The shadows unwind from her in slow whorls, savoring the moment.
“You’ve been most helpful. When I return with news of Luca, I will make sure Renato knows just how cooperative you’ve been.” I pause, smiling as she trembles. “Oh my. I do hope that arm grows back before he returns.” I tilt my head, almost sympathetic. “I hear he has … strong opinions about disobedience.”
“Renato willneveraccept your whore queen!” Vesna shrieks.
The room falls silent. The revenants freeze, still as death, humming with violence.
I crouch down in front of the wounded vampire, knuckles dragging along her cheek as her violet-stained lips curl into a snarl.
Vesna finally gets it. The truth she’s been too arrogant to see hits her all at once, and when fear flickers in her dull, butcher-paper eyes, I shudder with pleasure.
“My dear Vesna,” I murmur, fingers curling around her throat, “your husband has already bent his knee to my queen.”
Her breath hitches.
The shadows pulse, not angry or vengeful, just …satisfied.
They can feel what’s coming, and they fucking savor it.
I squeeze until I feel the satisfying snap of tendon, the revenants rippling across my skin with violent delight.
Vesna’s only response is a wet, gurgling whimper. Her head lolls to the side, limp and useless, just like the rest of her.
“In the future, Vesna, you will treat my queen with the utmost respect, or I will kill you myself.”
I shove her to the floor and pull out a handkerchief, cleaning the blood from my hands as a growl hums in my throat.
A few shadows linger over her body, reluctant to leave their fun. One slithers across my knuckles, absorbing the last bit of blood in a final claim of victory, before retreating.
I tower over Vesna, her back pressed to the wall, clutching what’s left of her arm, wailing.
Me and my entourage of overworked shadow metaphors are utterly unimpressed.
They settle lazily around me, at peace with what we’ve done.
It’s all for show, anyway. Her body’s mostly dead. The violence hasn’t even reached her pain receptors yet.
I exhale through my teeth and yank the door open.
Christ. Sally Hardesty survived the Sawyer family and didn’t scream this much.
Shifting into my Umbraeth, I get the hell out while she howls inside her cheap house. I’m not in the mood to deal with any draghs trying to play hero.
And Vesna’s not stupid. She won’t risk Renato finding out about her little plan.
When I’ve traveled some distance, I shift back into my Løkkda and continue on foot. Strolling through the suburbs of Chicago, I think about how, even a month ago, I might have let her try.
Let her crawl into my lap and bat her lashes, while I pretended that half-dead cunt was worth my time.
I was unattached. Selfish. And my sadistic side would’ve shown Vesna what violent sex really looks like.
What? I told you—I’m a monster.
I wouldn’t have brutally fucked her out of malice, but out of boredom—though with Vesna, the hurt would’ve been the fun part. Fucking something vile used to feel easier than facing the emptiness.
But now there’s Aurora, who moves through this world with sharp grace and a kindness that cuts far deeper than cruelty.
She’s not meant for a monster like me.
