Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 118042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 590(@200wpm)___ 472(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 590(@200wpm)___ 472(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Gender didn’t matter.
Their soul did.
And there he was…stealing Henri’s right in front of me.
“Stop it,” I snarled. “Leave him alone.”
“Ily.” Henri shook his head, almost falling off the altar for the tenth time. “Don’t.”
Victor snickered but didn’t look at me, keeping his stare pinned on Henri. “You say I want something I can’t have.”
Masters shifted and guards flicked each other a wary glance as Victor grabbed Henri’s knees and spread his bloody legs. Stepping into them, he nuzzled against Henri’s sweaty neck. “What makes you think I can’t have you?”
Henri recoiled.
Shoving Victor off him, he fell sideways and tumbled off the altar. He landed with a heavy thud, his skull cracking against the stone.
“Idiot.” Victor rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers at the guards. “Put him back please. This time on his back.”
“No, don’t—” I dashed forward. Larry dragged me back with my hair.
The pain couldn’t compete with my other beatings. I fought. I scratched. But it was Peter who touched my ankle and said, “Not yet, jaanu. Not yet.”
I didn’t know what that meant.
Don’t fight yet.
Don’t crack yet.
Don’t die yet.
All of that was impossible when watching the love of my life be tortured.
“Peter, I—”
“I know.” He nodded, his teary cheeks and earnest yearning made all my fight fizzle. “But not yet. Don’t give up…not yet.”
I wanted to drop to my knees and sob.
I wanted to run and never stop.
I couldn’t breathe as the guards picked up Henri and tossed him back onto the stone plinth.
Another bucket of water was brought and tossed over his face.
He came to spluttering and heaving, groaning and trembling.
Once his eyes flickered with awareness, Victor loomed over him and grabbed his hand. Henri went to fight but Victor merely pressed the diamond-hilted blade into his palm and wrapped his shaking fingers around it.
Guards gathered tighter; their guns all trained on Henri now he held a knife.
Backing up, Victor splayed his hands in surrender. “One last chance, mon ami.”
Henri tried to sit up but without Victor’s aid, he couldn’t. Glancing at the blade in his shaking, swollen hand, he grunted, “What do you…want?”
In the shadows where the Masters gathered, my gaze caught Stewart and Ben. They glanced away the second we made eye contact.
They swallowed hard and stood as stiff as concrete.
A flash of hatred filled me.
If they’d joined the fight, we might have won. But even as I thought such things, I knew the truth.
We wouldn’t.
We could never have won.
Victor had guns, we didn’t.
Victor had manpower, we had so few.
It was for the best they’d stayed quiet.
Victor hadn’t called them out—despite his disgust with them—so hopefully, they truly were free from his suspicion.
And as long as they were free…perhaps it’s not entirely over.
“You have a choice, my friend. One final, tiny choice. I will not offer it again. This is your last chance.”
“Spit it out…” Henri blanched as if he’d throw up. “Say it.”
“If you do this, I will forgive your every transgression—within reason. You will be allowed to heal before we discuss your future here. Prove to me that you’re mine and you won’t die today.” He sighed heavily. “Regardless of what you think of me, while playing my little game with you, I found I genuinely enjoyed sharing my hobbies and enterprises. I liked our evenings together. And I find myself rather reluctant to give that up.” Lowering his voice, he finished, “You aren’t my enemy, Henri, but you are under her spell. I truly am doing what is best for you, even if you cannot see it. You are meant for this life. You are meant to be one of us. If you stay awake long enough to facet her, gut her, and chop her into tiny pieces, then I promise you, the hold she has over you will be gone. You’ll be free. You’ll be happy. And all of this can go away.”
Shifting on the table, Henri looked at me.
My heart seized as our connection bridged the gap between us.
I will always love you. He half smiled.
I cried silently and nodded. We’ll find each other again.
Victor cocked his chin at Larry. “Bring her here.”
I cried out as Larry kicked my leg and pushed me roughly toward the altar. I scratched at his wrists where he held my hair. I tried to escape. But it was no use.
Peter stayed silent as Larry tossed me on Henri.
The moment our skin touched.
The second we were close.
Everything I felt for him overflowed.
I felt so honoured to have found him.
So lucky to have been his.
Even for a little while.
I hugged him.
I squeezed him.
“I love you,” I whispered in his ear. “No matter what. Always. Forever. I—”
“Get the fuck up.” Victor yanked me off him and grabbed my nape. My white dress fluttered around me, blood stained and torn. Pinching the delicate column of my neck above my collar, he squeezed so hard my ears crackled and a headache instantly throbbed.