Zarachs Pov.

I had been away too long.

I had known the moment I left that something inside me would shift. I'd tried to ignore it, pushed it to the back of my mind. After all, I had my duties. I had my role in the grand scheme of things. I couldn't afford distractions—especially not when I had more important matters to deal with.

But Athena—Athena was becoming everything.

I could sense it. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see her—her fiery spirit, her strength, and that raw, untamed power that flowed through her like an unstoppable current.

She was a human, and yet she wielded powers beyond what anyone should ever be capable of. Hellfire, earth, water—abilities that only demons should possess. And now, I was more certain than ever that there was something I wasn't seeing. Something about her power, something about her that didn't make sense.

Demons don't get human mates. That's a rule. It's unnatural. And yet, everything I felt whenever I thought about Athena told me that I was no longer following the rules. It felt... right. But I couldn't make sense of it.

I needed to know everything there was to know about demon mates, about why a human like Athena could have powers that mirrored those of demons. Was it possible for her to be something more than human? Something that I hadn't yet discovered?

I'd tried to ignore my feelings for her at first, told myself they were just a fleeting thing. After all, I had never cared for anyone before—never been drawn to anyone. Not like this. Women were... distractions. I didn't have time for them, not when I had a war to deal with. But Athena? She was different.

I never thought I could feel something like this. She wasn't just a woman; she wasn't just a human. She was everything.

Every time I was near her, my heart raced. Every touch, every glance, it sparked something inside me that I had no control over.

It was terrifying, yet exhilarating all at once. I couldn't make sense of it, and I hated the vulnerability it created inside me. But there was no turning back. My feelings for her were only growing stronger.

I gritted my teeth, pushing the thoughts of her aside for now. I needed answers, and I had to find them before it consumed me entirely.

The truth was, I had to see Athena again. I had to be near her. I needed to understand why she was the one that made my heart beat faster, why her powers echoed with the same darkness I carried inside of me.

I couldn't keep walking around this uncertainty. I had to know—was she my mate? Was this some twisted fate pulling me to her, or was I just too blinded by desire to see the truth?

I had no answers yet, but I knew this much: no matter what I discovered, no matter the consequences, I would not let her go. Not now, not ever. And whatever it took, I would protect her from whatever dark forces threatened to tear us apart.

I had to speak to Lucifer.

The last thing I expected when I stepped into Lucifer's lair was to find him entertaining one of his demon lovers, completely naked. She was draped across his lap, her dark, taunting eyes meeting mine as I entered, a smirk on her lips.

Lucifer didn't seem the least bit fazed by my presence, even though I'd interrupted a very personal moment.

It wasn't the first time I'd found him in such a situation, but today, I wasn't in the mood to humor him or his antics. My thoughts were too consumed with Athena and what I'd just learned about her. This was no time for Lucifer's usual games.

I stood there, my arms crossed, irritation bubbling in my chest. "Lucifer," I said, my voice clipped. "I need to speak to you. Now."

The demoness on his lap let out a soft chuckle, her eyes lingering on me as if she found my presence amusing. But I wasn't here for pleasantries, and I wasn't about to tolerate distractions.

Lucifer, ever the embodiment of nonchalance, only raised an eyebrow. "Zarach," he purred, his voice rich with amusement. "Such urgency. Don't tell me you've come to join in the fun? My lady friend and I were just getting comfortable." His tone dripped with sarcasm, though his eyes never left me.

I exhaled sharply, the frustration in my chest growing. "No. I need to talk about Athena."

The demoness frowned, still not making a move to leave. She was clearly comfortable, too comfortable for my taste. I took a step closer, my eyes narrowing. "Get out," I said coldly. "I'm not playing games today."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered by my command. "And if I don't? You going to make me?" she taunted, her voice dripping with arrogance.

Without a second thought, I raised my hand, focusing my energy into a quick burst of flame. The demoness let out a shriek as the fire enveloped her, but it wasn't enough to truly harm her. I didn't need to. She scrambled off Lucifer's lap, furious but retreating.

Lucifer didn't even flinch. In fact, he laughed. The sound was dark and full of amusement. "Oh, Zarach," he said, clapping slowly. "You are a piece of work. That was fun to watch. Now, what is it you want to discuss?"

I didn't waste any more time. I needed his full attention. "Athena," I said again, my voice serious. "She has demonic magic. Hellfire. Earth. Water. She can tap into powers that no human should possess. And I need to know why.

Lucifer paused, his smirk fading as he processed what I'd just said. His eyes narrowed, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something resembling concern in his gaze. "Hellfire, you say?" His tone shifted, no longer playful or indifferent. "That's... unusual. A human wielding such power? This is something that could be quite significant."

