Page 93 of King of the Unsightly

We were right outside of Deanville in the cemetery next to Hades Cliff where marbled tombstones encircled us as we sat on a freshly dug grave.

“Addy, please remove your knee,” Gren groaned, breathlessly.

I glanced down as I pushed myself off his chest and removed my knee from his nether regions. “Fuck, shit. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to knee you in the balls.” I cleared my throat. “Do you even have balls? I mean, what? Are you okay?” I rambled, grimacing at the word vomit I spewed, eying him in mortification.

Gren laughed, but it was strained—probably because I just squished the hell out of his grapes.

“You’re so crass. You know?” He shook his head, and his ebony waves shifted with him.

Gren grabbed my waist and plopped me beside him like I weighed less than a feather.

I had forgotten how strong Gren became and how he decapitated a monster like it was nothing. It sent shivers down my spine, but it still reassured me to know I could count on his strength.

My attention went back to Gren, about to defend myself and ask about the keys, when the crunching of leaves from behind us ignited my fight-or-flight instinct, and I shot to my feet. Gren rose from the ground after me, and we both surveyed the area.

The area was alarmingly quiet even for a cemetery as my eyes roamed to each pristine gravestone encompassing us. Only one had a death date with no name or birth. Which was abnormal since gravestones were fucking expensive.

A soft whistle caressed my ears, and my body revolted against it.

I scanned the cemetery again, but the thick fog obstructed my vision, and I couldn’t see anything farther than five feet in front of me.

Whoever the person was, they were whistling an unearthly tune triggering gooseflesh to creep up my arms and legs.

Like a relentless wraith patronizing the living, Valeria emerged from the fog. She looked surprisingly normal again and not like some distorted nightmare. Her lips were stained red, and her black dress hugged all her curves and rippled against her bare legs with each step she took. Even in the dead of night, she was a rich contrast against the white marble graves.

Valeria parted her ruby lips, and her voice slithered through the air. “You already replaced him, and with your familiar no less.” She cackled as she snapped her neck to the side. “And here I thought I was the heartless one.”

I didn’t give in to her obvious taunt and kept my mind focused on our objective. “We have what you want. Where’s Lucien?” I asked, gritting my teeth.

If Valeria believed she could play more mind games on me, she was sorely mistaken.

She snapped her nails, and within the blink of an eye she disappeared.

I panicked and whipped my head around, desperate to find her.

Valeria materialized beside Gren, stroking his cheek with her long and bony fingers. “Not bad for your first one, but he’s still so young and inexperienced. And it seems you forget they’re wild and need to be tamed.”

Gren couldn’t move, but his jaw clenched tightly.

I wasn’t sure if she cast a spell without us noticing, or if she was just that powerful.

Both frightened me immensely.

I shook out the tension in my hands and met her amused gaze.

I needed to stay level-headed. Our lives were on the line.

“You seem to have a problem with touching people without their permission.” I snatched her hand and pried it off Gren’s cheek. “And when I have Lucien, I will give you the keys,” I said, hoping I sounded more assertive than I felt.

“So possessive; just like your mother. Oh, how it takes me back to our little quarrels.” She sighed and shook my hand off her wrist. “I guess now is not the time to reminisce. Follow me.They’re waiting.”

If one more person told methat, I was going to scream with frustration. I never in my life wanted to go around stabbing people as much as I did right now.

How could everyone know my mother except forme?

Valeria snapped her fingers again, and Gren relaxed under the releasing pressure.

He moved with so much speed he nabbed her off balance.

---