The cove he’d chosen to use was off a small, freshwater lake in the rift. The cave was well hidden around sharp rocks and a dangerous, steep slope that led down to the water. From atop the slope it looked like it went down into the water and nothing else, but when one actually walked down the slope and swam down, the slope actually gave way underneath to a large, cavernous space.

The human mumbled to herself, her head lolling left and right. Something tightened in his gut as he looked at her. He didn’t like it. Gazing upon her stirred something deep inside of him.

Alrik cursed.

Who was she to try to compete with his Arianna? She was no Arianna. Arianna was a goddess. Beautiful, shining, dark black hair fell down to her slender waist and a graceful figure and demeanor that could only be obtained with the best of haute, aristocratic blood in her veins. This human looked nothing like his Arianna. She had hair the color of wet dirt. It looked thin and not heavy like Arianna’s hair. She had wide hips and more curves than Arianna, but Arianna didn’t need blatant curves. Her graceful figure brought about attention alone.

Simply put, she wasn’t his Arianna.

Then why did his gut clench just looking at her?

Too long without a woman, maybe. His gaze trailed over her form once more taking in the slight span of her waist and the flare of her hips. The sight stirred something hot buried deep inside him. He wondered how she’d feel pressed tight against him…bare skin to bare skin.

His cock hardened like steel.

Enough!

Alrik charged into the dark cave. He didn’t need his sight in his place; he knew it like the edge of his sword. He went far back into the cave, sidestepping the fire pit he’d made before he’d left to find the human. Then he dropped the human on the sandy floor. He wasn’t gentle about it and she gave him the response he’d been looking for. Her eyes shot open, mouth forming a big circle as pain pinched her features. She let out a low, husky groan that did nothing to alleviate the pressure in his groin.

“What the hell,” she groaned, turning on her side to rub her back.

“We will talk now.”

She hadn’t been aware of him, he realized. Now she was. Slowly her head fell back, her eyes turned up to meet his. Recognition dawned slowly. Her eyes darted wildly around the cave filling with panic and fear. She stood in a rush then wobbled on her feet. Panic had her in its grip. She swung her arms out, found the wet cave wall with a hand and then leaned towards it to steady herself, pressing both hands against it.

“What the hell’s going on? Oh my god, where am I?”

“Be quiet. I will talk and you will listen. Do you understand?” He hadn’t met a human in years. In his previous experience, some were smart and others not so much. He hoped his salvation didn’t lie in a daft girl who looked entirely too young to have the amount of power the seer spoke of.

She turned and glared at him. The spark of anger was good, and the cleverness he spotted in her eyes even better. Good, she wouldn’t be daft.

“Excuse me? How about you tell me who you are, demon, where I am, why I’m here, and what you want with me?” She crossed her arms and set her light green eyes on him.

Alrik had the distinct urge to stalk over to her and tower over her just to see her quiver in fear. She will learn her place soon enough. Her attitude would go even quicker. He was a king, and some lowly human would not treat him like a servant.

Alrik straightened and let the darkness in his heart bleed out to the air around him, stifling it, biting out the oxygen she so desperately need. The human sensed his magic. Her eyes traced the air around her as if she could see it. Maybe she could.

Then she gasped, choking. Her hands flew to her throat as she gagged, her lungs working hard to suck in air. Her knees buckled and only then did he release his magic. Stepping close to her, he looked down at her puny form with a sneer. “You do not order me around, human. Stay down or what you just felt will only be a taste of what I’ll do to you.”

When she looked up at him it wasn’t with fear as he’d expected but...anger. Alrik took a step back, then another. He had to stay away from her. Maybe she was more dangerous then he’d originally given her credit for. She had fight in her. She wasn’t stupid and she wasn’t easily scared. Hmm... Maybe this could turn out to be in his favor. Having a strong witch under him, a smart one even, would be much better than a weak one. She wouldn’t cower in fear when she saw her first idummi demon, which she surely would see many of during their journey.

“Good, your lack of fear gives me some confidence that you’ll do after all.”

“For what?” she spat, her eyes glaring fiery hatred at him.

He loved the look. His body absorbed the hatred and when he sucked in a deep breath, he almost felt fuller, more whole, and some feeling close to happiness. He loved the hatred as much as it loved him. He smiled bearing his teeth. “You’ll aid me in killing my mother.”

She choked in surprise, her eyes flying wide and jaw dropping. He could see the edge of her pink tongue and jerked his gaze away as a blaze of something wrong flew through him. Kneeling by the fire pit, he set to work stacking logs and began lighting them with a quick spell. He needed something to do other than stare at her. Something unsettled him when he looked at her.

“Excuse me, camp master, but I’m not helping you kill anyone. Where am I?”

He waited until all the logs caught and the orange glow lit up the cavern. His gaze caught on her face. She wasn’t beautiful like Arianna, but something about her was pleasant to look at he just couldn’t put his finger on it yet. Overall, she almost looked plain, simple even, but something about him stirred him.

“You’re good to look at too that will make things easier,” he said.

Her face scrunched, then relaxed, and then scrunched again. “What?”

He shrugged and then pulled his swords off his back laying them next to him, but away from her in case she got any ideas. “A pleasant face is easier to look at than an ugly one.”

Her mouth dropped open again. She did that a lot, he noticed. Her entire face was active, flashing from one emotion to the next at any moment. It’d make her easy to read. He smiled into the fire. The seer might just earn a reward after his mother’s ashes were burned to crisp. He’d chosen a worthy witch it seemed.

“Answer my questions, demon,” the little witch said. A hint of threat lingered in her words. He’d tolerate her insolence for a little longer. She’d realize her place soon enough.

“Stay silent and hear me well, human—”

“I have a name,” she cut in.

His fists clenched. “Do. Not. Interrupt. Me.” He waited until she slumped against the wall before he continued. “I was told by the seer that you will be the one to kill my mother. I thought I could do it, but that’s not the case. With the curse on me—”

“You’re cursed?” She didn’t look angry so much as curious. Her eyes skimmed over him leaving him unsettled. He fought the urge to cover up his darkened skin, to turn away from her.

“Don’t look at me.” He hadn’t meant to say it. It had been a knee-jerk reaction. He could do nothing to take back his words though.

She scoffed. “Really, I can’t do that either? Get real, demon.”

Inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief that she didn’t notice his revealing words. “I am very real, I assure you, human. My name is King Alrik and you will call me thus. As to where you are, leave it said that you’re in the rift—the demonic nether-realm.”

Her head fell to the side. “A king? Really?” Her eyes rolled in a way that sparked irritation. “Come on just take me home and I won’t press charges.”

Now Alrik frowned in confusion. “How do you press a charge? You’re speaking nonsense, human.”