"Marry me?"

I couldn't believe what was happening. Lex, the man who always played games to get everything he wanted now was on his knees, begging for me to say yes.

"Emie, please say something." I wanted to laugh. Should I enjoy his misery that much? But he did hurt me, didn't he?

"I honestly don't know what to say." I answered with a polite smile on my face. "Will you-just stand up?"

He nodded, running his fingers through his dark curls. His once long hair now only came up to his ears, courtesy of my sister's anger. I would never admit it to him but he looked even better with it. I waited for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. "Lex, I appreciate what you are saying but too much has been said already that it's hard for me to believe anything you say now. Can I give you an answer in the morning? I need to process this first."

"Yeah, sure." Lex said eagerly, his expression wavering a little. "Take your time. I-I will wait for you. "

I didn't know what to say but I had to know one thing. "Did you ever loved me? I mean before."

His fingers clutched his cuff links for dear life as he struggled to open his mouth. "I wouldn't be this selfish if I didn't."

Hiding my shock, I kept walking until there was a voice shouting for me to stop. But it wasn't Lex. It was a very anxious-looking Zed. 

"Zed, What is it?" I demanded, thinking of all the worst-case scenarios I could conjure but he broke into a smile as soon as he heard me. 

"Oh, thanks to the devil, you're alright."

Puzzled, I could only stare. "Why wouldn't I be? Zedkiel?" 

"I saw Lex trailing after you. I was...worried." He flinched as if he should not have said it. "I mean I know you two were thinking of patching up or whatever but I just wanted to be sure that he hadn't lost it right in front of you."

The brief hint of worry in his voice had me smile. 

"Why are you smiling?" He frowned.

"You don't have to worry about us all the time, ok? I know you were upset about everything that happened recently. We needed that talk anyway." And thinking about it again was enough for me to lose the smile. 

"Oh." He nodded, still wary of my change of expressions. "So, what did you talk about?"

"He apologized for everything. Then he told me that he loves me."

His eyes widened, and lo behold, I wasn't ready when he started shaking my shoulder in a joking manner. "Oh, Emie...how much have you had to drink?" 

I wasn't expecting any better reaction but for him to think that I imagined it all was enough to let me know just how ridiculous the situation was. Lex didn't love anyone, not even himself. So I had to swallow hard before I started crying right there. "Then I don't know what you will think of his proposal. H-He wanted me to marry him again. This time I guess in front of everyone like 5132."

"Fuck, he really did it." Zed took a deep breath, looking up into the sky. "I just hope he isn't playing games anymore. Who knows what goes in his head. Sometimes even he doesn't know what he's doing. Are you ok?"

I gave him a tight-lipped smile. "I'm fine. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"But-"

I hated using the bond between us to force him but sometimes he left me with no choice. "I said no, Zedkiel."

"Fine." He agreed without thinking before he came to the realization. "Don't do this, please. I was just looking for you cause Allegra wanted you for some reason."

"Zed, you know I don't like doing this either. I am sorry, I was just not ready to talk. It won't happen again. I promise, Ok?" With one last look at where I left Lex, I continued walking with Zed, away from my wretched heart. But too soon I realized that I could never run far. 

Damn him.

I cursed silently, I forgot to block my mind and he had no problem baring his for me to see it for all I wanted. He was hurting too, guilt marred his very soul as he took every breath. So when we finally reached the basement, I couldn't wait to show my relief. 

"Thank you for everything." I said, turning to face Zed. "I guess I'll see what Allegra-"

I wanted to say more but the words were cut short when I really looked at him. He looked paler than normal and so nervous. I couldn't understand the emotions playing in his face but my gut was telling me that something was terribly wrong. "Listen, Emie, what happens inside the room, it's hard for you to understand now. But I promise you, it was for the best."

"Um...what are you talking about?"

"Open the door." The more I tried to deny that something was wrong, the more nervous he looked. To assure myself that it was just me that was imagining things, I turned the doorknob and the sight that greeted me made my heart stop.

Almost.

I reached for his arm, pulling him back. "What's the meaning of this!?"

His smile was anything but friendly. "He brought this upon himself."

And that's the only warning I got before something slammed into my head, forcing me to meet my old friend, the dark void.

***

"She's out cold."

"Don't worry, she is strong."

"I must admit, I didn't think you of all people will help me."

"Just fulfill your end of the deal."

"I will once I have the third piece in my hand."

Suspiciously the last words seemed like Demos's. Please tell me I was hallucinating...I prayed over and over again. This couldn't be happening. Demos was supposed to be back in Hell, forever suffering under the pit. Mikhail and Eros had made sure of that or maybe...

Zedkiel's been with them then. Was everything that was happening even real?

"Here you are, my darling." My worse nightmare greeted me as soon as I opened my eyes. Panicking, I tried to stand up from the chair but no matter how many times I tried, I just couldn't. What the...

Demos stared at me, watching me fail with a teasing smile on his face. Only when I was ready to spit on his face that he raised his hands. "Don't bother, love. You have my blood in you. It will take your magic away and stop you from turning into a Reaper for the next twenty-four hours. By then, we will be back in Hell just like I promised."

