Ruby Shadows (Born to Darkness #3)(136)

“A poor substitute for the treasure I lost,” he snarled. His long, hairy snout wrinkled as he leaned forward and took a deep whiff of my hair. I jerked away from him but he didn’t seem to care. “She has lost her innocence and half of her soul as well since last I saw her,” he announced.

I had no idea what he was talking about but I didn’t want to hang around and find out.

“Stay away from me,” I said in a shaky voice, trying to inch back from him. Unfortunately the two demon guards were only a few steps away.

“Hold her,” Belial directed them and they gripped me by the upper arms, forcing me to hold still.

“Now be a good girl, my dear and it will all be over quickly.” Druaga leered at me. Or maybe not so quickly.”

Without warning, he grabbed the top of my t-shirt in his hairy hands and yanked, ripping it viciously down the middle. My extra bra hadn’t survived my adventures in Hell so this left my breasts completely bare.

“No!” I writhed in anger and shame, my exposed nipples hardened both by the cold air and the chilly fear I could feel knotting up my stomach.

Druaga paid no attention.

“Nice—very nice,” he snorted, surveying my bare breasts. Then he sniffed me again, this time bending down to poke his disgusting snout right in my crotch.


“You *!” I kicked out reflexively and the toe of my little black ballet flat caught him in the throat.

“Argh!” He jumped back, his hairy hand going to his throat. “You little bitch!” he snarled in a choked voice. “Half a soul or not, I’ll take you like I should’ve from the start.”

He stepped forward again, one hand going to his hardening member. I felt my stomach turn with a sick twist. He was really going to do it—he was going to rape me and take my soul right here in the board room, in front of the entire Council of Demons! And no one was going to do a thing to stop him—including me because I didn’t have a weapon.

Yes, you do have a weapon! whispered a little voice inside my head. You’ve got power inside you if you just let it out!

I didn’t know what the voice was talking about but I knew I needed to find out. But before I could think further, Druaga was leaning over me, blowing his hot, rotten breath in my face and fumbling between us for the button of my jeans.

“Get away from me!” I shouted in his face but he only laughed. I tried to kick him again but he dodged me and stripped down my jeans and panties, effectively hobbling my legs.

“Come here, my pretty little mortal,” he snorted in my face. “Give me a sweet kiss while I f*ck out your soul…”

Oh, this was so not good…If only I had time and the right materials to try and cast a spell. But my magic didn’t work that way. It wasn’t like I could just shout out a word like Laish had! The thought started a loop in my frantic brain. Words of power…words of power…if only I could say them like he did!

I felt something hot and hard and slimy poking against the inside of my thigh and the boar’s snout was closing in on my face, snuffling against my cheek. A shudder of pure disgust went through me. I felt like I was going to gag or faint or go crazy or maybe all three at once.

No, no I can’t stand this! I can’t let him do it! I can’t!

I turned my head to one side and opened my mouth, meaning to scream or shout. Instead, a word I had never heard before came pouring out.

I say pouring out but it was more like it came sizzling out like a lightning bolt—a flash of electricity that singed the hairs on Druaga’s snout and made him jump back with a curse.

“What in the name of Lucifer?” he growled.

“Stay back from me or I’ll do it again, you nasty bastard!” I gasped, though I had no idea how I had done what I had done in the first place. “I’ll fry you like a f*cking piece of bacon!”

“You can’t!” Druaga drew back, his muddy eyes uncertain.

“I can! Laish taught me everything he knew about words of power,” I lied recklessly. “If he was here now—”

“Well, he’s not,” Belial thundered, glaring at me. “And he never will be again, thanks to you, you filthy little mortal!” He nodded at the guards who were still holding me, although not as tightly as before. “Someone gag her. That should stop any further displays while Druaga finishes her punishment.”

I opened my mouth to shout again but a hot, hard palm slapped over my face before I could speak.

“Now, Druaga,” Belial said, an evil grin curling the corners of his thin, blue lips. “You may proceed.”

“I will.” The boar-headed demon got back into position between my thighs. “I’m going to have fun with this little bitch. And since Lord Laish isn’t here to stop me—”

“Oh, but he is.”

The low, familiar voice came as a shock to more than just me. Every head in the room jerked up, including mine. To my mingled relief and astonishment, I saw Laish standing in the doorway of the plush boardroom. He was wearing an immaculate three piece suit and a look of utter rage on his face. But when he spoke, his voice came out cold and terribly quiet.

“Druaga,” he said softly. “Take your hands off Gwendolyn and step away from her now or suffer the consequences.”

* * * * *

Laish

How can I express my rage at seeing those filthy hands on the woman I loved? Words cannot express it. I wanted to kill every last one of them—to maim and rend—to tear out their hearts and burn them at their feet. A crude solution, perhaps, but doubtless an effective one.