The cold, hard ground was the first thing Devyn felt when he regained consciousness. The warmth of a demon was the next thing he felt. The human opened his eyes to see Denzyl sitting against the bars of a cage. Devyn's heart began to race when he saw the cells of the hold.

Oh no. How did we get here? I led them away and...and...I crashed. Devyn recalled the bullets hitting the hovercycle, the explosion, and the demon's hands grappling him. The human moved to sit up, but his bruised body ached immensely. He ended up letting out a pained gasp, and hands immediately came to his rescue. Devyn looked to see Denzyl helping him sit up.

"Are you alright?" Denzyl asked as he gingerly set Devyn next to him.

Devyn nodded in response. "Are we..." Devyn's voice trailed off as he could not finish his question. He did not want it to be true, but Denzyl's nod confirmed his fear. Devyn gained control of the fright rushing through his body and slowed his pounding heart. "What's going to happen?" He asked calmly, but his eyes showed his worry.

Denzyl brought the human closer to him and wrapped his arms around Devyn's shaking body. "I'll protect you," Denzyl promised. Devyn nodded. His eyes glistened from the demon's words, and he welcomed his warmth. Devyn surprised the demon by leaning against him and resting his head on the demon's shoulder. The human then closed his eyes and rested in the arms of the demon who had given him safety and warmth.

The three other humans occupying the cell looked at the two quizzically and wondered how a human could trust a demon and why a demon was caring for a human. The three continued to stare at the two as the human rested on the demon's shoulder. Denzyl occasionally glanced at the humans causing them to quickly look away before closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the bar of the cell.

Devyn eventually woke and instantly lifted his head from Denzyl's shoulder. He had apparently not realized he was resting on the demon. Now that his pain had lessened and he had some sleep, he realized his situation. Denzyl smirked at the flustered human as Devyn sat up straight and leaned against the cage next to Denzyl.

"Sleep well?" Denzyl inquired.

Devyn cleared this throat and nodded in response, his eyes glued to the ground. "I'm, uh, sorry for..." Devyn apologized.

"It's okay." Denzyl said softly as he realized Devyn's uneasiness and made sure to leave a small gap between them. He recalled the human's frantic nightmare when he held him in the cave and determined to never be the cause of Devyn's discomfort again.

"Why are there so many?" Devyn inquired as he looked around the hold to see the cells full of men.

"It is nearly the centennial mark," Denzyl answered as he too studied the human men.

"The centennial mark? What is it?"

"Every century, we have to sacrifice a hundred human men to Hades as well as our regular sacrifice."

Devyn let out a short breath as he looked around at the men locked up in the surrounding cages. A surprised expression entered Devyn's face as he shifted his position slightly.

"What is it? Are you alright?" Denzyl inquired when he noticed Devyn's expression.

"I'm alright. It's just...it's already better," Devyn answered with a quizzical brow as he moved his arms and felt his abdomen. The bruises and cuts were healing. "How is this possible?" Devyn asked under his breath as he looked over his healing arms.

"It's the mark," Denzyl answered. "That's how you recovered from the coma quickly."

"Ah. I must say, that is pretty handy," Devyn commented in awe.

Denzyl gave a small smile at the human's amazement about the mark. "I wouldn't do too much, though. You are probably still very sore as the deeper bruises and cuts will take longer to heal, and you may have fractured, or even broken, some bones," the demon warned the human who began to test his range of motion.

"You're right," Devyn winced as he tested his body to much. "Tell me more about the mark," Devyn requested as he slowly brought his arm back down to his side.

"Well, it-"

"It doesn't erase the fact that you are a sacrificial human and no more than a slave," a snarl interrupted Denzyl's explanation. The two looked up to see Ryiak looming before them behind the bars of their cage.

Denzyl protectively placed his arm in front of Devyn as Ryiak unlocked the door to their cell. The three other humans shrank away from the blue-haired demon as he entered the cage. Denzyl stood to his feet and brought Devyn behind him.

"Don't worry, I was ordered to leave the human healthy. I am taking you for questioning, Avex." A taunting smirk curled on Ryiak's lips as he addressed his avex. Demon-resistant cuffs were donned on Denzyl's wrists as he was led out of the cell. Devyn's lips parted with worry as he watched Denzyl be marched passed the remaining cells and down a winding stair leading deeper into the mountain.

Denzyl remained silent during the march into the dark depths of the mountain. Firelit torches lined the rugged walls, illuminating the black stone. Shouts of pain and terror greeted the group as they arrived at the end of the stairs. Denzyl was led to an empty room decorated with racks of tools and devices honed to incite the maximum amount of pain possible. The crimson-haired demon's hands were uncuffed from the transit restraints, and his leather jacket was taken off before his hands were placed in two chains hanging from the ceiling. Pleas and cries for death and relief of torment accompanied Ryiak as he prepared the devices used for extracting information.

"What do you want to know, Ryiak?" Denzyl asked with an exasperated tone as he watched the blue-haired demon selecting various tools.

A strike to the gut greeted the crimson-haired demon. "You don't get to ask the questions, Avex," Ryiak said smugly. "Now...why did you keep the human away from the clan?"

"We were in the crypt. There was nothing I could do." A slash from a knife followed Denzyl's answer. The demon did not even wince as the blade cut through his flesh and blood began to drain from his arm.

"Don't give me that shit. Why did you hide the human from the clan?" Ryiak repeated his question.

"We were in a dire situation and would have died before-" Another slash ended the demon's sentence. Denzyl released a breath as blood began to pool at his feet.

"Do you plan on taking the human away from the clan?"

Another slash accompanied Denzyl's silence. The crimson-haired demon narrowed his eyes as he peered at the demon standing before him. Ryiak's breathing was increasing in pace, and his face was turning red. "You're putting way too many emotions into the interrogation. You should calm down," Denzyl commented on the demon's emotional state.

