“Attes!”
He blinked, pitching forward—
Fiery pain lit up my forearm. Cursing, I looked down to see crimson-and-black eyes locked onto mine as she dug her fangs into me.
Gritting my teeth, I forced out, “You really need to behave yourself.”
Attes reached around and gripped her chin. “You do realize this isn’t her, right?”
“I do, but that is her body. So, you’d better be careful,” I warned as she twisted her head, tearing more skin.
He huffed but forced her to release. As soon as my arm was free, blood splattered my cheek. She’d spat. Again.
I sighed.
“Starting with this one,” she cooed. “Going to work my way back. You will know his pain.”
“Shut up.” Attes placed his hand on her mark.
“You will understand why he loathed you,” she continued, nearly flipping Kieran. “You will know why he detested her.”
“You think I don’t already know? They were like mine.” He pushed down with more force than before. “You sick fuck.”
“Clearly, you two have history,” I muttered.
With a thick, fucking unnatural laugh, she threw her head back hard enough that I winced. I could only hope that the blankets had softened the impact.
“You have no idea.” Those churning eyes swirled and shot to me. “Oh, youreallyhave no idea.”
“Does my expression give you any indication that I care?” I had to push her down again.
The smirk was bloody. “You don’t know—”
“You know what I know?” I cut in. “You’re out of power. Nothing more than empty threats, so how about you shut the fuck up?”
Those blood-smeared lips parted, and she went for my arm again.
“Damn it.” I moved fast enough to avoid more than the stinging graze of her fangs. “Hold on.”
This positioning wasn’t working. My gaze darted to Kieran. In a moment, he nodded.
“Back off for a second,” Kieran told him.
Attes’s narrowed gaze shot to him, but then he rocked back. Poppy surged toward the Primal.
Perfect.
Tightening my arm around her waist, I slipped beneath her as I curled my other arm underneath her throat. Poppy shrieked and snapped at the air as I flattened myself, straightening out her body in the process. She immediately tried to use her legs, but I managed to catch one between mine as Kieran trapped the other with his weight.
Attes’s brows shot up. “Perhaps we should’ve done that first.”
“Get on with it,” I hissed through clenched teeth as Poppy dug her fingers into my stomach. It could’ve been worse. Those bound hands could’ve been positioned over a much more sensitive area.
The fucker inside Poppy went wild then, realizing he wasn’t escaping this. But I felt no satisfaction as I held her body tight to mine, my eyes fixed on the Primal’s hand as he lowered it to the mark on her chest. I couldn’t allow myself to think about how we could no longer protect her modesty, how icy-cold her skin was against mine, or how it felt waxy.
With his hand on the mark, Attes looked at Kieran. “Pierce the center or lower,” he instructed. “Quick and fast. And pull your hand back even faster.”
The moment Kieran leaned forward, the body in my arms went still. “Do it,” she rasped in a voice as dry as bones. “Use that dagger to pierce flesh and bone. I will still live. I will find my way back. Do it!” she screamed. “Use that dagger and plunge it into her heart. Kill her!”
