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Obedient, I stand. Belly knotting the whole time, all my insides twisting upside down, I walk right to that wall, turn around, and face him. By now, he’s meandered to the end table where the decanter rests. Clutching it by the lip, Mordere tips the wine back and swallows a good and long draught, emptying it. Another hint of torture. He won’t numb my body. Sadist bastard. Exhaling, Mordere chucks the decanter to the floor to shatter the glass. I don’t flinch. He slumps into the chair and raises one hand, propping his elbow on the armrest, casually fluttering his fingers.
“I see Neo took his fill of you throughout the night,” he observes the hundred-and-one bite marks along my skin.
“Rich coming from the vampire who looks like he had a galaxy of moles removed,” I fire back, sneering at the hundreds of his fang mark trophies.
Mordere chortles deeply, gets up, moves to the bed, lowers himself onto the coverlet, then wags a clawed finger in the air, beckoning me to his lap. “Come here, Elysia.”
That uncontrollable summons. That crushing force in my veins. That command in my head. I wince, repulsed. What I always have is my wit. My personal rebellion. I lean into that spirit I just used on him. And test. Bend the rules, but don’t break them to buy me a fraction of time. I don’t have long before the sun rises. Even now, the gray light of dawn betrays a hint of a flush on the horizon. Once daylight rises, this Elysia will be gone. My skin crawls at the notion, a chill gushing in my veins.
Mordere growls, dark brows threading low over his deep-set eyes. “Come herenow, Elysia,” he rephrases, understanding how I bucked against him.
Careful not to thrust them out in case he asks me any questions, I keep my angel teeth retracted. At least he seems to have forgotten my earlier promise—about what my whip-smart mouth would love to do to him. I sigh, undone by that correction, and slowly walk to his side. Grinning, Mordere taps his thigh, stating firmly, “Sit in my lap now, Elysia.”
Rubbing my lips together and closing my eyes, I hold my breath and suck up the courage to sit down, cringing when his member stabs the side of my leg. I cringe more when he bands his hands around my hips, scooting me closer to his chest before gripping my jaw and twisting my face until I’m forced to stare at those smoke and ash eyes. Any moment now, I just have to suffer through his impending monologue.
“I have a mental link with my scouts, Elysia, and don’t move, thank you.” His hand descends, curling to snatch the ends of my chemise, tugging them up while his hand maintains its vice-like grip on my jaw. “When they first showed me what dear Neo did to you in his Court O’ Destruction, I began to doubt whether or not you were his true heart. Until they described what happened at the end. Seems one of my scouts is in your debt. And as long as yousatisfyme tonight, I will be generous and place him as your primary guard. Thank me for that now, Elysia,” Mordere commands and rubs his mouth along my neck, fangs pricking.
I ooze as much sarcasm into my voice as possible when I say, “Thank you for youroverwhelminggenerosity, Mordere.”
“I want you to know how much I will enjoy this, Elysia.” His hand roams up to cup my breast, fondling it through the thin chemise. I bite back a whimper while his fangs prick deeper, stirring righteous flames. “The Prince has inspired me, you might say. When the day dawns, I will show you off at Court. Oh, my men have been begging to ravish you. But I intend to savor you for quite some time. My vampires simply must be satisfied with Neo’s harem.” His fangs penetrate.
Triggered, I scream and release one fiery whip of a Halo, causing us both to fall to the floor. Pain rockets into the back of my neck. It blinds me. I miss his mouth, miss the opportunity to gag him. So, Mordere uses his own test. “Stop using your Halo power now, Elysia!” he snarls.
Invigorated, I rebel against the command. Eyes burning, teeth gnashing, I rise to my feet. Righteous fury kindled, my strength growing from the threat against Neo’s harem, from moral indignation and deep, feminine loyalty, I release fiery currents to chain him, to drag him to his knees before upending him till he’s on the flat of his back.
“Command them tostop!” I charge him, considering Piper and all the innocent girls in Neo’s harem. No matter what happens, no matter if it gives Mordere power over me, I won’t allow him to hurt them.
