AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He stared at me with a puzzled expression for a long moment before nodding and settling onto the ground, playing dead. I picked up his foot, channeled Mr. Muscle, and started dragging him toward the center of the warehouse, where Fafnir and Clawdia waited.
"Apologies for not announcing myself sooner. This bastard is heavy," I called out.
Sweat beaded on the back of my neck, and I tried my best to relax into the role of an evil descendant of an even more evil Norse dragon.
If I pull this off, I expect someone to appear and hand me an Oscar. Immediately.
Clawdia's eyes widened, horror-struck as she watched me approach dragging her battered soul pair behind me.
“Charlie, what are you doing? You shouldn't be here. Neither of you should be.”She shouted the words across our bond, and I heard them despite the shield.
Fafnir spun toward me with a growl and flashing eyes. I tried not to shit myself at the sight. "You are not nearly reverent enough, descendant. Did you forget who I am and how I kill those that disrespect me?"
“Mary called him ‘my lord.’ You need to simper more,”Clawdia told me, rolling with the impromptu and Oscar award winning performance I was giving of an evil underling.
I swallowed and slowed my walk. "Apologies, my lord, I didn't mean any offense. I brought you a gift."
Interest flared in his eyes as he examined Zaide. He stepped toward us. "You've brought me a titan," he purred.
"Mary told me you have a craving," I lied with ease and set Zaide's leg down. I chanced a glance at Clawdia.
“Are you okay?”
“I hurt and can't use my power.”She sat up and hugged her chest, an embarrassed and scared flush across her neck and cheeks. “But I can run if you need me to.”
“Get ready.”
Fafnir kneeled to examine Zaide closer, and I tensed as I tried not to flinch away from him. I bit my lip and debated whether or not to say what I was thinking but shrugged and threw caution to the wind. It would offer Clawdia a chance to escape if he focused on me. " I thought the magic of titan was in the split half of the soul."
Fafnir chuckled, a sound that sent shivers up my spine. "A common misconception. You can see the magic in the body of a titan. Their scars glow with power. Devouring a titan offers as much power as draining any other supernatural being."
He stroked Zaide's golden skin and across the glowing scars with an expression that reminded me of how I stared at a chocolate muffin. I was impressed Zaide didn't jump at the touch.
He turned his creepy eyes to me. "You're a male. You haven't been taught what you can prey on?"
I shrugged with pretend ease. "There has been no one to learn from. I am the only male."
His face darkened. "No sons?"
"None still alive." I shook my head, wondering if I should even tell him that even as my mouth moved.
He stood quickly, his jaw and fists clenched in anger. Then, in a quick movement, he plowed his fist into a box, which split and pushed all surrounding boxes scattering. He roared, and it shook the warehouse.
I glanced at Clawdia with wide eyes. She hugged her knees looking more vulnerable than ever.“Try to back away without him noticing,”I suggested through our bond.
“What about the witch?”She looked at the still body next to her.
I didn't see a way Clawdia could escape with her.“We'll figure something out, but I need you away from him.”
My eyes flicked back to Fafnir as he turned back to me, his face in a snarl. "They will suffer for their betrayal. To kill the sons …" He let out a slow breath, flexed his fingers, and ground his teeth. "How did you escape?"
His eyes were suspicious, but I answered honestly with little information that I had. "I was adopted."
He stared at me, and although I couldn't read the thoughts on his face, I could see them circling behind his eyes. I shifted on my feet and coughed awkwardly into the silence. Then his glare turned back to Zaide. "You bruised my meal," he commented.
"I ran him off the road," I told him plainly and looked over to Clawdia to see that she was sliding herself back slowly toward a desk in the middle of the room.
A grin flashed across his face, and I froze as he started walking around me. I felt like I was being circled by a shark. "My sons were my greatest joy. They understood me, my desires, and were able to indulge in my greatest pleasure with me. I miss them. You don't resemble them, but I can feel your blood calling to mine as theirs used to do." He stopped in front of me, rested his hands on my shoulders, and stared into my eyes. "Join me."
