The Demon King (Otherworld Series #4)

Chapter 34

The anger from Nikolai's face diminished and in its place was confusion. "What did you say?" He asked, uncertain.

"I will accept your alliance. You give me my female and leave my grounds immediately after. "

Never look a gift horse in the mouth, if I was in his place, I would give him the female and escape with whatever I had but Nikolai didn't share my opinion. No surprise there.

"Why? Why now? What changed?"

"Your female's value of life has impressed me. When I heard that an elf was among the Demonkin then I never expected that one. We take all seers as a bad omen because all they predict are the death and failure of our species. I recognised her markings and identified her as what her kind call her, 'Vel Miorisi'." He said and waved his hand in the air, Quicksilver darted out of the bushes with a blanket in his hand.

I was surprised that Soul Shredder, a man as scary as his name as high class a creature would know my name, me, lowly Lunia. Misfit-that-lived-in-a-dungeon-for-33-years Lunia. Or was it thirty four? All I could remember were my painfilled mornings and more painfilled nights. But Soul Shredder knowing me? It was like a bigshot, super hot, superstar knowing a small town thirteen year old, gap toothed girl's name.

The blanket made me remember Quicksilver's earlier words abiut having to stich clothes together to make blankets. It was as he described, stitched together by various different cloths but it looked quite cosy and comfortable.

"The name made me loose interest. I've lived a long, long life, it's about time I learn that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover. We take demon's to be heartless creatures, Nikolai Shizkov proved it but an elf among them? That too the Misfit? I thought you to be like them but of course you are not, so Lunia Vel Miorisi, I will fight with the demons in this war, but only for you and only if you tell me to."

Nikolai sent me a sharp glance. "Tell him yes."

"I've gotta be formal!" I said, outraged. How can I just say 'Yes?' And be done with it?

Devil Lunia snickered from my left shoulder. "Didn't you yourself say not to look a gift horse in the mouth?"

Point.

Angel Lunia snorted from my right shoulder. "He made a grand speech you're going to let him be the only cool dude here? C'mon this is your chance to get a few brownie points in with him. "

Devil Lunia huffed. "She already did that when she saved that skinny girl's ass, didn't she? Value of life and all, just say yes."

Angel Lunia scowled. "Nonsense, give a nice long speech on how thankful you are th-"

"Yes. Yes, you shall..uh..fight for us, Soul Shredder."

Nikolai signed in relief. Angel Lunia spat at the ground near my leg and disappeared, Devil Lunia asked me for a payment check.

"For what?"

"I'm not giving up free advice, this isn't a charity, pay up, you fucking freeloader."

"Get lost." She disappeared in a puff of smoke, her laughter echoed in my ears as I watched Nikolai push the skinny female towards Soul Shredder and his beta.

"She's all yours." He murmured, his eyes trained on me, the promise of punishment shone in them. I swallowed hard. And sent my gaze back to the scene ahead of me.

Now finally free of her captives, she looked uncertain whether to throw herself into the Shredder's arms or run screaming toward the hills.

She chose wisely and threw her small, weak body in the open waiting arms of the giant Alpha male. He growled and sniffed at her hair as Quicksilver looked at her as if she were the goddess herself and covered her in the blanket.

She was as good as the goddess though, according to Nikolai she was the daughter of the goddess. A demigod/monstrous creature.

Soul Shredder did not speak to us again. He did not say goodbye and did not even wait to see if Nikolai to completed his promise to leave the lands immediately. There was rustling in the trees and excited yips as the pack in the trees left us alone to look at their new prize.

The girl, whose head lay on Shredder's huge shoulder as he took her away and through the bushes, smiled and wave at me, I waved back.

It also made me think, how did just jump into the arms of a complete stranger?

"A Selemona is always a submissive or in wolf terms, an 'Omega'. They have an instant urge to submit and seek the presence of their Alpha's. That's why she jumped into the arms of a complete stranger." A familiar, husky voice whispered in my ear.

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. Nikolai turned me around by my shoulders and tilted my chin up.

"Open your eyes, Lunia." I shook my head.

"You're angry with me."

"I am soo angry with you.  I don't know whether to kiss you or to spank you." I opened on eye at that.

"Why would you want to kiss me?" I asked, examining his handsome boyish features.

"Because by doing what you did, you managed to get us another alliance. Second one you got by 'the value of life' stuff. First saving Yula's life, now saving that young female's. You Lunia Shizkov are an asset."

I opened both my eyes and smiled up at him.

"But." My smile wavered. "You also humiliated me in front of Alexei and a couple of the royal guard. " His voice grew hard and his hands on  my shoulders tightened, he jerked me closer.

"Sometimes I wonder how I got you in my life and sometimes I wonder why I got you in my life. " He whispered.

"Sometimes you make me so angry and sometime you make me so happy." He continued, his face now so close that my nose touched his.

My eyes met his. I tried to move away but he held me tight. His vibrant green eyes held my dull grey ones, I felt the same feeling of belonging and warmth that I felt the last time I looked into his eyes for too long. I tried telling myself that it was an unwanted feeling but it waw the same feeling I had longed for all my life. Living amongst the Vampires as an outcast, Visiting the elves as an outcast, walking among humans as an outcast. Demons didn't make me feel particularly at home but Nikolai did. He made me feel like I was meant to be with him.
But then why did he make me suffer for so long? When I ask him that question there's always a certain confusion in his face and his eyes glaze over and he gives me a smart retort.

There was something at work here. It weirded me out and made me suspicious of Nikolai's thoughts.

I kept staring into his eyes, enjoying the contact, no matter what I tried telling myself. Nikolai broke the contact by pressing his lips to mine.

The soldiers and Alexei cheered. Nikolai's tongue invaded my mouth, I wrapped my arms around his neck and surrendered to his kiss.

The cheer of the soldiers drowned out the flap of giant leathery wings. Our kiss distracted us so much that the alarmed shouts of the soldiers did not separate us.

What separated us was the facet that a dragon as big as a five story building decended upon us and wretched me away from Nikolai.

I screamed as it flew me off. Nikolai's hand reached out to me, anger and fear glinted in his eyes. My own hand reached out to him, and I was pretty sure fear was the only emotion in my eyes.
"Nikolai!"

"Lunia!"

"Nikolai!" I screamed, unable to say anything else.

"Lunia!!" He roared.

His angry bellow was the last thing I heard before I passed out in fear.