Chapter 5: Celibate lifestyle

Kael's POV:

"Do you think I'm stupid?" I asked, my voice laced with sarcasm. Thane smirked, and I rolled my eyes. "

"I thought you were going to give her the book. I was scared" he smirked. "I need my demon side more than you do. Remember, I can tolerate being human, but it can be so annoying."

I turned to face the witch, a hint of amusement still in my voice. "Why would I hand over a book that could kill me? Please, you must have underestimated me." I shook my head, chuckling at the poor witch's naivety.

Her response, however, was unexpected. "Her Majesty's time has run out. As soon as we found the new witch queen, Her Majesty was unable to come here, so she asked me to collect it." Thane and I burst out laughing, finding her statement hilarious. It was as if she had just cracked a joke, and in a way, she had – a very funny one indeed.

I turned to face the witch, a hint of amusement still in my voice. "You think I'd hand over a book that could kill me? Please, you must have underestimated me." I shook my head, chuckling at her naivety. But my demeanor suddenly turned dark. "Don't even think about fighting to get this book. You know I can finish you off. I'm only keeping the peace because of the previous witch queen, so don't test my patience."

I've always despised this witch, and my hatred for her only grew stronger. "The only person I can give this book to is the new witch queen herself," I said, "and not until I'm sure she can't harm us." I could see frustration burning in her eyes. "I'll go inform the new queen," she announced before vanishing into thin air.

I snorted in disgust. "What rubbish." Now, where were we to go next? The human realm was out of the question, and I had no desire to stay there any longer than necessary. I needed to get back to my own realm, but first, I had to ensure the new witch queen wasn't a threat. I sighed, weighing my options.

"I need to clear my head," Thane muttered, and I knew exactly what he meant. "You mean get some fun, right?" I corrected, and he flashed a smirk.

"Of course, buddy! It's been a while since I've been with a woman, and I miss the way they scream my name at the top of their lungs," he said, his eyes glazing over in fantasy.

I shook my head. "No thanks, I'll pass." As a celibate, I'd never been interested in pursuing physical relationships. Thane, on the other hand, was my opposite. Despite being an outcast, he had a way with women, and I'd often hear the sounds of his conquests echoing through the ruins. I'd simply turn my back and ignore it.

Thane chuckled. "Come on, buddy, being celibate is so boring! Try it once, and I'll help you find someone. I'll even teach you the ways," he said, his mischievous grin evident.

I raised an eyebrow. "No, Thane. I'm happy with my celibate lifestyle. And besides, haven't you forgotten something? You haven't found your mate yet, have you?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. Thane was always so busy with his escapades that I was sure he'd neglected his search for a mate.

Thane's question didn't surprise me. "What's a mate again?" he asked, his mind clearly preoccupied with other things. I explained patiently, "A mate is a life partner, Thane. For demons, we only have one throughout our lives, but I'm not sure about vampires."

Thane shrugged, unfazed. "Well, I'll just go find some fun then." He stood up, and I called out, "Wait, I'll come with you, but I'm not participating." I drew a clear line, and he nodded, understanding.

Before we left, I quickly hid the book, muttering some protective words. "Wait, what race?" I asked, and Thane's smile grew wider. "Humans, don't worry, I won't kill them," he said with a pout.

We materialized from the beach to a brothel, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. We were dressed casually, and we didn't need to wait in line to get a private room. Five naked women entered, and I shook my head, knowing I'd probably regret coming here to watch Thane indulge.

Just as Thane was finishing up, I sensed a dark and strong presence in the room. The witches had finally caught up with us. "Let's leave, the witches are here," I warned.

A force pushed us both out of the brothel and into the deep woods, leaving us disoriented and vulnerable. I groaned inwardly, thinking, "This is not good."

"Who's the fun spoiler?" Thane asked, his face etched with irritation. The figure emerging from the darkness was none other than Maleficent. "What the hell do you want?" Thane asked, eyeing his sword lazily.

Maleficent didn't respond, her smirk growing wider as she removed her veil. "How about a spar? We agreed to fight every time, right?" she reminded us, her eyes glinting with mischief.

Thane grumbled, "You should at least let me have my fun to the brim, not cutting me off abruptly." He glared at her, but she charged at me with full force. I blocked her attack with my sword, our faces inches apart. "Getting better," she said, smirking. "You're not worse either," I retorted.

Just then, Thane groaned and vanished into thin air. I was so occupied thinking about his sudden departure that I didn't notice Maleficent's sneak attack. She sliced at me with her sword, cutting my hair and igniting my anger. A thunderstorm began, and Maleficent said, "You know I've been telling you that you're definitely part of a royal family. Only royalties in the water demon realm can command rain like you did."

Her words fueled my rage. She had mentioned this before, but what royal gets abandoned? Definitely me. I gritted my teeth, ready to unleash my fury on Maleficent.

I focused on our battle, determined to shut Maleficent out. We clashed swords, our movements swift and deadly. When I sensed her hesitation, I seized the opportunity and slashed her arm. She groaned, and then, to my surprise, she vanished into thin air. That witch was going to pay for cutting my hair!

As I caught my breath, I sensed another presence. I scanned my surroundings, and my eyes locked onto a human. What was she doing in these woods on a rainy night? "You shouldn't be here, Astrid," I said, and her eyes widened in fear. "How does he know my name?" she thought to herself. Of course, I knew. I could read minds.

Just then, a bolt of lightning struck her, and she collapsed, unconscious. I struggled to calm my racing heartbeat, trying to get the rain to stop. It was a side effect of my water demon heritage - my emotions controlled the weather. I took a deep breath, focusing on my inner calm, and slowly but surely, the rain began to clear.

Bruynhild's POV:

I cursed myself, "Shit! Shit! Shit! I messed up big time!" Those sneaky half-lings were more troublesome than I'd heard. Now they possessed the book, and I was left with nothing.

As a human who'd mastered black magic, I was driven by an insatiable desire for more power. I'd grown tired of constantly fortifying my body with magic; I wanted to become a demon. That's why I ventured into the demon realm, seeking a new, more powerful form.

Days ago, I stumbled upon an ancient book passed down through my family. It spoke of a demon's birth, one who would bring our kind out of mystery. I saw an opportunity and joined forces with the demons, gaining the generals' approval after much effort. Now, all my plans are ruined.

I gritted my teeth, frustration burning within me. I had to get that book back, no matter the cost. My future as a demon depended on it.

"Why did you let them get away?" The angry general bolted me from my thoughts.?I could see how angry he is right now. "I didn't know they were with the distress bird" I said to defend myself, I was just a second late my sneak attack killed a demon which made him angrier.

"Now those two nut jobs have run off to who knows where. How could you miss that opportunity to finish off" He growled again and I knew I couldn't talk my way out of this. I decided to do what I always do every time he's angry. I stripped myself before I stood beside him. Demons have the highest height of being a sexual lunatic and this general isn't excluded. When he got the message he stripped the lower self and inserted himself into me without informing me.

Okay, let me take you back to when I wasn't entangled in this dark world. I was once a sweet and innocent girl, the only female among six brothers, and I loved it. Life was simple and I was happy.