"Did you –" Iswallow. "Did you kill her?"
He chuckles darkly. "For your mortal brain to understand, yes. I killed her."
Vesper's gone.
I inhale, steadying my breathing. "Are you planning to do the same thing to me?"
His calloused hand wraps around my neck, already hot against my skin,andpullsme close. "No," he whispers and I know something far worse is coming. "You will be my pet. But first, you will be punished for your wicked tongue."
In a swift motion,Drogonlifts me by my neck and carries me to a wooden pole Ihadn'tnoticed in the center of the platform. He drops me on thefloor,and Isuckin a breath, grabbing my neck where his hand left a burn mark.Before I registerwhat’shappening, achain is attached to my wrist cuffs andjerked upward.I'mpartially dangling, the tips of my toestheonly part of me able to touch the wood beneath me.I'mon display before every demon inMalvolio,their wicked, smiling faces pinned on me. Behind me, the crack of a whip against woodstartles me.
Fear coils around my heart and squeezes.
“Ten lashes!” Drogon commands.
Shit. I brace myself for the sting of thewhip.
“Take me in her place!” Bastian cries out, causing a hush to fall amongst the mob.“I will bear her punishment.”
Forty
Shaye
One eye opens, then the other, finding Bastian in the crowd. He has stripped his armor, dropping each piece on the ground. His white sleeve undershirt and trousers are all he sports as he takes a heavy step forward, hard-set determination in his stormy gaze.
Drogonholds outa hand to the enforcer behind me and smiles at Bastian.It’sall teeth and fangs, simply unnerving.“You wish to trade places with her, mortal?”
“Yes,” Bastian takes another step forward. “Punish me instead.”
Whispers and jeers circulate.It’sclear no one has interrupted a ritual like this before, nor has anyone stood up to their king.But Bastian standsfirm.
His eyes meet mine,apologeticand ashamed. But the hope that was dangling in front of meis violently rippedaway.
“I think I’ll punish you both."
Drogonclutcheswhat'sleft of my shirt in his grasp and tears my top off.I’mnaked fromthewaist up. Shock ricochets through me before humiliation and shame heat my skin. I try to wiggle free from my bonds to no avail.Boots behind me send a jolt of fear through me.He’sgoing to have me whipped after all.
“No!” Bastianyells, fighting to get to me. He punches and claws demons rushing to subdue him. I see it in his eyes.He’sabout to shift into his beast form. But before he transitions,agutturalscreamtears through him. One of the demons has shoved a knife into Bastian’s side. That one well-placed injury gives the surrounding demons enough time and opportunity to hold Bastian to the ground.
Thecreaturesitting on Bastian’s back grabs his head and turns him to see the platform. He is going toforcehim to watch whatDrogoninflicts on me.
My chest rises and falls in raspy, shallow breaths. There is nohidingmy breasts from the mob. And I know my back will be in tatters once my punishment is through.
I'm grateful Nyx isn't awake to witness this.
Drogon shoves his fingers along the waistband of my trousers. There's a twinge of heat from his touch, but I hold steady. His chest presses against my back, and his mouth finds the crook of my neck. The Demon King drags his tongue along my skin. The spot immediately blisters.
As if the humiliation of my breasts being exposed wasn't enough, Drogon yanks my pants down to my ankles.
"Pretty indeed," he murmurs in my ear.
A tear slips down my cheek.My heart thunders against my ribcage. I can sense thousands of evil eyes crawling over every bit of my naked body.
Exposed. Violated. Humiliated. Degraded.
I keep waiting for the physical pain to be added, but instead, I endureDrogon'sunwanted, torturoustouch.Depending onhow long his hand lingersdeterminesthe level of burn my skin suffers.
Drogondoesn'tforgo one piece of my body. I wince from the sharp pain when he palms my breasts. The crowd laughs, and my bodyheatsin shame.
