A Demon's Wrath (7 page)

Cecelia and Lucifer staggered out of the
prison as he opened the door. They were rudely escorted with sword
pointed at their backs up to the top deck.

Cecelia felt for the first time in days a
gentle breeze caressing her face as they came up. She breathed in
the fresh, open air and stared wide-eyed at the sight before her.
The beach was long and wide, with white sand that stretched to the
endless horizon. Behind the beach was a jungle of lush tall trees
and exotic flowers of unimaginable sizes, shapes, and colors.

She searched around her and realized that
not one man was in sight except for the one escorting them.

“Where are your men?” she asked
curiously.

“No questions! Start moving!” he snapped,
shoving his sword against her back. “There!” he nodded toward the
beach.

Cecelia went to the floorboard and walked
down the ship, Lucifer following behind her.

“That way!” he said.

The sands were deep and porous against her
boots. She found it more tiring than walking on hard earth. Once
they had reached the jungles, she found herself stumbling over
vines and dead wood many times. Lucifer, on the other hand, seemed
to know his way around. When she fell, he helped her up. He didn’t
at all seem to be very tired as she was, which she thought a bit
odd for a five-year-old boy.

It wasn’t long when they came to a small
camp. The men were there with their tents and weapons. They were
sitting around a fire with some unfortunate odd-looking bird—it had
the head of a bird and the body of a cat—that had been stripped to
the skin and now was roasting upon the pit of a fire.

“Go, sit there!” The man behind them shoved
her.

Without a word, Cecelia went to sit by a
tree. Lucifer made himself comfortable beside her.

“I’m hungry. Won’t they give us some food?”
Lucifer groaned, looking at her with his sky-blue eyes large.

“I don’t think so,” she said, her mouth
watering at the sight of the odd bird. The skin was turning,
glistening and golden brown, and its fat was dropping from its
skin, landing on the spiting fire.

She turned away, ignoring her hunger and
diverting her thoughts to finding a route of escape. A man came to
her then and tied her hands and feet. He did the same to
Lucifer.

“To make sure you two stay put,” he said,
grinning at them, showing his stained, yellow teeth. His breath was
stinking and hot against her face.

She gagged in disgust.

They had their meal and gave none to her and
Lucifer. She closed her eyes, pretending sleep so she wouldn’t have
to watch them eat the bird while her tummy grumbled. She was
drifting into a slumber when she was kicked awake.

“Get up. We’re moving,” a man snapped at
her, and then he proceed to cut her and Lucifer loose.

Freed, Cecelia stumbled up, aiding Lucifer
at the same time. They walked through the jungle for a long while
before they came to the mouth of a cave.

“In there. Get the boy,” Jackson
shouted.

Cecelia was alert because Jackson sounded
rather excited. She watched as one of the men came to them. He
stared at her and pulled Lucifer from her side.

“Come,” he said, shoving Lucifer so hard the
boy fell to the ground.

“Don’t you touch him!” she snapped and
shoved the man back. She bent down to help Lucifer. “Can’t you see
he’s only a child!”

“Don’t care!” the man said, dragging
Lucifer.

Cecelia would have none of it and pulled
Lucifer to her side.

“Come!” the man said through gritted
teeth.

Cecelia glared at him. She wouldn’t let
Lucifer go. The boy turned and wrapped his arms around her waist
for support.

“Where’s the boy,” Jackson shouted, looking
at them.

“Come!” The man dragged them both toward his
captain.

“You, lead us in.” Jackson pointed a finger
at Lucifer.

“I won’t,” the boy cried. “’Tis against the
rule. I will be punished.”

“Lead us in,” Jackson snapped, drawing out
his sword. “Or bear the consequence.”

Lucifer widened his eyes as the sharp blade
was pointed near his throat.

“Don’t do anything stupid!” Cecelia shouted,
her body shaking with rage. “He is only a boy.”

“Now lead us in.” Another man shoved her
from behind.

Slowly and hesitantly, his body shaking
uncontrollably, Lucifer walked into the cave with his hands
clutching onto Cecelia’s. The men followed them.

Inside was total darkness. The men lit their
torches. Instantly, the flames lightened up the hollow
passageway.

