My vision is blurred as my head swings back and forth. Something seems to click into place deep in my chest as my release slowly starts to ebb. As it continues to wind down, a rightness settles into my soul.

  I peel my eyes open and seek out Zander’s comforting gaze, but what I see doesn’t make sense. My heart pounds impossibly loud in my ears, and it takes a moment for my numb brain to catch up to what my eyes are showing me.

  A tail. Zander has a tail.

  “What... are you?” I gasp, my words slurred. Zander sweeps his tail across the pavement as I stare. “A demon,” Ryth says. “A kagma, to be exact.”

  It takes a long moment for me to absorb what he said, but when I do, I deny it instantly, because there’s no such thing as demons. Yet so many things about these three strangers don’t add up. I could chalk it up to hallucinations from hitting my head, but somehow I know it’s more than that. I can feel it my chest as I sit here on a Branh’s lap, connected to him intimately, knotted on his inflated cock. That same feeling of rightness from before resonates even stronger than it did before, but I don’t know what that means or why.

  I don’t understand any of this.

  “You’re a sythica, a rare she-demon with powers that rival Lucifer himself.” A wicked smirk lights up Ryth’s handsome face as he speaks. I’m drawn to him, and the others, like a moth to a flame. It should be concerning to feel such a way for complete strangers, but it’s not. Something about them just feels right, something about us even more so. “And now you are ours until your final death. The bond is sealed. No matter where you go, we will always be able to find you.”

  Surprisingly, that thought doesn’t scare me as much as it should. In fact, my own lips twist into a sadistic little smile because little do they know...

  They’re mine now too.

  Chapter 4

  A loud crack from my right startles me so much I jump in Branh’s lap. Ryth and Zander are on their feet in an instant, standing before their brother and myself as we remain tied together, unable to separate until Branh’s knot deflates.

  From what I can make out around their massive bodies, a weird tear just appeared in the brick wall of the alley. I know for a fact that it wasn’t there a moment ago, so whatever it is, it’s fresh. And somehow its arrival has signaled the start of something horrifying as a horde of grotesque monsters attempt to crawl out of the hole all at once. Their three-inch claws scratch and pull at their brethren as they fight for freedom.

  I fight a gag at the sight and smell of the beasts. Their skin is peeling, revealing a bloody mess of organs and bone. How these things are still able to move with the sheer amount of damage they have already taken is beyond me. And they smell like a dead body that’s been left in the hot trunk of a car for twelve hours. They look like something that’s crawled straight out of hell, so obviously these have to be demons.

  Clearly my new mates got the good genes from down under.

  Branh climbs to his feet, pulling me with him with his arms tight around my waist. Without a word to his brothers standing at the ready for when the damned things finally manage to crawl through the tear, he flips us around so we’re facing the other alley wall. With a grunt, he releases one arm from around my belly and waves it with a flourish at the bricks. Another tear appears, but unlike its twin, this one isn’t infested with the rotting creatures.

  The tear is pulsating, and I swear I can feel it beating in time with my own pounding heart. “Wha—”

  “Hush,” Branh growls, and my lips slam shut instinctively.

  I silently seethe at the damn command, but my body won’t obey me, even as I mentally scream for me to slap the bastard at my back. Instead I’m left to watch as the hole before us grows larger, its pitch-black center unnerving.

  As soon as it expands, stopping at least a foot above the asphalt, Branh moves forward. He rushes through the magical hole he created as I silently scream.

  As soon as the darkness encompasses me, my fear abandons me. Comfort and peace wrap around me like an old friend. There’s a slight pulling sensation, but it’s not harsh—it’s gentle and welcoming. Something feels so right about this place, even in this unfamiliar area of nothingness and stillness.

  My last thought before darkness consumes me is how, for the first time in my miserable life, I finally feel like I’ve come home.

  “...CAN’T. YOU KNOW THE rules.” A voice cuts through the darkness like a knife. I know that voice.

