“In the flesh.” I walked around her, taking in the power that thrummed with her every breath. Excitement flared as I realized how close I’d come to finishing my plan to conquer Tanselm. I ached to fulfill the destiny to which I’d been born.
With the right Shadren by my side, I would create a new line of Dark Lords to rule Tanselm and every world we captured. First, Tanselm. We already had Malern. Then Aelle, and perhaps we’d venture into Seattle and grab it as well.
I reached out and would have grabbed Alandra, but she danced out of reach. Amused, I smiled, baring teeth accentuated with eight sharp fangs, four on top and four on my lower jaw.
I expected to see some fear from the girl. Even Lidra, as excited as she’d been to dance on the Dark side, had quivered at the sight of my impressive fangs.
Alandra raised a brow but didn’t otherwise react.
The game grew that much more interesting.
“So, you’re familiar with my kind?”
“With a blood drinker? A Dark Lord? Or did you mean a morbid, pathetic sorcerer so afraid of his own brother he tried to have him killed?”
“I think there’s been some mistake,” I growled and grabbed her by the hair. I yanked her down to her knees and spat, “I am Balen Van Norsen, your future king and ruler of Tanselm. Beg for mercy, bitch, and rejoice that I allow you to live to show me the respect I’m due.”
She looked bored. “Respect you’re due? How can I possibly respect a male who cannot stand up for himself? You used your brother’s minor setback as the bottom rung in your ascension to power. What strength is there in a man who can’t beat a simple Storm Lord?”
Her words kindled my fury. “You should ask Sin Garu that very question. He had ample opportunity twice, first with the Prince of Fire and again with the River Prince. But both times he failed to do what I have done with one simple bitch.”
“You mean Queen Lidra?” she asked with humor, as if the pull on her hair didn’t pain her when I knew it did. “She’s been in thrall to sex for a millennium. Nothing you’ve done has been impressive in the least.”
She shimmered, and an image of Lidra took her place. “You would turn me into a blood drinker?” She sounded and looked exactly like her aunt. “I can fuck for days without end. What more is a bit of bloodletting? It’s only a matter of time before my true heirs succeed me.”
“That’s enough, Alandra.” I jerked her to her feet and met her gaze.
She needed to know her place.
“Change back,” I ordered.
She shimmered back into herself, her violet gaze filled with disdain. “As if your strength wasn’t already in question, there’s also the fact you’re not nearly as attractive as your brother.”
Lidra had mentioned how disagreeable Alandra could be. But now that I’d witnessed her offensive nature firsthand, I had less interest in bedding her for pleasure than to show her who ruled this world and everyone in it.
Just thinking about how much she’d hurt excited me.
I took my turgid cock from my trousers, showing her the weapon soon to give her such delicious pain. I expected tears, screams of fright, begging for mercy.
Not laughter.
“Please tell me there’s more than that to play with. At least the Storm Lord had a cock to make me whimper.”
I’d heard enough. I no longer knew why I’d sought Alandra. All I could think of were ways to make her pay, and dearly.
“The council won’t start for a few hours yet.” I showed her my fangs, realizing she must have misunderstood me. “We’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. I think it’s time I showed you just what you don’t understand about me.”
I smacked her in the face and watched her fall to the ground in pain.
The fear in her eyes when she looked back at me made me warm and fuzzy inside.
“I’m not as nice as you’d think.”
Chapter 29
Alandra
I somehow managed to keep my cool when inside, fear made it difficult to swallow. Terror coated the back of my throat. But as I cupped my throbbing cheek, I schooled my features into looking bored.
