I felt the anger rolling off him in waves.
He must not have been sleeping as heavily as I thought.
It took a great deal to anger him, and I’m sure my own is festering him as well. It was damn ludicrous that Samael got away with what he did—transferring a possessing demon to another person. There were more tangled webs we would have to deal with, and we were no closer to finding this female.
“What now, brother?” Hypnos flipped his long white hair behind his back. “Your reapers and demons are at the assembly, waiting for your orders. What exactly are you going to tell them since you have no identity of this owner?”
I huffed once we reached my private quarters on the mountain. I saw Azrael had already retrieved the parchment,holding all the souls that have ever touched or looked on her in lust.
They will suffer shortly.
“Drastic times, drastic measures,” I murmured.
I quickly reached for the whetstone on my cluttered desk, feeling its cool, rough surface against my fingertips. With determination, I motioned for my brother to follow me toward the concealed door in the dimly lit living room. As we stepped through the tapestry, we ascended the steep stairway leading to the top of our mountain.
I made a mental note to widen the stairs, to lighten the hallways. Juniper was my mate, and my time living as the depressed bachelor was now over. We would ascend to the mansion above on the mountain. We would have the gardens regrown to her liking, perhaps created from her soul light and hover over our mansion to give light over our mountainous terrain so she could gaze out over the magnificent view.
I would lavish upon her every desire, providing all the comforts her heart yearned for, recreating the familiar earthly delights. We would embark on regular journeys to revisit her home on earth, yet during our stay here, I would ensure she embraced the enchanting novelties of her new home.
While I enjoyed savoring the comforting glow of my treasure’s light, its gentle warmth seeping into my very core, my soul yearned for the embrace of darkness for now. I craved its all-encompassing presence, a cloak to shroud me as I readied myself to face those entrusted with executing my commands. They must grasp the weightiness and urgency of this mission.
As we ascended the mountain and arrived at the majestic mansion, my brother and I stepped into a grand hallway that exuded opulence. The air was heavy with the scent of burning candles, while the flickering light cast an eerie glow on the dark crystals adorning the walls. The smooth marble floors beneathour feet felt cool and polished, adding to the luxuriousness that I had never much cared for.
We made our way toward the platform, the reapers and demons aligned with Ember’s cause part before us, creating a path as we stride forward.
I took two steps at a time and once I reached the platform that held the dark throne that I had yet to sit on in all my years, my shadows encompassed it all while my brother waited at the bottom. He faced the crowd, his hands behind his back, and turned to smirk at me. “Such a showoff.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I want the demons who have been frequenting the strip club to push further. An auction is fast approaching. Get in on the deal.” The demons to the right of the platform nodded in agreement.
They are glamoured in human skin, adorned in expensive suits. “Wave around cash if you have to. Find out the owner’s name, fake, real. I need to knowsomething.”
I fiddled with the whetstone in my hand and projected my voice louder, “Reapers, infiltrate the club. The owner is under a glamour as well. Stay in your death veil, when you are 100% sure you have the owner in your sight—” I take the whetstone and roll it over my scythe’s blade. It makes a shwing sound, and the reapers that have been called into the room watch as a light slings over their blade. “Cut through the veil and seize them.”
The reapers held on to their scythes tightly. I haven’t given my reapers the gift to cross into the living realm. They can only pull souls into their veil. The reapers I have had charge of these operations I trust, and I know they will serve me well.
“This facility has hurt my mate–your future goddess,” I growled.
Reapers and demons murmured amongst themselves.
“They will not go unpunished.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Juniper
When Thanatos left, I felt a hollow feeling in my gut. I didn’t know if it was because we didn’t get to cuddle after having sexy time or because I was worried about him.
Maybe both.
I’d really come to care for him a lot, and that scared me. I didn’t know him all that well, but my heart did funny things around him, and I’m just about to give up and give in. He’s extremely hard-headed at the idea he won’t get bored with me, that I’m not too weird and now overthinking things.
What would he think when I tell him about my past? If I should tell him at all? He’d pretty much said he’d murder whoever hurt me, and I don’t think they all deserve that. I was just a little unwanted.
When Thanatos and I left the bedroom, everyone was in the hallway, prepared to leave. I was utterly embarrassed. They had to know what we were doing, but none of them seemed to care. They were preoccupied and said goodbye to their significant others or mates.
Ares introduced me to his mate, Mariah. As the God of War, Ares lived up to his reputation—tall, imposing, and exuding strength. His muscles rippled beneath his skin, adorned with intricate tattoos. His thick head of hair added to his commanding presence. He wore modern-day attire, donning black jeans and a black muscle tee.
