All The Wrong Signs

Riley’s POV

The reality of what had just happened was slowly catching up with me. When I had first seen Blaze, I thought I was dreaming. Even now, safe in his arms, I wasn’t sure this wasn’t all an illusion.

In fact, I had dug my nails into the flesh of my palm until it stung just to make sure this wasn’t some kind of delusion brought on by Kyler’s last attack.

My head rested against Blaze’s chest as he and Petra talked, trying to decide what to do with Kyler. Looking around, I saw Lakyn. It surprised me to see her here. She gave me a little half smile but I could tell she was exhausted. I wondered what all she had been through.

I had a feeling that I had missed a lot. There had been no time to play catch up, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to know everything yet. I knew enough.

Kyler was still unconscious but every now and again his chains would rattle, causing all of us to turn our head to look at him. Blaze wanted his death to be slow and painful. However, Petra was tying to convince him it would be better for all involved to just get it over with.

I understood Blaze. This family had tortured him for years. Kyler had only had me for a couple of days. I couldn’t imagine the things he had done to Blaze.

Blaze and I were still seated on the floor. He had one arm wrapped around me, as his other smoothed my hair. We hadn’t really talked. I think all of us were still taking everything in.

We had won, but yet I didn’t feel like things were over yet. Maybe because Kyler was still alive. Or maybe because we were still deep underground.

I had released Blaze, both from myself and Kyler. He was now free to take his place as prince. To walk away from me.

How ironic he would finally tell me he loved me. I think it would have been easier if he had just left without admitting that to me.

Blaze looked down at me, frowning. Could he read my thoughts? I met his eyes before he leaned down, kissing my forehead.

“Why don’t we take the girls to a hotel? We can decide what to do with Kyler later. Right now, I think they need a good shower, something warm to eat, and a bed.”

Blaze looked up at his sister, nodding. “You’ll have to take them. I’m too weak from…” He didn’t continue, but I knew spilling his blood to heal me had taken a lot from him.

Petra nodded, “I’ll take Lakyn first. That way, you and Riley can have a little alone time.”

Blaze nodded, looking over at Lakyn. “Do you think you can guard this place from intruders? I’d hate for anyone to stubble down here and release the fool on accident.”

Lakyn nodded, shutting the book in her hands. “I’ve found some of the spells Kyler used to keep you hidden. “I think I can do them.”

Blaze nodded, “if you need anything, just let Petra know.”

I looked up at Blaze, seeing him lost in thought. The book was important to him, yet he was letting Lakyn read through it. Was that safe?

Blaze looked down at me. “Once we get you to the hotel, I’ve got to leave for a bit. The council has been summoning me for hours.”

Petra looked over at him. “He could step aside peacefully.”

Blaze laughed, “never. It will be a fight. You know it.”

“Gregar?” I asked, sitting up.

Blaze nodded, swiping my hair out of my face. “I won’t be gone long. Tonight will just be a formality.”

I turned, seeing Lakyn walk to the cave’s entrance and began to chant words I didn’t understand. She waved her hand around and I swore I could see writing, but it would fade away before I could make it out.

Looking over Blaze’s shoulder at Kyler, I shivered. Just seeing him made me sick to my stomach. Standing up, Blaze reached down for me. “He can’t hurt you anymore, little witch.”

It wasn’t me I was worried about. If he escaped, I knew he would not stop until he had Blaze right back where he wanted him. It would become his life’s mission. Not that he would forget about me. I’d probably be his main target to call Blaze out, just as I had been this go round.

Blaze followed my gaze, his eyes resting on Kyler. “I’ve thought about how I would kill him from the first time the prick appeared in front of me. Nothing, and I mean nothing, seems good enough. Everything seems too easy.”

Looking up at him, I nodded. “Don’t demons have special powers to hurt people?”

He nodded, looking over at Petra. “We do.” I wish I knew what was being said unspoken between the two. Even though I had suffered at Kyler’s hand, I knew it was nothing compared to what Blaze had.

Blaze wanted revenge.

“Done,” Lakyn said, walking up to us, looking pale. “I layered a couple of different spells together so they will have to be checked on for breaks or cracks.”

Blaze nodded at Petra, “take her before she passes out on us.”

Nodding, Petra walked over to Lakyn. “You did a good job,” she said. Wrapping her arms around her, they disappeared without a goodbye.

When they disappeared, I took a deep breath. “So we trust her?”

“We do,” Blaze said, looking down at me. “She helped us find you.” When he looked down, I knew there was more to come. Shaking his head, he looked back up, meeting my eye. “Her grandmother was helping Kyler. I had to kill her.”

My mouth dropped at his bluntness. Lakyn loved her grandmother. She was the only family Lakyn had. My heart felt heavy thinking about how she must be feeling. She should hate Blaze, yet here she was helping him. Helping me.

“I owe her,” I said.

Blaze nodded. “I will find a way to repay her for all she has done for us. For you. I…”

Hearing chains rattle, we both turned our heads seeing that Kyler was started to come to. He winced, looking around, trying to gather his wits.

