Don’t lose hope.
Previously, in Truth Revealed
Previously, in Truth Revealed:
Using trackers they’d placed on the demons from the warehouse fight, Persy located the whereabouts of Pandora’s demons. Since they were spread out all over town, Daria and the others decided to split up to do their reconnaissance.
Truth was assigned to the innocent-looking demon named Youth. An opportunity arose, and Truth cornered him, questioned him, and learned new information. Information he kept to himself as he and Youth planned to find a way into Pandora’s inner circle and learn her location.
In the meantime, Truth planted the seed of a happy future including all of them into Daria’s mind, and the idea was too promising to ignore. Daria was more open than ever to a happily ever after with five boyfriends. Once the demons set them up for a night alone, Daria let go of her inhibitions, and finally, tension laced baking turned into a long night between the sheets.
However, Truth’s lies came back to bite him in the ass, and the information he and Youth had been exchanging led to an attack on the others during the game, where Betrayal was almost killed.
The lies, the stress, it was all too much, and it literally hurt Truth to continue the ruse. But even as he coughed up blood in the sink, he knew he was too close to finding Pandora’s true location to quit.
The bar was attacked as a distraction, and after everyone escaped safely, Daria and Hope raced home to find their house under attack as Pandora attempted to find Sofia. In the middle of the attack, Youth turned on Pandora and forced the demons to disperse. Just when things were settling down, Truth received a call for help from Youth, who feared he couldn’t return to his home since he’d betrayed Pandora. Truth agreed to meet the demon and slipped away to a park to collect him and bring him back to the house.
Shocked that Truth would slip away unexpectedly, the others followed, fearing the worst. But they weren’t the only ones. Pandora tracked Youth down, and once again they were forced to fight for their lives.
In the end, Truth saved Daria’s life by stepping in front of a blade for her, and watching him almost die was too much for her chaos. It exploded in a fury, and a giant sinkhole opened right underneath their feet. Thankfully, almost everyone was able to escape safely, and Daria and her demons even collected a souvenir—a nameless person from the wreckage.
Sofia and Wrath were nowhere to be found, but Daria and the others had no choice, they retreated to their home and tended the wounded. Truth admitted to his mistakes, explaining everything, and Daria forgave him while bandaging his wounds.
As we left them, Truth was determined to pull the truth out of their hostage by any means possible.
DARIA
Truth’s hand was warm in Daria’s as she tightened her grip, making their way downstairs to the living area. Once tastefully decorated, it was now mostly empty except for the pile of pillows on the floor. What Daria would give to just collapse into the center of it and sleep the night and her worries away.
Instead, she met the myriad of gazes belonging to the other demons, the ones who had unwaveringly stood by her side and protected her for what seemed like an eternity. But in reality, her life had flipped on its head and led them to this very moment in less than two months.
She took stock of the bloodstained clothes and the bruises painting their flesh, a color palette serving as a reminder of the damage done to them. Even knowing they would heal exponentially faster than she’d ever thought possible, it still made her worry. Made guilt tickle the inside of her chest and urgency beat at her bones.
“What are you doing up?” Misery asked and stalked forward to frame Truth’s other side.
Truth listed to the left when Misery tossed his arm over his shoulders, taking most of his weight.
“We have a demon to interrogate, right?” Truth grunted and stepped forward, leaving them no choice but to walk alongside him.
“Well, yeah. But it can wait,” Misery argued.
Can it though?
Daria was tired. And not the kind that could be erased with a full night’s sleep. It was the kind of tired that would only be eased once everything was over. Once Pandora was gone, they could finally move on. The sooner the better.
“I appreciate the sentiment, really. But it can’t wait. We need to figure out where she is and what to do next,” Truth retorted, mimicking Daria’s own thoughts.
Betrayal stepped in front of them, strong and tall with eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“Are we just going to act like he didn’t actively lie to us for weeks?” he growled.
Frustration peppered her senses, and with her heart thumping, she stepped in front of Truth, meeting Betrayal’s gold gaze with confidence. “No more of this. I believe everything he said at the pavilion. I believe it won’t happen again, and I am certain we can trust him. Let’s move on, because we have a real enemy to worry about.”
Betrayal’s gaze darted between the three of them, and Daria was more aware than ever of the others in the room and their heavy stares.
“For the record, I believe him too,” Death added, voice quiet yet stern, like the demon himself.
Beside her, Truth tensed and relaxed, his muscles going taut before melting like honey against her. “I know you might not trust me, and that’s okay. But the only way I can prove that I’m trustworthy is if you give me another chance. I won’t waste it.”
The tension heightened in the room, anticipating the next movement, someone’s next words. Betrayal leaned away, breaking eye contact and smirking.
“Show us what you’ve got. He hasn’t talked so far,” he muttered, and just like that, the tension evaporated. Betrayal turned, leading the way to the garage where they were holding the hostage.
Battles, hostages, and torture? What had Daria’s life turned into?
And when could things get back to fucking normal?
Wrapping one arm around Truth’s waist, she and Misery helped him across the living room and kitchen, through the back door, and into the garage. Empty except for Hope, Fear, and a man she’d never before seen sitting in a chair. If one could even call it sitting, since he was strapped to the wood by ropes.
He was in as bad of shape as her own demons were, though she didn’t hold an ounce of sympathy for him. He was fighting alongside Pandora, and therefore he deserved exactly what he’d gotten.
The door shut with a thump behind them, and as they drew closer, Hope’s head lifted and he glanced her way. His summery green eyes ensnared her, but not only because of their beauty. There was something dark lurking in their depths, slithering through the beautiful color one moment, only to disappear the next.
Was he using his power on the captive?
The chair squeaked in protest as the man in question cranked his head around and spotted them.
“Oh, thank god. You’re the truth demon, right? Finally. You can tell them whether I’m lying or not, correct?”
Daria paused, taken aback by his sudden enthusiasm. The chipper tone in his voice.
Glancing to Truth, she caught his blue gaze and arched a brow. What kind of demon was this guy?
Fear was glaring a hole in the side of his head, though he seemed oblivious, his stare locked on the way they were holding Truth up and the bandage on his chest.