“When I felt you enter Catherine’s tomb, I thought you were nothing but a rat in need of extermination. But in that dusty, old crypt, it was treasure I found.”
Treasure. No one in my whole life had ever referred to me as their treasure.
Tears of anger turned into tears of confusion.
Why was he doing this? Why was he making me feel these things? Things I didn’t want to feel. Things I didn’t want to like.
This was just another mind game. Another layer to the torture. It had to be.
“Fuck you,” I snarled, this time my tone barely more than a whisper as hot tears rolled down my cheeks.
He held a single claw to my cheek to catch one of my tears and held it up to examine the salty drop before popping it into his mouth.
Humming in approval at the taste, he chuckled. “You will, my treasure. You will.”
He brought the same claw to my outstretched wrist and began to carve a second line to join the first into my flesh. Hot pain seared up my arm, drawing out a whimper. “You have one more day, my treasure. Try not to exert yourself too much. Tomorrow at midnight, when your time is up, it will be All Hallows’ Eve. We’ll have many guests. I will greet them all from my throne, and you will be right there with me, sitting so pretty in my lap with my crown on your head.”
He stooped, his long black tongue sliding up my inner arm to lap up the blood he’d spilled. Then he let me go and I dropped to my knees, staring down at the newest mark adorning my skin.
When I looked up again, he was gone. The only thing I saw was the blood red moon glowing through wisps of clouds overhead, a glaring reminder of the limited time I had left.
Tomorrow night, when the same crimson crescent appeared, my time would run out. And I would officially belong to the Lord of Bones forever.
Chapter25
RAYVEN
I stayed on my knees,right where the Lord of Bones left me, for what felt like an eternity.
Belial’s dagger earring was pinched between my trembling fingers. The adrenaline might have been fading, but I was still in shock, my mind a blur as I tried to process everything.
I needed the masked demon.
It was selfish, because I didn’t know what the Lord of Bones was going to do now. I was sure he knew Belial was helping me. Would he punish him? Demote him? End his soul like he had those in the dungeon?
I didn’t want to care. He was supposed to be my ticket out of here. When in the last couple of days had he become something more?
Something to take the pain away. To make me forget my reality.
I held the blade to my wrist—the opposite one from where the Lord of Bones had cut—but hesitated for what had to be the dozenth time.
How could I call on him when I wasn’t even sure what I needed? The boots had been straightforward, a simple enough request. What I needed now was so much more. I was exhausted, battered, and mentally drained. I needed something to make it all go away.
I needed a bed and strong arms to hold me close. Maybe a stiff drink and more clothes since I had no intention of wandering around the labyrinth on the final day in the buff, as much as Belial would love that.
I needed to feel safe.
I knew seeing Belial would bring me a whisper of comfort and security.
The fact that he was the first thing that came to mind should have scared me, but as I finally dragged the dagger over my skin, soaking the blade in my blood, I realized I didn’t care.
There was a flash of blue light, and a moment later the scent of strawberries and pine permeated the air.
“Rayven,” Belial called behind me.
My heart clenched at the concern in his voice.
I looked over my shoulder to see him hurrying over and kneeling beside me. His eyes roved over my exposed skin, assessing the damage.