“Well, well!” Mordere latches onto that vulnerability, prepared to milk it for all its worth. “So ironic that Neo’s sweet bride has a soft spot for his harem. I love everythingsoft,” he hints, brows dancing up and down.
“What do you want?” I grit my teeth.
Mordere glances down at his ankles, where my Halo fire has already melted through his armor and breeches to simmer his flesh. “Perhaps you will set me loose first,” he suggests, and I cautiously free my flames from his legs, but I form them into a shield and frolic them along my skin in a warning.
Mordere charges to his feet and begins to circle me like a saber-toothed tiger taunting its cornered prey. Once he meanders to my side, Mordere lowers his head to mine and whispers, “Your blood oath, Halo-Bearer.” I almost retch at the thought but brace myself for his next words because I know this is what will break me. Circling to my front and exhibiting his dangerous fangs, Mordere proclaims, “If you want to protect Neo’s little floozies, then you will satisfy me in the Prince’s bed whenever I desire while you are inmynew Court. But first…” he raises his finger and pauses.
“First, what?” I hold back the bile in my stomach, charge my anger into the flames, and launch a current or two to lash his flesh.
“First, you will dress in your finest Court gown. You will attend my all-day party tomorrow in the Prince’s Theater. You will arrive at the height of that great staircase as I learned you did on another singular night. Finally, you will descend that staircase, and with every step you take, you will tear your Court gown. Thread by thread until you arrive at my throne. Then, you will kneel before me and pledge your love for Court Mordere.”
The bile rises into my esophagus, and I must force the burning liquid down as he continues.
“And once you do, I will remove whatever is left and bite you, Elysia. I will claim you for my bride. And then carry you to bed, my love. After all, the Prince did divorce you.” He gestures to the absent horned crown because Neo and I did not renew our vows. Our blood oath stands, but my bride status does not. What does that oath mean now that Neo is imprisoned? A shudder ripples through me.
By the time Mordere is finished, two silent rivulets of tears stream down my cheeks. It’s as if my heart cracks, preparing to break because I will agree to this. The alternative is the gang rape of Neo’s harem. And there is no way in heaven or hell I will allow that to happen. If this is a cross I must bear, a price to pay, then I will. I preach to myself that I’m strong enough to bear the humiliation because regardless of what Mordere has dictated, he will have a rude awakening in bed. After all, the devil’s in the details. He never mentioned anything about how I may also satisfymyself. I can only hope “tomorrow Elysia” will recognize that. I hope she will understand.
Before he can change the deal to something worse, I agree.
“Splendid…” is all he says, then creates a deep gash in my palm, licking at my blood, sucking sharp wind through his teeth, pupils bloating to cherry pools. Palms slammed together. Blood oath sealed.
The horizon awakens with the sun in the distance beyond the Father’s Tenth Court, where it only shines. Somehow, I know it takes longer, vying with the blood moon. I may have minutes.
“Now, Elysia,” Mordere grips my hand, jerking me closer to finish his command, “kiss me, my future bride. Kiss me now, Elysia, my love.”
Blood oath strong between us, with no choice but to obey, I crash my mouth against his, and Mordere cups the back of my head, bone claws twisting in my curls to draw me closer. His mouth bruises, his tongue invades, tasting every last nook and cranny of my mouth.My love.I should hear Neo’s proclamation, but Thanatos’ voice haunts me instead.I love you, Elysia.
When Mordere’s tongue duels with mine, I know I can’t miss. He pauses to break from me, but I distract him. I moan into his mouth, prompting a fresh arousal and another strike of his tongue. And however mortifying it might be, I chomp down as hard as I can, tasting a fresh bloom of silver blood and rejoicing in his scream right before I tear half that tongue right from his mouth!
Bitch!He yells within our new bond, cupping his bleeding mouth because he cannot hurl the insult at me with that maimed tongue. A thrill of pride surges in me, tainted by the vile taste of blood.
