Ties That Bind: A Muse Urban Fantasy (The Veil Series Book 5) by Pippa DaCosta Page B

emotional fallout to shore up my conviction. My father would not beat me. No demon would beat me down ever again. I was fire, and I was hungry. I twisted a little, enough to lift my hand and plant it on my father’s face. A touch, that’s all it took. I thrust all of my rage, my disgust, my passion, into the Crimson Lord, poured everything I had into him, wrapped it around the pulsing white hot core, sunk metaphysical claws in and tore it out. His yellow eyes bulged, and he roared. The bellow rolled over me, trembled the floors, and shook the very foundations. But I wasn’t done. Lust: the liquid body of heat he’d threatened to ruin me with. I shoved it all at him. It wasn’t a neat, clinical attack but a ferocious assault.
    He scrambled back. His wings—thrown wide and searing hot—beat the air, summoning waves of sweltering heat, and still, I pulled his fire into me and pushed the horrible slippery lust into him. On my feet, I stalked toward my father and saw my own fury reflected in his eyes. He hunched, wings draped either side of him, and looked up at me.
    Fire traced through my extended wing membrane. I glowed from within. Flames licked and writhed about me, coiling around their queen, and oh how I wanted more.
    “I am fire. I am destruction. And I will destroy you, Father.” I reached for the veil, called to the blade, willed it into my hand, and it came. I pointed the tip to his throat. Blue elemental flame coiled its length.
    I stood tall, as once, Mammon, the Prince of Greed had told me to. The glow faded from my father’s wings; his fire was mine now. I had it all. It lived in me.
    “Daughter…” He dipped his chin. Huge shoulders bowed, wings limp, he regarded me with a look of cool acceptance. A quiver ran through my body. I was demon, I was destruction, and I reveled in that moment. My own father, a Prince of Hell, hunched before me. I wanted to sink my fangs into his neck and tear out his throat.
    I dialed down the rage and eased back on his element, allowing it to seep back into him.
    He visibly shook and sucked in, breathing heat back into his body. “You are ready. Go to Baal, draw him out, be the demon you were fated to be.”
    I laughed and gave myself a shake, raining ash around me. Oh, I’d be demon, right up until my humanity told him where to shove the princely blade, my brother’s prophetic words, and all the demons who’d ground me into the dirt over the years.
    I inclined my head. “We will stand together. Amanat.” A promise kept safe. A debt that must be returned. I was that promise, kept in safe-keeping by Akil. A Prince of Hell’s daughter. And I had returned. I wasn’t done with my father.
    That was my promise to him.

Chapter 14
    I left the fortress at sunbirth— dawn —walked right on through the gates with demon gazes clawing across my flesh. They’d never seen a half blood walk freely in the netherworld. Half bloods were chained, always escorted. Most were dragged behind their owners. I walked down the charred-earth path, wing relaxed behind me, and didn’t so much as glance back.
    I strode down the fortress pathway toward the burned forest. The blush red sky to the east was my only guide. And I knew there were beasts between Jerry and me that would indeed chew me up and spit me out. Half-blood deceiver, I’d been called by numerous princes. They were right. I was a walking trap. The demons wouldn’t be able to help themselves. I looked and smelled like weakness. Until I exploded. I’d have to keep my wits about me. I hoped to make it to Jerry’s sanctum before nightfall. Not even the princes willingly roamed the netherworld after sundeath.
    I wove between the naked trees, head up, footfalls light, wing tucked close. I would get to Jerry. But not for Asmodeus. The King of Hell would soon be my ally. At least, I hoped he would. The walk left room for my thoughts to churn and doubts to creep in. What if Jerry was all demon? What if he had no interest in restoring