demons’ ancestors. Ones who long ago left our realm to join Satan, but in their place, demons have been born to follow in their duty.”
“You breed?” I snapped out.
She shrugged. “We are destined just as you and Magnus were.”
I cringed at that and Kyden stiffened. The emotions that ran through us both made breathing difficult.
Kyden smoothed his hand over mine, gave me a soft smile in an obvious attempt to settle the pain in my heart. I had to admit, having this bond with him made things between us even stronger. It took the unknown out of the relationship. The wondering what the other person is thinking. Whatever I needed, he would react to it because now he could sense it. Reading Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus was a thing of yesterday.
Misa didn’t notice our little moment and went on. “We’re destined to one that will make our offspring stronger. So, it continues. We seek out humans who are desperate to receive their sin, give it to them with our powers, then drain a part of their life force.”
“Okay that explains that part, but what about the witches and warlocks there,” I stated. “When did they come into the picture?”
“As the battle resumed between the two worlds, Satan’s witches began to breed with the demons and produced warlocks.”
“Oh, I guess that makes sense,” I said with a little shrug. “So getting it straight, demons seek out humans that want to commit one of the sevens sins, and when they do, the demon will give them what they’re after in return for some of their life force?”
Misa nodded.
“Do the humans know?” It was the obvious next question.
She shook her head. “After the life force is drained, the human’s memory is gone with it, and another one put in place to explain the reasons for getting what they were after.” She raised her brows a little and gave a knowing glance. “It keeps our world safe.”
“Hrmph,” I wasn’t at all happy about that. They should know that they’re taking a few years off their life to get that new car, but really, some people would probably do it anyway. I let it go. “What do the witches and warlocks do then?”
“It works in a similar way. They offer souls to the Underworld to give it strength. Before, as you know, it didn’t matter what souls they would take. They would draw the runes and give up whoever they pleased.”
I held up my hand to stop her before she got ahead of herself and left me confused in the wake. “What runes?” She reached back and tapped her back. The indication was clear. My hand touched my tattoo. “They’ll draw my willow?”
Kyden appeared a bit taken back and even placed his hand on top of mine as tension ran through me. His, mine? I settled on, both.
“And Kyden’s as well,” Misa added, her tone casual, as if she were ordering a banana split and not talking about scary things.
Something felt so wrong and dirty about this. Until now, I hadn’t realized why I’d been granted this tattoo, and now knowing it didn’t sit well with me. “So, you’re saying that when they draw either my tattoo or Kyden’s, the rune will activate dark magic?”
“That’s right.”
God, I needed a really long hot shower. “Why do they do it? I mean, what do they get out of it?”
“To be a part of the Underworld, you always have to be giving to it, feeding it. Our magic is driven by human life forces. Witches and warlocks can only remain in our realm if they are doing that. They’re just providing to their world is all.” She stood. “I believe I’ve told you what you need to understand the Underworld better so that you can make an informed decision about your guard. Remember, you need the strongest beings surrounding you. To keep you and our world protected. Choose wisely.”
Just like that she left, the door slammed closed behind her. For a good ten minutes, neither Kyden nor I moved. We
“You breed?” I snapped out.
She shrugged. “We are destined just as you and Magnus were.”
I cringed at that and Kyden stiffened. The emotions that ran through us both made breathing difficult.
Kyden smoothed his hand over mine, gave me a soft smile in an obvious attempt to settle the pain in my heart. I had to admit, having this bond with him made things between us even stronger. It took the unknown out of the relationship. The wondering what the other person is thinking. Whatever I needed, he would react to it because now he could sense it. Reading Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus was a thing of yesterday.
Misa didn’t notice our little moment and went on. “We’re destined to one that will make our offspring stronger. So, it continues. We seek out humans who are desperate to receive their sin, give it to them with our powers, then drain a part of their life force.”
“Okay that explains that part, but what about the witches and warlocks there,” I stated. “When did they come into the picture?”
“As the battle resumed between the two worlds, Satan’s witches began to breed with the demons and produced warlocks.”
“Oh, I guess that makes sense,” I said with a little shrug. “So getting it straight, demons seek out humans that want to commit one of the sevens sins, and when they do, the demon will give them what they’re after in return for some of their life force?”
Misa nodded.
“Do the humans know?” It was the obvious next question.
She shook her head. “After the life force is drained, the human’s memory is gone with it, and another one put in place to explain the reasons for getting what they were after.” She raised her brows a little and gave a knowing glance. “It keeps our world safe.”
“Hrmph,” I wasn’t at all happy about that. They should know that they’re taking a few years off their life to get that new car, but really, some people would probably do it anyway. I let it go. “What do the witches and warlocks do then?”
“It works in a similar way. They offer souls to the Underworld to give it strength. Before, as you know, it didn’t matter what souls they would take. They would draw the runes and give up whoever they pleased.”
I held up my hand to stop her before she got ahead of herself and left me confused in the wake. “What runes?” She reached back and tapped her back. The indication was clear. My hand touched my tattoo. “They’ll draw my willow?”
Kyden appeared a bit taken back and even placed his hand on top of mine as tension ran through me. His, mine? I settled on, both.
“And Kyden’s as well,” Misa added, her tone casual, as if she were ordering a banana split and not talking about scary things.
Something felt so wrong and dirty about this. Until now, I hadn’t realized why I’d been granted this tattoo, and now knowing it didn’t sit well with me. “So, you’re saying that when they draw either my tattoo or Kyden’s, the rune will activate dark magic?”
“That’s right.”
God, I needed a really long hot shower. “Why do they do it? I mean, what do they get out of it?”
“To be a part of the Underworld, you always have to be giving to it, feeding it. Our magic is driven by human life forces. Witches and warlocks can only remain in our realm if they are doing that. They’re just providing to their world is all.” She stood. “I believe I’ve told you what you need to understand the Underworld better so that you can make an informed decision about your guard. Remember, you need the strongest beings surrounding you. To keep you and our world protected. Choose wisely.”
Just like that she left, the door slammed closed behind her. For a good ten minutes, neither Kyden nor I moved. We
Similar Books
