Page 70 of The Veil of Blood and Magic

“We're not going to kill you, love,” Balan says. “We're going to take turns having fun with you. Then we'll take you to Lingate?—”

“Too much... silver...” I force out the words, doing my best to keep breathing. Keep talking. If I can get them to take some of the chains off, I might have a chance to fight.

“Nice try,” Balan says, shaking his head at me. “But I’ve taken down succubi before. It takes a lot more silver than that to kill your kind.”

“Then the Banachs will get us,” I say, reaching for anything I can.

“They won't hear us, because you barely have the strength to talk, let alone scream.” He turns and looks at his men, jerking his head toward a ramshackle door in the corner. “Out. I get her first. Then you lot can have her.”

I will my arms and legs to move, but they’re unresponsive as I hang there, waiting for slaughter.

But he's not about to kill me. No, he's about to do something much worse.

His men exit immediately, and I try to fight, try to scream, but the silver has rendered me utterly fucking useless.

Tell me where you are! Tell me where you are!Gold script flashes on my arm repeatedly.

I try and fail to answer Six again.

Balan flicks the clasp on his belt, the sound filling up the hut like the sharpening of a blade. He tugs down his leathers, and more tears roll down my cheeks, my entire body quivering at what’s to come.

“Oh, does the sight of me make you shiver, love?” he taunts as he stalks closer, dragging his tongue up my neck and over my ear.

“Don't,” I say, my chest aching as my heart continues to race. My head is growing fuzzy, and I'm not sure how much longer I can remain conscious. I can't decide what will be worse, being awake or not for what's about to happen.

Balan grips my hips, yanking down my trousers to where they bunch around the chains on my ankles.

“Stop,” I try to scream the word, but it comes out as a feeble whisper. “Stop.”

Chapter 18

Livana

Balan grabs my hips again, drawing me toward him?—

Hot blood splatters over my face.

My eyes widen as I glance down. A hand is sticking through the middle of Balan’s chest. A powerful hand holding a still-beating heart.

It jerks backward, and Balan’s body falls lifeless to the floor, revealing Zev still clutching his heart behind him.

I don’t have the strength to move, but unbearable relief washes over me in a painful rush.

Zev tosses Balan’s heart to the side, hurrying toward me. His normally rough hands are so damn gentle as he unshackles me. I fall against him in a heap, and he scoops me up in one easy move, cradling me to his chest.

“Didn’t...run,” I gasp, my chaotic heartbeat making it hard to breathe.

I can hear the screams of the other drifters who are no doubt meeting their end at Jagger’s hand outside of the hut.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper as Zev moves toward the door. “I didn’t hear them. I didn’t run, Zev. I promise I didn’t run.”

“I know you didn’t,” he says as he moves us outside, his golden eyes searing in the night as he takes stock of the fight happening before us.

Jagger is handling his own just fine, his furious rage rippling across his face as he partially shifts to the creature that prowls beneath his skin. It’s terrifying but beautiful. His braids have shifted into tentacles, his teal eyes glowing, and his usual straight, white teeth are now razor-sharp points.

Zev turns his golden eyes down to me. “Breathe,” he demands. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

I swallow hard. “Meds,” I rasp. “I need my meds.”

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