“Walk faster!” Jackson snapped, shoving both
her and Lucifer forward.

“He’s only a child,” she snapped again.

Jackson only laughed. “Lead us, demon, to
the Pearl of Life.” His callous voice echoed in the silent
cave.

Cecelia’s heart kicked in her chest. So this
was the Cave of Doom where the Pearl of Life was rumored to exist.
She was right; the men did come to steal the pearl.

“How long to go?” a man asked.

There was silence except for the thudding of
their footsteps.

“I said how long to go?” the man hissed
again.

“I don’t know,” Lucifer cried, his grip
tightening on Cecelia’s. She pulled him closer to her as they
walked.

“There, I see it,” Jackson shouted
excitedly, laughing. “There!”

“Let’s get it,” another man said, rushing
toward the clearing.

He was about to reach the end of the
passageway when he stepped on something that moved beneath his
foot. He frowned, and before he knew it, the ground opened and
swallowed him. He screamed to his mates for help. One rushed
forward with his hands reached out, but he was too late. The man
fell into a pool of molten lava below.

Lucifer shoved his face against Cecelia’s
side. She could only stare at what had just happened.

“We must be careful. There are traps
everywhere here,” Jackson shouted, nodding to his men. “You two!”
he snapped, looking at both Cecelia and Lucifer. “Come here and
lead the way. Everyone, stay behind them.”

What a clever ploy,
Cecelia thought.
Those coward men, they’d rather let a child and young boy die
first.

“I’m scared,” Lucifer whispered to her.

She looked at him and patted his shoulder in
encouragement. They both started moving again. They took each step
carefully so they wouldn’t step into another trap.

Once they’d reached the opening of the cave,
they were thrust aside as the men made their way toward the huge
waterfall. High above them was the cleft of an opening. Clear blue
sky from above shone upon them.

The shower of water streamed around a small
island. There Cecelia saw the largest clam she’d ever beheld in her
life. And inside its opened mouth was the Pearl of Life. It was a
small thing and its pinkest color shone against the hot ray of
sunlight.

“’Tis our luck all right, captain,” one man
said, smiling.

“Aye, Joe, let’s get across,” Jackson said,
pointing to his men.

“Is the water deep?” another asked.

One hopped into the stream. It barely
reached his chest. “Nay, not at—” He didn’t finish the sentence,
for he started screaming in pain. “Aaghh…” The agony in his voice
echoed like death, and birds high above them hiding amongst the
trees dispersed in every direction in fright.

“What happened?” Jackson shouted.

“Get me out! Get me out!” Joe screamed, his
hands scrambling for his mates.

“Pull him out!” Jackson shouted.

Two men hurriedly pulled Joe out. As he
landed, the lower parts of his body steamed with smoke. His
breeches stuck to his legs; his boots were burned and melted to his
feet.

“What kind of water is this?” Jackson
shouted, twisting his face in rage toward Cecelia and Lucifer,
demanding them to answer.

Cecelia turned her face away. Her heart sank
at the thought of ever getting the pearl herself. If those men
couldn’t get through, what chance had she?

“I said what kind of water is this?” the
captain snapped. When none answered, he stalked toward them. “Tell
me!” he growled, pulling Lucifer up and shoving the boy about.

“Stop it!” Cecelia snapped angrily. “You
cannot treat the boy this way.” She pulled Lucifer into her arms.
“Leave him be.”

“Get out of the way!” He slapped Cecelia
with the back of his hand, sending her falling to the ground.

When she looked up at him again, she touched
her sore face, glaring at him.

“You, tell me now,” Jackson growled.

“I don’t know,” Lucifer cried.

“You nuisance bastard! No point in keeping
you,” he growled, drawing out his dagger.

Cecelia panicked when she saw the knife
moving toward Lucifer’s stomach. She got up and raced to the boy,
thrusting him aside. The blade slid through her arm as she and
Lucifer fell to the ground.

“Damn nuisance, the both of you,” Jackson
snapped, throwing away his dagger and drawing out his sword.
Cecelia stared wide-eyed as he raised the blade high, intending to
kill them.

“No!” she whispered, closing her eyes.

She felt the blade moving slowly down toward
her heart, its sharp coldness inches from her breasts. That split
second felt like an eternity.

