Chapter 1

The fortress was burning. Outside the gate, succubiforced the men into cages as they tried to flee.

A few of Jinady’s

people had been killed right there. Their jaws were distended fromtheir last scream, dried blood was around their eyes, and their hairand skin had gone white. The succubi had drunk their souls. Jinadyknew it was the worst way a man could die.

He climbed up one of the tower’s stone stairs on his

hands and knees. A stream of thick smoke burned his eyes, and hefelt his way up with his hands. At the top of the open turret, the coldhit his face. He coughed so hard he vomited.Jinady sat against the stone wall trying to catch hisbreath. A green-skinned succubus with billowy blond hair crawledtwelve yards from him. Jinady was paralyzed. He stayed still as thesuccubus turned back toward the edge to help another demon climbup.A wing flapped above his head. White-skinned incubi flew inthe smoky sky. Jinady climbed onto a high edge of the turret wall.

“Help me!” Jinady screamed.

Two incubi with fleshy black wings dove for him. Thesuccubus in the turret came after him.Jinady cowered on the stone edge. The succubishrieked. They would get to him before the incubi.

They’d kill him

right there

—

he was sure of it.Jinady leapt for the incubus closest to him. He was large andwhite, with markings around his eyes and a black Mohawk. The

demon caught his wrist. He felt like his shoulder had been pulled fromthe socket as the incubus pulled him up by his arm.

“Aaaaiiiieeee!”

The demon held him around the waist. His wings beat alightning fast trail away from the smoke.Jinady squeezed his eyes closed.

He didn’t look back.

In the cave, Dogra stirred, snapping Jinady out of hismemories. Jinady eyed the sleeping form of the demon that rescuedhim that night. He sighed. That had to be a year ago by now.He picked the incubi over the succubi, but it was achoice of being raped over being killed. Each night a different demontook him to bed. They fought over the right in the beginning. After afew months he became the property of four particular demons in thetribe.There were other human prisoners but Jinady neversaw them.

He’d been awarded to the highest

-ranking demons in thetribe. His masters claimed he was more beautiful than the othermortals.The nineteen year-old had ample tresses of straightbrown hair framing his face in several lengths. His old chieftain haddescribed him as striking. It was the result of fine bones and delicateframe. He was not short, but men the same height could usually pickhim up with little trouble.The chieftain had said that he was as elegant as awoman.

Jinady didn’t mind these attentions.

Any man who saw himonly for his beauty would eventually see the person behind the