The men went still; Roy Swift’s smile faltered.
Lucien tilted his head, looking like the devil. “Tell me, Roy. There were twenty-four board members when Marcus stole my company. I’ve killed quite a few, so please remind me. How many of you are planning on touching Rook?”
The eldest board member—the one with the thick moustache—let out a smug chuckle. “Don’t worry. Our little family might have shrunk in the past few weeks, but we plan on finding worthy replacements. Who knows...maybe the new recruits will be allowed a turn...once they’ve proven loyal.” He stepped forward, too caught up in his own importance to notice he’d just dug a grave. “We’ll even let you watch. You can sit there while we all try ourluck...as many times as it takes.”
Lucien just nodded.
My heart skipped a beat as the coldest, most beautiful, terrifying smile stretched his lips.
“How generous of you,” he murmured. “So kind of you to steal pieces of us. To drink us. Breed us. Hurt us.” His eyes flickered to each man, his pupils catching fire with that scarlet ring. “You’ve graciously fed me, housed me, and tortured me for two decades. And now you’re talking of hurting the one person who saved me.” Flames suddenly devoured the straps on his wrists and ankles, dissolving them into ash. “I think the time has come that I repaid you for your kindness.”
“Ah shit.” Roy fumbled for the frequency emitter, but...it was too late.
Fire detonated from Lucien like a nuclear bomb.
Flames smashed against the walls, melting the artwork into rivers of colour. The carpet caught fire. The ceiling dripped with overheated varnish.
The entire dining room became an inferno.
The board members screeched and lunged for the door—
And died where they stood as Lucien’s fire went completely feral.
Their screams turned wet as fire melted through skin and muscle, peeling flesh from bone.
Roy’s face liquefied, his eyes bursting like microwaved eggs as flames poured into his open mouth. Another man’s synthetic suit melted over his body, while the youngest screeched as fire harpooned through his ribcage and barbequed his heart.
The scientists fared no better.
The stench of seared meat, burning hair, and melted plastic filled the room. The fire roared louder, ecstatic at being free, feeding on Lucien’s rage and pain as it consumedeverything.
No matter how hot the room burned, it never hurt me.
It just devoured my bindings and flickered at my ankles as I went to Lucien’s side. He stood in the centre of the carnage, eyes glowing like molten rubies, chest heaving. Flames danced across his skin, hungry and vicious for more.
You can calm down now.I clutched his hand.Enough, Lucien. They’re dead.
But the fire wouldn’t stop.
It snapped and flickered like a rabid beast. The walls groaned. The ceiling buckled—
“Lucien!” I grabbed his arm and shook him. “Don’t burn up again. I’m warning you.”
His gaze met mine, panic glittering in the depths.Help me...
The ice answered his plea with a violent blast of frost. It arrowed into his chest, scything through his flames.
He staggered backward as snow met fire with a clash of elemental power.
For a terrifying second, I feared we’d tear each other apart.
That we’d burn and freeze and this would be our grave but...something shifted.
The melding of our powers sent a shockwave of raw energy through the bond. Pleasure and pain crashed through us. His fire flooded my veins; my ice poured into him. Trapping us, helping us...granting us more time even as we fought and fed, healed and died.
Lucien’s arms snapped around me, crushing me against his burning body. In the heart of the swirling chaos, everything else disappeared.
There was only us.
