Dark Intent (The Spell Caster Diaries Book 2) by SF Benson

Author:SF Benson [Benson, SF]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-14T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Taming A Beast

New Orleans, Present Day

Elsbeth

When we left Falls Creek, I didn’t plan on coming to Hell. I had nothing against the place, but I preferred choosing when I went there.

Claudius wore a groove in the floor outside his father’s quarters. Leaning against a wall, I watched him from a distance. He tried not to show it, but he was worried about Ashmedai.

If he’d asked me, I would have admitted the same. The noises coming from inside the room—grunts, moans, and items being flung around—scared me. It had been at least an hour, and the King had yet to emerge.

Unfolding my arms, I said, “Maybe I should check on him?”

“No.” Claudius stopped in front of me. “It’s been a long time since Dad was like this.”

“He’s done this before?”

“Yeah, but only when he gets infuriated. I’ve been pulling apart Tarif’s words, trying to figure out what was said to set Dad off.”

“Dark forces,” I said. “Tarif mentioned Melisande hiding something dark.”

“What does that mean? Dark forces?”

Reaching out, I grabbed my husband’s hand. Intertwining my fingers with his, I gazed upon the beautiful incubus. “With the Merciers, dark forces usually mean demons. Evil beings.”

“Oh,” he mumbled.

It was time for me to share what I knew about the family.

“Centuries ago, Clara Mercier wanted me to summon a demon. I refused. Twenty years passed before I saw her again. When I did, she was masquerading as someone else. We fought terribly. During the battle, she called upon the darkness to help her.”

Claudius tilted his head to one side. “Are you saying the family—”

“Practices black magic.” It wasn’t a truth I wanted to tell him, but he had to know what we were dealing with. “There was a demon who called himself Mr. Crain. He’s the one who made me the offer.”

“Your soul for his magic?”

“No. My soul for a taste of black magic. It was meant to entice me. We might be contending with the same demon or his brethren.”

“Any way we can know for sure?” Claudius asked.

Suddenly, the door to Ashmedai’s chambers rolled open. My husband and I exchanged a look when his father didn’t walk out.

“Is it safe?” I said.

“Get your asses in here!” the King shouted.

Without hesitation, we ran inside. Ashmedai sat on his throne with one of his heads in his hand. His gruesome exterior was slowly fading.

He stretched his elongated arms, and the wings fluttered before folding tightly against his back. “Do not let my appearance fool you. I’ll tear you apart if you don’t stop staring!”

I averted my gaze and headed to a chair facing the door. The last thing I wanted to do was look upon the nightmare creature.

“Claudius.” Ashmedai grumbled. “Go to the Malebolge. Get the logs for the last forty-eight hours. I want to know where each and every member of the Malebranche has been.”

My husband glanced at me. “Will you be fine here? You can go back to my room.”

“Here is good. I think I should try talking to him.”

A growl came from the other side of the room.

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