Sacrifice of Darkness: A Guardians of Eternity Novella

the fighting cage, she’d known he was different. It wasn’t just because his dark beauty had stolen her breath. No, her gift of healing allowed her to sense his soul. There was none of the savage lust that lay like a shroud of malice over the other demons.
Her instinct had been proven right when, just a night later, he’d brutally beaten a goblin who’d been pressing her against the wall with the intent of raping her. The violent display had kept away any other demon who might think she was easy prey.
“Against his will,” she told her companion. “Javad was a victim. Like me.”
Pity darkened Cyra’s eyes. “He was forced to fight?”
Terra nodded. “His sire, Vynom, was a nasty, cruel vampire who treated Javad like a dog.” Terra clenched her hands into tight fists. Just the thought of Vynom was enough to send a toxic brew of emotions bubbling through her. “No, he treated him worse than a dog. The vampire didn’t care whether Javad lived or died as long as the monsters would pay to watch him fight. And worse, he used Javad’s own need to please his sire to hold him captive.”
“Oh, Terra,” Cyra breathed. “You must have been terrified.”
Terra swallowed a lump in her throat. She could almost smell the blood and fury and death that soaked into the dark pits beneath the streets of Athens.
“At first, I wanted to curl into a ball and die,” she admitted with brutal honesty. “It was only the stolen moments I could spend with Javad that allowed me to maintain my sanity. Eventually, not even that was enough. I became angry. So angry with the violence and blood. And needless death.” With effort, she forced her hands to unclench. “That’s when Javad appeared like a guardian angel to help me escape. I think he sensed I’d reached a point where I would do anything to be free. Even if it meant ending my life.”
“He saved you,” Cyra murmured.
No one had been more shocked than Terra when Javad had unlocked the door to the cell where Vynom kept her imprisoned. He hadn’t said a word. Instead, he’d motioned for her to follow him. She hadn’t hesitated. Not even for a second. She’d instinctively trusted the male as he led her through a hidden door and into the human sewers. He’d been her only friend since she’d left the safety of the Seraf temple. With a small push, he’d urged her to flee into the darkness, ignoring her urgent pleas for him to come with her.
It wasn’t until she was far away that she realized that he must have done something to the guard who was always posted in front of her cell. And no doubt several more that were patrolling the hallway. Vynom hadn’t survived in his ugly, savage world by accident. He took his security very seriously.
“Yes, and he risked his life to do it,” she said.
Cyra studied her. “So you gave him the medallion.”
Terra nodded. After Javad had refused to escape with her, she’d taken the medallion from around her neck and pressed it into his hand.
“I promised if he ever had need of me, he was to hold the medallion and speak my name.” A rueful smile twisted her lips. “Then I scurried to the temple as fast as I could run.”
There was a long pause as Cyra considered her words. Then she stretched out her hand to touch the medallion that Terra was absently stroking between her fingers.
“This is a pledge,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Serafs are supposed to break all connections to the outside world. It’s our oath.”
Serafs were expected to offer their gifts without concern for whether the demon in need was friend or foe. Which meant any loyalties they had before coming to the tower had to be purged.
“I had nothing else to offer. And honestly…” Terra grimaced as her words faded.
“You didn’t think he would use it,” Cyra suggested in gentle tones.
Terra shuddered, regret twisting her heart. “I know it’s awful, but it seemed impossible to believe that Javad could survive more than a few years at the most.”
“What will you do?”
“What should I do?”
Cyra’s expression was impossible to read. “If the Matron discovers you’ve left the temple, she will punish you. Perhaps even have you put in the dungeons.”
Terra grimaced. The Matron had been seeking any means to discredit Terra and put an end to her uncomfortable questions. If Terra left the temple, it would give the older female the perfect opportunity to banish her.
Then again, nothing said the Matron had to discover that she’d left…
“This is your choice, my child,” Cyra said, rising to her feet. Then, as if able to read Terra’s mind, she offered a secretive smile. “I will tell you that the Matron is expecting an important visitor in a few days. She invited several sisters to join her for a formal dinner, which means she’ll be preoccupied with overseeing the preparations.”
With that, the older female walked away. Terra watched her leave, battling through her tangled emotions.
She’d made a solemn oath to the Serafs to devote her life to healing.
She couldn’t break that sort of oath and not expect repercussions.
On the other hand, how could she turn her back on Javad? Without his assistance, she had no doubt she would be dead. Or worse. She owed him everything.
Rock. Hard place.
Spinning on her heel, Terra headed back into the gardens. Entering one of the private grottos, she clutched the medallion she’d given to Javad in her hand. Then, making sure that no one could see her from the temple, she closed her eyes and allowed the memory of the lean, perfect male face to form in her mind.
“Take me to him,” she whispered.

Chapter 3
Javad landed at the bottom of the cavern, using the top of his head to break his fall. The blow not only knocked him out but when he finally clawed his way back to consciousness, his brain felt like scrambled eggs.
He felt sudden sympathy for Humpty