Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Peter flashed me a look.
I did my best to give him a comforting smile, but my eyes locked on his bare chest. Cuts all over him. Long and nasty slices that’d been cleaned and tended to with salve, but remnants of blood soaked into the linen pants clinging to his lean hips. Dark shadows bruised beneath his eyes, swelling on his cheek, and his slight sway was as real as the hitch in his breath.
He looked like a dead man. A zombie haunting the keep where he’d died.
“Good God, what happened?” I broke character, reaching for him.
Henri slammed a hand on my shoulder, keeping me down. “He’s fine. He’s going to go back to wherever he sleeps and forget he ever saw us. Aren’t you, Peter?” His lips pulled back in a sneer. “You snitched on me in the library but don’t even think about doing that again.”
Peter stumbled a little but nodded. “Yes, Master H.”
“Good. Now leave.” Dismissing Peter with an arrogant wave of his hand, he turned to look back the way we were going, only to slam to a stop.
Stiffer than stone.
Colder than snow.
“Victor.” His tone shed its haughty command and teased with comradery. “Fancy seeing you here. It seems everyone is a vampire roaming the castle tonight.”
Ever so slowly, Victor unfolded himself from where he leaned against the night-shrouded wall and padded toward us in lambskin slippers. His black dressing gown billowed around his ankles, his skin morbidly white in the faint flickering sconces.
“My darling boy, I’m sorry to hear you’re unwell.” His gaze flickered to Peter with swarmy concern. “Did Master O get a bit inventive again?” Pulling his hand out of his dressing gown, he flicked a little black device over his knuckles.
A device I recognised.
A device Peter knew intimately.
Hovering his thumb over the button to electrocute his abused, bleeding slave, Victor grinned. “Do you wish to lay a complaint, my sweetling?”
Peter shuddered but kept his voice level. “No, Sir V. I-I enjoyed it.”
“That’s my good boy.” Dropping the remote back into his dressing gown, Victor parted his arms like a messiah. “In that case, I think we all deserve a little more enjoyment, don’t you?”
Henri’s fingers dug into my shoulder. “What kind of enjoyment?”
Victor narrowed his eyes. “The kind I’m sure you were in search of, my new friend.” Running his tongue over his bottom lip, he eyed me. “After all, why else are you sneaking through my home in the dead of night with a jewel you paid a fortune for?”
My stomach turned inside out.
My lungs stopped working.
But to Henri’s credit, he didn’t stumble. Didn’t give any sign of being ruffled by Victor’s appearance or his suave suggestions stinking of violence. “I told you I’m an insomniac. I’ve had my fun tormenting her in my room, and now I’m bored. I’m looking for somewhere I can really let loose.” He smirked. “I did mention I’d like to check out the dungeons—”
“Ah yes, the dungeons.” Victor clasped his fingers together. “You’re aware dungeons are typically in the basement levels, not roof tops, yes?”
Henri chuckled. “I am aware, and I’m heading there later. For now, I wanted to fuck her as the sun came up. I’m sure her skin will glow so nicely in the dawn while I mark it. I figured you’d have another terrace up here. Somewhere I can string her up and—”
“Whip her? Flog her? Cut her?” Victor cocked his head. “What do you plan on doing, Henri? I must ask and you must tell me the truth because I’m getting a little tired of you telling me one thing and then doing another.”
Frost replaced my bones.
I stared at the flagstones.
I didn’t have the courage to watch. If Victor drew a gun from his other pocket, I didn’t want to see the bullet coming.
Peter inched closer to me, pressing himself against the wall and grazing his fingers over my other shoulder.
Henri and Victor didn’t notice, too absorbed in their challenge to see.
Sucking in a heavy breath, Henri growled, “I don’t like your insinuation.”
“And I don’t like liars.” Swooping toward him, Victor patted Henri’s cheek with far too much threat. “I know who you are inside, Ward. I wouldn’t have let you get this far if I didn’t. But you’re still fighting it. Still. And frankly, I’m the one who’s bored. So…” Wrapping his arm around Henri’s shoulders, he tugged him away from me and guided him down the corridor. “You have one last chance, mon ami.”
Henri walked stiffly beneath Victor’s embrace, but his voice was as smooth as black silk. “To prove what exactly?”
“That you have the guts to stop fighting your true self. There’s no room for wannabes in my home. No room for fakers in my Joyero. You paid me a lot of money today and that’s the only reason I’m giving you yet another concession. But my leniency ends right now.”