~ZEPHYRUS' POV
I stalked out of Alaric's chambers.
My vision was blurred by a crimson haze, which felt like a veil of rage had descended upon me.
My heart pounded in my chest, echoing through every fiber of my being.
"I would tear those fuckers limb by limb if I were to ever cross paths with them." A promise I made to myself as I continued my strides.
Who did they think they were, daring to challenge the Lord of the Demon Realm?
The thought was laughable, a jest that only fueled my anger further.
"I needed this anger out of my body," I spoke to no one in particular.
I materialized into the training ground, the familiar scent of sweat and blood greeting me like an old friend, a reminder of the battles I'd fought, the victories I'd won.
The ring, a circular platform of worn stone beckoned me. I took off my shirt, revealing my corded muscles, with the tattoos on my skin which seemed to pulse with a life of their own.
"Who wants to spar with me!" I bellowed across the training ground.
The demons surrounding me cowered back in fear, their gazes settling on my fiery hair— a warning sign that I was not to be trifled with.
"You can come in groups," I said, scanning the surrounding crowd, my eyes lingering on the few demons who seemed to be contemplating the challenge.
"I'd give each of you a thousand pieces of silver if you manage to bring me to my knees," I added.
In an instant, loud murmurs filled the background, a low hum of excitement and fear that seemed to grow, yet, no one stepped forward.
They were taking a lot of time, and it was beginning to irritate me. Had I been training with pussies for all these years?
Even in groups, and with a price, they still had to contemplate the offer? The thought itself was an insult, a slap in the face that stung.
"We'll fight you, Lord Zephyrus," a voice in the crowd said.
Finally.
A cold smile slowly appeared at the corner of my lips, spreading across my face like a crack in the ice.
I looked at where the voice had come from, and five demons emerged from the crowd, their massive frames seeming to fill the air.
"This would be interesting," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
All five of them entered the ring, and surrounded me immediately. Their eyes fixed on me with a hunger, a thirst for battle that matched my own.
Our eyes locked in a fierce stare-down, before my eyes began to calculate their every move.
The biggest one charged first, his massive fists swinging in powerful arcs, like a wrecking ball aimed at my head.
Someone is trying to break my horns.
I sidestepped his attack with ease, as he stumbled past me. I unleashed a blast of flame that sent him stumbling backwards.
A lean, whip-like demon struck next with a blurry speed, lashing out with her serpentine claws, aimed as though she was about to strike a prey.
But I was faster, deflecting her attack, before sending her flying across the ring.
I conjured a portal, dragging two of the demons through. The world blurred around us as we hurtled through space and time.
I reopened the portal in the middle of the clouds, before throwing the two demons out.
Their screams echoed as they plummeted back to the ring, crashing to the ground with bone-shattering force.
Immediately I landed back into the ring, the other demons didn't hesitate before striking me from every direction.
My eyes fixed toward the sky, before outstretching my right arm to the grey clouds.
The clouds began to turn red. A bloody shroud that descended upon us, as a surge of red flames mixed with lightnings came pouring down, gathering itself in my outstretched arms.
I smirked, and whispered a single word,
"Incinerate."
With a final flourish, I jumped up and slammed my palm to the ground, hard.
The impact sent shockwaves through the ring. It felt like an earthquake had shaken the very foundations of this realm.
The demons in the ring were sent flying, their bodies tumbling across the stone.
Some demons outside the ring were blown away, while others with stronger powers, crouched, their feet glued to the ground as they struggled to stay rooted.
I stood tall, my fiery hair slowly returning to its original wine color as I vanished out of the ring, leaving behind evidence of the power I hold.
I materialized into my chambers with my shirt clutched in my hands.
Without a second thought, I tossed it into the laundry hamper, before stripping off my pants and briefs, eager to cleanse the sweat and blood clinging to my skin.
A shower tempted me briefly, but I craved something more indulgent. I moved toward the bathroom, and settled on the tub.
I twisted the faucets, watching steam rise as hot water filled the deep basin, scented faintly with herbs from the adjoining shelves.
Once ready, I eased into the embrace of the warm water, the heat seeping into my aching limbs, melting away the knots in my shoulders and back.
A deep, relieved sigh escaped my lips. I closed my eyes and leaned back, resting my head against the curved edge.
The quiet enveloped me, broken only by the gentle lap of water against porcelain. Then, a soft patter of footsteps echoed just beyond the door, pulling me from my reverie.
My eyes snapped open, with a lazy smirk on my lips.
I knew that footsteps. It belonged to one of my eager playthings, drawn by instinct or summons to serve me.
I could use a sexual release too, I mused silently, anticipation stirring low in my gut as the door creaked open on well-oiled hinges.
There she stood, Elara, my beautiful naked demon. Her tanned skin glowed like sun-kissed bronze under the soft bathroom lights.
Her horns curled elegantly from her forehead, and her tail flicked idly behind her, but it was her form that held me captive.
I continued to stare at her, as my cock twitched to life beneath the water's surface, hardening with insistent need.
And yet... as the familiar ache of desire began, I realized something that unsettled me: I wasn't feeling the thrill I had expected.
