The First Book of Demons (The Book of Demons Saga) (10 page)

Chapter
Twenty Five

Sunlight beamed through the foliage of the tree, stirring Balthazar awake.  He immediately noticed the human snuggled against him.  The thin blue silk of her robe was parted, revealing a creamy white thigh.  Her onyx hair splayed out across the green grass, and her bare backside was pressed against his thigh.  Balthazar reached out to nudge her awake, his hand feeling the soft skin of her hip.  Alexandra moaned softly, turning over and curling into him.  A thick chunk of hair flopped over her face and Balthazar pushed it aside, trailing his finger down her chin.  She instinctively lifted her face to his.

  Balthazar was in a mild daze as his eyes focused on her barely parted lips.  He bent his neck closer, teetering on the edge of a kiss, her delicious scent swirling in his nose.  Alexandra opened her eyes, yawning widely.

“Balthazar?” she questioned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before she realized the position she was in.  She rushed to straighten her robes as a heavy blush heated her cheeks.  She knew it would only be a moment before the demon sensed her change in mood, and she pressed her thighs together, hoping to stifle the growing sensation.  Balthazar’s eyes widened fractionally as he smelled the subtle shift in her scent.

A shriek in the sky above snapped Balthazar back to attention.  A shadow blotted out the sun, and the demon prince growled out, angry that he had allowed the girl to distract him.  They were in trouble now.

A griffin smashed into the ground, tearing up the earth beneath its massive paws.  The beast loomed over them, his solid black eyes unblinking as he snapped his beak.

“Are you lost demon,” the griffin spoke, his head turned, with one eye trained on the pair.

“You can speak,” Alex gasped softly, a hand covering her lips.

“That I can,” the griffin replied, “Now you speak, demon.  Why have you come?”

“An egg,” Balthazar said flatly, rising and squaring his shoulders. 

The griffin’s beak parted, his tongue pulling back as he cawed.  The strength of his cry shook Alex straight through her core and she moved closer to Balthazar.  The creature pawed at the ground as it shook his head, ruffling the thick feathers that covered his neck.  His long furry tail whipped back and forth behind him. 

This was not how Balthazar had planned on facing the griffin, but all he could do now was make the best of his situation.  The one thing he had against the griffin was his speed.  He could not best it in strength, and the beast’s claws would shred him to pieces in an instant.  If he handled things just right, this could turn out better for him.

“You can try, demon.”  The griffin’s tail snaked around, wrapping around Alexandra’s waist as he shot into the sky.  “But I will be keeping this little treasure.”

Balthazar watched
as the griffin flew away, the human shrieking in fear as she trailed behind.  He fought the urge to sigh at her constant lack of composure.  Did she really think he would let her get hurt so easily?  Perhaps she did not understand the extent of Balthazar’s power.  And apparently the griffin did not either. 

Griffins coveted anything of value.  That usually meant gold and jewels, but the griffin had recognized the value the human had to Balthazar.   It had obviously chosen the girl as the new piece in his collection, and Balthazar would use that to his advantage.

Chapter Twenty Six

Alexandra landed on a hard pile of sparkling objects.  Her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness of the cave that was the griffin’s home.  The entire back section of the cavernous dwelling was filled from floor to ceiling with golden objects.  A thin crack at the entrance of the cave was the only source of light.  A tangled nest of small trees sat in the middle of the cave, a smaller griffin curled up on top of it with her black eyes following everything. 

The griffin pair greeted each other, rubbing necks and making clicking sounds.  The griffin that had captured Alex curled up next to the nest and laid his head to rest on his paws.  Alexandra assumed Balthazar would be right behind the griffin to rescue her, but as the hours passed with no sign of him she became disheartened. 

Alex began to feel her way around the cave, making her way to the entrance.  Her eyes nervously watched the pair of massive beasts that appeared to now be sleeping.  She stepped to the outside lip of the cave, her head swimming with the dizzying height as she peered over the edge.  As far as she could see in the distance, a rocky canyon spread out, killing her hopes of escape.

“There is no need to be anxious little creature,” the griffin suddenly spoke, startling Alex.  She whirled back around to face the beast.  “This is your new home.”

“Balthazar will come for me,” Alex said, but her words lacked the confidence she was forcing on her face. 

“Will he?” the griffin asked sitting up on his hind legs and glaring down at Alex with his lidless black eyes.  “Demons are not known to be particularly heroic.  Why would he do such a thing?”

“He will come,” Alex said, looking away. 

“What are you?” the griffin asked, inching closer to inspect her.

“I’m human,” Alex said.  Her eyes were wide as she watched him, backing up dangerously close to the edge of the cave lip. 

