Married To The Shadow Lord

ab

I'd find

of climbing it and observing the crossing from a distance over the past ten or so years. To my fathe

he flask to my lips. Despite my agony, I pushed myself to take a sip of bourbon a

devil burned it off quickly. Even though it took a lot of work, I could get intoxicated. My human side, I belie

I would perch on a limb and lecture my father about his constant need to endanger me before

through. Maybe by being exposed to the wonder of the crossing in little doses,

ross until now. Not with all the othe

nvestiga

cloud of smoke in the gentle breeze. He never allowed anyone else to touch him except

as that?" As I cuppe

e on down so

ove the earth. I'm here and

ped out of my hands before it got to my lips. Stupid

pped it. The flask was then broken by his superhuman power. As he ejected w

l take care of you. Three secon

either land on my feet or face first. He presumably belie

roots. I maintained my defensive stance and maintained a sufficient distance from Gregor in ca

ore heading out in the direc

t I was secure. At least for the moment. I

death-day armor? Or maybe my c

pessi

est. You can't possibly be

a mindset,

us, it was in my tendency to find the humor in almost everything. I ha

would have been miserable my entire life. M

oach,

ceps, and gave me a quick, violent shake. His normal

rdy. Stop making jokes for once in your life. Put an end to your snobby attitude. You might en

gor insult anyone. A sliver of optimism appe

o march toward the big steel structure. I kept go

assed Gabe the Dummy, he

a fifth

t was rhe

shit,

It bounced off the wall stopper and I had to use

y to the armory. I let myself observe my environmen

ating the long bench

box that wasn't there before. How nice, I bitter

ing objects from the wall and opening and closing cabin

eared to have a strategy in place because

start knowing

en "too

h-

e is the pill Fa

mmed it down on the table. He glanced at the lethal capsule b

aid attention to one

or finally stopped moving to loo

your failsafe, he said, pointing. With that in your system

My skull was about to e

even a little portion of what is beyond that gateway. You may take a kick to the behind. You can probably withstand a certain a

t the Otherland was much riskier than the Earth Realm. The plant life itself posed a risk. There we

to a big box. I was too preoccupied with his com

ted the tiny metal container with care, pinching it between

lieve you'll ever need it, I would never leave you without a way o

t I won't use the

"I believe that if you want to come back, you will. Frankly, I'm more concerned with your movement across the Shadowlands than with your time in Dusk's fortress. You'll be fine, in that regard. Dusk's not ..." 


He paused, scratching at his chin. 


tion "No

ot permitted to

ul. Th

is crossed arms to the table. He was stri

"Things are going on that you aren't aware of. For his reasons, your father has chosen not to share them with you." 


His palm came up, halting my open mouth. 


"Don't ask. It's not my place to say. I'm not Dominus and, as such, I must obey him. But what I will say is that you can survive this." 


"How?" 


"Trust your gut. Your instincts are spot-on. You're smart, Gabby. Don't let your brain persuade you out of what you feel. If you feel yourself reaching for a blade, but your intuition tells you to back off, you listen. If you think you should trust someone, but your instinct screams no, you listen. Can you assure me you'll do that?" 


I nodded. 


nding it. Shadow demons are good at securing the regions around their populous ar

e close to the cro

s Kentucky and Tennessee put together. The Otherland had no auto

perhaps," he remarked. "You could put a craft o

, as far as I could remember. The Primus Crossing and Embour, the capital of the Shad

uadrants, G. I would still have a ton of distance to tra

l mission. Work on maintaining composure and being vigilant. Fortunately, in the Otherland, you'll be more in touch wit

ed. Gregor kne

exactly what F

's jaw became ever more tightened as the minutes

turn home. I don't want to die, therefore I'll probably end up as the Shadow Lord's maid or some

ke the way he's handling this, I am not Dominus. You have the option of killing

g quite exhausted. I was unable to

lace? What is there for

that foolish,

as my hackles rose. It

ho don't particularly like one another to form a solid partnership. A daughter b

k and spin. I shook my head as

I reaf

es

proble

, is wh

not now! He cannot simply

ss draw your attention t

not nearly as serious a commitment as getting a partner. The majority of demons have a strong co

me that when two beings mate, a bond is formed between their souls that can only be destroyed by death.

had deemed her worthless. I was aware that in actuality, the male

ating, unless one of the partners was a human. Their bodies were built for champi

a female human. I waited for Gregor to conclude his presentation while

idn't specify you had to mate wit

that I would be expected to truly serve the bastard w

t out loud, I

ons for his earlier-than-expected request for you. He didn't ask for you right away because he believes he is prepared

e choice to forego the

upposed to agree with it? What a bunch of misogynistic nonsense

he truth was that I had nowhere to go. No one else would assist me, esp

screwed up or not. The mission is the

. "Make it over unscathed. Perform the task about

before shown by reaching over and placing his b

father cannot if you reveal who you are. He would be a fool to assign you to roles that are often performe

die if I chall

afraid. You have a great deal of courage and determination, which he rewards.

back of one palm, "If that happened,

nt to be here right now. Why not em

ational speech. You've performed admira

smacked the back of

ow you still ha

disregarded my remark. It's

n given any information about what I was supposed to be doing and Gregor

e Shadowlands in a good way. I had questioned what

rted. Although I was inclined to throw it away, I wouldn

ion. No matter what assignment was assigned to me, I would finish it. I would

hnically, the arrangement didn't begin until I was twenty-eight. Others-parti

It should take him seven years to realize that I would be

a renewed sense of purpose and a

‡

abby,

ng over branches and downed trees. The shadows were

und. I rolled in an attempt to see what had attacked, prepared to fight, but it had already g

of sensations prickling my flesh. The energy bu

ut with a sensual vibrational dance. My body began to hum. At the intersection of m

ne like a tidal wave, I yelled. I jackknif

like I did after a strenuous sprint. It took me about thirt

d hel