Page 124 of Her Blood Revenge

‘Should have thought about that before you made that link with her.’

He winces at the deep wound on his side. I’m glad it hurts. Saves me from making him pay for that snide remark.

‘That spell Neve cast. It wiped them all out in a second.’

‘Yeah,’ he groans. ‘Did you notice the marks they carved onto their foreheads?’

‘It was the same one the healer Archie spoke to drew for him. The one Neve marked her belly with when she was pregnant with Pix.’

A flash of something green catches the corner of my eye. I move quickly, grabbing the pixie before it can escape. I hold it between the two of us.

‘Fucking pixies,’ Shaw grunts. ‘They’re everywhere.’

I crush it, ending its life quicker than it deserves, and drop it to the floor.

This pixie won’t report to Neve, but there are hundreds more that will. That may have already!

‘We need to find Pix,’ I say. ‘Before someone else does.’

He nods and glances at the three dead women.

‘We can’t stay here much longer,’ he says. ‘Our allegiance with the crown is done. The prince hunts us. So now the soldiers will, too. If those below hear we’re hunted, they will turn us over without hesitation.’

He stands, groaning and holding his side as he does. He looks out of the window, watching the rain lash down and the trees sway in the growing wind.

‘Neve and the prince are working together,’ he says. ‘And they were after Pix. Not to kill. But to take. Neve got her out of the way of that wave before it could kill her.’

‘Neve needs her for something,’ I sigh. ‘Something bigger than killing off an entire coven.’

Shaw slowly shakes his head. ‘I have no desire to be at war again. We barely survived last time.’

‘If Pix were here, she would remind us that we’re the ones who brought the blood queen back. And it is our responsibility to return her to hell.’

‘And I would fill her mouth with my cock to shut her up,’ he laughs.

‘Well. If you come at me with your cock, I’ll be slitting your throat.’

‘Noted,’ he laughs again, closing the curtainand facing me. His face falls. ‘If Pixie dies and Neve dies, our curse will be lifted, and blood magic will be no more. They are the end of it. The last ones. They die. We’re freed.’

He watches me closely, looking for my reaction. And I, in turn, watch him. Watch his cold and unreadable expression. He could be talking about the weather. Not our girl.

‘What are you suggesting?’ I ask.

‘I need to hear you say it, Dorian.’

‘Say what?’

‘The truth, Shadow Master. Logic dictates that she needs to die. That killing both her and Neve will solve a plethora of problems. We could be free of this curse and leave the humans and witches to their own fates. Let them deal with the unseelie. With the prince. We can be free.’

I stand, every muscle tensing.

He watches me but doesn’t move. When I close the distance between us, he offers me his whiskey. I take it, drinking down my fill.

‘Logic does dictate killing her would be the path of least resistance,’ I agree. ‘That regaining our natural forms and leaving this mortal realm to devour itself is the easiest option.’ I hand back the bottle. Our eyes lock. ‘But I’m not killing her. I’m not allowing her to leave me. Even if she begs for me to let her go. And Neve will not be permitted to win. I’d rather die. I’d rather watch everything burn than let her get a moment of happiness. Ashe belongs to us, and I will watch the humans and witches kill each other with a smile on my face as long as that crazy little witch is waiting for us in our bed.’ He drinks. ‘I’ve been in hell, Shaw. I’ve felt its heat. Its pain. I’ve tasted its blood. Andthe only time I don’t feel its misery is when I’m holding her in my arms. When her blood slides down my throat. And when she moans against my lips. Call me selfish, but I don’t care about anything else. Just her. Just what she gives me. Just how I feel when she breathes my air.’ My palm settles over my heart again. ‘I’ve been numb for decades. Unless you count blood thirsty rage and indifference, that is. Feeling her is like being alive myself, so if you think I’ll stand by as you look to resolve our plethora of issues by killing her, you won’t see my shadows until it’s too late.’

He hands me back the bottle and looks at the door.

‘Yeah,’ he sighs heavily. ‘I love her too.’ He slaps me on my shoulder. ‘I’m keen to get my fingers wrapped around that chain we put around her neck.’

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