“Is that so?” the griffin said, pulling back, excitement in his voice.  “It has been many centuries since I have heard of a human in these lands.  Have the worlds once more merged?”

“The worlds merged?” Alex asked, her brows pulled together.  “You mean humans have been here before?”

“Yes,
of course.  Although it was quite some time ago,” the griffin said, his voice softened. “My name is Shirdal.”

“I’m Alexandra,” she said.

The griffin dipped his neck, spreading his wings out behind him and bending his knees in a bow.  “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Alexandra.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Alex said, a smile growing on her face. 

“This is my mate,” Shirdal said, motioning to the griffin sitting on the nest.  “However, she is incapable of speech.  Please, come back inside.”

Alex stepped back into the cool darkness of the cavern, settling down on the hard floor next to the nest. 

“Tell me, Alexandra,” Shirdal said as he too settled next to his mate, whose eyes were watching them curiously, “Why is it you are attached to this demon?”

“He
’s going to help me get back home,” Alex said, “That’s why we needed…”

“One of my eggs,” Shirdal said, finishing her sentence. 

“I’m sorry,” Alex said, her eyes soft, “I didn’t think… It’s not…”

“I know, human,” Shirdal said, “the demon has simply misled you.  I would caution you to be careful.”

“What do you mean?” Alex asked, her brows pulled together.

“I am a very old creature, Alexandra,” Shirdal said, “and I can see many things.  The demon will come for you, of that I have no doubt.  It is a natural ability of mine to see the value he places on you.  That does not worry me, as a simple demon is no match for me.  What worries me is the affection I see that you have formed for him.”

“Affection?” Alex asked, her forehead crinkled, “Trust me, there is no affection. I mean, we promised to help each other.  But, don’t get me wrong.  There is no affection.  Nope.  No way.  Huh uh.  He is a stuck-up, self-important, spoiled demon prince.  No affections.  No sir.”

Alexandra’s round cheeks heated to a rosy blush at the thought of having such feelings for Balthazar, but Shirdal was not concerned with the fluster that had overcome the girl.  It only confirmed his original suspicion.  What concerned Shirdal was what the girl had called the demon.  Specifically
, she called him a prince.  Shirdal stood, his feathered neck fluffing out.

“
Did you say a demon prince?” he asked, his voice had suddenly turned harsh. 

“Well, yeah,” Alex said, “But he is going to become the Lord Sultan soon.”

“A Lord Sultan,” Shirdal mumbled, his neck feathers puffed out as he reared back and began to pace. “T
his could mean trouble.”

Chapter
Twenty Seven

“Prince Kaveh,” Jahan said with a broad smile.  He stood from his cushion at the head of his dining table, gesturing for the prince to sit.  “It is such an honor to have you dine in my home.”

“Spare me the pleasantries,” Kaveh said, settling into the cushion on the other side of the table.  “You requested my presence.”

“Yes,” the fat demon replied, his smile diminishing slightly.  “Straight to business.  I like that.  However, I believe my proposal would be better received after a meal.”

“Very well,” Kaveh said, fighting the urge to sigh.  Even though Jahan was a Council Lord, it was highly unlikely that his kitchen staff could compare with that of the Royal Palace.  He was pleasantly surprised, however, when Jahan’s servant brought out a dish of Kaveh’s favorite stewed meat with greens.  The smel
l was incredible, making the young demon prince’s mouth water as the servant set it on the table before them.  Another servant worked to fill the table with various side dishes and appetizers. 

“I was not appointed the Khaja for nothing,” Jahan said, noticing the sudden change in Kaveh’s demeanor.  “I believe this is your most requested dish.”

“It is,” Kaveh said, “However, if you intend to win my favor through food…”

“No,” Jahan said, “Of course not.  I merely wish to honor you, as you have honored me.”

“Polite words will also fail to garner my favor,” Kaveh said.

“Of course,” Jahan said with a polite bow. “Perhaps we should eat.”

A servant shuffled over to the table and divided the sweet smelling stew between the two demons.  Kaveh lifted the bowl to his lips and sipped at the broth, impressed by the delicious flavor.  It was just as good as the palace staff prepared, perhaps even better.  Jahan waited respectfully for the demon prince to start before he himself dove into the meal, as was protocol. 

“Tell me,” Kaveh said between sips, “Why is it you are fat?  It is an unusual thing for a Devasi, almost disgraceful.”

“As you can see, my prince, I am rather fond of food,” Jahan said, ignoring the insult.  He would indulge the spoiled prince because he needed him, for now. 

“It is an embarrassment to our kingdom,” Kaveh said, setting his bowl down.  “If I were Lord Sultan, I would order you to lose it.”

