Prologue - Chapter 3
Watching the veil, Nira had noticed more than once that there was movement at the edges and she knew Mikael was watching her while trying to hide. Finally, she stated out loud, “If you’re just going to watch me as I watch you, then you might as well come out where I can see you.”
“You speak Daemoni with a funny accent,” he snarled at her.
“Well, yeah, I'm human. I can't be as growly and snarly as you. Galena says your name is Mikael. Is that right?”
Mikael simply nodded as he continued to watch her with obsidian black eyes that surprisingly held a bit of green in them. He had powerfully thick horns the color of darkest night. His skin was uniquely colored. At some angles it appeared black, at others it seemed dark purple or even a dark gray. Even though Nira couldn't see all of him at the moment, she could tell he was quite large, much larger than her five foot two inch frame. What she could see was covered in thick muscles and glowing tattoos. His tattoos fascinated her. She had never seen anything like them.
“Do you have wings? I can't see if you do at the moment. You know, you're really not that scary looking. Maybe if I didn't deal with monsters regularly I'd be terrified, but in reality, you're quite handsome for a Daemoni. Those tattoos though, wow! They’re gorgeous. You have to tell me about them,” Nira found herself rambling.
Mikael simply snarled at the idea that she found him handsome in any way. He was hideous, even the children who had ventured too close to the veil had screamed in horror when they'd seen him. He was a monster. She wanted to see his wings though and wings she'd see. Unfurling his wings, he stepped back so she could see all of his wings as well as him in his entirety.
“Very nice, indeed. I bet you're quite the badass Daemoni if you're friends with Prince Damian. I've heard some rather scary stories about him. He's as powerful as they come. Not many would even consider messing with him.
“By the way, I'm sorry that your mother cursed you. Mordecai has a way of warping those that listen to him. He’s my uncle and nothing but pure evil. I'm sorry he's influenced her so much that she did this to you.
“If it makes you feel any better, you aren't hideous at all. The Saalah, now those are nasty looking. I've seen some lower Daemoni that were just gross looking. I personally have an issue with anything that oozes or has slime. As far as I can tell, you don't have anything like that so you don't trigger any ick factor for me.
“You know what... I don't think I properly introduced myself. I'm Nira Daniels, daughter of Darius Deus of D Corporation. You probably know of him because he's Mordecai's twin brother. I love my dad, and while we don't always get along, he's a good man. He's made it his life's mission to protect the innocent. Can't find fault with that.
“You know this cave, it's not too shabby. At least it smells better than when I initially walked into the front cave. You wouldn't guess it, but I'm not originally from this time. I was born thousands of years ago but I'm not immortal. Bet you're wondering how that works. Let's just say time magick was involved.”
As Nira continued to ramble on to him about anything and everything, Mikael watched her as she took her hair down from the braid she had worn it in. Her hair looked so soft, as if it were silk. He wondered if it was. She had really pretty eyes that glittered, filled with life. Her soul held so much beauty it was almost hard to look at.
So far the only issue he seemed to have was that she talked too much. “You talk, a lot,” he grumbled as he puffed out his frustration.
“Yeah, I know. I can't help it. If my mind gets going and no one is talking it's like I need to fill the silence. I'm sorry,” Nira smiled at him. Going quiet she opened up another container of food and sat back to eat.
Mikael realized with her he didn't like the silence much either. He rather preferred learning about her and hearing her voice. “You are right, the silence, it's too loud,” Mikael smirked at her.
“Right?!? Sometimes it seems like it's the loudest noise there is. Are you angry at your mother?”
“Yes. She is selfish and cruel. No good. Mordecai is evil as you say,” Mikael said, switching to English.
“Galena says Innara cursed you so that you wouldn't leave the Dark Realms.”
“Yes, that is what she says.”
“You don't think that’s the real reason?” Nira had to keep from chuckling when she watched him shrug. It was such a human way to respond. She would have never expected it from a Daemoni Prince. “Have you been like this a long time?”
“Yes, too long. We’re born with the gift to change our appearance. She took that away when she cursed me. The tattoos you are fascinated with are the curse. It is that curse that drains my powers and my ability to fight the darkness, soon I will no longer be able to fight it. When that happens, Damian will be forced to end me,” Mikael lamented, sounding almost haunted by his fate.
She noticed that his speech was improving the more he talked. It was as if he hadn't spoken in a long time. “I do not wish that on him. He fights the darkness too. I fear it will be what ends his fight. He is like a brother to me and has such goodness in him although he hides it.”
“This darkness, do most Daemoni fight it?”
“We were made to provide justice and balance for all of the realms. Always being around evil, since the beginning, it changes us. Most allow the darkness to control them. It is only the strongest of the old ones that still fight its control. The young Daemoni do not have to fight so much because they do not have that much power.
“Damian is older than me. He was the first Daemoni Lucifer made and he is the strongest and most powerful. Only my father is stronger but I have not seen him since I was a child. Mother and Mordecai fear Damian because they know he is stronger than they are. They wait till the darkness weakens him, then they want to destroy him and take his power for themselves.”
“What stops the darkness?”
“What humans have, hope. Galena works hard to protect her brother from the darkness. She works to give him the hope he needs to fight. Unfortunately, it is no longer enough. If he has to end me...” Mikael stopped as his thoughts consumed him.
“What about love? Maybe if Damian had love in his life it would be enough,” Nira suggested softly.
“We do not love.”
“Is it that you don't love or you simply don't know what love is?” Nira asked, looking at him intently. When he didn't answer, she knew she’d given him something to ponder.
She began to yawn as she continued to watch him through the realm veil. “It is late. I need some sleep. Can we talk more tomorrow? I need to strengthen the veil but I would like to talk more with you. It’s very enjoyable. I've been able to simply have a conversation with a Daemoni. It’s so fascinating to me!”
“Yes. I would enjoy that as well. Most avoid me, fearing the curse will spread to them. I am alone a lot. Rest now, human. You are safe.”
Nira blinked at him and murmured, “Thank you.” Settling down on her mat, she closed her eyes and let her thoughts become filled with a certain Daemoni.