AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sadistic bitch knew I’d find her sooner or later.
“Then you know the layout.” Wally steps up closer. “We cannot dematerialize inside.”
“No, because I lined the walls with iron when I built the fucking place,” I snap back. The dark energy surges inside my body, and I battle it back down.
“Then how do we get in.”
“The front door,” I tell him. “She won’t kill me.” Sheathing my sword, I start toward the clearing.
“Are you mad?” Wally demands. “Walking in there will do nothing for Ember but place a larger target on her head!”
“You don’t know that,” I snarl. “But every moment we’re out here is one more second Ailis can torture her. I will create a distraction for you; then you come in and kill the bastards.”
He starts to hesitate but then nods. “She kills you and I’m going in for Ember. She’s my only concern.”
Before I can ask why, the front door opens and an ancient steps out, his hands covered in blood.
Panic sinks into my gut and I step through the trees. He turns toward me a moment before disappearing then reappearing right in front of me.
A large hand closes around my throat, and I let it. “Master will be so happy to see you, pet.”
* * *
“Rafferty,my love, I knew you’d come.”
Ailis sweeps into the room wearing a silver dress that trails along behind her. In true Ailis fashion, her breasts are all but spilling out of the top and very nearly do when she leans down to tilt my chin up from where I kneel on the floor.
“Where is she?” I demand.
Ailis grins. “We will get to that.” Pulling away from me, she takes a seat on a chair directly across from where I am being forced to remain on my knees, thanks to the two ancients pinning me there. “I am so glad you came home. Though, I am surprised it took you so long.”
“I’ve been busy. Where. Is. Ember? I have nothing to say to you until you let me see her.”
Ailis’s smile fades, and she purses her lips. “Fine. Let him up, then. He won’t go anywhere, will you, mate?”
“I’m not your mate.”
“That wounds me, my love. Come.”
The Ancients release me, so I get to my feet and follow Ailis through a house I built with my own two hands over the span of fifty years. I know every line, creak—and yet. We reach the main stretch of hallway, and the stench of death fills my lungs.
Creatures stand on pedestals, remaining perfectly still, while heads on pikes line the hall. “You truly have lost it, haven’t you?”
Ailis chuckles. “I do think you’ll be quite proud of me for one in particular.”
A chill runs up my spine. “Em—”
“Here he is,” she interrupts, gesturing to a mounted head toward the end of the hall. Taranus’ dead eyes are covered in a thin white sheen as he stares back at me. The pupils are now muted, blood dried to the corners of his mouth, his nose, and the bottom of his throat where his head has been severed.
“You killed him.” The words come out on a growl. Because either she forced Ember to go through with the bond, or the woman I love is very close to death.
“I did. For you. He mutilated you.”
My hand closes around her throat, and I slam her into the empty space between two pedestals.
She grins at me and holds up a hand to keep her fae dogs off of me. “So much passion.”
“Where is Ember?” I demand once more as I squeeze.One instant and I could destroy her. One second of dark energy for a lifetime of vengeance.