When he turned seeing Blaze and I, he froze, glaring at us. His face turned red. “Let me go, demon. I demand you to let me go immediately.”

Blaze snorted, “I don’t think you get how this works, Wumbert. I control you now.”

Kyler screamed. “I have not released you!”

“You weren’t the one to summon me either, dumbass,” Blaze said casually, unbothered by Kyler screaming and yanking at his chains.

Blaze walked past me, stopping only inches away from Kyler. “I warned you what would happen if I ever got out of this circle.”

Kyler looked afraid for only a split second before he started shaking his head, screaming. I winced, covering my ears as his voice echoed around the cave wall. When he grew quiet, I looked up, seeing his lips moving. Something in me perked up, and I realized he was trying to cast a spell.

Just as I was about to warn Blaze, he realized what he was doing himself. Reached forward, Blaze grabbed Kyler by the face, squeezing his jaws, making his lips bow out like fish lips.

“You just won’t learn, will you?” Blaze said, looking down at him. “You know, I’ve thought about how to kill you for so long, but nothing seems fit for your crime. Death is too good for you. Pain is too good for you.”

Kyler flinched as Blaze released his jaws. “Do your worst demon,” he screamed. “Do you really think no-one else will come after you? Do you think no one else knows of your little whore?”

I could see the anger building up in Blaze. He was like a bomb just seconds from going off. Just when I thought he would explode, he started laughing. Kyler looked at him, confused.

If nothing else, I knew that a pissed off demon laughing in your face was not a good thing for you. You would think that Kyler would be smart enough to know that. Blaze was free, under no one’s control but his own. He was dangerous. Yet Kyler wasn’t ready to accept that.

The air around us seemed to vibrate. It took a minute for me to realize that it was Blaze’s power creating the waves. Now that he was free, he had full access to all of his powers and he was stronger than I ever thought possible. His anger had the very air vibrating with him.

Reaching out, Blaze struck out like a snake, grabbing Kyler by the throat. “I hope you told the world about her. That way, they know not to mess with things that belong to me. She belongs to me. Once I’m done with you, everyone will know the consequences of messing with what belongs to me.”

Kyler was gasping for breath and I wished Blaze would just snap his neck. I didn’t care how Kyler died. I found myself agreeing with Petra that getting it over with would be the best thing for all of us.

Walking closer, I saw Blaze’s eyes were pitch black. His face was distorted. Was this his demon form? I’d never seen it, yet I still found him just as attractive as ever.

Flicking his hand up, I covered my mouth as a blade appeared in his hand. This one was silver and black, but had some tar like substance at the tip.

Poison?

Kyler yanked against his chains, seeing it in his hands. “You can’t kill me, demon.”

Blaze laughed, “kill you? Why would I want to kill you, Wumbert? Torture? That sounds a little more appealing to me.” Touching the tip of his blade, Blaze smiled. “See this? Once it makes its way in your bloodstream, it will begin melting you from the inside out. Eating its way through your body slowly.”

Turning to look at me, Blaze nodded, motioning me closer. “I’ve been saving this for a very long time. I’d always assumed I’d use it on another demon, but this…once in his bloodstream, there is nothing anyone could do to save him.”

Walking over to Blaze, I paused, looking up at him. “Is it fast?” When Blaze shook his head no, I nodded. “Good.”

“You fucking whore. Can’t you see he is using you to get what he wants? How can you side with a demon? He is evil, he will destroy you,” Kyler yelled.

It was my turn to laugh. Blaze already had everything he wanted. He’d actually treated me better than 90 percent of the world had. I wasn’t naïve. I knew Blaze wasn’t a saint. I’m sure he had done horrible things throughout his life. But he’d never given me cause to wish harm on him. Unlike Kyler.

“Out of the two of you, only one of you has tried to destroy me.” I looked over at Wumbert, feeling no sympathy for his plight.

Blaze looked down at me, “I still feel like this is too easy.”

“Is it painful?” I asked.

“Excruciating,” Blaze said as he leaned down kissing me.

Kyler started screaming insults at us again, but neither of us even spared him a glance. Without even turning to look at him, Blaze struck out, sinking his dagger into Kyler’s side. Standing up straight as Kyler howled in pain, Blaze swiped my hair behind my ear. “It’s time to go, little witch.”

“What did you do to Wumbert?” Petra asked, appearing suddenly beside us.

Blaze shrugged, still looking down at me. “Pharaoh kiss. A little something I’ve been holding on to.”

“What have you done to me?” Kyler yelled weakly. “I can feel something moving inside of me.”

“It’s the poison,” Petra said cheerfully. “Wish I could tell you it won’t be painful. But the Egyptians didn’t make killing curses to be pleasant.”

Looking back up at Blaze, he winked at me. Pulling me into his arms, he wrapped his arms around me. “Ready?” When I nodded, Petra came, taking Blaze’s hadn’t and with a blink of the eye we were standing in the middle of a grand hotel room.