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“The rest of you… Move!” A-Four barked right in my ear as we passed him.Asshole. Sexy, fucking assholes.
Locke led me into a dark tunnel, and the torches on the rocky walls flared to life with blue fire as we neared, illuminating the darkness. I let the monster pull me along, ignoring the painful grip of his hand on my arm. The shuffle of feet behind me told me the others from my village were following closely behind.
Eventually, we started passing huge iron doors. Locke finally stopped at one on the right and wrenched the door open. Releasing my arm, he pushed me inside the darkened room. Torches around the space instantly ignited, showing bare rocky walls, a cot to one side, a small wooden table, and another door at the back.
I swung around. “What is this?” I hissed.
“You failed the first test,” he said, his voice smooth and mocking.
My brow creased. “Failed?”
He grinned widely, baring his fangs. “Welcome to the monster trials,beautiful.”
And he slammed the door in my face.
CHAPTER 4
~ Locke ~
“Iswear,Idon’tknow who’s being tested more—the humans or us—because it’s a test of my willpower to not just kill them all,” I snarled as I slammed the door, carelessly letting my clawed hands scratch the iron. I rolled my neck as my claws retracted into my fingertips, my wings disappeared, and the whites returned to my eyes.I’d be doing them a fucking mercy.
More of the villagers had begged and pleaded as they’d been led to their rooms, and I couldn’t stand the pathetic whine of their voices. It wouldn’t be for long, I knew. They’d change soon. And with that would come a whole new challenge. But at least they wouldn’t be my problem then.
“How can beings be so fucking weak?” I grumbled, pulling off my sword. I hung it near the door, finding a space on the long rack already overflowing with weapons.
Asher watched with an amused grin from where he stood leaning against the mantel, blue firelight illuminating his short, violet horns and a goblet in his hand. Darian raised a silver brow at me where he lounged next to a stern-faced Kade on a plush red settee. Kade was back in his human form, his ears rounded again and his fangs nowhere to be seen. The only one who couldn’t hide his monstrous side was Asher.
Kade’s eye twitched, and my frown deepened. I knew that look. A lecture was coming.Fuck me.
“What?” I snapped, stalking into the room and sinking onto the unoccupied settee closest to the fire.
Before Kade had a chance to respond, Darian said, “Are you sure it’s all of the humans you want to kill or, perhaps, a specific one? Say, a verybeautifulone with a feisty attitude, who happens to think we’re all ugly?” Darian’s cloak had been discarded, and his long silver hair reflected the glow of the fire.
My eyes narrowed, and I became thoughtful at the mention of the woman with the fiery temper. After her outburst in the clearing, I couldn’t help but pick her. She was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stifling situation. But when we’d crossed through the portal and I’d pushed her into the pit, I couldn’t deny that I felt something…strange.
Her rapid heartbeat filled my ears, like a siren call telling me to swoop down and snatch her up. I could feel the fear of all the villagers, but hers was different. It was as if the human was calling to me, and my entire body wanted to respond. An uncomfortable pain had sprouted in my chest, and it had taken all my effort to stay where I’d been watching them.
When Darian had rescued the villagers from the water, the pain had soon subsided, and I wondered if I’d imagined it. Still, the whole situation had me on edge. Despite this, my lips quirked into a smile. “That girl has a death wish.”
Asher chuckled. “Hope you know what you’re doin’ picking that one.”
Darian plucked at the cheese on the table in front of him and leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. “If he didn’t, I would have,” he drawled. “I thought these trials would be a bore. It’s nice to see a human with an actual backbone. Perhaps they’re not all weak after all.”
Kade leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and gripping his goblet.
Here it comes.I braced myself for his tirade. Kade was often the voice of reason in our group.
“We’re not here to have fun,” Kade growled. “No matter how attractive you might find the human. There’ll be time for that during the Week of Orash if you’re that keen. For now, we have to get this done.”
He didn’t have to remind me. I was the one who informed my brothers we’d been assigned to carry out the job of selecting the humans.
Darian rolled his eyes at Kade. “Yes, yes, we’re here to show we’re capable of doing something other than drinking and fucking for a change,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
“And killin’,” Asher added with an eager grin.
Kade’s jaw clenched. “Speak for yourself, Darian. I know how to keep my cock in my pants.”
“One down,” I said coldly, my mind still thinking of the humans. “Eleven to go.”
