Page 35 of Savage Claim

Mykel took another step back, the fear in his citrine eyes making me giddy. The asshole would finally pay for all he’d done.

“Don’t make another move, Tate, or he dies.” Venna marched back into the construction site, dragging in the old, weathered witch who enchanted Fane, his bald head gleaming with beads of sweat. Mystical handcuffs were locked around Kaspin’s wrists to keep his magic out of reach. “If he dies, you’ll never break the spell on Fane.”

Motherfucker.

Chapter

Thirteen

I halted, letting the dagger fall to my side. The old witch looked like he’d been imprisoned for months. His sickly pale skin appeared ghostly under the silvery moonlight, a murky glaze eclipsed his eyes, and dirt and grime covered his torn, black robes.

Venna smirked, knowing she had me backed into a corner with Kaspin in her clutches. “This witch’s enchantment is forever—unless he ends it or you die.”

“We can break the spell without him.” At least, I hoped.

The royal scoffed. “You can have a dozen witches try, but they will never be able to fully undo the enchantment around Fane. Only Kaspin can restore the hybrid to his former self.”

“She’s right, little girl.” Kaspin’s voice came out in a dry, weak hiss that had the hairs on my nape rising. “That enchantment is unique, and my magic is embedded deep inside the beast. No one else can fully remove the cords chaining him.”

I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans as my limbs tingled, blood rushing to my head. “Fane is around me all the time, and he’s fine. He hasn’t even attempted to kill me.”

Kaspin’s laugh sounded like dead leaves skittering over concrete. “He can’t fight the impulse forever. It will eventually take over.”

Acid poured through my gut at his words, and my knees threatened to collapse from the invisible weight pressing on my chest. Could this spell really have permanently altered Fane? Would he always feel the desire to murder me if Venna slaughtered Kaspin?

Kortney tried lunging at Mykel, but I threw my arm in front of her to keep her back. “Don’t.” My breaths came in ragged spurts as I considered my options.

What options?

“Run that blade across your throat, Tate, or I’ll slaughter him.” Venna forced Kaspin to his knees and shoved the gag back over his mouth to muffle his protests. “The moment you take your last breath at Fane’s hand, the spell will break, and he’ll drown in sorrow and guilt.”

Mykel slowly inched away from Kortney and me. “Isn’t it better to kill yourself now than allow Fane to do it later and be crushed by guilt?” He cradled his arm, the hacked limb still oozing black blood. “He won’t be able to live with himself after taking your life.”

“That’s true, Tate.” Venna patted Kaspin’s bald head. “This bond will force Fane down a dark path, and he’ll never make it out. Save him the misery. Take your own life before he does.”

The metal beams, concrete pillars, and shadows spun as I tried to think through the chaos filling my brain. Part of me feared that they were right. Fane would eventually kill me, and it would destroy him. If Kaspin was our only shot at bringing him back and Venna slaughtered him, I was as good as dead anyway. And Fane would suffer the most in the end.

I lifted the knife to my throat.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kortney hissed. “Offing yourself for any reason is insane.”

For shit’s sake, was I really considering this?

There was a chance the Infernal Sol would fight to keep me alive. It had done it plenty of times before. If I didn’t cut too deeply, the wound could be repaired. And I was only part demon. The poison didn’t kill me last time.

I could do this.

I pressed the blade into my skin, warm blood oozing down my neck just as my tattoo tingled.

Shit.

Fane appeared out of nowhere, snatched the knife from my hand, tossed it aside, and grabbed me around the middle. “The fuck are you doing!”

Logan flanked Kortney’s side as Mykel turned to her, poised to attack. “Looks like someone lost a hand. Need a hook? How about I rip one of those eyes out too? Then I can get you a patch to go along with your hook.”

“You’re a dead demon,” Mykel snarled and raked his talons through the air, but Logan was too fast, ducking out of the way and grabbing Kortney.

“Too late, Tate.” Venna’s grin had my body recoiling. “You lost your chance.” Her talons emerged, slicing into Kaspin’s throat.

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