Page 81 of The Vampire King's Victory

“That my Grand-Childe, yes?” Roan-Kaly asked about Christian.

Balthazar felt Caemorn watching to make sure that both Arcius and Christian were all right. They were. He’d already confirmed that or he would have acted himself. Balthazar realized, with a sense of amusement and warmth, that Caemorn was as protective of Christian as he was.

Roan-Kaly continued when he said nothing, “A Speaker to the Dead! They’ve always been mine. The special ones like that.”

“Gods, even your voice is forgettable,” Balthazar said with a sigh, wanting to stop him from speaking about Christian.

He knew that behaving as if Roan-Kaly did not matter, did not intimidate him, not even a little bit, would drive him crazy. It always had in the past. Roan-Kaly could be torturing him, beads of blood rolling down Balthazar’s temples, and he’d still grin and crack jokes until he couldn’t breathe and then he’d just grin. Memories of being on his back, naked, bound, bleeding, starving plucked at him. Things he wanted to forget, things hehadforgotten, threatened to rush in and overwhelm him.

I can smell his mind. It’s like something rotting under old leaves,Balthazar realized.

“Andyoustill need others’ help to come up against me!” Roan-Kaly sneered, the indifference like a match to gasoline.

He’s hotter than usual. Out of control. Knows the game’s up,Balthazar thought.

“Actually, not really,” Balthazar said with a yawn. “Caemorn is here--oh, wait, I meanKaly--is here to absorb you, which you will eagerly accept in a moment. Arcius and Christian are here for the show. And Daemon and Julian are just strolling around, looking at the city. You don’t even warrant them coming up here.”

Roan-Kaly’s eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. Fiona suddenly let out a cry of pain. Arcius’ head lifted up like a maddened bull again. Christian was trying to calm him.

Balthazar, you can do this!Christian told him.

“Do you remember when I used to make you believe you were on fire, Balthazar? Kept you conscious through the whole experience, didn’t I?” Roan-Kaly smiled fondly. “Shall I do that to Fiona here?”

A wave of revulsion went through Balthazar. He could almost feel the sizzle of flames against his skin, crisping the hair off his body, and then toasting his flesh. The memory of that agony washed through him.

With horror, he saw Christian react to his memories. Curl forward. Clutch his chest. Retch. Arcius was frantically holding Christian now, but Christian was screaming, thrashing… Caemorn shot him a look as if to say, “Fix this, Balthazar! What are you allowing to happen?”

What was he allowing to happen? Why couldn’t he stop it? Why had he allowed Christian to see that? Experience that? He should have kept Christian away from here! Arcius, too! They weren’t safe. It wasn’t safe! He…

Be calm,Daemon’s voice whispered through his mind.

Calm…

That meant first things first. That meant thinking instead of feeling.

Calm...

Balthazar winnowed the connection between them and pushed the memories back into the deep, dark hole they belonged in. Christian collapsed against Arcius. Balthazar felt a trickle of sweat run down his temple. He had hurt Christian. His foolishness...

He had to put a stop to this now. But getting a hold of Roan-Kaly’s mind was much harder than the others. The shield he was using to protect himself from Balthazar was smooth as a glass dome. But there would be an edge. The tiniest edge, but itwouldbe there.

“Or what about those times I had you thinking that I’d peeled every inch of your skin off?” Roan-Kaly continued with an almost fiendish glee.

Balthazar sought for that edge, that tiny edge, but everything was smooth and his mind slipped over that barrier. His nostrils flared. More sweat poured down his face as the memories rose in him, distracting him, battering against him.

“Or when I drowned you? Well, that was most definitely only in your mind. Vampires can’t drown, but you knew what it felt like. Didn’t you? I made you feel so many things, Balthazar,” Roan-Kaly went on and on. He drew a finger down Fiona’s cheek. “I can make her feel them. Do you feel them now, Fiona?”

She let out a strangled gasp and her legs nearly went out from underneath her. But Roan-Kaly made her keep her knees locked so she’d stand upright. Suffering filled her silver eyes.

“Fiona! Gods, stop it, Roan! Stop it!” Arcius screamed even as he was as pale as milk and couldn’t leave Christian.

Balthazar,Caemorn’s use of his name was strong and insistent.What are you doing?

Don’t distract me!Balthazar hissed.

Stop letting him play with you,Caemorn stated.You are not his Childe! He is not your Master!

But--

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