Bren remained trembling on his knees, claws still puncturing the dry, cracking earth. The storm quieted, the wind and lightning ceasing as the flames burnt down to charred dirt and embers. The seal was still glowing the same blue as the fire, the doorway in the air remaining open; a rift in their world. 

He could hear thudding footsteps behind him as Archer rushed to his side, but then he froze just like Bren, and together they took in the otherworldly figure before them. 

Like a nightmare, shadows crept into the darkness and the thick red smoke twisted and shaped into a human form. Heeled leather boots stepped out of the plume of smoke, a red glow forming beneath the soles as if they didn’t quite touch the ground, stopping just before Bren. “Get up, sweetheart,” a charming, sultry voice uttered.

Bren’s heart wouldn’t stop racing as he pulled his claws up from the ground and pushed himself to stand before the demon, staring at them properly for the first time.

In the glow of the summoning ring, Bren could see it was a woman wearing a long black dress that flowed like thick mist over her soft curves. Her hair was long and ashen, just like the ground they stood upon. Wicked horns curved up from her skull, black and twisted like the trees surrounding them, and her eyes… Her eyes were like burning red embers, glowing and as equally piercing as the flowers that had sliced through Bren’s flesh. 

Archer’s hand clamped down on Bren’s shoulder, squeezing it in either warning or solidarity, Bren couldn’t tell. His attention was on the demon. 

Her lips curved up into a smile as she stared up at Bren, her head tilting to the side. “My my, aren’t you handsome,” she said softly as her pale, slender hand touched Bren’s chest. Her eyes glanced at Bren's hands, her smile growing wider as she murmured, “And an Umbra, too, I see. How interesting.” 

Swallowing down his fear and apprehension, Bren found the strength to ask, “Are you, Ryva?”

Her hot eyes scanned him, long white lashes blinking slowly as she leaned into Bren and whispered, “Perhaps… Are you my new master?”

Bren raised a brow at her, equally intimidated and cautious. He wondered if she could feel his heartbeat or the tension in his muscles. He was almost afraid to speak and answer her, having never encountered a demon before. He met her gaze head on, his voice trembling as he replied as calmly as he was able, “I summoned you, though I don’t claim to be anyone’s master.”      

“No?” She smirked coyly, eyes scanning over Bren as she took a step back, her long, black nails tapping her plump lips in a gesture of contemplation. Her eyes narrowed as she let out a soft hum, almost amused. “You’re quite a serious fellow. Not interested in this form like your friend over there, hmm?” 

Glancing up at Archer, Bren could see how his brother’s face looked flushed, his throat constricting as he swallowed hard. 

Bren’s eyes flicked back to the demon, brows furrowed in confusion. He was close to asking what she meant, his lips parting to speak, but before he could form the words, black smoke and shadows encompassed her once more. 

Feeling his stomach drop, Bren suddenly wondered if she would disappear and the rift would close before he could even ask his questions, but she didn’t… Instead, he saw the demon’s form change and reshape into someone else, someone new. 

Though the black horns and red eyes remained the same, the demon’s feminine features shifted into a broader, muscular figure. They grew taller than Bren, with strong shoulders and a masculine chest. Their white hair shortened into the soft waves of an undercut, the shadows reforming the dress into a stiff leather jacket and dark trousers, a see-through lace shirt revealing a sculpted, toned abdomen and defined pecs.

Bren’s eyes widened, his pulse skipping as he felt his face grow hot and his stomach flip. Flustered, he blinked in surprise and stared up at the man that stood before him.

The demon gave Bren a playful grin, revealing sharp fangs. He licked his lips, gazing down at Bren coyly as he murmured, “That’s the reaction I was looking for.” His voice was low, deep, and smooth as it brushed Bren’s ears. The tone of it made Bren shudder, his hairs standing on end. Strong fingers lifted Bren’s chin, snapping his jaw closed. “You have good taste,” the demon whispered, something hypnotic about the way his eyes roamed over him, “I’m with you, I always preferred this form myself.”  