The electric rush I normally chased, the frantic pulse that came from domination and lust, had dulled into routine.
My body reacted, yes, but my mind? Blank.
It was as if my brain had set this act as a default, a program meant to burn off rage without offering any reward beyond release.
The thought vexed me. I shouldn't feel nothing. I should feel... something.
Elara knelt beside the tub gracefully, her lustful gaze locking onto mine.
"Lord Zephyrus," she purred.
Her hands found my shoulders, and she wasted no time before kneading away the lingering tension with a skilled pressure.
Her fingers slid lower, tracing the planes of my chest, brushing over my nipples before venturing to my stomach, circling the ridges of muscle there.
"Is there a way I could help release the tension off your body?" she asked, her tone feigning innocence even as her hand began to trail lower.
I could feel my erection straining, the physical proof of instinct, but inside, a hollow echo reverberated where fire should have been.
I've done this countless times, yet the pleasure eludes me. It's like chasing shadows.
And all the while, I was aware of how my thoughts wandered elsewhere.
To Dove.
She occupied the center of my mind. Not with desire, not with affection—no, that would be too simple, but with the pull of disruption, the way her presence in hell is beginning to change things.
It unsettled me, and I hated it.
I had tried to fuck the feelings away once, but failed. This time, I won't.
I caught Elara's wrist in a firm grip, halting her descent, as she locked eyes with my piercing gaze.
"Don't you dare tease me like that, you slut," I growled, my voice dropping octaves lower.
Water splashed as I rose to my feet, scooping her up and pressing her to the huge mirror dominating one wall of the bathroom.
Its surface reflected the opulent space, the marble counters, the steam still curling from the tub. But now it framed us, her positioned in front with her back pressed to my chest.
My hands roamed her body possessively, cupping her perky breasts, before I started to roll her nipples between my fingers.
She arched into me with a gasp, her spine bowing, ass grinding back against my throbbing cock.
The contact made me groan low, the slickness of her skin against mine igniting every nerve in me.
"Look at yourself," I commanded, my breath hot against her ear as one hand slid up to wrap around her throat.
She obeyed, eyes snapping open to meet her own gaze in the glass. Her cheeks were flushed, lips parted and swollen with want, her tanned body trembling slightly under my hold.
"See what a desperate whore you are, Elara. Already dripping for me, aren't you?"
Her response was a soft moan. Her thighs pressed together as arousal slicked her inner legs.
The degradation only fueled her, making her hips press back more insistently, seeking friction against my length.
I tightened my grip around her throat, tilting her head toward the mirror, making her watch as I guided my cock between her thighs.
The head nudged her soaked folds, parting them with ease. She bit her lip, and a shiver rippled through her frame.
With a rough thrust, I buried myself inside her pussy, the tight heat enveloping me inch by inch until I bottomed out.
Her body jolted forward. She cried out, her hands flying up to brace against the mirror, with her fingers splayed against the cool glass.
I didn't give her time to adjust as my hand returned to her throat, choking her lightly to pull her back against me.
"Watch how you take it, hm," I rasped, my free hand gripping her hip to hold her steady. "Look at that pretty face contort while my cock stretches your greedy cunt."
In the mirror, her pupils were widened with lust as she stared at the sight: her breasts bouncing with each powerful snap of my hips, her mouth falling open in silent pleas with drool threatening to drop at the corners.
I withdrew almost fully before slamming back in, the wet sounds echoing off the tiled walls.
I thrust harder, the slap of my pelvis against her ass punctuating each word.
"You're nothing but a fucktoy, Elara. Built to milk my cock with that sloppy hole."
She nodded frantically while whimpering at my words. Her tail wrapped around my thigh in desperate attachment, pulling me deeper into her.
I momentarily released my hold around her throat to slap her breast, watching it jiggle and redden slightly, then reclaimed the hold, choking her until her moans turned to choked gasps that only spurred me on.
"That's it, watch yourself break for me. See how pathetic you look, coming undone on my cock."
The insult pushed her over, her body seizing as orgasm ripped through her. She shuddered, cried out, and I followed mechanically, emptying my load in her.
Yet, I was vexed, and unsatisfied.
I watched her sag against me, the mirror reflecting a tableau of lust stripped of its thrill.
I let my gaze linger on myself afterward.
My damp wine-red hair was plastered to my forehead. My dark horns framing my face as my eyes flashed from black to crimson with a fire that never quite reached satisfaction.
This does not sate me.
Nothing like this ever will.
As the afterglow dissipated, my thoughts turned again to her, Dove.
The fragile, chaotic bond that had begun to link the four of us unsettled me, but I... I do not reject it, even though I hated it.
Then, my thoughts snapped back to my older brother whose grey eyes were consumed by forbidden magic, and was left bleeding at the outskirts of the realm.
To the Covenants who had orchestrated this whole scheme, who had dared to touch him?
They will pay.
Every last one.
I closed my eyes briefly while steadying my breath, letting the thought settle, before opening my eyes again.
"Time has come," I whispered to no one, the words curling in the silence of the bathroom.
To visit the world of the humans.
To retrieve something that had stayed there far too long.
Something that believes it belongs among mortals.