Chapter 114 — Devil’s advocate

It didn’t take more than an hour till I got to my destination. Immediately we drove through the gates, there was an uneasy feeling that washed over me. I peered through the window, observing my surroundings. Everything seemed and looked normal, yet, it was far from it.

When the car came to a halt, the driver who had been silent the entire ride opened the door for me, and I stepped out reluctantly. When I looked up, I found myself standing in front of a huge dark mansion. I would’ve admired the remarkable architecture if not for the feeling of anxiety creeping down my spine.

There was something thick in the atmosphere that made my skin crawl and I couldn't understand what it was.

I took a deep breath as I walked ahead, being led to the mansion’s entrance by two large men. As the door opened, we stepped into the mansion, walking through wide long halls.

When we reached the next doorway, the door swung open, revealing a majestic dining room. The interior was breathtaking with golden regal layouts, creating an atmosphere that screamed ‘riches’. At the center of the room stood a large dining table with a rich red table cover, adding to the setting.

“There you are.”

I froze as his voice startled me from behind. When I quickly turned to face him, he wasn't there. Confused, I spun around only to find him right in front of me, just inches away, making my heart leap in shock.

How did he move that fast?

He looked the same from the last time I saw him. Somehow, his black eyes had looked even darker, and the look on his face was more ominous. He took my hand in his, and before I could react, he placed a sloppy kiss on the back of my hand.

Irritation coursed through me and I made sure it was evident on my face. I tried to yank my hand away, but his grip was firm. He tried to drag me but my legs remained planted to the ground.

He shot me a warning look, “Come, let’s sit.”

Having no choice, I obliged and let him drag along with me till we were seated across each other on the dining table.

“You’re even prettier than the last time I saw you,” his lips drew back into an ugly sneer, “Devyn didn’t break you enough.”

Having no time and patience for his bullshit talk, I deadpanned, “Where is Kristen? I want to see her.”

He chuckled darkly, “So straight to the point. I like that about you.”

I could feel my anger rising but I held myself. He was being annoying on purpose, so I'd snap.

“We made a deal, Damien,” I bit out his name like it was putrid in my mouth, “I need to make sure you’re keeping your part of the deal.”

He shrugged, as he turned to look at a guard standing by the door, “Bring her in.”

The guard walked away and in a few minutes, Kristen was in the room. When I saw her, my heart skipped a beat, and when she realized I was there, her eyes widened and I could see the relief as her features relaxed.

“Oh my God, Gina!” When she tried to move, the guard yanked her back by her arm as she hissed at him, “Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Sit!” Damien barked and the guard dragged her till she was seated opposite us.

There were no injuries on her as far as I could tell, she looked okay too and I was glad about that.

I turned to Damien when he spoke, “As you can see, she’s fine.”

“What is your plan? Tell me why I’m here.”

“As I said earlier, I just need your power. It’s no news that I made a deal with the devil, but there’s always something the devil asks in return right?” he said as he played with a table knife on the dining table.

“Tomorrow night, when your blood flows into our altar, you’re going to be the devil’s own advocate. He wants to come into this realm to take a physical form and he needs a strong host,” he pointed the knife at me, grinning from ear to ear, “You're the perfect host. The night of your ascension is going to be the night of a resurrection.”

Chills ran through me, but I tried to hide how his words affected me.

He continued, “When your body is taken permanently, I’ll be given a reward for my loyalty and obedience. The power I have right now is nothing compared to what is coming.”

He threw his head back, shut his eyes, and smiled as if imagining the moment already. I glanced at Kristen who looked just as confused and afraid as I felt. So basically, I was going to be used as a vessel to resurrect the devil.

I was terrified, and I had every right to be.

I picked my words carefully, trying to engage in a conversation with the psychopath.

“Why are you after so much power? You already seem rich and powerful enough. Why do you need more? What's your motive?”

He remained silent at first then when he dropped his head back to look at us, there was a grim look on his face, “Because all my life, I’ve been powerless. When you hunger for something, and you get a taste of something sweet, you develop an addiction and it becomes all you’ll crave.”

I shot up in my seat, “What do you mean?”

“When everyone looked down on you, your own father despised you, and your mother suffered because she birthed you, you’ll crave the power because it’s your solace.”

His fists hammered the table, making me startle. His lips tightened, and a stern expression etched across his face. At that moment, a realization dawned on me.

Why did Damien resemble someone? Someone I couldn't quite recall.

“I’ll make everyone pay. Starting with Devyn who had always been the golden child. I’ll kill him.”

My forehead creased as I tried to make sense of what Damien was saying. What did he mean by the golden child?

