Of Thorns and Ashes (Demon Sacrifices Duet Book 2)

Of Thorns and Ashes Demon Sacrifices Duet Book Two Kenzie Skye Copyright © 2023 by Kenzie Skye All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Epilogue One Cyrus "Fuck you, you high-handed bitch!" I roar at the priestess at the top of my lungs. Seriously, the bitch has a lot of nerve. I don't care if she is the ruler of this twisted universe. First, she condemns my brother and me to our respective hells, and now she makes it so I can't even see him. The only thing that was keeping both of us at least partially sane was being able to travel to one another's kingdoms. When we stumbled across the priestess that day in the field, our lives were irrevocably changed forever. All it took was one moment for her to shackle us to our doom. My brother was sentenced to eternity as the ice demon, while I was made the fire demon. It's appropriate I guess because I'm angry enough to bring hellfire down on the entire world. I wish like hell I could use fire and brimstone on the cunt who sentenced us to this fate. The worst part of all this is we never understood what we did to warrant this punishment. We were simply two normal demons, minding our own business. Did we inadvertently offend her, or are we just the unlucky pawns in her game of amusement? I don't know, and at this point, I'm beyond caring. I'm livid. "I refuse to do any more of your bidding! Do you hear me?" I'm screaming up at the sky. I don't know where the priestess of the universe likes to hang out, but I imagine the high-handed bitch can hear me somewhere up there. I refuse to go get the sacrifice she requires my brother and me to get annually. Hell, my brother went and got his, and now he's not to be seen or heard from again, so what's the point in obeying? As if on cue, my disobedience lends itself to that telltale prickling of my skin. I grit my teeth together as those prickles begin to burn until it feels like fire is licking through my veins. "Motherfucker!" I scream as I fall to my knees in agony. I've never considered myself a weak demon, but I've never been able to withstand this fiery torment for long. I fight like hell, of course—like I always do when I decide that I'm going to be defiant. But in the end, I cave—and hate myself for it. I stomp the entire way to the village, making it take as long as I can. Sure, I could teleport myself there in an instant, but I need the physical punishment, and if it'll prolong giving the priestess her way, then the merrier. I finally reach the village and sneer when I see that the idiot villagers already have their young "sacrifice" ready. Idiots, the entire lot of them, thinking that by giving away their beautiful young innocents, they somehow parry favor with us demons—as if we have the power to help them. Hell, my brother and I can't even help ourselves. No, all these humans are doing is condemning their own to death. I do as I always do and stalk over to accept my sacrifice, intent on not paying her any attention. What good does it do to even feel sorry for them? There's nothing I can do to save them. I know that at this point. But when I grab this girl's arm, an electric current zips through me like I've been zapped. I glance at her without thinking, startled at the contact. Big mistake. She stares up at me with eyes as green as emeralds. Her face is framed with red locks that curl wildly across her shoulders and down her back. Her little lips are shaped in a perfect bow, and they're sinfully pink and puffy. She's the most mesmerizing thing I've ever seen in all my centuries of existence. I can't help but feel drawn to her, my desire for her overwhelming my logical mind. I can hear her heart thumping against her chest, and I can smell the sweet scent of her innocence. "Who are you?" I ask, my voice coming out like my throat is full of rocks. Damn it. "My name is Mariah," she says, her voice trembling even as she juts her chin up at me defiantly. I study her, intrigued not only by her beauty but by the bravery she's showing—so different from all the other sacrifices. "I'm Cyrus," I reply, my grip on her arm tightening as I internally curse myself. Why am I introducing myself to her? I never give my name to the sacrifices. "Let me go," she says with the tiniest hint of a plea in her voice. I hesitate for a moment, that plea almost my undoing. My mind battles with my desires, but in the end, I know I can't let her go. "This is beyond me," I finally growl as I tug her to me in frustration. I wrap my arms around her and teleport her back to my castle in the blink of an eye. I watch her eyes widen as she pushes away from me and sees where we are. She looks up at the black stone castle. Contrary to what people might think, the fire demon's lair isn't actually in the pit of hell. No fire and brimstone simmering around here. However, my castle is black, and it is hotter than the desert here, though the landscape is a beautiful green like that of a permanent summer.