Page 38 of Stalked By Seduction and Shadows

A fucked-up fantasy to have in this moment, yes, but that was her fault for making me unable to go a full five minutes without thinking about her.

So here we were. Wondering if she’d grow just as aroused by pain as she did by fear.

I motioned to Mason, who gladly held the man’s bucking legs. I knew the traitor would catch his second wind, with enough encouragement. He strained against the too tight metal wrist restraints that bit into his numb flesh.

“If you keep squirming, I will cut them all off,” I warned.

He went considerably more still, though his muscles flexed and body jerked unconsciously. I grabbed a foot and positioned the sheers around his left pinky toe.

He’d already talked considerably, but I knew there was more we could get out of him. I could see it in his eyes, that flicker of something concealed. If he’d told us everything of value, the irises would’ve gone dim, empty. Instead, he was still hanging on, a dull flash of pride in his own resilience.

I already knew he’d been sent indirectly by Durian to collect information, any hint of our next plans, weak spots, and strategies. But I wanted to collect my own intel, namely about Durian’s booming slave trade and its growing connections to Ravenia’s underground. Peace had to be kept for now, but eventually I would crack down, decisively and absolutely. I needed all of my pieces in place before I made that move. Acting hastily could risk pushing trafficking further underground. It could also provoke a war we were not ready for.

This spy was stronger than I’d expected, I’d give him that. Unfortunately for him, his fight had made my desire to break him that much stronger, the rush of watching him slowly crumble that much more euphoric and thrilling.

I snapped the sheers, wiggling them to cut through the bone as the man unleashed a muffled wail.

“After he’s done throwing his little tantrum, we can remove the gag again,” I said. “Unless, of course, he still isn’t ready to talk.”

I straightened and stared hard into the man’s eyes. I gathered my shadows. I let my thorns grow sharp as the branches reached around his neck and lightly punctured.

At the tiny flash of defiance, I knew he wasn’t ready.

“Have it your way,” I said slowly, over the sound of his harsh, ragged gasps and groans.

I looked across the dark room to where Felicity stood next to Uriah, watching her lover endure every act of torture. I’d even had her carry out some of the brutality herself.

She needed to learn her lesson, as harsh and unfortunate as this one was. Clouded judgment had dire consequences, now more than ever. War was creeping closer from all angles, and I needed my clan as strong as possible. I needed them in control of their own impulses and desires. I needed them united. Impassioned to hold on to our city and all of Valentin.

I needed them to understand that as turned vampires, we belonged to no god, no faction, no kingdom, and no force other than our own. We’d condemned ourselves to damnation, and if we were to survive, we would need to accept that the only thing in this world we could trust was each other.

20

SCARLETT

Iawoke to heavy pounding on my door. The sun was bright through my windows, so I knew it must’ve been early afternoon. Luckily, I was used to this abnormal sleep schedule.

I groggily slipped into some soft, formfitting black pants. My oversized sleep shirt skimmed my upper thighs. It seemed like way too aggressive of a knock for Snow, but I couldn’t think of a more logical candidate. Maybe my landlord? That couldn’t be good.

I flung open the door with a rapid heartbeat, frowning when I saw two turned vampire men holding a couch. They were both older and muscular, one with dark brown skin and short black hair and the other with copper hair tinged with white.

“You gonna get out of the way?” the dark-haired one snapped.

I drew my brows together. So, the couch was definitely cute—black and plush with a flare of elegance.

Did I want it? Yes. Was this even remotely something I could afford right now? A big no.

I shook my head. “You have the wrong place,” I said. “I didn’t purchase this.”

“I can assure you we have the right place,” the other man said. “Move or get trampled, little human.”

The dark-haired one shot him a cutting warning glare. “Please.”

I stammered. What in the hell was happening? It was like a reverse robbery. I was too confused to be frightened, even knowing full well these two vampires could snap me in two. And they knew where I lived.

I swallowed, terror finally cutting through the shock.

When they barged in, all I could do was scurry out of the way and into the kitchen.

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