A blood vessel on Ryiak's forehead popped up against his skin as the blue-haired demon grew in anger. How dare a prisoner give orders to the interrogator! Before he knew it, Ryiak began slashing wildly. When the knife could no longer satisfy his jealousy and hatred for the avex, Ryiak picked a rod and began blindly landing blow after blow.

"This is why you're still just a lieutenant," Denzyl stated when Ryiak took a break to catch his breath. His body was broken and bloody.

"What did you say?!!!"

Denzyl spat a mouthful of blood on the ground before Ryiak fisted his hair and pulled his head back. The blue-haired demon's chest rose and fell heavily for several moments before he breathed in a deep breath and asked, "Do you intend to betray the clan for the sake of the slave?"

"There you go. I guess the training did work."

"What? What are you talking about?" Ryiak asked with a bewildered expression.

"Don't you know? It took you this long, but you've finally have improved."

Ryiak immediately felt his inferiority and hate rising back up at the avex's words. Denzyl had been training him this entire time when he was the one who was supposed to be in charge. He had been played for a fool, but what made Ryiak even more enraged was the fact that Denzyl was right. He needed to be trained to control his emotions. "This crazy bastard," Ryiak muttered under his breath as he resorted to beating his hate out.

By the time Ryiak had regained control over his emotions, blood covered the floor and walls. Denzyl hung his head limply, but his hands grasped the chains strongly, desperate to keep himself on his feet. Trails of blood covered the avex's body from the numerous slashes, gashes, and strikes. The blue-haired demon rested the blade against Denzyl's skin, threatening to cut into him again if he did not respond to the next question. "What do you plan to do? Betray the clan, or give up the human?"

Denzyl opened his eyes and glared at his tormentor. Blood dripped from his hair and lashes, the thick red blurring the demon's vision. "I don't even know what I will do should you hurt him," the crimson-haired demon growled with a low voice.

Ryiak let out a crazed chuckle as the blade slashed through Denzyl's pale skin. "I wonder how much more you can take, Avex. Most would have died by now."

When Denzyl swallowed, all he could taste was his own thick, hot blood. "I have to...I have to take it all."

"Why? For the human?! You've got to be out of your mind! Why would you go through all this for a mere slave?"

Denzyl's grip around the chains holding him up tightened as Ryiak began another round of beatings with the rod. The cracking of bones accompanied the thuds from the rod. Denzyl's head hung limply as he gritted his teeth. Pain seared through his body with every blow, but Denzyl never once cried out.

"Stop! Halt your hand, Lieutenant!" A strong, feminine voice rang out as Denzyl's vision began to darken. Both Denzyl and Ryiak looked to see the *monir storm into the room. Ryiak immediately bowed and retreated from the chained demon as the monir approached to check on her son's condition. "Who ordered you to question the avex?" Denzyl's mother.

"The emyr ordered for the avex to be interrogated concerning his intentions toward the clan, Monir," the lieutenant answered quickly.

"That bastard," the monir clicked her tongue. "Hear this, Lieutenant. No one shall harm the avex and his bonded mate until they have an audience with the elders. If the emyr wishes otherwise, he can come to me," the monir commanded.

"Understood, Monir."

"Release him and bring him to the clan residence." Ryiak bowed respectfully as the monir completed checking on her son and exited the room. The heels of the monir could be heard as she stormed up the stairs and into the holding room. "Which one is he?" The woman inquired of a guard stationed at the entrance of the stairs.

The guard bowed before politely asking, "Who, Monir?"

"The avex's mate. Where is he?"

"He is in cell 17."

Devyn looked up at the female demon who stopped before his cage. The monir looked down at the brown-haired human with beautiful emerald eyes and smiled softly. "Which one of you is mated with Denzyl?" The woman asked when she looked over the other three humans as well.

"Mated?" The green-eyed human asked the demon. Does she mean what I think she means?

"Did he give any of you a mark?" The monir rephrased her question.

Devyn stood to his feet. "I have Denzyl's mark," he said cautiously.

The monir looked at the human. He was taller and more beautiful than she expected. She could instantly see why her son was so infatuated. He was gentle in nature but strong in composure. "What's your name?" The monir asked softly.

"Devyn Vaumyr. May I ask who you are?" The guards who escort the monir sucked in their breaths in shock. Not a single soul besides her mate and son dared to address the monir with a question. One should only answer when spoken to.

"How dare you address the monir in such a manner!" The monri's lead guard spoke roughly to the human in the cage.

The monir reached out her hand to calm her guard before smiling at the human. He had guts; she liked that. "I am Monir Ilya. I am Denzyl's mother."

Devyn's eyes widened slightly when he recognized her as the woman who visited Denzyl before Ryiak came for them. "Where is Denzyl?" The human's eyes hurriedly scanned the men behind the monir before eagerly looking towards the stairs leading into the mountain.

The monir smiled at the human's concern for her son. "He is being brought to his family's residence." The woman motioned for the door to be unlocked. "Come, I will take you to him."

Devyn stood before the opened door as the monir motioned for him to follow her. The human cautiously took a step out of the cage before following the woman out of the hold. A hovercraft was stationed twenty paces away from the entrance to the hold.

Devyn was nearly to the craft when a hovercraft came racing to the hold from the direction of the village. As soon as the craft came to a stop and landed, the hatch opened. At that moment, the door to the hold was opened, and a hoverboard carrying an unconscious man quickly exited. The guards escorting the board hurriedly guided it into the craft.

Devyn turned to see the tip of Denzyl's crimson head lying on the board as it fully entered the medic craft. "Denzyl!"

*Monir - Title of the second in command to the emyr. Deals with the internal affairs of the clan.