~Chapter Eight~
Zeke grabbed Ivy’s hand and tugged her through the forest, ignoring her complaints in protest. For a small thing she sure had a loud voice. He was about ready to silence her, but part of him enjoyed the spitfire attitude she still hadn’t dropped.
“Seriously dude, this is no longer just annoying, I’m pissed off now. Return me home and we’ll just forget this ever happened, ok?” she seethed, glaring at Zeke’s big stupid head. Oh how she just wanted to kick him where the sun don’t shine. That’d teach him a lesson on why it’s stupid to kidnap the alpha’s daughter. “My dad will come for me and then you’ll be really sorry!” she threatened, knowing it would fall on empty ears.
Zeke smirked to himself and replied, “That’s nice sweetheart, but he can’t get to us. We’re already in the demon realm. No one can enter the demon realm unless they’re a demon. Or—” he continued quickly, knowing Ivy would protest, “if they are escorted by a demon.” He grinned and paused for effect. “Last I heard…your precious daddy doesn’t have any demon friends who would let him in. So for now, you’re stuck with me.”
Ivy let out a slew of curses against him, trying to do her best to insult him. When that didn’t work, she gave a disdainful sniff and said, “You must be a real hit with the ladies back home…which explains why you had to stoop so low as to kidnap a girl. Does no one like poor Zekey-poo at home? You poor, wittle—”
“Enough,” he said harshly, cutting off her nonsense words. They weren’t completely true, but they managed the drive the knife deep.
He took a deep breath and let his mind wander. He would never admit it, but he was worried about taking Ivy to his home. He wasn’t worried about how they’d react to her…but rather how she’d react to them. She had made it no secret that she despised demons; and with fair reason. Her father had declared demons their enemies, so naturally Ivy would believe the same thing. What Raine and the rest of the panthers didn’t know was that not all of the demons were against the shifters. In fact, a majority of the demons didn’t care—they had other, more pressing things, on their mind.
Ivy snapped her mouth shut after Zeke’s outburst and wondered what exactly she had said that pissed him off so easily. She didn’t think it was the fact that she had insulted his looks or personage. A person would have to be blind to not think that Zeke was attractive. Something else was bothering him; something bigger than looks and getting all the girls.
“Zeke?” she questioned softly.
He ignored her for a moment and then sighed. “We’re almost there, Ivy, I promise.”
“Oh, okay.” She bit her lip and looked down at their hands, sighing inwardly. “Zeke, I just…whatever I said that offended you, I’m sorry.” As soon as she apologized her mind rebelled asking her what the hell she was doing apologizing. She wasn’t the one at fault! Zeke should be apologizing for kidnapping her, the dirty bastard. However, part of her was feeling guilty for the low blow she had issued.
If Zeke was surprised by her apology, he didn’t show it. Instead he grunted softly and continued to lead her through the thick forest, helping her over logs and catching her when she tripped on the rocky ground.
Their walk was silent for another twenty minutes or so, until Zeke suddenly stopped walking and held up a hand. “Before we go any further,” he said softly, “I need to warn you. I live in a very typical demon…village. However, it may not be what you’re expecting. We do not have a castle or large mansions; in fact, we’re the opposite of that. Food and money are scarce, so you’ll have to bear with me. For many demons, this is the only way of life they’ve known, and despite having so little, many are happy with what they have. There are villages that are worse off than ours, and many that are the same. Whatever you’ve been hearing about demons is mostly lies. Basically, what I’m asking is that you keep an open mind and don’t judge us too harshly. Give us a chance to prove that we’re not the monsters you’ve painted us to be.”
