Runes of Truth (A Demon's Fall #1)(13)
“Fucking hell,” I hear Nix curse behind me as the field disappears, and the demon underground appears. There are metal containers piled everywhere, the ones at the bottom are open with shops inside and the market in front of them. Other containers lead into diners, clubs, and other rooms. Music blasts from a nearby speaker, and people walk past us like we aren’t even here, dressed in similar clothes or cloaks. All sorts of people live here, but the demons run it. Mainly overlord demons who are meant to be banned from earth. Let’s hope the Protectors don’t see any of those around. There are five demon undergrounds as far as I know, and I should know because I grew up in them. When you are hunted by Protectors like demons are, demons became your friends and allies.
“Not a word about this place,” I warn them, knowing it’s likely they are going to die in hell, anyway, and never get a chance to tell anyone, so I’m not too worried. I only want to get my ass back out of hell with the princesses, not them. “This way.” I nod my head to the left and walk down the stone pathway. I keep my eyes down as I pass many people, not wanting anyone to know I’m here with these Protectors. I know too many people here, and so many wouldn’t take it well to see me walking Protectors into their homes. Hopefully, no one will notice they are something more than humans. We finally get to the building we want. It’s the only one around here that is made from bricks and concrete. It used to be a school, I think, but it’s been changed and now houses a nightclub for the most dangerous demons.
“Don’t drink or eat anything in here that I don’t give you, trust me,” I stop to warn them before walking up to the entrance. Two demon bouncers are outside, and one holds his arm in front of me to stop me. I can’t see their faces, only their cloaks and their red skin, letting me know they are likely very powerful demons.
“Password,” the one who stopped me asks.
“Sempiternum daemonum futurum oriri,” I say quietly, and he lowers his hand, letting me in with a glance. Connor walks closer to my side as we walk in the house, and down the long corridor that leads to the club.
“What did that mean? And how do you speak Latin?” Connor asks curiously.
“All demons speak Latin, some more than English, and I grew up with demons. Do you not bother speaking to them before you kill them?” I ask him, and he doesn’t reply. “I said ‘demons will rise’ in Latin, because the people here believe it.”
“You think of demons as people,” he says as he figures out my feelings on demons. They are people, they have feelings, they fall in love, and protect their families. Demons are better than humans in my experience. The only demons that aren’t people are overlords, and we are about to see one. Overlords are said to be thousands of years old, but I don’t know if that’s true. I doubt it, it’s likely a rumour.
“That’s one of the biggest mistakes of your kind, that you don’t see them as people,” I sneer at him and walk faster so that I’m ahead of him. I push the wooden doors open at the end of the corridor and walk into the night club as the loud music blasts against my ears. I look around, seeing demon women dancing with human men on the dance floor. They are succubus demons by the looks of their blue skin, black hair, and seductive bodies as they seduce the human men in suits out of their money. A female waitress, a lower-class demon with red skin and black eyes stops in front of us, offering us a drink from the tray she is holding.
“No. Do you speak English?” I ask her, and she pauses, giving me a worried nod.
“Good. I’m looking for Seth,” I ask, and her eyes widen. She goes to run away, and I grab her arm, stopping her.
“Tell Seth that Evie is here, he will want to see me,” I explain to her and let her go, watching as she runs away.
“Seems not just Protectors run from you,” Trex sarcastically comments. Asshole.
“She will tell him I’m here. Seth usually has company, so we will have to wait,” I reply calmly, not rising to Trex’s taunts.
“I think it’s time for a drink, and time we got to know each other better. We are going to hell after all, we should at least know some things about each other,” Nix says, walking to the bar without asking for my permission. I think I like him, he seems like an asshole. I follow him over, stopping him when he lifts a hand to order.
“Let me order, unless you want to wake up in a demon’s bed with your soul missing,” I say, lifting my own hand, and the demon bartender runs over. The bartender is young, with big blue eyes and a tired expression.
“Four normals, Jack Daniels if you have it. In fact, leave the bottle,” I tell him, and the bartender stares at me for a second before running off.
“Has that happened to you?” Connor asks with wide eyes as he waits at my side as the bartender gets our drinks. I walk over to an empty booth with a table, sliding into a seat. The guys sit next to me, Connor on my left and Nix on my right. As suspected, Trex sits as far away from me as possible.
“Not personally, but I know someone it did happen to. He died the next day; it was a shame. I liked him,” I say with a grin, that seems to worry them all. Luckily for them, the bartender comes over with four shot glasses, and a bottle of Jack Daniels.
“I’ve opened a tab, pay later, assassin,” the bartender says, bowing low, and walking away. I reach for the bottle, but Nix is quicker, grinning at me as he opens it.