"Exactly," I replied, my voice low. "I need you to find out everything you can about her. Why she has this power. I need to know what the hell is going on." I was getting frustrated now, the urgency of the situation pressing on me.

Lucifer stood up, the demoness now forgotten, and he grabbed a robe off the chair next to him, throwing it over his naked form.

"You've done well to bring this to me, Zarach. This is interesting, to say the least. Very interesting. If what you say is true, then Athena isn't just some human with a bit of unusual talent. This is power. Potential power that could shift the balance."

"Exactly," I muttered. "I need to know why she has it, and why Satan wants her. This isn't just some whim. I think he knows something we don't."

Lucifer's eyes flashed with something darker now, something more calculating. "You're right," he said slowly, his voice taking on a serious tone. "If Satan wants her that badly, then we're looking at something far more dangerous than we originally thought. And if she truly wields Hellfire... that makes her a target, but also someone with incredible potential."

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

I felt my stomach tighten. "So you'll look into it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Lucifer nodded, his expression now cold and calculating. "I will. But here's the deal, Zarach," he added, his voice lowering. "You keep this between us. Satan cannot know about this. Not yet. If he finds out what you've discovered, he'll move on Athena faster than you can blink, and we can't have that. You're asking a lot, but I'll do it. I don't care much about the humans or their wars, but anything that annoys my brother is worth investigating."

I nodded, relieved to hear that Lucifer was on board—at least for now. "Thank you," I said, my voice quiet but sincere. "I don't trust Satan, and I don't trust Athena's power. But I have to protect her. I just don't know how yet."

Lucifer's eyes glittered with a mixture of amusement and something darker. "Oh, I don't trust either of them. But you do have my attention. I'll find out what I can. And Zarach?" He paused, a smirk creeping onto his lips. "Remember, this is a game to me. So don't get too attached to this Athena. Humans... they always disappoint, don't they?"

I didn't respond, my jaw tightening. But Lucifer's words didn't faze me. Not right now. I had bigger problems to worry about.

With one last glance at Lucifer, I turned and left his lair, my mind racing. If he could uncover anything about Athena, anything that might explain her power and why Satan wanted her so badly, then maybe—just maybe—I could figure out how to protect her from everything coming her way. And from the man who would destroy her for power.

But I wasn't about to let that happen. Not if I could help it.

I finally made it back to Athena's house, the familiar warmth of the living room wrapping around me as I appeared out of nowhere.

The sight before me was unexpected—her two brothers, Austin and Aiden, were sprawled on the couch watching football.

The moment I materialized, Austin jumped, clearly startled by my sudden appearance, and Aiden—who hadn't seen me before—let out a loud, high-pitched scream and fell off the couch.

Austin burst out laughing, the sound cutting through the air. "You okay, Aiden?" he chuckled.

Aiden scrambled to his feet, eyes wide as he stared at me. "What the hell? Who does that? Who just appears out of nowhere?" he stammered.

Austin smirked and shrugged. "You might want to sit down for this. But, uh... don't freak out, Aiden. You're gonna need to hear this."

Aiden shot him a confused look. "What? What do you mean 'don't freak out'?"

"Listen, Aiden. This guy," Austin pointed to me, "is a demon."

Aiden blinked at him, processing. "A demon? Seriously? You're messing with me, right?"

"No, I'm not," Austin said with a straight face. "Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but this is Zarch. He's... well, he's not exactly a regular guy."

Aiden was staring at me, clearly not sure if he should be terrified or amused. "Wait, so... you're a demon? And this is just a normal thing? My sister's hanging out with demons now?" His voice was shaking slightly, still trying to make sense of it all.

"Yeah," Austin said, rolling his eyes. "I know it's a lot, but trust me, you're gonna get used to it. Athena's not exactly a 'normal' girl either, and you know that."

Aiden's confusion deepened, and I could see his mind working, but before I could offer any kind of explanation, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Where's Athena?" I asked, my tone sharp.

"Damn, it's really coming down out there," Austin muttered. "Athena's been at the studio all day. She should be back by now, though."

I narrowed my eyes, glancing at both of them, my gaze landing on Aiden for a second too long. The tension in the room heightened.

"She should be home soon," Austin said, clearly trying to defuse the situation. "But seriously, Zarach, don't freak Aiden out. He's not used to all this."

I was about to head out, my thoughts fixed on finding Athena, when the door slammed open and Marax appeared, soaked to the bone.

My heart dropped when I saw Athena unconscious in his arms, her face pale and streaked with dirt, a series of deep claw marks running along her neck.

"What the hell happened?" I demanded, my voice sharp as I rushed to his side.

