“You will fight my Neyuukhan next.”
Saer’s stomach dropped.
I don’t want to.
“Yes, Master.”Saer’s voice came slick with blood, fighting to keep emotion out of his voice—the feeling that his heart tore in two.
“Concentrate on her essence with your mind.When the time is right, set it ablaze.”
A sliver of relief dared to worm its way into his heart.Fire wouldn’t hurt her.She’d be okay, if compelled.
Right?
He swallowed.“Yes, Master.”
“Good, my child.”Lucifer kissed Saer’s forehead, and the sensation sent a thrill through him.“Return to the ring.Begin when I say.”
Saer’s head sagged more than nodded.Somehow, he gathered his legs under him and made it back to the ring without falling down the dais steps.The Twins passed him along the way, ascending to pay their penance for human shells.
Neyu waited for him, beautiful and savage.
His perfect match.
Saer balanced most of his weight on the least injured leg, one eye fused shut with caked blood and vitreous humor.Back hunched, his claws curled into loose fists at his sides.His gaze met Neyu’s irresistible, darker one, reflecting solemn resolution.She gave a half shake of her head, as though to communicate something.
The sin he’d been made from coerced Saer to prod.“Don’t go easy on me.”
The corner of the demoness’s mouth twitched.
“Begin,” Lucifer said.
They lunged at the same moment.
The demoness did as Saer requested.She wore down the First with a furious barrage of kicks and thrusts of fists, knees, and elbows.One of her hooves slammed into Saer’s damaged ankle, the sickening sounds of crunching bone almost covered by his roar.Neyu shoved the nails of her right hand into his chest and pushed Pride onto his back, knocking the breath out of him.
She wasted no time, pinning him down with a straddle.“Yield, Saer.”
Saer clung to every sliver of self-assuredness in his core as his hands gripped Neyu’s wrists.His lungs struggled for air, but he still managed to speak between wheezes.“Stand down, Neyu.”
The demoness leaned closer until the ends of their noses touched.Her lips pulled back to reveal shining canines, and her growl shuddered through Saer.“You are at your limit, Saer.End this.”
Saer clenched his jaw and attempted to throw Neyu from his torso.The Second redoubled her efforts, lacing her fingers through his and pinning his arms beside his head.She snarled at the eldest of theDaemoenicawith a hint of desperation.“Yield!”
Pride’s clawed hands squeezed Lust’s.“If you won’t stand down, Neyu, I’ll force you to.”
Her gaze met his in challenge.
Saer shut his one good eye and did as Lucifer commanded.He focused on Neyu’s essence, pictured his right as the First above all otherDaemoenica—and shoved fire into her core.Set it ablaze,his maker had said, and he reassured himself once more.Fire couldn’t hurt his kin.Fire healed them—
Neyu jolted above Saer with a sharp inhale, her hands releasing his.
Then she screamed.
Shrieking and writhing, Neyu flung herself off him.
Neyu’s howl went on until a fierce, yet gentle voice commanded from atop the dais.“That is sufficient, Saerkhanum.”
Saer blinked to find his counterpart curled into a ball several feet away, steam rising from her whimpering body.He didn’t remember letting her go, nor did he recall standing.
