Demon Vs Werewolf

Chapter 5

Demon Vs Werewolf

“We haven’t crossed paths before,” the wolf - Renrik, now that I know his name, spoke assuredly as he began to walk a wide circle around myself and Valefar. “If we had, you wouldn’t have walked away breathing.”

“How stereotypically werewolf of you. So violent, even though you insist you don’t know me.” Valefar brushed his blonde bangs off of his face and sighed. “However, I admit it. I don’t recognize your voice, now that I’ve heard more of it. You do remind me of someone, though. Bah, but a lot of you wolves look and sound the same. I’ve killed so many of you over the years, it’s hard to recall who I might be thinking of…”

The demon was playing with Renrik, trying to coax a savage reaction out of him. Renrik wasn’t a fool; he didn’t take the bait, although I could see that he wanted to. Had Valefar killed someone Renrik knew? If he had, Renrik exercised great self-restraint in remaining focused.

“Why did you call him ‘Master’?” Renrik spoke directly to me, but Valefar answered in my stead.

“Because that’s what I am; her Master.”

“I asked my Luna, not you,” Renrik snapped.

I suddenly felt dizzy as the word ‘Luna’ echoed around my head. Was I a Luna? I had no pack of my own. If I were to become a Luna, then Renrik would have to be -

“An Alpha,” the word sent a shiver down my spine. I could feel my inner wolf’s tail wagging happily, and an uncontrollable heat blossomed between my legs. Of all the times to yearn for my mate, right then was not the most ideal.

Renrik’s gaze snapped to me and I wondered if he could smell my burning desire. His piercing eyes raked over my body, studying me as though I was already naked and exposed. My shoulders hunched forward, shrinking my frame to make it easier to hide behind my folded arms.

It was my own insecurities that made me think Renrik was evaluating my body. I realized the truth when I noticed his eyes drop to the infernal cuffs around my wrists. There was nothing provocative in his stare; Renrik was carefully checking over me, trying to figure out what sort of relationship Valefar and I had. The cuffs gave it away.

“You’re enslaved,” Renrik’s claws dug into the dirt, anchoring himself in place so he didn’t recklessly lash out.

“No, no,” Valefar shook his head and held his hands up in front of him. “She can leave whenever she likes.” My jaw dropped. I stared at him in disbelief. Was that really the case? Could I walk away with Renrik and live the life of a real wolf? “But I’d have to kill her.”

Of course. How silly of me to dream for a split second.

I couldn’t leave. No doubt the cuffs had a failsafe for my escape, too. Other Hellhounds speculated that the only way to get the infernal iron off of us, was if Valefar took it off, or if he died. Demons dying was not a regular occurrence, especially when they were a Duke of Hell like Valefar.

Renrik continued to speak to me, not Valefar. I respected him for that.

“Are you aware that you’re my fated mate? That we share a bond?”

“Yes,” my voice sounded so small and timid compared to Renrik’s.

“Your heart called out to me… The light… I saw it and I’ve answered the call. I’m here for you,” he stepped closer to me, cutting across the invisible circle he’d drawn. “Would you be willing to visit my pack tonight?”

Valefar stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Renrik. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on there, Tiger. This is my Hellhound. She’s not going anywhere with you. However, you’re more than welcome to join us at my estate. You’d make a fine addition to my legion.”

“You’re trying to recruit me by holding my Luna captive,” Renrik snarled.

Valefar simply smiled.

“If my Luna wants to leave with me, then she will,” Renrik’s voice was so deep and dangerous that I felt it reverberate through my bones. Yet Valefar was unmoved.

“Sera," the demon's voice was cool and smooth. "We’re leaving.” Valefar began to raise his ringed hand.

My pleas erupted out of me before I had time to think. “Master! Please wait! This is my mate - the one I am destined for. Please, Valefar - You must -”

“You dare defy me?!” Those violet eyes flashed red and glowed like lava. Valefar’s teeth elongated into terrifying spikes. I quivered as he towered over me, but I did not look away. I stared into his eyes, pretending with all my might that I wasn’t afraid of him. Five minutes with my mate. That's all I wanted.

If Valefar bore any love for me - be that as a man with his pet, or a man and his family - right then and there was his chance to show it to me.

But he never got the chance.

Renrik didn’t know if Valefar was actually going to hurt me or not, but it wasn’t worth the risk. There was no way a great Alpha like him would sit idle while his mate got threatened by a demon.

Renrik leaped through the air and sunk his teeth into Valefar’s arm. I heard flesh sizzle as the demon’s black blood, burning like liquid coals, dripped over Renrik’s tongue. The wolf was forced to let his prey go, but his razor claws caught Valefar as they both broke away.

Valefar didn’t just stand there and take it. He summoned a spiritual knife out of thin air, its silver blade wrapped in a ribbon of orange embers. Renrik let out a pained growl as the blade slashed behind his shoulder, shearing away some of his midnight fur.

I stepped forward, acting on instinct to break up the fight between my mate and Master, but Valefar’s forked tongue slithered past his lips. He was becoming more demon-like by the second. “SssSSTaY oUt of IT,” he hissed with enchanted words, binding me to obey them.

I could do nothing but watch as the fight escalated, and I truly thought it would be a fight to the death. However, the moment Valefar realized he was losing, Valefar scrambled to his feet and made a grab for me. Renirk had yanked Valefar’s leg from under him, causing him to fall and smash his head against a rock. Not enough damage to hurt a demon, but Renrik followed it up by stomping on Valefar's ear, dagger-like claws at the ready, cutting through his foe's skin.

Renrik's maw approached Valefar's throat, which was when the demon set himself on fire, just long enough to get Renrik to hesitate. Valefar shoved the Alpha off of him, and like I already said, grabbed me as his hostage.

~*~*~

I told the girls everything up to, and including, the point where Valefar had told me about his horrid plans to breed me.

After my story, it took a while for Amber and Diana to find the right words to respond. They asked some questions and I answered them the best I could, but overall they were pretty stunned by the turn of events.

The first thing Diana said was, “Well… you shouldn't have made Valefar so angry to begin with! Seriously, trying to disobey the Master like that. You’re lucky he’s just going to make you breeding stock instead of outright killing you for your disrespect.” She clicked her tongue and folded her arms across her chest. “As usual, you being his favorite wins you special treatment.”

I groaned and threw my head back in annoyance. “I’ll be sure to thank him for his mercy,” my words dripped with venomous sarcasm, but Diana didn’t seem to catch that.

“Oh, Seraphine,” Amber shook her head. Those brilliant jade eyes of hers looked so forlorn. “What a horrible thing to go through… but… at least you met your mate! That’s huge!”

“I didn’t even get to see his human form, though,” I sighed.

“Well, it sounded as though your inner wolf was happy at least,” Amber giggled - such a soft and pleasant sound. "You certainly didn't skip the details about how much your wolf approved of the Alpha!"

“Amber…” I turned away when I felt that telltale warmth cover my cheeks. “Forget that bit,” I regretted even mentioning it. “More importantly - what about Renrik’s name? Renrik Duskborne. Are you familiar with it?”

Amber frowned sympathetically. “Sorry, it doesn’t ring any bells for me, but I’ll ask around the other Hellhounds.”

My posture went slack, but I had anticipated that response.

Then Diana spoke up.

“Duskborne…” She echoed to herself. “I… I know that name,”