  Zander. He’s okay.

  My body sinks deeper into the softest bedding I’ve ever slept in as relief washes through me.

  “She needs to be registered,” Ryth sighs.

  I nearly weep with joy knowing both the males we left behind made it back to me safely. I want to inspect them, make sure they’re not injured, but it’s a struggle to open my eyes. There’s a heaviness to my lids like there are two-ton bricks weighing them down.

  “She’s claimed. They can’t dispute it, especially with her being our pinnacle,” Branh remarks sternly, brooking no argument. I stop trying to open my eyes as I listen in to a conversation they clearly don’t want me to hear if they’re having this “talk” while they think I’m out cold.

  “That means nothing to them—you know that,” Zander growls, irritation dripping from every word.

  “They’d sooner kill us all and then take her for themselves. We can’t risk it,” Ryth cuts in. “Especially not after what happened with—”

  “Hush. She’s awake.”

  Branh’s sharp words make me silently curse my shitty luck. I can’t even eavesdrop properly, for fucks sake.

  A hand brushes my hair back and is followed by Zander’s softly spoken question. “How are you feeling, mate?”

  Mate. I like the sound of that word rolling off his tongue like the sweetest caress.

  I manage to finally peel open my eyes, and I grimace against the bright lights glaring down at me. “Fi—” I cough as my dry throat burns. “Fine. You’re okay? What about those things that... that came from the wall?”

  Zander is crouched beside me, helping me sit up as I blink the spots from my vision. Ryth is leaning against the wall to my left, and Branh is resting against an open doorway.

  I take a moment to look around, then gasp. The room is darkly appointed, with gray walls and black bedding and pillows strewn throughout. It seems like the entire bedroom is just one massive bed built into the floorboards, making this place feel warm and comfortable. There aren’t any windows, so it feels enclosed, but not in a claustrophobic kind of way. Instead it makes me want to curl into the blankets and nap for days on end. I wouldn’t mind spending hours here, reading books and daydreaming my life away.

  Glancing down, I take note of my very naked body and shrug. I would have thought I’d be self-conscious of my imperfect form in front of these three males crouched around me, but I’m not. I feel completely at ease in my birthday suit.

  “They were lower demons,” Zander says, and I suddenly remember I asked a question. “Mindless beasts under the command of some other kagma, most likely. The phizra, or gamma, that initially attacked you was a scout looking for more of your kind. You’re lucky we stumbled upon you when we did, otherwise who knows where you’d be now—and who you’d be bonded to.”

  “They wouldn’t have been gentle with claiming you, either,” Ryth spits.

  I flinch like I’ve been hit. “What?”

  “Demons.” Ryth says it like that explains everything, and I guess in a way it does.

  Human lore has always described demons as brutal and unforgiving creatures from hell that enjoy terrorizing and killing mortals for entertainment. But the three demons I’ve met and bonded to don’t seem all that evil. In fact, they’ve been kind to me—sweet, even. It seems that just like with humans, not all demons are cruel and horrible, but I still shudder to think of what would have happened if I’d been claimed by another kagma.

  “We’ve been looking for our sythica for ages, and finally the fruit of our labors has come to fruition.” Zander looks at me heatedly. “You.”

  I try to ignore the way my cheeks burn at his words, even though what he said wasn’t a romantic admission by any means. Redirection is necessary, so I ask, “What exactly is a sythica? And what are you?”

  “In simple terms, a sythica is an omega,” Ryth says with a smile. “Though there are the occasional male omegas, they aren’t nearly as powerful as their female counterparts, so most kagma wait until they can claim a female. Kagmas, on the other hand, are alphas. While physically strong compared to omegas, betas, and gammas, we aren’t complete until we bond with a sythica. Once bonded, we gain untold strength and power intended to protect the one we’ve claimed.”

  “Protect from what?” I question with the tilt of my head. “The... the phizras? The gammas?”