Marax's gaze met mine, his eyes filled with a mix of fury and helplessness. He pulled Athena closer, cradling her like she was the only thing that mattered. "I found dead demons all around her," he said, his voice tight, "including Beleth." He paused, swallowing hard as his voice trembled with the weight of it all. "Fuck, Athena managed to take them down... but she's used up all her power. She won't wake up."

He shook his head, his frustration and worry obvious. I could see the strain in his shoulders as he carefully lowered her onto the couch, his movements protective, like she was something precious he couldn't afford to lose.

Her brothers—Aiden and Austin—rushed over, gripping her hand, checking her neck for any signs of life, their faces filled with panic. They weren't used to this world. This was beyond them.

I could feel my chest tightening with a raw pain I hadn't anticipated. She was hurt. She was broken. And it was my fault. I wasn't there to protect her. I let her slip away, into the hands of those demons.

Every breath I took felt like a jagged knife twisting deeper, and I hated how powerless I felt in that moment. I reached out, my fingers brushing her hair back from her forehead as I knelt beside her.

She was so pale, too still. The claw marks on her neck were a testament to the battle she'd fought, the danger she had faced alone. I should have been there.

Being this weak... it would take time for her to heal. Time for her to regain consciousness. And the thought of her in this state, so vulnerable, made my gut twist.

"She's going to be okay, right?" Austin asked, his voice rough with worry as he looked at me, eyes wide with fear.

I didn't answer immediately. I couldn't. I wasn't sure what was going to happen. But I knew one thing: I wasn't going to let her face this alone. Not ever again.

Marax stood back, his arms crossed, his jaw clenched. "She fought hard, but she gave everything she had. I don't know if she'll make it through this."

I turned to him, locking eyes, my voice steady but filled with the raw determination I felt. "She will. She has to."

I turned back to Athena, my gaze softening as I ran my hand gently across her arm, wishing I could take away the pain, wishing I could make everything right. But for now, all I could do was wait. Wait and watch over her.

I wasn't going to lose her—not like this. Not to the demons. Not to Satan. I would do whatever it took to make sure she came back to us, stronger than before. I stayed there, kneeling beside her, as Marax and her brothers hovered nearby, trying to offer some comfort, but I could feel the weight of the silence pressing in.

Athena, the girl who had fought demons with nothing but her sheer will, was now lying in front of us, completely still. It felt wrong. I wanted to scream, to tear down the walls around us and demand she wake up. But I couldn't. I had to be calm for her.

Her brothers, Austin and Aiden, stood on either side of the couch, their eyes fixed on her, clearly torn between panic and hope. They were scared. They had every right to be. Athena had been their protector for so long, but now, she needed protecting herself.

"We'll make sure she's okay," Austin muttered, his voice hoarse. "She's tough. She'll pull through." But the way his hands shook as he gripped her wrist told me he wasn't as certain as he was trying to sound.

I couldn't look away from her face. The bruises already starting to form on her neck where the claws had dug in were a reminder of what she'd been through. The battle she'd fought all alone. And I had barely been there for her.

I shifted, feeling the pressure in my chest building. She had shown me a side of herself that I never thought I would see—vulnerable, needing others—and I hated that I hadn't been there to protect her.

"We'll keep watch," Marax said softly, as if reading my thoughts. He'd seen it too—the way Athena had changed since we first met her. She wasn't just the girl with dangerous powers anymore. She was someone who mattered. To all of us.

I looked up at him, meeting his eyes for a brief moment. "If anything happens to her, Marax... I won't forgive myself."

He nodded, his expression serious. "She's a fighter. She'll wake up, and when she does, we'll be here for her."

The thought of her waking up, her fiery spirit lighting up those dark eyes again, was the only thing that kept me grounded.

"She's not just a fighter," I murmured, my voice a little thicker than I meant it to be. "She's... she's everything."

Marax didn't respond right away, but I could tell he understood. We had both seen Athena at her strongest and at her most vulnerable. And we both cared more than we probably should.

Aiden, his face full of uncertainty, looked down at her, then at me. "You... you two care about her, don't you?"

I felt the question like a physical blow. He had every right to ask. But the weight of it hit me all at once. "Yeah," I said simply. "I do."

There was a long pause as Aiden considered this, and I could tell the gravity of the situation was sinking in. "Then we protect her. We stay together. We help her heal."

I nodded in agreement, unable to say anything else. My heart was still racing, my mind whirling with all the things I didn't understand about Athena, about her magic, and about what was happening between us. But for now, all I could do was stay by her side.

As the hours dragged on, I stayed with her, refusing to leave, my hand never leaving hers. I watched as the storm outside slowly began to subside, and with it, my frantic thoughts began to settle, if only slightly. Athena was alive. She was here. And she was strong.

She would fight through this. I knew it.

And when she woke up, I'd be there.

We all would.