Jahan’s eyes sparkled.  He knew that Kaveh envied Balthazar, and the title of Lord Sultan.  In fact, that was his exact reason he had requested an audience with the demon.  Kaveh was too much younger than Balthazar to be any kind of threat to him, and after what happened to Hasan, it was unlikely any of the other princes would try to challenge him, even if they did have a claim to the throne.

“If you were Lord Sultan,” Jahan began delicately, “I believe many things would be different.”

“They would,” Kaveh said, watching the fat demon.  Jahan, being a council Lord had a great deal of power within the kingdom.  The Council Lords, if they were all in agreement, were the only ones that could outright oppose the Lord Sultan.  Realization suddenly hit Kaveh.  So that was why Jahan had summoned him.  It was clearly a power move.  He had only been on the council for a very short time, but it was obvious he was making good use of that time.

“There are some in the kingdom that would see a di
fferent prince on the throne,” Jahan said.  He could feel the sweat forming on his forehead.  He was making a risky move, and he would need to pick his words very carefully.  If caught conspiring against Balthazar, there was no doubt in his mind that his punishment would be severe. 

“Are you one of those?” Kaveh asked, his eyes narrowed on Jahan as he picked up on the other demon’s nervousness.

“I am but a humble servant,” Jahan said with a smile.  “I want what is best for my beloved kingdom.”

“And you feel that is not Balthazar?” Kaveh continued to prod, enjoying the way the fat demon squirmed under his scrutiny.

“I am not one to make such decisions,” Jahan said, skillfully avoiding a direct answer.  “However, if another prince should arise, that was interested in the position I would not necessarily be opposed.”

“Enough vague talk,” Kaveh said leaning forward.  “Tell me why you have asked me here?”

“I believe we have similar goals,” Jahan said with a smile, “and I believe I have a way to get what we both want.”

Chapter
Twenty Eight

By nightfall Alex was growing increasingly concerned that Balthazar had not shown up.  She began to worry that he had decided not to come.  Shirdal could feel the distress in the human’s aura.

“It is better that he not come,” he said, attempting to soothe Alex.  “He would only die in vain.”

“But,” Alexandra’s eyes were downcast as she spoke, “he promised.”

“I am sorry,” Shirdal said, sincerity shining in his eyes, “but it is best you learn that you cannot trust a demon.”

Alexandra let out a heavy sigh, lying down against the cold floor of the cave.  She closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would come and take her away, but it didn’t.  The gnawing thought that Balthazar had abandoned her to the griffins ate away at her.  She turned over, trying to get comfortable.  The griffin mates appeared to be fast asleep. 

Suddenly the statuesque form of Balthazar blocked out the moonlight that filtered into the cave.  His right hand gripped the woven branch rope that had taken him most of the day to make.  His left hand held a bag that undulated gently.  Alexandra’s heart leapt into her throat.  She never thought she would be so happy to see him. 

Her brows drew together when she realized he wasn’t coming any further in the cave. 
She stood shakily, picking her way around the sleeping griffins and holding onto the wall for guidance as she made her way over to him. 

Balthazar stood at the entrance, watching the girl.  Waiting.  Waiting for what he knew she was going to do.  He had precious little time with the girl, but one thing he had learned to count on was her
affinity for trouble.  He didn’t have to wait long for the girl’s infallible ability to be clumsy. 

Alex stumbled on a rock and fell
to the ground, a grunt escaping her lips.  Shirdal’s feathered head popped up, his eyes snapping open.  Balthazar dropped the bag he was holding and a writhing mass of serpents slid out, making their way across the cave floor. 

Shirdal and his mate reared away from the serpents
, a single bite from the creatures having the ability to mortally wound them.  Their shrieks echoed off the stone walls, as Shirdal picked at the snakes with his massive beak in an attempt to protect his mate.  Alex scrambled to her feet and made a dash towards Balthazar, but Shirdal caught her with his tail, tossing her back against the treasure horde at the back of the cave.  His mate went for Balthazar, leaving three surprisingly small, blue green eggs exposed. 

Balthazar
slid under the she griffin and made a grab for an egg.  A growl ripped through the cave as the female’s talons dug into Balthazar’s back and he was thrown against the stone wall, the egg falling from his hand.  It rolled across the floor of the cave and came to a stop just between Alex and Shirdal.  The female returned to her remaining eggs, shielding them with her body, shrieking wildly.  Her black eyes darted around the cave, watching the chaos unfold.

Shirdal’s concentration was split between saving the egg, k
eeping his newest treasure, and the deadly serpents that now littered the cave floor.  He didn’t have time to react when Balthazar used his speed to appear before him.

