Page 122 of Savage Claim

My stomach clenched as Ruin withdrew the same knife Furic had used to try to cut the Infernal Sol out of me for Venna. The dux demon would have been successful if I hadn’t grabbed hold of the amulet and allowed it to control me to save my life. “I’d be careful, Ruin. Things didn’t work out so well for the last demon who used that.”

“I’m much more capable than Furic,” he said over Nadia’s chants. “Besides, I’m taking special precautions not to mortally harm you. I want you to survive this.”

Sweat leaked down my neck as Ruin lowered the blade to my abdomen. The energy in the room heightened while Nadia’s chants grew louder as the wind howled, rattling cabinets and tossing a few items off the counters.

My heart hammered so violently that I was sure the damn thing would bust out of my rib cage. As soon as the tip of the blade touched my tattoo, burning erupted in my center. The glow emanating from the sun tattoo brightened as the knife penetrated my skin.

My back arched away from the table, and a brutal scream clawed up my throat. My vision blurred as the coppery scent of my own blood perfumed the air, gagging me.

“Almost there.” After he finished carving into me, Ruin placed the dagger by my thigh, the sharp stabs morphing into a constant throb. “The barrier has been breached. I just need to retrieve it. This will be unpleasant, Tate.”

Blood leaked out of the cut Ruin made, pooling on the table. Numbness spread through my limbs, but it wouldn’t last. The demon lord was about to reach inside me to pull the Infernal Sol out.

What if it wouldn’t release me?

“Uh, sir, perhaps you should allow me to do the extricating.” Worry lines developed across Denton’s forehead as Ruin’s hand hovered over the gaping slash in my gut. “I’d rather take the brunt of any consequences.”

Ruin shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m more powerful and can withstand it.” His lips tugged into a gentle smile as he gazed down at me. “Besides, I want to keep the pain to a minimum for Tate, even if it puts me at a bigger risk.”

Did the asshole want a medal for being considerate? Did he really think I’d appreciate his gesture?

The demon lord’s eyes blacked as he placed one hand on my ribs while the other reached inside my stomach.

Blinding agony tore my body in half, and a bloodcurdling shriek belted out of my mouth, so loud I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the glass beakers shattered. Ruin, Nadia, Denton, and the lab blurred out of focus as the world became nothing but pain.

This was a hundred times worse than when the Infernal Sol had attached itself to me in that demon church. Hot tears streaked my cheeks, my flesh so cold they burned like acid as they ran down.

“Fane! I need you!”

Even if he couldn’t hear me, my instinct was to reach out to him. Ruin said otherwise, but this definitely felt like it would kill me.

Death would be merciful right now. Hell would be merciful.

Something in the atmosphere changed, a noticeable shift that tore my attention away from the searing anguish and back to the lab. The white walls and everything in it sharpened into focus again, and my tattoo emitted a glow so bright it was hard to look at.

Ruin still had his hand inside the incision, trying to pry out the amulet.

This is such a lovely home. Don’t you want me to stay? Don’t you like these powers?

The dark voice invaded my thoughts and coiled around my soul, attempting to suffocate my rational side. This could be my only chance to be free of the Infernal Sol, but did I really want Ruin to have it? There was no telling what else he’d use the amulet for besides making Soulvation.

Was it safe to allow him to take possession of such a dangerous, powerful artifact?

And what if I needed it? What if a time came when Fane or the Anders were in trouble, and I could have used the amulet’s power to save them? I wouldn’t be this strong without it. I wouldn’t be enough.

I wasn’t enough for Jayla. How could I be enough without the Infernal Sol?

Even though I was well aware that the amulet was influencing my thoughts, it didn’t make them any less true.

Maybe holding onto the Infernal Sol would be better…

Yes, keep us together. We can protect ourselves and those you care about. Don’t sacrifice their safety for your sanity.

The amulet’s power twisted around my existence, digging in even as the demon lord’s fingers wrapped around the blood-red stone.

“I think I’ve got—” Ruin froze, his expression twisting in horror like someone witnessing a catastrophic event.

A shriek burst from his mouth as his veins began to sear, and his skin reddened while his eyes became burning orbs of crimson.

---