I had no doubt she was safe from Dante. He would not test his power against a witch of her line.
And that would be an advantage I doubt he considered.
One I hoped would lead to his demise.
7
Hawk
There was nothing but pain. Excruciating, unimaginable pain. Every breath. Each crash of my heart against my ribs. Nothing could have prepared me for the fire burning throughout my body, igniting in my veins and curling in my gut.
It was like my body was fighting against me. Battling my basic nature.
But why?
Each step brought nausea as I moved through the dark hall. Witch light flickered overhead, casting the space in an eerie glow. There was a buzzing in my ears, one that grew louder the longer I walked. It was incessant, like gnat hovering around my head, following me no matter where I went.
In my periphery, where my vision blurred, I spied a familiar face. The smell of blood wafted from the creature, filling my lungs, stifling. It made it even harder to breathe. Pressure built in my chest as I tried to take in whoever walked beside me.
But a mask covered the lower half of their face. Reddened eyes turned to meet mine, crinkling at the corners like he was smiling beneath the mask. I knew those eyes. Recognised the smile. But those memories were vague, hazy at best.
I forced myself to turn away from him as the hallway came to an end. There were no other doors besides the one directlyacross from us. An arch of runes surrounded the thick metal; they glowed with a strange power, one that made my stomach twist. Sweat beaded across my brow as I stared at the soft light they emitted.
Somehow, the buzzing grew louder as the male moved around me, entering my line of sight. I couldn’t move from my position, feet locked in place. My hands curled into fists as the buzzing moved throughout my body. The centre of my back, around my shoulder blades, ached fiercely.
I flinched when one of the runes went out. The buzzing turned to a scream in my ears. But before I could react, the door swung open, creaking as it revealed the prisoner.
I saw nothing but darkness and the shape of the creature. Chains rattled as they moved. From where I stood, I couldn’t make out any more than an outline on the floor.
But I caught a whiff of coffee. Too familiar. Too welcoming. I struggled to draw it into my lungs, to consume more of it.
There was a whimper from within. The chains scraped on the floor as the prisoner moved back.
The one I’d walked in with laughed darkly. “Not so powerful now, are you?”
If the prisoner responded, I didn’t hear it.
The door closed, rune reactivating.
The buzzing stopped entirely.
I turned, placing my hands behind my back despite the itch in the back of my mind. The one that told me to go back. To walk into the cell. To see the prisoner again.
I shook my head and straightened as the King appeared down the hall. His scent, bitter and acrid, filled the air. It burned as I breathed it in. Beside him, his Charm moved with ease, smelling distinctly of lemongrass tea, unmarked by the bitter, rottenness that perfumed the air whenever I crossed paths with other soldiers.
And with their appearance, the smell of coffee disappeared.
8
Ivy
Istared into the face of my ex-mate’s former team member, the numbness that’d been building inside me seekingsomethingother than the indifference or the physical pain.
“You’re as pathetic as that bastard of a king you’ve sworn yourself to,” I said, meeting Zephyr’s red eyes. The vampire’s features contorted in anger, hands forming fists. “How about you come back when I have my power again? Then we’ll see how brave you really are.”
I didn’t see the hand coming until my head snapped to the side. Pain radiated from my cheek, all the way down my neck. Fuck, it hurt. I was basically human again. No more fancy healing. No thick skin.
Despite the pain, Ilaughed. It was more like a cackle. Full blown manic giggling turned into more. And it definitely startled the vamp, because he stepped back in disgust.