  The three of them share an unreadable look that has my warning bells going off. I narrow my eyes at them at their suspicious behavior.

  “Them, among others,” Branh says cagily.

  I push for a better answer. “Others?”

  “There are certain demons who fear you and need to see you destroyed. They perceive you as threat that needs to be eliminated in order to preserve their position in hell,” Ryth explains in a rush.

  I blanch and small tremors move through my body. “Why me? What did I do?”

  “It’s not what you’ve done, per se,” he hedges. “It’s what you will do, and how you’ll do it.”

  “What do you mean?” I shake my head. “That sounds cryptic as fuck.”

  “Sythica are special,” Zander starts. “One of your abilities grants your alpha or alphas untold power, making them contenders for a seat at the Council of Seven. Normally this wouldn’t be such a big deal, but the previous leaders are no longer able to maintain their seats of power, thus opening up the culling for any and all demons to enter if they fit the qualifications.”

  Branh snorts. “And by that he means that the current ruler in hell decided to kill his entire council in a fit of rage.”

  My mouth drops open in shock as I stammer, “That’s... sick.”

  “Hell is cutthroat, even on its best day.” Branh shrugs like it’s no big deal, but it is. “And when you have a bastard like him on the throne, well, let’s just say hell has been crumbling bit by bit over the years.”

  My head is spinning with all this information and I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what to say to all that. My world has turned upside down in a matter of hours. Or at least I think only a few hours have passed. That thought has me asking them how long I’ve been out.

  “You’ve been unconscious for roughly forty-eight hours.”

  “Forty-eight hours?” I gape at Ryth. “I never sleep that long.”

  “You did bond three of us at once,” he replies with a smile and shrug. “It takes its toll. Not to mention you’re a nearly awakened sythica, and that’s an adjustment on your body too. It’s not surprising you’ve slept so long.”

  And to think I’m still tired. I shake my head.

  Then he asks, “How do you like your nest?”

  I blink. “My what?”

  “Nest.” Ryth gestures to the bedroom, “We call it an omega’s nest, and it’s filled with soft things to put the sythica at ease. Alphas saturate it with their scent too because familiar smells help soothe upset or nervous omegas.”

  “Oh,” I say as I look around the darkened room. “I like it.” And it’s true; it’s comfortable, and very, very soft. But one question is still nagging at me. “Where am I?”

  “Hell.”

  “Oh... of course.” I swallow thickly, trying not to panic. Like actual Hell. “I thought you said I wasn’t safe here.”

  “The mortal plane isn’t any safer than here. In fact, I’d say it’s more dangerous,” Ryth says with a frown. “We run the risk of tampering with mortal lives and exposing our kind if another battle occurs like it did two days ago. We can’t have that. Your den is a smaller, more defensible location, and with three strong bonded demons protecting you, you’ll be fine so long as you stay inside.”

  “Ryth is right. We are strong.” Branh’s lips are twisted up into a deadly smirk. “Our lineage is powerful from the start, and now that we’ve bonded with you, we are even more deadly. I’m gluttony, Zander signifies greed, and Ryth is the embodiment of envy.”

  What? Now they’re trying to tell me they’re the embodiment of the seven sins? I snort. “The Council of Seven... The seven sins. What, does Hell have seven layers too?” I scoff through the rising panic bubbling in my gut. I’m so out of my element here, it’s not even funny.

  “No, where the fuck did you get that idea from?” Branh looks insulted. Obviously he’s never read Dante’s Inferno and it’s nine levels of Hell.

  “Never mind,” I say dryly. “Where are the rest of the sins, then? I’m assuming since it’s a council of seven and there are only three of you here...” I trail off, waiting for them to fill in the blanks.

  “You’re mistaken.” Zander smiles knowingly and shakes his head. “There are four of us.” I just blink at him, not understanding what secret message he’s trying to deliver here. Finally he breaks it down for me. “You’re lust.”