I decided to ask carefully, trying not to agitate him more, “What do you have against Devyn? What did he ever do to you?”

“He took everything from me. The life I was supposed to have, he took it all. My mother was our father’s mate, and after she gave birth to me and he realized she couldn’t give him the child he wanted, he disposed of her like she was nothing… disposed of us,” he paused, his breath heavy, as he narrowed his eyes, “And that’s when Devyn’s mother came into the picture.”

My eyes widened in shock, and I felt like they might pop out of their sockets. My head spun as everything started to piece together.

I recalled Devyn saying his mother hadn't been his father’s mate. It had been Damien’s mother and she had given him a child.

What sort of man abandons his mate and his child?

“Devyn is your stepbrother,” I stated, more as a realization than a question, because I already had my answer.

Damien nodded, “I’ll give him credit for killing our father, but I hate him. Devyn reminds me so much of him, that’s why I can’t stand him.”

The shock finally dissipated as Damien poured out his hatred. Clearly, he didn't know Devyn’s life had been hell.

“Devyn didn't have the life you thought he did. He did you a favor by taking all the attention from you. If you turned out this way because you were abandoned, I can't imagine how much worse you would've if you weren't.”

I could see Damien’s nostrils flaring in anger, but I wasn’t going to let him talk about Devyn like he was the villain here.

“You don’t know half of it,” he bit out through gritted teeth.

“And you don’t know half of what Devyn went through.”

His dark eyes glared at me, “Be careful with your words, Gina.”

But I wasn’t listening, I didn't care, “You hate your own brother because he reminds you of your father. You should take a look in the mirror and see who’s the real culprit here.”

It happened fast before I had time to process it.

Damien was by my side, pulling my hair so hard until my hair felt like it would uproot from my scalp. He yanked me close until my face was just inches from his.

“That filthy little mouth of yours; it could get you in trouble,” his breath swept my face, and I recoiled in disgust.

“Get your hands off her!” Kristen was already on her feet, rushing to my aid, but Damien easily backhanded her, sending her crashing to the ground.

My heart leaped to my throat, “Don’t fucking hurt her!” I managed to free my hair from his grasp, despite the pain shooting in my head.

My panicked gaze shifted to Kristen who coughed blood out of her mouth as she tried to get up.

He chuckled, “Women are so powerless, yet they have the most resolve. It’s so ridiculous to me.”

His other hand moved to my throat, his disgusting fingers grazing the skin on my neck.

“I can easily snap your neck in half, you know?”

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, “You can’t because you need me.”

“You’re right, but I can break you in ways you can never recover from.”

When his evil gaze shifted to my body, I felt my blood drain. When his fingers trailed the mark on my neck.

“I see my brother has already claimed you. It’ll be fun to take what’s his.”

His hand groped my breast so hard that it hurt. Rage flowed through and I clawed his hands, as I hissed, “Don’t you dare touch me.”

I scratched him so hard that he bled, yet the wound closed almost instantly, leaving his skin unmarked as if nothing happened.

“You’re a wild one.”

Suddenly, I was manhandled till I was bent over the table, my cheeks pressed against the hardwood. Damien bound my both wrists with one hand and when he pressed into my back, I felt his erection poking in between my legs. Bile rose in my throat, as I struggled against him with all my strength.

“Stop!” Kristen’s alarmed voice came from behind us, and I could hear her approaching us.

I managed to turn my head, to see what was happening.

She started to throw her fists at Damien, who still had me in a tight lock. He groaned and grabbed her neck with the hand that once held my head. I took that opportunity and threw my head back with force, headbutting him. The sound of his nose breaking echoed through the room.

He groaned, then threw Kristen across the room, till she crashed into a mirror, shattering it. I gasped audibly, as I struggled out of his grasp, running till I was beside Kristen.

“Kristen,” I called out her name, panicked.

She stirred and my heart skipped. She was alive but wounded by shards of glass from the broken mirror.

Damien walked towards us, intimidating in all his power. I was afraid of him—I couldn’t deny that—but I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction.

When he towered over us, I stayed in front of Kristen, guarding her from him.

He crouched down to the ground till his face was a few inches away from mine. When I looked away, he grasped my chin roughly, turning my head to him.

“You’re a real fighter; makes things so much more interesting.”

Despite the fear in me, my defiance couldn't be measured.

“You’re a monster just like your disgusting father, and you'll soon be joining him in hell,” I bit out and for the finishing touch, I spat in his face.

Damien’s face twisted into an ugly mask of rage, and before I could react, a punch slammed hard into my face, nearly snapping my head in the opposite direction.

My head spun, and my vision blurred as I gave into the pull of unconsciousness.