Page 108 of Demonic Cage

I won’t give up. I will find that dagger, so at least when the time comes to choose, I’ll have a chance to leave Filizi. Darya is dangerous. I desire him every moment, and I know he wants to break me, transform me. That’s why I can’t give myself to him. This is the boundary. Especially when my chest tightens every single time Darya smiles at me.

It was the same with Nathan. I should have stopped when I felt the sting in my chest.

If I gave myself to Darya, I feel like I’d be accepting everything that has happened to me so far. I’d accept that I’m crazy because I’m attracted to a demon. A killer.

I want to be good.

For once in my life, I want to be good.

And I will figure out how to achieve this.

“Attack me without me using my hands.”

I exhale slowly. Darya and I have been practicing forhours.He has never spoken to me so equally before. His face is neither challenging nor playful. He is seriously focused on the fight. His arms relax, and I do as he says.

I aim a punch at his face, but he easily dodges it.

“This is ridiculous!” I snarl. “Just use your hands. At least then I’ll believe I’m actually fighting!”

He shrugs and tenses his arms.

I attack, trying to hit his side, but he catches my arm, twists it, and presses me against his back.

“Shall I use my arms now?” he whispers in my ear.

I don’t reward him with an answer. Instead, I elbow him in the stomach. He pulls away but trips me, and I end up on the ground. He towers over me.

“Your balance is off.”

I growl.

Lying on the ground, I kick his shin, causing him to stagger. Yes!

I try to strike his face, but he grabs my wrist and pulls me to a standing position. I’m weightless to him.

“That’s enough,” he declares indifferently. “We’re going to practice the moves.”

I grab the wrist holding my arm. He doesn’t expect it; he thinks I’m obeying. His grip on me is too loose, and I yank with all my strength and punch him in the throat. He coughs, and I smile. Even he underestimates me.

Darya places his black, clawed hand on his neck, twisting it like a snake. When he looks at me, his gaze darkens, and the tattoos running from the corners of his eyes tremble, before disappearing again. I take a step back, feeling a cold sweat slide down my neck. The demon doesn’t attack; he merely smiles with satisfaction.

“Good job,” he acknowledges, filling me with more pride than I should feel. “But now, let’s focus on the moves.”

I sigh deeply, knowing that this will hurt.

During my three months of training with Kripot, and with Lizander’s help, I was also taught close combat. Darya and I go over these moves as well, but somehow, I always feel he holds onto me more than necessary.

When I can barely stand, we take a break, and he pushes a huge serving of ambrosia towards me.

“What is this?” I ask Darya.

“Just eat it,” he encourages. “Imagine the taste that you miss most from your world.”

I imagine it and let Darya lift a morsel to my lips. The taste of roasted meat fills my mouth. Darya smiles contentedly and then takes a spoonful himself. I watch as it slides down his throat. Isn’t he supposed to just drink blood?

The hours of training leave me feeling liberated, my thoughts clearer. One day, I will need to take the celestial orbs, but for that, I must drink Darya’s blood, and I don’t want to. Or maybe I want it too much. I gaze at the distant sheep clouds, pondering the impossible situation I’m in. Angels and demons are fighting over me simultaneously. No one has ever fought for me before.

Except Bengt.