The
demon tossed the open end of his rope around Shirdal’s neck.  The beast pulled away, and clawed out at Balthazar catching his open torso with the tip of his fore talon.  He growled in pain, but did not let go of the rope.  His head snapped to Alexandra as he wrestled with the rope that was wrapped around Shirdal’s neck.

“Grab the egg, girl,” Balthazar growled out. 

“Alexandra,” she screamed at him, “and I am not going to steal his egg.  It’s not right.”

“Girl,” Balthazar shouted, his eyes tinting red. 
His strength was quickly depleting and he fought to maintain his hold on the griffin.

“My name is Alexandra,
not girl,” she said, her jaw setting as she crossed her arms, “and I’m not stealing his eggs.”

Shird
al snapped his head around, pulling back.  He finally overpowered Balthazar and the demon was thrown to the front of the cave.  He landed hard against the rocky surface.  He barred his fangs at the griffin before he rushed him again. But this time he changed direction before he reached him, snatching up Alexandra.  She felt a nauseating jerk on her body as they suddenly appeared at the entrance of the cave.

“
I will not allow you to be harmed,” Balthazar looking down at her.

Alex
didn’t have time to fully comprehend as her body was jerked violently away from the demon.  As she felt herself falling through the air, the realization hit that Balthazar had just thrown her off the cliff.  The air was forced from her lungs in a panicked yelp, and Alex clamped her eyes shut, her body tensing for impact. 

Alex felt another jerk as the griffin’s paw wrapped around her just before she hit the ground
.  He circled around, landing on the ground at the bottom of the cliffs.  Balthazar landed in front of Shirdal and Alex, making a small crater from the impact of his jump down from the cave.

“Give me the human, and I will leave you and your mate be,” Balthazar said
, straightening, his body shaking from his exertion.  Shirdal reared his head back, shaking violently, his feathers fluffing up. 

“You don’t want t
o leave your mate alone with a cave of serpents,” Balthazar said, sensing the griffin’s hesitation at giving back his new prize. “She can’t fight them off by herself.”

“This is not over, demon,”
Shirdal shrieked, his talons digging into the ground for leverage before he lifted into the air.  A strong rush of wind beat down from his massive wings.  Alexandra’s body was jerked hard and a hot wave of nausea washed over her.  When her eyes focused, she realized that she was alone with Balthazar in the middle of a forest.  The Demon Lord was covered with blood and he collapsed under the weight of his injuries, a soft growl escaping his lips. 

“Are you ok?” Alexandra gasped as she tried unsuccessfully to keep him from falling.  She looked over his ripped torso and
her face scrunched in concern.  “Where are we?”

“I will be fine
,” Balthazar said.  He watched as the girl fretted over his wounds and he wanted to laugh.  She looked so worried, as if he had been mortally wounded.  Granted, he was injured, and exhausted from so much exertion of power, but he would heal in a very short amount of time.  “I have brought us to safety, but I am out of strength now.”

“T
here is so much blood,” Alex said, her eyes welling up with tears, “and these scratches are so deep.”

Her
hands probed the slices that the griffin’s talons had left in the demon’s chest.  Alex sniffled, trying to hold back her tears. 

“I will be fine, girl
,” Balthazar said again, “I would be better if you had listened to me and grabbed the egg.”

“Well I’m glad I didn’t,” Alex said, crossing her arms with a huff, her concern for
Balthazar disappearing, “We shouldn’t be stealing their eggs anyway.”

“Even if it’s the only way to return to your
home?” Balthazar asked.

“We can find another way,” Alex said, looking up at the demon with determination set in her green eyes.

“
It’s a good thing I grabbed the egg,” Balthazar scoffed, reaching into the pouch that was attached to his belt and pulling out a shiny blue green egg. 

“No,” Alex said, her voice rising angrily, “He may have kidnapped me, but that’s nothing worse than you did.  He does not deserve to have his eggs
stolen.”

“You are a naïve creature,” Balthazar said, his eyes narrowed.

“I am not,” Alex shot back, her bottom lip pushed out as she starred back at him, “and Shirdal warned me about you, about demons.”

“I’m sure he did,” Balthazar said, “We try to kill the creatures when we can.”

“Why?” Alex gasped, mortified at the frankness of his words.  She turned away, unable to look at him. “He is a kind.”

“Have you wondered were all his treasures
come from?” Balthazar asked.  “They are stolen from my people.”

“Well that still doesn’t give you the right
to steal his eggs,” Alex said.

“Griffins feed off the flesh of our children,” Balthazar said icily. “Tha
t gives me the right.”