Her Demon Daddy Audiobook

Chapter 1

Asmodeus 

55 years earlier

Screams and moans pierce the air, and my eyes search desperately for an escape. There must be an end to this. I just have to find it.

But I should know by now, there isn’t a way out. There is no end.

The ground burns around me, the sky is an angry red. Much like the rivers of blood covering the ground. This is what our planet has turned into? What have my people become?

Gas still fills the air, squeezing my lungs tightly and obscuring my vision. I don’t have time to consider it as my hand squeezes the small necklace I never take off. It’s the only thing that grounds me, though right now the ground might be the place I don’t want to be.

That is, until I see the shimmering opening of a portal. Relief surges through me as the magic pulses radiate through the air, ripping and stretching the fabric of space to give me the one thing I need most.

An escape.

I dash toward the open portal, not letting my mind catch up with my actions. Have I thought through the consequences? Absolutely not. But now is not the time for that. It is the time for action. The only alternative is death.

The demons around me have blank faces, their minds in a state incapable of thought. Only direction.

“This way!” I shout, ushering them through to a land unknown.

My eyes skim the body-laden and scorched ground. I don’t have time to consider what leaving the only place I’ve ever known means. I have to keep moving.

Strandling the connection between two worlds, I turn to look at what is to be our new home. Tall buildings pierce the clouded skies in the distance and an electrical charge buzzes in the air, tickling my skin.

The visible edges tell me we are either surrounded by cliffs or on an island, either of which is fine by me. Anything to escape our current situation.

“Hurry,” I usher the demons through. My eyes track the skies, and my stomach churns. I don’t know how long we have.

I am no stranger to violence – not as a demon, warrior, or royal. I have been required to withstand sights that would sicken others.

So, when the state of the demons around me turns my stomach, I know that it must be dire. Blood and open wounds adorn their bodies through shredded armor, and our magic isn’t healing them fast enough.

Several fall to their knees, and the others are too dazed to rush to help their fallen brothers as they should. The wounded need help, which I will get them as soon as we reach safety.

As the last demon crosses onto the new island, the portal closes. While I should be more concerned about the loss of passage, I am relieved. I have potentially been barred from my home, but I am more focused on what I was running from than what I’ve lost.

And to me, the trade off is worth it.

I move through the battalion, assessing the damage. I don’t see anyone too far gone, thank the Seven. It may be a small portion of us left, but we will make it through this together.

As I slip between the bodies, they all turn, staring at me. And unlike usual, there is no judgment there. There have always been those who have questioned my calls, and yet this one, no one has dared argue.

We are all alive, and that seems to be enough.

My mind seems to catch up at this moment, reminding me that I do not know where I am. The portal has closed and there is no way back home. What if this island is uninhabitable? I’m glad I was able to save everyone, but what if I’ve doomed us just the same?

I suck in a deep breath, calming my worries. I have to take this one step at a time. Away from the dangers that were plaguing us and into this new world.

Is it different? Yes. Everything, the plants, buildings, and ground are a dark, glittering onyx. But it is not something I despise. Nor am I against the electrical storm scattering through the sky. I can easily draw magic from it, which will be very useful when it comes to healing my warriors.

I’ve made my way to the front of the crowd, and now there is nothing between our new city and me. I expected to feel intimidated, staring at the twisting architecture. I don’t know what is here waiting for us, but instead of apprehension, a thrill of excitement rushes through me.

A new possibility.

Footsteps behind me draw my attention, and I turn around slowly to see one of our best warriors, a massive gilak demon, making his way forward. He’s blinking slowly, the daze in his eyes clearing, and I realize that clarity is starting to reach him.

Perhaps his large size metabolized it faster than the others, but I can see I don’t have long.

Especially as he mutters, “Where are we?”

My eyes sweep the crowd and I see that he is not the only one taking in our surroundings. The shock is wearing off, and they are starting to register their surroundings. And they don’t seem as thrilled as I am.

Not as one of the matrons blink, looking over the edge nearest her with wide eyes. “Where…is the ground?”

I stare at the jagged edges of what I’ve realized is indeed an island – and it seems to be a floating one. There is no other land in sight, nor water. Instead, there is only the thick shroud of the storm, blocking out all sunlight and charging the air until my skin is prickling with the power at my fingertips.

How could they not love everything about this island? It’s as if it was built for demons – and I suppose it was.

But when no one answers their questions, it seems to hit me. Their eyes are on me, the one who ushered them through here, the one who conjured the portal that saved them. They are my battalion, yes, but now, it has become more than that.

I am responsible for them, more so than I have ever been. I’ve worked hard to protect those in my charge, but guiding them to a new home is a step I never thought I would get the chance to take.

And it’s time I give them the answers they so eagerly seek, lest they find them on their own. This is my chance.

I draw myself up to my full height, straightening my shoulders. My face is shrouded by my hood, which I pulled up to protect myself from the onslaught in the sky before we entered the portal, and for that I’m grateful.

“I am your King,” I announce with as much authority as I can muster. Scanning each face, I see not an ounce of recognition as they nod along. Good. “I’ve brought you here to escape our ravaged planet. I have saved you from the environmental annihilation of our home.”

As they nod, I start to pace, my voice picking up in volume. They truly remember nothing, and because of that, I will tell them everything they need to know.

“Our planet has been lost to us.” I realize how wounded some of them look, and try to circumvent any follow-up questions by adding, “We survived the final attacks that the world dared to rain down on us, and now we are what’s left of our race. For our strength and courage, the gods have blessed us.”

I turn, sweeping my arm toward the city. “Welcome to Galmoleth, our new home. A gift from the Seven for all that we have endured in their name – and we will treat it as such.”

With my proclamation, excitement runs through the crowd. Murmurs grow until they turn into cheers – for me or the gods, that I do not know. All I know is that they are starting to come back to life, and they are eager to see this new world I’ve promised.

I step back, ushering them toward their new home, as the skin along my back prickles. It feels almost like I’m being watched, all the muscles in my body going tense.

A chill races up my spine, and a cold sweat breaks out across my skin.

“Very clever,” a deep voice rumbles in my ear, and I turn my head, checking behind me in my peripheral vision. But just as I suspected, no one is there.

In fact, it almost feels like that voice came from inside of my head. I’m trying not to spin all the way around so as not to draw attention to myself. The last thing I need is any other demons noticing my behavior.

But then the necklace resting against the dip between my collarbones starts to warm, and it hits me all at once. That voice is inside my head – and for good reason. I gulp as I realize the kind of scrutiny I am under.

Especially as he whispers, “Now let’s see how long you can keep this up.”

His vicious laughter fills my head and frays my nerves until that’s all I can hear.

And his question continues to echo through my mind long after the presence leaves me.

How long can I keep this up?

Read the full series out now!

1. Choosing the Demon
2. Loving the Demon
3. Submitting to the Demon
4. Embracing the Demon

And learn where the demons came from in:

1. Her Demon Daddy
2. Her Demon Mate

And the new Aerasak series:

1. Lich's Love