As if breaking out of a trance, Bren hissed, pulling his face out of the demon’s gentle hold. Embarrassment flared in his cheeks, unable to look at Archer as he realized why the demon had changed its appearance… It was to appeal to Bren; seduce its master. 

Bren grit his teeth, his hands in fists as he stared up at the demon with a renewed sense of determination. “You never answered me. Are you Ryva?”

The demon’s grin grew wider, clearly pleased by Bren’s agitation. “Yes… My name is Ryva.” He bowed his head, his eyes never leaving Bren’s as he uttered, “Why don’t you tell me what you want…” He straightened, giving Bren a flirtatious wink as he added, “And what you have to offer me.”  

Bren was challenged to remember a time he had felt so vexed. The demon was toying with him, teasing him. It took all of Bren’s strength to focus on the reason he had summoned Ryva in the first place… For his mother. 

Clearing his throat, Bren thought about his next words carefully. He didn’t know what he wanted from this man—this creature—or what kind of deal the demon would try to trick him into. He had to be clear…and careful. “My mother implored me to find you… To summon you,” Bren stated, wondering how much he could get out of the demon without entering into a contract. 

“That’s a new one,” Ryva scoffed, folding his well-defined arms over his broad chest. His voice was laced with wit as he added with a dark chuckle, “Usually parents don’t approve of someone like me.”    

It sparked rage in Bren, seething through his bared teeth, “It was the last thing she said to me before she died. ‘Find Ryva,’ that’s what she told me.”

The demon’s smile faded, his brow peaked in curiosity. His expression was serious, perhaps feeding off of Bren’s own grim desperation. When he spoke again he was calm, asking with what seemed like sincerity, “And for what reason did she ask you to summon me?” Power brewed in his voice, his red eyes glowing brighter as he warned, “I hope for your sake it was important.”  

Bren’s chest felt tight, wondering if Ryva’s words were a threat and the demon would punish him if he wasted his time. The possibility left a sour taste in his mouth, hurrying as he explained, “My mother was attacked…by an Umbra named Ora. She was killed because she refused to give up her knowledge…regarding a vessel.” Bren fought the lump in his throat, horrific memories flooding his mind as he remembered every moment leading up to his mother’s death. 

Ryva’s red eyes narrowed into ruby slits, his pale lips hardening into a thin line. “She was killed for a vessel?” He seemed intrigued, asking, “Was she an Umbra as well?”

Bren shook his head, sucking in a breath as he admitted, “She was a Manos. I’m the only Umbra in my bloodline.”

Chuckling darkly in his throat, the corner of the demon’s mouth tipped upward. “Well. Lucky you.”

Flinching at the words, Bren’s eyes widened. He swallowed, heart feeling tight and full of acid as his eyes flashed to Archer, remembering their argument in the hall of the manor. 

His brother was silent and pale; he looked scared, and Bren wondered if he should be, too. 

Bren’s attention was drawn back to Ryva as the demon let out a heavy sigh. Ryva’s tone was somewhat impatient as he said, “So, we have an Umbra who killed a Manos for information about a vessel.” He paused, staring at Bren; there was curiosity in his gaze as he murmured, “Must be a powerful vessel if your mother died keeping it a secret.” 

“I…I don’t know,” Bren admitted, wishing he could say more. He could feel Ryva’s eyes watching him carefully…studying him. He tried to ignore it, continuing as he said, “Before my mother died, she gave me a journal,” Bren reached into his coat pocket, bringing out the book. He opened it before facing it so the demon could see the overlapping symbols. “The pages are encrypted—I can’t read them—but there was a page in here that instructed how to summon you…so I did. Hoping that maybe…maybe you would have answers.”

Ryva’s gaze finally broke from Bren as he glanced at the journal, his eyes sharp and somewhat cunning as he asked, “That journal… May I see it?”