  That stops me dead, manic laughter building in my throat, though nothing about this is remotely funny. I couldn’t have heard him right. Zander couldn’t have just claimed I’m lust.

  Not me, a twenty-four-year-old virgin who had sex for the first time in an alley after being attacked by a demon.

  Chapter 5

  Greed

  I think we broke her.

  Our sythica has sat in her nest for twenty minutes, giggling to herself while staring off into nothingness. We’ve all tried to get her attention with softly spoken words, though Gluttony’s harsh tone can’t really be considered “soft” even if he does try. He’s too rough to come across as gentle.

  I exchange a long look with my brothers and mentally shrug. If they aren’t planning to step up and comfort her in the way alphas do best, then I will. My interactions with her topside were limited due to time constraints, so I’m overdue for some bonding with my mate.

  I do worry how she will handle the rest of the information we still need to deliver. If she’s cracking this early over the very limited details we’ve shared, then there’s no telling how she will react when everything else comes to light.

  Shit, we haven’t even told her our true reason for participating in the culling and what that means for our group, and Hell itself.

  I can feel her bubbling distress from here, and it’s suffocating. Knowing my mate is right in front of me after so many years of searching is surreal. But knowing that the knowledge we’ve shared causes her distress pains me. I don’t like being the cause of her stress. I don’t like knowing I had a hand in potentially breaking her fragile little mind. My role as her mate is to provide for her, protect her, love her, not hurt her. And the worst is yet to come.

  There is still so much she needs to know and understand before life gets too crazy and there’s no time to explain. I won’t have her ignorant and at risk, especially with her life on the line, and Lucifer’s. He’s counting on us, and we can’t afford to fail him.

  Not again.

  So instead of waiting for my mate to crawl out of her pit of despair, I go to her.

  “Mate,” I croon as I wrap myself around her. Her giggles stop instantly. “What’s your name?”

  “Gabrielle.”

  Her nearly inaudible response sends a flutter through my chest. A wonderful name for a wonderful mate. I can only hope we can keep this one alive longer than her predecessors. Each death of our center, our pinnacle, destroys something inside me no matter how much I try to harden myself against the inevitable. I always hope for a different outcome, but it does little good in the end.

  She always dies. My brothers always die. And I’d rather lose my own life than witness the loss of our lust cycle after cycle.

  I shake off the morbid thoughts and gently push Gabrielle into the mattress. She goes pliant, moving where I guide until I’m hovering over her, forearms resting on either side of her head. Her baby blues are filled with so much torment it makes my heart clench.

  It’s then I realize just how confusing this must be for her. How strange and unsettled she must feel. Her despair is a result of everything she’s been through in the last two days, not just from the information we dropped in her lap without a care. Our sweet mate has been uprooted from her life topside, tossed into Hell with three strangers who remember our past together while she remains ignorant of our centuries-long history.

  To make matters worse for her, this cycle reincarnated her as a human, meaning she was living a life my brothers and I could never hope to comprehend. Being sins is all we have ever known.

  Perhaps we’ve pushed too far too soon. Perhaps we need to bond with her better before we dive into the rest of our baggage. Perhaps we need to offer comfort and support until she’s ready for more.

  So I offer my mate the sweetest smile I can give and press my lips to her forehead tenderly. I peck her cheeks, her lips, and her neck, slowly moving down her already bare body until I get to the cleft between her thighs. I inhale deeply, scenting her growing arousal with a smug smirk aimed at my brothers brooding off to the side. Branh is grumbling under his breath, but I ignore his barbed complaints.

  It’s his fault for not acting sooner.

  I lift up onto my knees and free my erection from the cloth pants I’m wearing before grabbing the back of Gabrielle’s thighs. I spread her legs onto either side of my hips as I rest the tip of my dick at her entrance. Slowly I push forward until I’m seated to my base. Our mate moans softly, head craned to the side, offering me the perfect view of her marked neck. I growl as I lean forward, pinching her skin between my teeth and nibbling on my claiming mark.

 

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