Page 138 of Knight’s Retribution

Luna lifted her hand, her eyes glistening, her lips quivering. “Bring her home,” she mouthed.

Roc nodded, his chest squeezing tight.

Waiting until the alley was all but cleared was necessary. Because his brothers would lose it once they saw him. Their focus would be shot, and he wouldn’t risk them being injured or worse because of him. Grace’s crew took off after any escapees into the city, while Chaos and Zenon removed the last two demons’ heads.

It was time to go.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped through the portal.

Luna’s power gave out instantly.

He drew his sword, but the surrounding cavern was empty.

The portal hadn’t closed yet, and he turned back, looking out at his brothers. Gunner already had eyes on him, then one by one Chaos, Zen, Kryos, and Laz spotted him through the portal as well, and their pain hit him like a ton of bricks. It came through their connection even now.

He hated that he was hurting them, but he was glad he’d still have them, even when they couldn’t physically be with him, he’d feel them there. Because he needed that connection now more than ever.

They all moved as one, approaching the flickering portal, now moments from closing. It was too late, they couldn’t stop him, and that realization was on all of their faces.

Chaos’s dark brown gaze held his before he thumped his fist against his chest.

Then they were gone.

The portal closed.

Chapter 7

Keeping his head down, Rocco walked along the rough-stone cave. Moans and screams, cries of pain, echoed all around him. Along with the roars and shrieks of Hell beasts.

It was cold, the air stale and thick. Ahead, light danced against the cavern walls. Flames. His demon recognized them, was drawn to them. The fires of Hell.

Rocco carried on, no idea where he was going, but needing to burn off the adrenaline rushing through his veins long enough to form a plan. So he could reach out for Kyler. She was here. Somewhere. She was alive. He knew that much.

His female was far too valuable to Diemos to kill, and that was the only thing that had kept him going.

A demon appeared ahead of him, moving his way. Rocco gripped the hilt of his sword beneath his cloak, bracing for battle—

But the demon walked past, ignoring Roc completely.

He let out a relieved breath. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself by fighting. He moved faster, leaving the cold and circling the flames spitting from an enormous pit in the ground. God, the heat sucked every bit of moisture from his body, his skin, and eyes.

A confusion of tunnels lay before him.

Demons moved around, some dressed like him and some dressed in armor. Diemos’s guard.

He tried and failed again to find his bearings. Pressing his hand to the warm stone wall, he closed his eyes and called his demon forth.

The instincts of his inner demon were his only hope, which meant letting him come forward, letting that part of himself take the lead and hope like fuck his demon wouldn’t take control completely. The darkness crept forward slowly, cautiously, sending out feelers, scenting, licking the air. Then fuck, it was like his demon took a deep breath for the first time in Rocco’s existence.

His demon rushed forward then, and Rocco could sense its confusion when he didn’t try to wrestle it back.

Help me find her.

His demon shrieked, and the urgency inside them melded together. He knew his eyes would be black now, his demon looking through them as well, but somehow, Rocco was still there, hanging on with everything he had.

They needed to work together to bring her back. And he thought that maybe his demon understood that as well. He fucking hoped so anyway.

Their minds twisted together, and all he could do was sit back while his demon took control over of his body, somehow knowing instinctively where to go.