The Reluctant Demon

Copyright The Reluctant Demon © 2023 by Mae Pierce. ASIN B0C2PF8HHR All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Edited by Dark Ink Publication Cover by Gombar Cover Designs Contents Content Warning Dedication 1. Prologue 2. Chapter 1 3. Chapter 2 4. Chapter 3 5. Chapter 4 6. Chapter 5 7. Chapter 6 8. Chapter 7 9. Chapter 8 10. Chapter 9 11. Chapter 10 12. Chapter 11 13. Chapter 12 14. Chapter 13 15. Chapter 14 16. Chapter 15 17. Chapter 16 18. Epilogue Want More? To the Best of the Best Also By Content Warning THE RELUCTANT DEMON is contained in the Power of Blood universe and cannot be read as a standalone. The best reading experience is after TRIAD'S CURSE & TRIAD'S CURE. This book is a spicy demon novella and contains depictions of: Sexual scenes that involve double penetration, cock warming and edging. Choking and death of a character. Mentions of branding and physically marking the FMC by the MMC. It also contains brief references to: Physical disfigurement of a character. Death of a parent. If you feel there is something that needs to be added into these warnings please email [email protected]. Dedication To the 1985 movie Legend that I watched as an impressionable young girl. I couldn't work out why the main character didn't swoon over The Lord of Darkness wanting her as his bride. So, I wrote my own grumpy, horned demon instead. Much better. PrologueThe tail of smoke from the blown-out candle tickled my nose. “Happy birthday, precious girl.” Mom smiled softly from the bed. I passed the tray of twelve cupcakes off to Dad and squished my small body in next to her. She looked good today. Her color was slightly pale, but that was unavoidable now. Blue veins tracked over her skin like rivers. It bruised easily with how paper thin it had become.“Thanks Mom.” I snuggled in next to her, careful not to jostle her too much. “What did you wish for?” Hale asked, taking a seat on the other side. Mom made a noise of interest, looking at me eagerly for my answer. My throat was tight. I didn’t want to tell them what my wish was. It might ruin the fragile peace of this moment. Mom’s good days were few and there wasn’t anything anyone could do. She was dying and a wish couldn’t change that.No matter how much I wanted it to. I told them my second wish instead. The one I focused on when the nights seemed long, and days filled with melancholy.“I wished for a triad like yours, Mom.” I brushed a hand down her cheek, and she beamed. Owe chuckled and plucked a cupcake off the tray to ferry over to mom. “You want three Legion who will fall at your feet? Chapter 1“I’d rather stick my hand in a barrel of scorpions.” I jammed my finger against the elevator button. Repeatedly. Garzeth huffed in my ear. “Alright, no need to get dramatic. It’s just a singles mixer. You used to go to them all the time, remember?” I ground my jaw and stepped into the elevator, not dignifying his comment with a response. He knew exactly why I’d stopped going to those outings. But he couldn’t let it go. This wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation and it wouldn’t be the last. “I’ll come with you if you like. Be your wing brother,” he wheedled, and I fought the urge to hang up on him. My shoulders bunched around my ears, and I had to force them down. The elevator pinged open, and I stormed out without bothering taking in the eerie beauty of the portal room. “You’re not a High Daemon. It’s a waste of your time to attend when you won’t find your mate.” I flipped my accreditation to the security that guarded the portal to Melbak. Garzeth sighed, and I could hear him muttering to someone else before he replied. Likely his boyfriend Landon. My chest twinged involuntarily, and I clamped my teeth on my tongue. The pain helped distract me from the jealousy I felt towards my brother. It wasn’t his fault