There it was, the jealousy.
Dolion had been here for years, training and trying to become worthy of what the bone dagger could offer. Theo had discovered early on that he had made a mistake in bringing him here. No matter how lethal and impressive Dolion appeared, there was something deeply lacking within him. He could never be worthy.
“Theo knew you wouldn’t pass. It was a mercy denying you the dagger.”
“Mercy?” Dolion seethed. “Was it merciful when you brought me down to those dungeons? Carrying out my mortal punishment?”
Callum smirked, he couldn’t help it. “That was your own doing. You tried to steal the dagger. Did you think Theo would let you leave unscathed?”
They had let him keep his life, sending him back to the mortal lands with his tail between his legs. A second mercy.
Dolion ignored the question. “I’m here for what’s mine,Cal. Return my property, or become another corpse at my feet.” He took a step over the deer, palming his sword and flashing those unholy red eyes.
It was dusk now, the light of the sky fading to black.
“There isnothinghere that belongs to you,” Callum snapped. “I’ll give you one chance.Leave!”
“I can’t do that.” Dolion kept one palm on his sword, the other hand raised to point at Helaina. “See, I’ve spent every night dreaming of how I would use her. I’ve fantasized about draining that delicious body to the brink of death...” Dolion’s eyes looked ravenous. “I’ve spent years imagining all the ways I’d fuck her.”
Helaina took a cautious side step behind Callum’s right shoulder.
“Speak another vile word about her, and I’ll drag you back to your favorite cell,” Callum warned.
“There’s no need, Callum, she’ll tell you herself. Go on, Helaina, tell him how close we were back then,” Dolion goaded.
“Stop it,” Helaina’s soft voice pleaded.
“Tell him how you let me touch you, how you begged for it like a starved whore. How you whined for me and nearly cried when I asked you to be my wife.”
Callum could feel the white-hot anger flooding his entire body as he sensed Helaina’s terror deepening.
“Don’t worry, love, my offer is still very much on the table. You’ll still be my wife, my personal blood source for all eternity. After you fulfill your other duties, of course.”
Two large bodies emerged from the darkness behind Dolion.
Fuck.
Balor and Benon, the infamous Butcher Brothers. Callum had believed the twin assassins to be mortal. By the looks of their eyes, that was no longer the case. Callum’s desire for torment came from vengeance. These two just enjoyed the slaughter. Faces ugly as sin, they flashed their nasty, rotten teeth. No, not teeth—fangs.
Helaina’s hand gripped his arm hard, holding on like she might slip off a cliff’s edge.
“It was them that night...” she stuttered. “The eyes I saw in the dark. They attacked Aaron and Agatha.”
Balor smoothed back his slick hair, eyeing Helaina. “It was an easy mistake. That pretty little thing smelled so much like you, being a descendant of the War God and all. When we realized we took the wrong one, we made her death... relatively quick. The boy simply got in the way.”
Callum’s snarl sounded deep within his throat.
“Come on, Helaina, you don’t want to get me angry, do you?” Dolion crooned. “I’ll make the first bite so sweet, I promise.” His voice was deceivingly gentle as he marched forward with an outstretched hand.
Callum heard her retreat a step.
“Don’t run,” Callum warned. She wasn’t fast enough to outrun three undead.
She squeezed his forearm again, signaling she understood.
“How did you find her, Dolion? Even Theo couldn’t sniff her out until now.” Callum was stalling for time, hoping he could keep Dolion talking... play to his ego.
“Oh, she was well hidden. But we were fortunate enough to meet her dear uncle Fessyk. He was more than willing to bargain, a little information in exchange for a crown.”
