Queen of Darkness

”That’s not true,” Saetan said, straining forward despite the knife Hekatah still held against his belly. It was mad to be arguing about this, but all his instincts shouted at him that it had to be now, that there might not be another chance to alter that look in Daemon’s eyes.

”Isn’t it?” Daemon said bitterly. ”Then where were they 1,700 years ago when I was a child? Where were you? Where were any of you during all the years between then and now? Don’t talk to me about family, High Lord.”

Saetan sagged against the post. Mother Night, every worry he’d had about Daemon’s loyalty was coming true.

”How very touching,” Hekatah sneered. ”Do you expect us to believe that? You’re your father’s son.”

Daemon’s gold eyes fastened on Hekatah. ”I think it’s more accurate to say I’m the man my father might have been if he’d had the balls for it.”

”Don’t listen to him,” Dorothea said suddenly. ”It’s a trick, a trap. He’s lying.”

”It seems to be his day for it,” Surreal muttered bitterly.

Giving Surreal a brief, dismissive glance, Daemon shifted his attention to Dorothea. ”Hello, darling. You look like a hag. It suits you.”

Dorothea hissed.

”I brought you a present,” Daemon said, glancing at Surreal again.

Dorothea looked at Surreal’s pointed ears and sneered. ”I’ve heard of her. She’s nothing but a whore.”

”Yes,” Daemon agreed mildly, ”she’s a first-class slut who will spread her legs for anything that will pay her. She’s also your granddaughter. Kartane’s child. The only one he’ll ever sire. The only continuation of your bloodline.”

”No slut is my granddaughter,” Dorothea snarled.

Daemon raised one eyebrow. ”Really, darling, I thought that would be the convincing argument. The only difference between you is she’s under a male most of the time while you’re on top of him. But your legs are spread just as wide.” He paused. ”Well, there is one other difference. Since she was getting paid for it, she had to acquire some skill in bed.”

Dorothea shook with rage. ”Guards! Seize him!”

Twenty men surged forward, then dropped in their tracks.

Daemon just smiled. ”Perhaps I should kill the rest of them now to eliminate further annoyances.”

Hekatah carefully lowered the knife. ”Why are you here, Sadi?”

”Your little schemes are interfering with my plans, and that annoys me.”

”Terreille is going to war with Kaeleer. That’s hardly a ’little scheme.’ ”

”Well, that all depends on whether you have the power to win, doesn’t it?” Daemon crooned. ”However, I’m not interested in ruling a Realm that’s been devastated by a war, so I decided it was time we had a little talk.” Dorothea jumped forward. ”Don’t listen to him!”

”How can you rule a Realm?” Hekatah asked, ignoring Dorothea.

Daemon’s smile became colder, crueler. ”I control the witch who has the strength to kill every living thing in the Realm of Terreille.”

”NO!” Saetan shouted. ”You do not control the Queen.” When Daemon’s eyes fixed on him, he started to shiver again.

”Don’t I?” Daemon purred. ”Haven’t you wondered why she didn’t respond to the ’gift,’ High Lord? Oh, she was greatly distressed. Hasn’t done anything but weep since your finger arrived. But she isn’t here-and she isn’t going to be because she values having my cock inside her more than she values you. Any of you.” For the first time, Daemon glanced at Lucivar.

Saetan shook his head. ”No. You can’t do this, Daemon.”

”Don’t tell me what I can do. You had your chance, old man, and you didn’t have the balls to take it. Now it’s my turn, and I intend to rule.”

”That’s just another lie,” Dorothea snapped. ”You’ve never been interested in ruling.”

Daemon turned searing, cold anger on her. ”What would you know about what I wanted, bitch? You never offered me a chance to rule anything. You just wanted to use my strength without ever offering anything in return.”

”I did offer you something!”

”What? You? You had your use of me, Dorothea. How could you imagine enduring more of that would be any kind of reward?”

”You bastard! You-” She took a step toward him, her hand raised like a claw.

A blow from a phantom hand knocked her off her feet. She fell on top of Surreal, who swore viciously and pushed her off.

Tearing his eyes away from Daemon, Saetan looked at Hekatah-and realized she was shaking, but it wasn’t from anger.

”What is it you want, Sadi?” Hekatah said, unable to keep her voice steady.

A long, chilling moment passed before Daemon turned his attention back to her. ”I came to negotiate on my Queen’s behalf.”

”I told you,” Dorothea muttered-but she didn’t try to get up.

”And what will you tell your Queen?” Hekatah asked.

”That I arrived too late to save any of them. I’m sure I can prod her into a suitably violent reaction.”

”She’ll destroy more than us if she unleashes that kind of power.”

Daemon’s smile was a satisfied one. ”Exactly. She’ll destroy everything. And once all of you are gone… Well, there will have to be a few more battles in Kaeleer to eliminate the more troublesome males in the court. But after that, I think things will settle down quite nicely.” He turned and started to walk away.

He’ll never get her to destroy everyone in Terreille, Saetan thought, closing his eyes against the sick feelings churning in his stomach. He’ll never twist her that much. Not Jaenelle.

”Wait,” Hekatah said.

Saetan opened his eyes.

Daemon was almost at the edge of the light. Turning, he raised one eyebrow in inquiry.

”Was that the only reason you came here?” Hekatah asked.

Daemon glanced at Lucivar again and smiled. ”No. I thought I would settle a few debts while I was here.”

Hekatah returned the smile. ”Then, perhaps. Prince, we do have something to talk about. But not right now. Why don’t you indulge yourself while I-while Dorothea and I think about how we might settle this amicably between us.”

”I’m sure I can find something amusing to do to pass the time,” Daemon said. He walked out of the light, disappeared into the darkness.

Hekatah looked at Saetan. It wasn’t possible for him to keep his feelings hidden right now, to keep his face blank.

Dorothea got to her feet and pointed at Surreal. ”Secure that bitch,” she snapped at a couple of guards. Then she turned to Hekatah. ”You can’t really believe Sadi.”

”The High Lord does,” Hekatah said quietly. ”And that’s very interesting.” She hissed when Dorothea started to protest. ”We’ll discuss this in private.”

She walked to her cabin with Dorothea reluctantly following.

After chaining Surreal to the post on Saetan’s left, the guards gathered up the dead men, and, with uneasy glances at the surrounding darkness, finally returned to their duties.

”Your son’s a cold-blooded bastard,” Surreal said quietly.

Saetan thought about the look in Daemon’s eyes. He thought about the man he should have known well-and didn’t know at all. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against the post, and said, ”I only have one son now-and he’s Eyrien.”

”Hello, Prick.”

Lucivar turned his head, watched Daemon glide out of the darkness and circle around to stand directly in