“Then why bother?”
“Pure spite. If nothing else, every breath you draw infuriates everyenemy you have who begrudges you for the fact you’re not dead. That alone has kept me going through many a winter’s storm.”
Belial laughed, hating the fact that he was beginning to like this bastard. “Truth?”
He pulled the sleeves back on his tunic to show the deep scars where he’d once sliced his own wrist. “Is now. I almost ended my life once, and then decided I wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of knowing they’d driven all hope from me. If nothing else, I’ll steal that victory from them.”
“I’m so tired of being kicked, Shadow.”
He laughed bitterly. “We all are. Some days we’re the boot and some days we’re the arse. Personally, I prefer being the boot, but I have to say that many times I’ve been the arse that deserved the boot. And today, you have definitely deserved my foot up yours.”
Taking Shadow’s hand, he allowed him to pull him to his feet. “I still have to give Kadar a soul.”
Shadow shook his head. “Think long and hard about what you’re doing. You never know the enemies you make when you’re trying to make a friend.”
Those sage words sent a chill over him.
And true to his promise, Shadow took him back to Azmodea so that he could leave his human body and renew his strength.
Yet unlike him, Shadow’s appearance didn’t change. He was still as human here as he’d been in their realm. “I thought you were a demon, too.”
“I am.”
“Then why haven’t you changed forms?”
Shadow released him and stepped away. His lips quirked in an evil smile. “I’m a lot more powerful than you know. And not at all what you think. Why do you think they call me the prince of Shadows?” And with a wink, he vanished.
Shadow left Belial and headed down the dark, smelly hallway toward the small cell where he knew his target would be waiting. The sounds of the damned and tortured echoed off the midnight walls around him that oozed a red, sticky mixture that’d always reminded him of blood.
How Thorn could stand living in this hell realm, he’d never understand. While his own fortress home was much nicer than this, it was still gloomy as shit.
And far too close to their parents for his comfort. What the hell was wrong with his cousin that he’d choose to live here?
But then that was a long and frightening list.
“Shadow?”
He drew up short as he heard his uncle’s voice. And here he’d thought to surprise him.
Should have known better.
Jaden would have smelled him coming. Felt his powers. After all, they drew them from the same place.
He entered the room where Jaden rested. “Hello, Uncle. How are you?”
By the expression on his face, it was obvious that Jaden wasn’t on vacation. In fact, he looked as if an enema might do him some good.
Or a long night of a heavy drinking binge.
Sitting in a chair with a book, Jaden scowled at him. “Perturbed by your presence. You should know better.”
“And yet I never do better. Bad genes, they tell me. Comes from your side of the family.”
“Indeed.” Jaden brushed his hand over a nasty bruise on his cheek. “Come to see your mother?”
“Is she on fire? Beheaded?”
“No.”
