Total pages in book: 401
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
“Attes,” I snapped.
“But you,” she hissed. “I will make sure you live to see it.”
“Attes!”
He blinked, pitching forward—
Fiery pain lit up my forearm. Cursing, I looked down to see crimson-and-black eyes locked onto mine as she dug her fangs into me.
Gritting my teeth, I forced out, “You really need to behave yourself.”
Attes reached around and gripped her chin. “You do realize this isn’t her, right?”
“I do, but that is her body. So, you’d better be careful,” I warned as she twisted her head, tearing more skin.
He huffed but forced her to release. As soon as my arm was free, blood splattered my cheek. She’d spat. Again.
I sighed.
“Starting with this one,” she cooed. “Going to work my way back. You will know his pain.”
“Shut up.” Attes placed his hand on her mark.
“You will understand why he loathed you,” she continued, nearly flipping Kieran. “You will know why he detested her.”
“You think I don’t already know? They were like mine.” He pushed down with more force than before. “You sick fuck.”
“Clearly, you two have history,” I muttered.
With a thick, fucking unnatural laugh, she threw her head back hard enough that I winced. I could only hope that the blankets had softened the impact.
“You have no idea.” Those churning eyes swirled and shot to me. “Oh, you really have no idea.”
“Does my expression give you any indication that I care?” I had to push her down again.
The smirk was bloody. “You don’t know—”
“You know what I know?” I cut in. “You’re out of power. Nothing more than empty threats, so how about you shut the fuck up?”
Those blood-smeared lips parted, and she went for my arm again.
“Damn it.” I moved fast enough to avoid more than the stinging graze of her fangs. “Hold on.”
This positioning wasn’t working. My gaze darted to Kieran. In a moment, he nodded.
“Back off for a second,” Kieran told him.
Attes’s narrowed gaze shot to him, but then he rocked back. Poppy surged toward the Primal.
Perfect.
Tightening my arm around her waist, I slipped beneath her as I curled my other arm underneath her throat. Poppy shrieked and snapped at the air as I flattened myself, straightening out her body in the process. She immediately tried to use her legs, but I managed to catch one between mine as Kieran trapped the other with his weight.
Attes’s brows shot up. “Perhaps we should’ve done that first.”
“Get on with it,” I hissed through clenched teeth as Poppy dug her fingers into my stomach. It could’ve been worse. Those bound hands could’ve been positioned over a much more sensitive area.
The fucker inside Poppy went wild then, realizing he wasn’t escaping this. But I felt no satisfaction as I held her body tight to mine, my eyes fixed on the Primal’s hand as he lowered it to the mark on her chest. I couldn’t allow myself to think about how we could no longer protect her modesty, how icy-cold her skin was against mine, or how it felt waxy.
With his hand on the mark, Attes looked at Kieran. “Pierce the center or lower,” he instructed. “Quick and fast. And pull your hand back even faster.”
The moment Kieran leaned forward, the body in my arms went still. “Do it,” she rasped in a voice as dry as bones. “Use that dagger to pierce flesh and bone. I will still live. I will find my way back. Do it!” she screamed. “Use that dagger and plunge it into her heart. Kill her!”
Attes inhaled sharply, eyes widening slightly as he stared down.
“You have the power to do so,” he taunted in her voice. “It will be a far more peaceful death than what is coming.”
The corner of Kieran’s lips drew taut. That was the only sign those words had any impact as he raised his brows. “Done yet?”
“No,” she seethed. “I’m nowhere near done.”
“Well, too bad.” Kieran smiled. “Because we are.”
The body settled against mine with a sigh. “We’ll see about that.”
Kieran moved fast, thrusting the tip of the bone dagger into the lower part of the vial. The hard stone shuddered as fissures rapidly spread across the slender container. My chest rose and stayed there as a thin trickle of blood seeped out, racing down the length of the vial.
The first drop hit the top of Attes’s hand with a crackle and a sizzle. Then another and another until the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. He made no sound as the thing inside Poppy laughed.
With a resounding snap, the basalt gave way, splitting apart. Blood poured forth, shimmering like liquid starlight spilling over the jagged edges.
I felt Attes jerk all the way through Poppy. My gaze shifted to his face. The pain had bent his neck, and I saw his clenched jaw through the strands of hair that had fallen forward.
“Fuck,” Kieran rasped, the scent of charred skin rapidly increasing.