No! Not only I had been taken but so was my magic. 

"What...wh..?" I coughed twice, clearing my throat only for my gaze to clash with Zed's unblinking one. "You. What the fuck have you done, Zed!"

I respected the man for God's sake. He was the good one between all of us. So why was he here, helping Demos take me?

Demos came forward before Zed could say anything to defend himself. "Calm down, love, it's not good for your health."

Demos kept talking but I only had eyes for Zed. I couldn't believe that he betrayed me. And Lex. Oh, God. Lex. He trusted Zed more than he trusted anyone. 

What would Lex do once he knew?

"Don't you have any questions, love?" Demos asked once he noticed that I was staring at Zed. I tore my gaze from Zed to Demos.

"How did you escape?" I asked the one question I couldn't fathom. 

"Zedkiel used Mikhail to wake me up."

Lies, everything was lies. He brought this upon himself...

"Who are you trying to punish?" I croaked out, suddenly out of breath. "I-I don't understand-"

He had the nerve to laugh. "It's nothing personal."

"Nothing personal!" I burst out, painfully aware of my anger rising tenfold. "You betrayed me, Lex, and God knows how many countless people. What's wrong with you!?"

He shot me a look I never saw in him. Even my mother couldn't get that reaction out of him. Rage, hatred filled his bones as he scoffed. "Betrayal? Ask Lex what he did. I trusted him with a secret and he didn't even care about it! For you, to save you, he threw Prophesy at this disgusting creature."

Prophesy?

I stumbled to make sense. "What does Prophesy have anything to do with this?"

"She has everything to do with this! You asked me once if your mother was my beloved, she wasn't. But Prophesy is." My ears rang but I couldn't believe what I was hearing. His beloved? How? "Because of Lex's stupidity, she is now in a cell numb out of her fucking mind. She was out and all I had to do was find her. Make sense of my feelings or the lack of them. Finding answers but Lex robbed me of it."

"No, Zedkiel, listen to me, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry that I never put two and two together. But you don't have to do this! We can get Prophesy and run from here."

Demos was silent all through the talk but now he let out a chuckle. "You out of everyone should know darling that you can't get out of Hell without my permission."

"Fuck you." I had never felt pain and anger like this before. Even Lex didn't bring me this much torment as I spat on Demos. "You stay out of this."

"No, you stay out of this, Emie." Zed spoke over Demos, his fists clenching once in a while. "Prophesy is linked to him and unless I find a way out, the two of you are stuck here. So, I suggest you start to adjust to your new life."

"You can't leave me here with a clear conscience. You saved us more times than we can ask for. Where's that Zed gone?" I could only whisper now, all the anger had vanished with the truth.

"That Zedkiel didn't have a beloved then." His lips twitched in what could have been a real smile before even that left, leaving that cold heartless man in his presence. "Besides, I already did something to get your hatred. That night in the woods? It wasn't Lex who attacked you, it was me. I had just talked to him, he fessed up and I was waiting for anything to punish him. Then you came running from the manor, I didn't even think twice. That's how far I'm gone, Emie."

For the second time, I was speechless. It never occurred to me that Zed could have done this. He was a clan leader back then, of course, he could mimic the power of Darkness if he wanted to. Hell, he was the one who found me, didn't he? And Lex...I blamed him for all it's worth.

"...I'll be back for them." 

Zed shook hands with Demos and proceeded to leave. Without taking me. I didn't know how long they were talking but I zoned out.

Crap!

"Zedkiel! You owe me for your life!" I screamed, the truth now feeling like a joke. I could make him do anything but I was useless to do so and as if he knew that too, there was a self-loathing smile on his face.

"That's why I let him take your magic. See? We are alike now. Futile." With those final words, he left. Staring at the door in stunned silence, I glanced at Demos to see him looking at me in amusement.

"Love, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this day." Demos smiled, looking down at me. I didn't answer. I didn't even hesitate to bite down on his lip, drawing blood when his lips came to claim mine. 

I was sure that he was boiling inside but he only touched my cheeks gently as a lover should. He thought he had me cornered, huh? My eyes closed on their own, humming with the soul inside me. He might take my magic away. He might think I was futile just like Zed but none of them knew one thing. 

I had been talking to them.

Those souls inside me.

Those spirits I raised.

"Come, my army, come with me."

With a grin that even Demos would be scared of, I let go of the souls inside of me with a scream. Those poor souls screeched, flying toward the other demons in the room to make them crumble to the floor. Demos looked shocked only for a second, watching the footsteps of those people coming closer. They were quick, I admit.

I took one look at them and smiled. "What are you going to do now, Demos?"

"You've been a very bad girl." He chuckled, stalking toward me. But I didn't lose the smile. I was free after all.

Let him come.

Let them sin.

Cause they would pay, every one of them. 

"Sorry, Demos. If I'm going down then I'm taking down all of your demons with me."

And true to my words, they would go down. With or without their King.