Chapter 350
Something dark brewed in Daemonikai’s chest, a thirst for blood. In a blink, he moved from the dais to where Zaiper stood, only to find empty air. The court gasped. Zaiper was already across the hall, seizing Aekeira, yanking her from her seat, and locking one arm tightly around her throat as he dragged her into the open.
“What the hell are you doing, Grand Lord Zaiper?!” High Lord Jakal shouted, leaping to his feet, followed by several other high lords.
“Sit your asses down!” Zaiper barked. “Or I will gut her where she stands!”
Aekeira choked back a cry, protectively clutching her belly. Emeriel went pale as a ghost.
“You think I fear dying?!” Zaiper spat. “You may kill me, but I’ll take her with me! Her and the seed she carries! Try me?” His glare swept the room, stopping on Daemonikai. “I dare anyone to unleash their pheromones on me! So much as a sizzle, and I gut her like a fish!”
High Lord Belzebob’s yellow, beast-like eyes glowed. “We should kill him anyway! He ended the lives of our people, our children, and loved ones! We kill him now and damn the consequences!”
He wasn’t alone; many high lords showed signs of their inner beasts breaking through. Daemonikai understood their fury, grief, and thirst for justice. He felt it too. It pulsed through him, burning away reason, feeding the growing rage.
Kill him! Damn reason and tear him apart. Start with his eyes!
“Daemon, please.” Vladya’s voice was distant.
Daemonikai tuned him out. All he saw was Zaiper’s yellow form—too alive, too breathing.
Break his hands, shatter his legs! Beat him with his own flesh! Make him choke on his screams! KILL THE TRAITOR!
Daemonikai took a step to lunge, but Emeriel’s frantic plea stopped him. Why was his female protecting this vile thing?
Not him, a different voice reasoned, her pregnant sister, carrying your best friend’s child, is in danger.
Fuck. FUCK!
His yellow vision cleared. The tsunami of wrath retreated, sinking just under the tides.
“The big bad beast gets it under control,” Zaiper laughed. “Considering how mad you are, I’m surprised you overpowered the voices.” His fingers tightened around the princess’s neck. “Who else wants to try?! Call forth your beasts! I’ll take her with me!”
“Zaiper! Release her. Now.” Vladya’s voice was that of his beast, but he didn’t move.
“Stand down! Everyone!” Daemonikai roared, his voice infused with his beast and his authority as grand king.
The lords hesitated, rage and bloodlust oozing from them. Swirling, Daemonikai slammed his fist into the wall, cracks spiderwebbing outward. “EVERYONE! Take your damn seats, now!”
They returned to their places sullenly, the hall falling into a lethal quiet. Daemonikai surveyed them. “No one attacks the traitor. No one.” He turned to Zaiper. “Let her go.”
“Now that’s more like it.” Zaiper stopped choking her but held her captive like a shield. “But do you truly think I’m fool enough to let her go until I’m safely beyond these walls? Come now, Daemonikai. You don’t honestly think I’m that stupid, do you?”
Daemonikai’s hands clenched into fists.
Zaiper laughed. “That’s the problem with all of you—so filled with weakness. Look at you, Daemonikai. Strong, legendary Daemonikai. Yet you went feral over a few deaths.” He shook his head, disappointed. “Some people die, and the ultimate ruler loses his mind. How is such a male fit to be king?”
He turned to Vladya. “And you, Vladya. A single female dies, and you sit on the edge of madness for how long? Ottai loses a child and becomes a giant mess. None of you are fit to rule Urai. None of you.”
Everyone was silent, witnessing a side of the Second Ruler none had ever seen—a darkness hidden under centuries of pretense and camaraderie.
“This is why I wanted to be the sole ruler.” Zaiper lifted his chin. “I would have led this kingdom to greatness, taken our kind to the next level.” He bared his teeth. “But that disgusting old hag had to open her mouth and ruin everything.”
Not First Ruler, but Sole Ruler. How long has this been decaying under my nose?
