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Something.

You have to do something.

“Riah!” I call out when we reach the threshold of the exit. “Bury the box!” I pull against Marcus. “Tell Cain that I am Rapunzel! I sing for the bells!”

Marcus yanks me through the threshold, my friends leaving my sight along with the bit of hope I felt when they came into it.

“Let me go! I’m walking with you; let me go!” I hit and claw at his arm.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that from you before.” He says, giving my arm an extra yank for good measure.

I use the momentum and strength from his grip and pull myself forward, launching my head straight into his nose.

“Uagh! Fuck!” He groans, covering his bleeding nose with his free hand as he refuses to let me go.

“You are an idiot,” I say as I lean forward into his space. “You are banking on me caring much more about my life than I do. And you got rid of the only thing keeping me from fighting you every step of the way.”

“You’ll move past this,” he spits out, pulling me along with him once again.

“I will never move on from this!” I pull back. “This isn’t something you move on past; it’s something I will have to learn to live with!” He keeps his gaze straight ahead, unwavering. A rush of anger bubbles and flows to the front. “Ugh! Are you listening to me?!” Pulling myself forward again, I latch my teeth onto his hand. I bite. Hard. He releases my hand and finally turns to face me.

“Is this what your precious boyfriend would want? Would he want you to receive the consequences of fighting so hard?”

“No. Cain is selfish; he wants me alive and with him. But despite that, he would respect me for fighting you. I’m not going to hand my submission and my life over to someone who will mistreat them.” His chest heaves as he stares at me. Silently. “Go ahead, Marcus. Give me your worst. See what happens to you when you do.”

Lifting my chin, I walk straight out the door and into the back of his car. Only a few beats after me, he slides into the driver’s seat, and we head out. I lean against the tinted window and watch everything familiar move past. The square is crowded. Women crying. Men whispering. The public guards trying to break up the scene. In the center of it all, the man who chased me hangs by his neck from the tall center lamppost. A sign is nailed to his chest. Watch out, Marcus. Here I come. Written in blood.

“Cain’s a really messed-up fucker.” Marcus says. His face scrunches when he gets a glimpse of his friend.

“He is… But he didn’t kill your friend.” I look past the front seat, and he meets my gaze in the mirror. “I did.”

Cain

Chapter 38

BANG!

I kick Yelena’s door in and stride inside with Dahlia at my six.

“Jesus!” She jumps, placing her hand over her heart before going back to shuffling some papers on her desk. “Now’s not a good time, my Lord.”

“I fucking hate that title. And now’s not a good time? I’m about to really fuck shit up for you, Yelena.” I walk around the desk and stand behind Yelena’s chair. She rocks forward, and I place my hands on her shoulders, pushing her back into place. Dahlia closes the broken door, leaning back against it as she admires one of the daggers I made for her. Its twin’s tucked away in its sheath at her side. Her eyes are red. The odds of having three people you love vanish are next to nothing. She had a good cry, but now she’s ready for blood.

For years, Dahlia and I have spent hours each week training with the weapons in the forge. Part of my plan to have everyone I love ready for anything, and she’s often alone in the forge.

“Cain, there’s an active threat against Lord Marcus Lazeroff. Now’s not the time.” She rocks forward again; this time I shove her down. Hard.

“You went back on our deal, Yelena. Now is exactly the time.” I lean down, close enough that my breath brushes over her skin. She tenses in my hold, a shiver moving through her spine. At our core, we all have instincts. Yelena is no stranger to Alistair’s hobbies. Yelena has had a taste of my own darkness. Her body must be able to sense it.

I’m bloodthirsty.

“Where does Marcus Lazeroff live?” I ask, my tone flat.

“I-I can’t say, Sir.” I tut, gently run my fingers through her hair, then twist the long brown locks around my hand once, twice. Twisting one last time before firmly gripping it between my fingers.

“I’ve searched everything in the office, checked his old residences, even asked around. There’s no record of his current residence… Someone must know.” I tighten my grip a hair, the strands now pulling against her scalp. “We had a deal, Yelena. Violet stays here; Violet stays safe. And free for me when I got back… Now, tell me, where will I find Marcus Lazeroff.”

“Mr. Powers, y-you don’t understand.” Her voice quakes, her fingers jittering on her thighs. “Your father is trying to replace me… I had to do what Lord Lazeroff wanted.”