Call of the Siren(18)

“You may leave for now.” He waited until Thorne had turned before calling out to him once again. “Oh, and Thorne…send Mammon in on your way out.”

Mammon had begun to grow cocky in the months he’d resided here. Soon enough Belpheg would be forced to put him in his place. But for now, he would nurture him. Empower him.

Use him like the puppet he was.

…

Mammon sat in the dining hall of Belpheg’s massive castle, inhaling his fifth meal of the day, when the dark fae’s bastard lackey found him.

“How’d I know you would be in here?” Thorne smirked and leaned casually against the doorjamb of the wooden double doors.

Baring his teeth at the inconsequential demon, Mammon didn’t bother to respond. Truthfully, he’d spent much of the two months since Belpheg had rescued him in here, regaining his strength through sustenance. His time rotting in the Council prison had worn him down more than he cared to admit. They’d kept him all but starved, knowing that was the only way they could control him. That, more than anything, spoke to how much they feared him.

With good reason.

He would make them pay. Every single one of them.

Especially you, my prodigal sons.

They’d dared turn him into the Council, and for that they would forfeit their lives.

Thorne crossed his arms and made a show of examining Mammon. “I’ve gotta say, you look way better than the last time I saw you. Freedom must be agreeing with you.”

Despite the fact that Thorne’s smug tone rankled, he had to admit the stupid demon spoke the truth. Between the steady meals Belpheg’s staff provided and the stock of succubi he kept on hand to siphon powers into him, Mammon was feeling stronger than he had in quite a long time. Lucky for him, the Council had recently released a cure to the toxin sex demons naturally secreted during intercourse. That meant Belpheg could transfer powers to him without fear of him dying…and that Mammon had his very own harem of beautiful women to fuck whenever he pleased.

Yes, this was infinitely better than the Council prison.

“What do you want?” he growled at Thorne, tiring of the way the hubrin demon stared at him. The demon was far too cocky for his own good. He thought he was better than Mammon, simply because Belpheg had recruited him to do his bidding. He’d learn soon enough just how far beneath Mammon he was.

Thorne grinned and straightened from the doorway. “Belpheg wants to see you in his reception chamber.”

With those words, he turned and left.

Mammon let out a throaty growl, stifling the urge to rush after Thorne and detach his head from his body. When the time was right, he’d teach the hubrin demon his place. And he would delight in doing so.

As Mammon rose from his chair, he thought back to that night two months ago, when Belpheg had rescued him. Ever the gracious host, the dark fae had brought him back to his castle and shared a meal with him before discussing the reason he’d brought him here.

Belpheg sat back in his chair, placing some distance between his body and his nearly empty plate.“You’re probably wondering why I freed you.”

“The thought had crossed my mind,” Mammon replied, the sustenance he’d wolfed down lending his voice some strength.

Belpheg’s hands trembled, and he dropped his utensils onto his plate. “I want to offer you the opportunity to take down the Council.”

Just the words he’d wanted to hear. Mammon broke into a slow grin and began to speak, but Belpheg cut him off. “That’s not even the best part. You see…it also comes with revenge on your rebellious sons.”

Mammon shifted back in his seat. Now this was getting more interesting. “I’m listening.”

Belpheg explained the requirements of the magic circle. “It necessitates the aid of twelve men, who will channel their strength into me. From there, destroying the Council will be an easy matter. I had almost everything I needed, but your sons murdered my twelfth before he could gain his full power.”

A ribbon of excitement wound through Mammon’s chest. The plan that Belpheg had outlined seemed foolproof. Especially with Belpheg at the helm. Much as it grated to acknowledge it, Mammon knew of no other person who could equal Belpheg’s power. He’d gotten firsthand proof of that during Belpheg’s stunning rescue operation. To think, he’d simply waltzed in through the front door of the Council headquarters, paralyzing anyone who dared stand in his way. Those fools must have been out of their minds from the shock of it.

Oh yes, Mammon would do well to partner with someone of Belpheg’s immense power. However, since it didn’t seem wise to show all his cards up front, he kept his tone nonchalant when he said, “And what do you suggest?”