Page 94 of The Veil of Blood and Magic

If I couldn't feel him through our Linked bond, couldn't feel his emotions and his apology for how he's holding me, I wouldswear he was betraying me. He's so damn convincing. Him and Jagger both.

“I don't know if that trade is in the cards for you anymore,” the Collector says, and I can feel panic slice down our bond. You would never know it on the surface though, the drifter keeping his cool as he tilts his head in a predatory way.

“This succubus is worth five times what I'm asking,” he says, and I can't help but wonder what he needs, what he has yet to trust me with.

“Perhaps,” the Collector says, waving at his son. “But he's the one who wanted a succubus more than me.” He gives me another considering look. “I must say though, she looks like she has potential. She could be quite striking if cleaned up a bit.”

Disgust rolls through me, his eyes on my body as if he's seeing something else entirely. I’m draped in quite a bit of ripped and tattered clothes, no doubt with dirt on my face and grass in my hair. I wanted to make sure I looked like I fought every single step of the way here.

Zev closes his hand over my throat, lifting me to my feet before trailing a fingertip down the center of my cleavage. In any other setting the touch would be welcome and I'd be ready to sink my fangs into him, but I know it's the signal.

It's almost time.

“You should see what's underneath these,” Zev says in a voice that’s so unlike him it's almost comical. “She's got a sharp bite, but if you chain her up with silver, I know she'll give you a good time.”

The Collector rises from his seat, walking down the steps like he can’t help but take a closer look. He cuts his eyes to Jagger and Zev. “Did you two have your way with her?”

I try to cast my gaze to the side, looking meager and meek upon the Collector’s inspection. I catch the prince’s eyes in thatmoment, and a bolt of shock slams through me to find him staring at me.

He's looking at me like I'm a puzzle he needs to solve.

I do my best to look weak.

“No, of course not,” Jagger and Zev answer at the same time.

The Collector looks like he doesn't believe them, so Zev continues. “You know what I want. You know how important it is to me. I wouldn't risk damaging your collection.”

“Besides,” Jagger adds, shoving me another inch forward closer to the Collector, his hand falling to my wrist. “She’s made it clear she’ll bite anyone who gets too close,” he continues, his fingers working over the chain in such a subtle way that no one notices he's undoing them.

The Collector laughs, the sound shrill and grating on my nerves as he puts a finger underneath my chin to make me meet his eyes. “Is that true? You like it rough?”

Revulsion and adrenaline slam together, especially as I feel the silver slip from my wrists and into Jagger's pocket. I don't dare move, not wanting to give away our ruse so quickly.

I bare my fangs, my heart pounding as I study him. Study the male who took everything from me.

His smile widens, seeing something in my eyes that he obviouslylikes.

He's going to like it a lot less when he dies with that smile on his lips.

Power gathers beneath my skin, a maelstrom combination of mine and Jagger’s and Zev’s, their power pulsing into mine, fueling it.

I take a deep breath, sparing one moment to think about Six, to wonder if he ever received my message and if he'll ever forgive me. Sparing a second to think about what death will feel like.

I move, bringing my hands before me as I gather the green magic that represents my power, balling it up and splitting it to aim it at the two?—

Jagger’s startled cry makes me snap my head to the left.

The point of a sword sticks through his chest, a core wielding it from the back. Searing, white-hot heat slices into our bond.

“Liv,” he whispers, blood splattering as he speaks my name and slams to his knees on the floor as the core rips the sword out the back.

Zev is an animal in his own right, fighting off the core who snuck up on us as I gathered my power. They have him on the ground, beating him over and over with spiked batons, his blood splattering over the marble floor, his garbled screams telling me torun.

“Drop that power,” the Collector says in a calm voice, drawing my attention back to him. He nods toward the green crackling light in my hand. “Or these two will die.”

Jagger looks close to death, but Zev is still fighting, no doubt he’ll keep fighting even until they've taken his life.

“Now, little one,” the Collector demands. “Only my Treasure has the power to heal wounds that catastrophic.”

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