Dancing With the Devil

Chapter 23

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As soon as the words tumbled out of my mouth, a fierce rumble shook the ground, causing Violet and me to topple over from the force. Xavier was in too much shock to catch me, but his late reaction did save my head from smashing against the floor.

“What was that?!” I demanded, slowly standing again, now having my mate’s protective hands guiding me to my feet.

Despite the grave situation, every expression on a demon’s face was filled with glee. “The volcanoes recognize a newcomer,” Felicia answered joyfully, looking like she was about to start clapping her hands together. “It senses you, and you call to it just as strongly as it calls to you. Do you not feel the pull, child? That bond all of us demons have to the magma, such a raw, powerful form of heat and fire?”

Now that she mentioned it, I did feel a pull, one that rivaled the tug I felt for Xavier. It whispered silent promises of marvelous heat in glorious abundances. My new demon form trickled to the surface, cracking my mask of humanity with its eagerness.

“Yes, I feel it,” I responded breathlessly. Violet stared at me in wonder, and I smiled reassuringly in her direction, wanting to comfort my pair number. She walked towards me dazedly, absentmindedly beginning to play with my hair, fascinated by the million strands of flame.

A sharp whinny pierced my ears, and I grinned widely as I felt yet another demonic connection, this one more animalistic. Xavier and I both said goodbye to our audience hastily, rushing out the door to greet Ignis and Dawn after being away from them for what felt like centuries.

I breathed a sigh of relief once I saw the demon landscape that I’d missed so much. The vampire realm, with all of its pretty flowers and colorful décor, couldn’t compare to the scenery I had fallen in love with just as thoroughly as I’d come to love my mate.

 The grass was lush and abundant closer to the castle, sometimes slightly tipped brown from the constant, overbearing heat. To my left, the city of demons went on with their everyday lives, although a thrill went through me when I focused on them.

“You are feeling their emotions,” Xavier explained instantly, noticing my expression. “As my mate and their future female ruler, you are in tune with their emotions. They are excited about the eruptions, too, Princess. Not as much as you are, but that’s because this is your first time experiencing it.”

I nodded, letting him know I had heard him. My eyes were still captivated by the setting I had missed so much. Vegetation dwindled closer to the town because of the constant fires, whether for transportation purposes, children playing with it, mates showing off to each other, and multiple other reasons. Fire was always around in the demon realm, like water on Earth. It was needed to survive and not considered dangerous or harmful. It was simply a part of a demon’s everyday life.

On the right side of the castle, the wild hellhorses roamed in acres upon acres of burned grasslands. Some traveled up the sides of the volcanoes, just as drawn to what was bubbling inside as demons were. Their plethora of shapes, sizes, and colors captivated me. Thousands of horses galloped and grazed, raced and played with each other, nuzzled and nursed their young. Each one proudly flaunted a mane of fire and a banner of the same sort served as a thick tail. Their hooves constantly created new tiny craters of black ash every time they stepped, burning another circle of grass.

Another roar erupted from the volcanoes. I glanced around, seeing four of the towering giant landmarks surrounding the castle, which was positioned right in the middle of them. Fumes swirled out of the tops, making the air thick and muggy. I sighed contently, breathing in the hot air like a drug. Xavier copied me.