The next moment, she opened her eyes and saw
an arrow hit the captain’s hand, sending the sword flying, landing
in the stream. The sword shriveled, and within seconds, it was
destroyed into nothingness.

She looked up toward the entrance and saw
giants. She was sure they were giants, for they were as big as pine
trees.

“You scoundrel, you dare to hurt my son?”
the man with dark-blond hair growled, his deep-set eyes glaring at
the captain. The intensity in that gaze could send a man running in
tears.

It almost did, but Captain Jackson stood his
ground. “Give me a sword!” he shouted at his men.

“But captain—” one said, his voice quivering
as his eyes flickered from one giant to the other.

“I said my sword!” the captain growled,
reaching his hand in the air. One threw him a sword. He caught it
and nodded toward the giant addressing him. “You, let’s fight man
to man.”

“I am no man, you bastard,” Adam growled,
taking a step forward.

“Look at all those scary little humans,”
Gerick said from behind. “I’ll take those ten there.” He nodded to
the bunch on his left.

“I’ll take the captain,” Adam said, taking a
step toward the leader.

“You will not,” Drake said, handing his bow
to Leon. “You will take your son home. He needs you.”

Adam frowned darkly. He wanted to kill the
bastard human who had hurt his son. If that boy hadn’t shoved aside
Lucifer to take the blade himself, Lucifer would be dead by now. He
was still damn angry, but Drake was right. Lucifer needed him right
now.

He grunted loudly to show his displeasure
for not having the chance to kill the captain.

“I’ll take the captain,” Drake said, sliding
out his thick, sharp sword. “We will fight man to man,” he said to
the captain.

Jackson swallowed. “I’ll kill you all,
demons,” he screamed and rushed toward Drake.

Drake stepped aside and rewarded Jackson’s
neck with the back of his hard fist.

Captain Jackson fell forward. He scrambled
up and rushed for an attack. They were fighting with their fists
and feet—blow to blow. Both Gerick and Leon charged the other men
and began their combat.

Adam went to his son. “Lucifer?” he said,
kneeling beside the boy.

“Papa?” Lucifer said through the sounds of
swords slashing and men grunting. He rushed up to the hug Adam. His
tears flowed down his little cheeks. “Papa, I’ve missed you. I’m so
scared,” he admitted.

“I’m here now, son,” Adam said, picking up
Lucifer. He turned to look at Cecelia. “Come on, boy. Let’s get out
of here.”

Cecelia stared at him, at a loss. She had
never seen any man as tall and big and muscular as this one. His
face, she saw, was quite handsome.

“Come!” he said again, dragging her up none
too gently and leading her toward the passageway.

“What about the others?” she asked.

“Do not worry yourself about them,” he said,
pulling her after him.

“But Captain Jackson has many men. There are
only four of you, and now you left your comrades. They will not
escape.”

Adam didn’t reply and kept dragging her
toward the clearing. She had to keep up the pace by running so she
wouldn’t fall. It was only a short time later that they were out
again.

Out in the clearing, Cecelia saw four
animals. She supposed they were horses of some breed, for they had
horns like those of a unicorn. Their bodies were bigger and more
muscular, however, which she supposed indicated strength. Their
colors were of particular interest to her. One was beige, two were
grey, and one was a sinful velvety black.

Adam led her to the beige one. When she was
standing beside the horse, her head barely reached the saddle.

“CloudStorm!” Lucifer shrieked with delight,
patting the animal’s long nose.

Adam placed his son on the ground and turned
to Cecelia. She took one look at him and knew what he was going to
do.

“Nay, I can’t—” She could go no farther, for
she was being lifted up and swung over the saddle like a doll.
“Thank you,” she said. Her backside was quite sore because he’d
dumped her on the saddle none too gently.

Adam picked up his son and easily climbed on
the saddle in front of her. He made his son comfortable sitting on
his lap and took the bridle.

“Hold tight,” he said and slashed the
reins.

The stallion hissed and rushed forward.
Cecelia had to quickly grab for Adam’s coat so she wouldn’t fall
back from the force. She didn’t know how long they were going to
ride until they got to somewhere safe. But she didn’t care, for
Lucifer was safe with his father.