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I had doubts when I saw it from the woods, but when Eden called me to her aid, I could feel the vehemence in it. As hard as I tried to swallow down my answer, I was helpless but to give her what she wanted. To be commanded by her and obey. Gritting my teeth, I forced out the answer I knew she was waiting for. “A witch’s fury.”
“A what?” My words meant nothing. Before I arrived, she knew nothing of demons. Knew nothing of the witches that wished to command them — as Eden now effortlessly did.
“A witch’s fury,” I repeated, though I knew it would bring her no clarity.
Her lips pressed thin and another tear slid down her cheek. She was overwhelmed. It was a feeling I rarely felt yet it filled my chest. Her emotions found a home in me. “Demons and angels and now witch’s furies… whatever the hell that means.” Her hands shook as they ran over the neckline of her shirt.
Mortals were not something I dealt with often. I could feel her emotions, but now and again they dulled and faded. Now, those emotions that had been so potent before were fading and I didn’t know how to navigate the relationship forced between us.
Eden slowly shoved her neckline down, baring her chest to me. “What is this?” Her finger tapped the raised key.
Information could be a weapon, the witches taught me that. The more they knew of demons, the more dangerous they were. Wars still waged between us. Witches were hungry for a power that was never meant to be theirs and demons were cut down at the knees so they could achieve it. I wondered just how dangerous Eden could become in time. When I was forced to reveal more and more about myself and my world.
“A key.”
“Yeah,” she scoffed. “I can see it’s a key. Why is there a key there? What does it have to do with you?”
Everything.
Her eyes were aimed at the heart of me, the very heart that key had freed. “What does it mean, Asmodeus?”
“In this world, I believe it is a tradition for some to exchange rings to bind the marriage. For demons, it is rumoured our mates become the keeper of our keys.” Our keys were infinitely more binding than their silly rings.
“So… what? We dig it out and this marriage is over?”
Disbelief moved through me so powerful I had to laugh. “Dig it out?”
“Yeah. We could…” She shoved her fingers through her hair, brushing it off her face as she got up and paced. “You could just cut it out and heal me like you did. Couldn’t you?”
If only it were that simple.
“No.”
“Why not?” Eden looked distraught. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared, eyes wide.
Her emotions once again wormed their way into my chest. I rubbed a hand there as something thrummed beneath my skin. “Stop that!”
“Stop what?” she yelled.
A myriad of fear, anxiety, hopelessness and sadness piled into me and made me feel off balance. “You mortals are so dramatic. Not everything needs to be felt with your whole being.”
Her brows shot up. “You want me to stop feeling?”
“Yes.”
“Umm… no.”
This woman. “I feel like you’re purposely being difficult now.”
Eden’s smile seemed unnatural as she whirled at me. “Oh, do you now? You feel like I’m purposely being difficult by having emotions? By having to deal with all this shit and not being some robot void of any feelings about it?”
“Yes.” This marriage was going to be tiresome if I had to explain everything to her over and over. “I can’t carve the key from your flesh because it is no mortal object. It’s not forged in metals or whatever useless things you use for your crafts. It’s made of flesh and bone. Flesh and bone that became yours when you ridiculous women summoned me.”
She stilled and her emotions quieted — all except one.
Anger.
What an interesting little beast.
