frequent The Seven Deadly Sins, a brothel located in the village closest to the castle.
While demons had no qualms about taboo subjects like sex, brothels, and multiple partners, the incubi and succubi were at the top of my priority list regarding change. They're considered weak or lesser demons due to their poor battle skills, so, in turn, they live as servants, prostitutes, or sometimes Madams and Procurers in the brothels. Some are happy with their lifestyle, especially the servants, but others do it because they don't have another choice save relocating to Earth. I simply wouldn't allow that to be the case any longer-in honesty, I want to abolish the caste system altogether, but I will start with this.
I offered the castle servants relief from their duties, promising them they would still receive compensation, and all declined. Most of the servants' bloodlines have worked for my bloodline for over a millennium, so I wasn't surprised. They were treated well in the castle.
As for the brothels, I was actively working on a solution. While most incubi and succubi were weak warriors, they possessed other abilities. Given that they need to have sex to survive, they need to have some qualities to make them sexually desirable. They have an affinity for the arts- dance, singing, music, painting, and theatre, and of course, they're all beautiful. So, catering to those talents, I have a small part between towns being built into a sanctuary for only the arts.
I already had approval from my Parliament to trial it, and construction has begun in that part of the city. I haven't presented it to the incubi or succubi yet, I want them to see it for themselves before they decide, but I'm quite excited at how it's turning out.
When I enter the throne room, I'm not at all surprised to find Father sitting on his throne, waiting there for me. I don't know why I expected him to leave it be. Inwardly, I sigh, knowing I'm a burden to him and he should be focusing on Amara, who surely needs him more. But he won't relent unless I give him something.
"You gonna tell me what's wrong, Allie cat?" he says to me
I glare at him for his use of my childhood nickname, I'm 297 years old, and the man still uses pet names. Utterly insufferable, he is. He gives me a long, unrelenting look. I sigh.
"I found my mate," I tell him, and his eyes go wide
"Who?" he asks, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands
"The male vampire that escaped with Amara," I grit out. Saying it out loud somehow makes it worse; it makes it a reality.
My father is speechless, also a true rarity. I raise a brow at him as he looks at me with a slack jaw. I don't say anything, and he finally scrubs a hand down his face.
"What are you going to do?" he finally asks.
"Reject him and move on with my life," I say, my basic instincts hissing at the words.
"Aylin, I know what this brings up can't be easy, but...why don't you sleep on it? He doesn't seem like a bad guy-"
"No. Absolutely not. I've already made up my mind. Even if I could stand to look at him, I wouldn't subject the kingdom to that." I snap
"The kingdom would be happy if it made you happy, and you know it," he says back sternly.
"That's not the point; the point is it would cause too much unrest, even if they accepted it. I won't do it." I say with finality
Knowing my tone of voice, he sighs and hangs his head. Any talk of mates hasn't been easy for him since losing Arielle. If he believes in nothing else, he believes in the mating bond. As most demons are with their high libido, he was a man whore before her, and to see him be loyal to one woman was a shock, an even greater shock when he refused to bed anyone else after Arielle's death. I tone back on the harshness in my voice, knowing how difficult this conversation must be for him.
"I just...I can't, Father. It's not only that I don't want to; it's that even if I wanted to, I couldn't." I tell him, and he nods
"Well, even though I wish you would at least try, I support you no matter what you decide." he sighs before speaking again. "Just think about giving the bond a chance; it might be good for you." he finishes, leaving unspoken words to hang in the air.
It might help you move on.
Every part of me recoils. It wouldn't have been the first time he said something along those lines, and their meaning rings loud and clear every single time.