“And yes, it was me all along. Ah… it feels exhilarating to say it aloud. You have no idea how long I have waited for this.” Zaiper closed his eyes briefly, savoring the feeling. “Daemonikai mad or dead—either worked. Vladya long gone. Then there would have been only me. But that little human kept intercepting my plans.”
He glared daggers at his hostage, who flinched. “It may even be worth dying here. You’re all mad with fury; I kill this one, and Vladya kills me. A quick death. But I get to take her with me. If I rip her open and drag out the seed inside her, tear out her lungs, her kidneys, every last organ—” He licked Aekeira’s ear, and she whimpered. “Then perhaps it’s worth dying for.”
Zaiper’s eyes cut to Emeriel, pure hate in his gaze. “Daemonikai is lucky it wasn’t you I grabbed. You were the one I was reaching for, but your sister was closer. You would have died on the spot! I would’ve died a happy male!”
Emeriel looked pallid, but her eyes blazed as she met Zaiper’s glare.
Breathe through it. You cannot jump him. You cannot lose control.
“There’s no measure for how much I hate you, human princess,” Zaiper said. “Pray I never get my hands on you.” He shifted his hold on Aekeira, backing toward the exit. “Now, I’m afraid I must take my leave. My company is no longer welcome. I will leave her by the door once I am safely through it. Razarr! Ready the men. We leave now!”
“You know what, Zaiper? You were right.” Daemonikai spoke, his voice calmer than he felt. “Killing you here would have been a mercy, and that’s not what you deserve. I still need answers. How did you do it? Why did you go to such lengths? Why did everyone—including your brother—have to die for your ambition?” His voice was deadlier. “I have so many questions, and I will drag every answer from you before you take your last breath. You will suffer, I’ll make certain of that, and my face will be the last you ever see.”
“You’ll have to catch me first.” Zaiper chuckled, still backing toward the great doors. “That’s the difference between you and me. You are so easy to catch, but I’m not. You know why? Because you are surrounded with weaknesses. If it’s not her…” he pointed to Emeriel, “…it’s the thing growing in her. Or it’s Vladya. Or Ottai. Or our people. So many weaknesses, so many attachments. I have none.”
Without warning, he shoved Aekeira forward with such force that she stumbled. Daemonikai and Vladya caught her before she fell. Releasing the trembling lady into her male’s arms, Daemonikai sprang to his feet. Zaiper was already out the door, his soldiers forming a protective line around him.
Daemonikai unleashed a surge of aggressive pheromones, focusing on Zaiper, and shoved it all into him. The male froze, unable to move. Daemonikai was beside him in a flash, gripping his shoulder. “Do you really think I cannot hurt you without touching you? Do you truly believe you love no one?”
Zaiper turned with a victorious grin—until his eyes fell upon Daemonikai’s hand on Razarr. The grin vanished. Daemonikai pumped pheromones into the head soldier, reducing him to growls of agony. “Do you really think you’ll walk out of here tonight without losing anything?”
“My head soldier? You think I give a damn about him?” Zaiper scoffed, cackling. “Let him go, you deluded mad king!”
Daemonikai smirked. In a blink, he wrenched Razarr into the air, raised his knee, and snapped Razarr’s spine.
“Nooooo!” Zaiper roared. He lifted Razarr’s shattered body, smashing it a second time before flinging it at Zaiper’s feet. Razor hit the ground hard, coughing up dark blood, struggling to breathe.
“No!” Zaiper dropped to his knees, reaching for Razarr. Another soldier grabbed him, pulling him back. “We don’t have time for this, Your Majesty! The First Ruler will kill us all!”
“Yes, he will.” Daemonikai deadpanned.
“Razarr, get up!” Zaiper bellowed, scraping at the stone. “Get up, right now!”
Daemonikai savored the genuine pain in Zaiper’s voice. Zaiper was yanked to his feet, forced to retreat, crying and shouting like a crazed fool. Daemonikai watched as Razarr took his last breath.
Zaiper’s roars echoed, painfully fulfilling, as he was dragged into the night.