Bren hesitated, his grip tightening on the book. His heart was pounding, pumping blood in a rush through his veins. He didn’t want to hand it over, worried that the demon would steal it or ruin it somehow just to play with him. But, Bren had little choice if he wanted this demon’s knowledge… His help. 

Slowly, Bren held out the book in offering, with worry plain on his face as he handed it over to Ryva. 

To his surprise, Ryva took it carefully, handling the journal with tender regard as he flipped through the pages. He scanned them almost as if he could somehow read through the scrawling, illegible symbols. His brows raised, eyes scrolling over the pages for a moment before he closed the book and lifted his gaze back to Bren. “Thank you,” he stated, observing Bren’s reaction as he handed him back the book. 

Bren snatched it almost instantly, a small sense of relief filling him as he clutched it to his chest. He swallowed, trying to read the demon’s expression and finding it almost as impossible to decipher as the pages in his hands. “So…?” Bren asked, wondering if Ryva had truly made out anything written there, if he knew anything more than Bren did. 

“So,” Ryva said in response, letting out a heavy exhale, “you say you want answers.”

Nodding vigorously Bren whispered, “Yes. I do.”

Ryva smirked, scoffing with mirth as he countered, “No, sweetheart, you don’t.” 

Bren faltered, blinking at the demon in confusion. “What…do you mean, I don’t? I assure you, I do. I want to know about the vessel, who Ora is, why my mother…” His voice broke at the mention of her, making him stop and take a breath. Archer squeezed his shoulder tighter, Bren finding comfort in the gesture as he finished, “I want to know why my mother needed you, and why she asked me to summon you in her stead.”

A small hum left Ryva’s throat, his eyes sliding over to look at Archer before he turned his ruby gaze back to Bren. “All important questions, surely…” He stepped forward, closer, so close that were almost chest to chest as he stared down at Bren. His eyes glowed in the shadows that formed between them. “But you don't just want answers.” 

Bren shuddered, his breath deepening as he felt a warmth radiate from Ryva’s body. He could smell the demon’s scent, sweet and inviting, his figure powerful and intimidating in a way that Bren found deeply attractive…and Ryva knew that. Did he know Bren’s darkest desires as well? Could Ryva see inside his mind and know what he truly wanted from the demon? 

Ryva bent down to whisper in Bren’s ear, murmuring softly, “You want vengeance for everything that woman stole from you.” His voice echoed in a way that sounded otherworldly, reminding Bren of when Ora had spoken during the attack. “Your parents, your home, your life. You want to make sure she never rests her eyes on that vessel let alone has it in her grasp. That was your mother’s dying plea…to help her with her goal of ensuring Ora never takes control of that vessel.”

Bren’s pulse quickened as Ryva leaned back just enough to meet his gaze. Their eyes locked for a moment before Ryva’s stare flicked to Bren’s throat, it was like the demon could sense the anxious rush of blood, the quickening of Bren’s pulse.

Swallowing hard, Bren found himself asking, “And what if I say…you’re right?”

Ryva grinned. He knew he was right. “Then I’ll tell you anything, give you anything, do anything you command of me… As long as it’s something I’m capable of. I will be your safeguard. I’ll be your protector, your power, your retribution... Any wish you have I'll grant, save a few exceptions.”

There was no denying he was tempted.

He felt Archer’s grip on him tighten like a vice in warning. Though Bren flinched at the sudden pain, it did little to dissuade him. His brother still remained silent…and Bren was still enticed.  

“And in return?” Bren asked, wondering what the price would be for taking the demon up on his offer. 

“In return?” Ryva’s gaze bore into him, making his heart stutter as the demon answered in a sultry hush, “Once you have all your answers and the vessel is safely in your possession, out of that Umbra’s control for good…” Ryva reached out to touch Bren’s hand, caressing the black flesh gently with a touch that made Bren shiver. “I want your power in exchange.”