FREE NOVELLA CHAPTER Demon Heart Chapter Eleven
Demon Heart by Kiss Carson
Copyright 2021
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A hush lingered on the air like the calm after a violent storm. Remnants of purple mist hung low over the Pool of Truth and bathed the glade in an eerie glow. Dominique closed her eyes. The part of Zachary's heart she didn’t own beat an even, constant rhythm against her ear. Each breath he took lifted and lowered his chest.
Memories of lazy Sunday mornings with her head on Jaye’s bare chest brought unexpected tears. He had been such an important part of her life, of her existence. She’d known him inside and out, relished the feel of his hand, the intimate touch of his lips, the sound of his voice when he’d whispered his love for her. Startled by her sudden sadness, she sat up and wiped tears from her cheeks. Zachary's warm hand encased hers. She angled her face away so he couldn’t see her tears.
“You used the destroy serum,” he told her. “That serum is rarely found. You are very lucky.”
Dominique drew in a deep breath. She had to let her husband go and allow herself to live again. “Tell me again how lucky I am. I think I pulled a butt muscle.” Her voice trembled but her heart slowly strengthened. “How do you feel?”
Zachary grimaced as he sat up. “I hurt, therefore I am alive.” He heaved a sigh and looked around the deserted glade.
Dominique also looked around her. Once beautiful and serene, the glade now lay in ruins. Lumps of grass smoldered by the water, and several trees lay in pieces by the edge of the rainforest. There were no dead demons, or living ones for that matter. Even Destroyer had vanished.
“We need to keep moving.” Zachary's sharp whistle pierced the quiet. He stood and dusted dirt from his clothes before reaching for her. She placed her hand in his and his fingers squeezed lightly as he pulled her up.
Before she could turn away, he cupped her face in the palms of his hands and studied her intently for a moment. Then, he broke into a wide grin. Dominique sighed. How could one man be so irresistible? She would fight demons a million times over if it meant he rewarded her with a luminous smile at the end.
“You were brave,” he told her. “You never gave up and that I live is evidence of your valor. Domini, you saved my life.”
Dominique appreciated his acknowledgement. “I may be worthy of the title Demon Lady, yet,” she replied.
Zachary's eyes suddenly lost some of their gleam and his hands fell away from her face. “You are deserving of much more,” he said. He considered her a little longer and she thought he was about to share some deep, dark secret, but he turned to where Gagan had stopped beside him. He patted the bear’s shoulder and ruffled the fur on his chest, then unfastened the cage Isha gave Dominique and held it forward. “Before the battle, I saw a family of dragonettes in those trees. Perhaps here would be the best place to release him.”
Dominique took the cage and tried to catch his gaze. “Have I said something wrong?” she asked.
“You have reminded me that our destinies are very different, and oft times I overlook the truth of our journey.” He indicated to the body of water behind him. “I am compelled by the Pool of Truth to tell you that love and marriage only ever end in tragedy. My mother and father attest to that.”
Dominique stared at him for a long moment. He was right. Even her marriage had ended in tragedy. Grey eyes studied her face with such sadness that she had to look away. Squatting, she placed the cage on the grass and opened the door. Then, she sat on her heels and waited. As far as she could see, nothing moved. However, a breeze crossed her face. Sure a feathery touch brushed her cheek, she raised a hand to her face and glanced at Zachary who stood by Gagan, head bowed. Perhaps she shared more with the Demon Lord than she first thought.
Zachary looked in the direction of the forest. “I can hear the family of dragonettes,” he said. “They have welcomed him into their group.” He retrieved the empty cage.
Dominique scanned the trees. She couldn’t hear singing, or whistling, or any sound other than the breeze as it breathed through what trees remained and the waters of The Pool of Truth lapping the shore.
“Come, Lady Demon, let us move on. The journey ahead is long so we must both ride on Gagan’s back.” Zachary bent and formed a cradle with his hands.
Dominique placed her hand on his shoulder. “Tell me about your parents.” The muscles of his shoulder under her hand tightened.
“My father was a ruthless tyrant and my mother a gentle soul without fault. Please, Domini, we must continue.”
The finality of his tone jammed her questions in her throat. As indicated, she placed her foot in his hands and he catapulted her up. The bear’s soft fur created a slick surface under her vinyl suit and when she straddled the bear, she continued to slide. With a panicked gasp, she clutched Gagan’s fur and wriggled her bottom furiously to keep her precarious seat. Zachary's hand on her ankle steadied her.
She blushed at her own awkwardness. “This suit will be the end of me,” she muttered.
Zachary vaulted onto the bear to sit behind her. “Isha packed new clothes for you. When we stop next you can bathe and change.”
As Gagan moved forward, she relaxed into Zachary's chest and studied the trees that knitted overhead. The bear kept an even, lulling pace through the trees. Dominique traced the metal box on her belt. How demon marriage worked, she didn’t know. If Zachary sacrificed half his heart for her, what had she sacrificed for him?
“You are very quiet.” Warm breath touched her ear.
“I’m thinking.”
“About?”
“Your parents...and you.”
“My parents are dead. I am not.”
Dominique twisted to look at his face. He stared ahead, grey eyes steady, mouth firm. She wanted to reach up and stroke the whiskers that covered his jaw but decided to keep her hands to herself.
“What do you think happened that night at Oasis?”
Zachary's eyes flickered to her before surveying the forest again. “The henna was disturbed.”
“I know. I just…I don’t feel as though you…You know…Demonstrated your authority.”
Zachary's tight expression relaxed. “Isha is prone to trickery. I doubt we will ever learn the truth of those lost moments.”
“I’m sorry if I spoiled your life plans.” She looked up at him again but he avoided eye contact.
“My life plans are going ahead as arranged,” he replied gruffly.
Gagan came to a slow stop in a glade hidden by the towering splendor of the trees. Damp leaves carpeted the ground, their musky odor reminding Dominique of camping weekends in the mountains.
“We shall sleep here this evening,” Zachary told her. “The Forest of Despair is not far.”
“The what?”
“The Forest of Despair.”
“Oh, joy. That’s something to look forward to,” she muttered. “Where, exactly, is this journey taking us?”
Zachary's arm extended over her shoulder, his finger pointing. “See those mountains in the distance? That is where I call home.” He slid effortlessly from Gagan’s back. “You will find hot springs behind those rocks.” He indicated behind her. “That should suffice as a bath for now.”
Chapter Twelve
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