Page 82 of The Salvation

“Who?”

“Hmm...” I take a gust of her blood scent laced with curiosity. Eager for all her intricate layers. “Three damned souls lost to the darkness, ones who whispered to me beyond the Hollows of how they fell from a little nothing girl of scars and tattoos who fell for the monsters.”

“Technically, they fell for me first. I took some doing,” she corrects me with a shrug, and I savor her boldness. Boldness she will not possess after I’m done with her. No, not even halfway done. Nowhere close. I will keep her long after I break her. A shattered little pet.

“It will take some doing again, but I know you will fall for the ultimate monster, my scarred little canvas.” I take a finger along her collarbone and follow the swirling path of ink. “I’ll sew my story onto your skin. And display it for all to read every day while Ireread it every night when Ibreakyou.”

She hisses.

“Oooh, I’ve touched a nerve. Of course, I have,” I laugh darkly, taking stock of all those delicious memories. Especially that singular one from the crypt, where she truly fell for Merikh for the first time.

“The only one who can break, me is?—”

“Me...”

Another voice hitches, and her heartbeat staggers.

The familiar voice, the sudden force rocks me like a challenging wave. Enough to drag me under his countering current for a few seconds. Enough for him to free her from my grip...

...and command her to run.

30

“It seems I’ve caught a little bird trying to fly away...”

QUINTESSA

“Run, Quintessa! Run now!”

This time, I don’t wait. I don’t know how Merikh has managed to break free. One surge of adrenaline, one gap of air between me and the God of Blood, and I snatch up the dagger for my only weapon and take off like a bat out of hell.

I make a beeline for those obsidian doors, knowing they will open for me, for my blood signature bound to Merikh, to Malachor. All I know is the God of Blood has no desire to kill me. Not when he can spend an eternity torturing me and torturing Merikh more by keeping him here.

Somehow, I’ve got to get to the others. To Drago, Mayce, and Kyan. I’m not so foolish to believe I can stand against the God of Blood, but I’ll make him chase me, hunt me, and put as much distance between us as possible.

And pray it will be enough to reach my monstrous boys. Enough time for us to run.

Tears blur my vision as I remember his chilled breath on my neck, his fangs tenderly scraping my skin. I must substitute fearfor rage, focus on the adrenaline Merikh has gushed into my system.

I don’t know where to go. I haven’t had enough time to memorize the Court of Hollows.

The Hollows!

I throw myself down the next corridor because if nothing else, I know how to get to the Sea of Bones, to those ruins, to the black gates, and into Necrosyne’s realm. If nothing else, I can go where Malachor can’t follow, stay there, and spin her stories for as long as I need.

When I navigate through multiple passages since I at least know exactly how to get to the Sea, I don’t sense Malachor hunting me. Not yet. Merikh must be delaying him somehow, buying me time.

My limbs shudder as I run on my bare feet, but with my blood galloping through my veins like a crazed herd, I hardly feel the tremors. Or the ground beneath my feet.

Pulse quickening, I rush down the next tunnel as it widens, opening to that outer landscape with the familiar scent of salt and decay tickling my nose. Only to freeze in my tracks at the dozens of vampires standing on the shore, snarling and gnashing their teeth.

Relief and joy engulf my shoulders because Kyan with our baby is a mere blot on the horizon while Mayce and Drago pick off the remaining offenders. Drago roars fire, rendering many to ash while Mayce breaks limbs and shatters skulls with his rocks or drags others into the very ground to swallow them whole.

Most of the stragglers retreat, heading right for me. No time to call for help. No time to squeeze past the vampires to make it to the Hollows. Malachor won’t have any issue with a few other fang marks on my skin when he catches me.

So, I hurry back down the passage, knowing there may be one other possible escape. With any luck, I can make it to the surface,and with all the stagnant water and marsh, it may provide my blood scent with enough coverage. If anything, I can hide in an obliging coffin with a corpse.

As much as the idea repels me, I must admit Merikh’s little punishment with the coffin, all his punishments, and even taking me down to the darkest depths of the Sea of Bones have prepared me. Sharing a coffin with a random bag of bones pales compared to what I’ve experienced in the Court of Hollows.

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