Page 32 of Summer's Seduction

Her head jerked to mine, tongue darting out to wet her lips as she stared up with questions in her eyes. But shewastheir queen. At that moment, she’d commanded a cavern of sex-and-blood-crazed dark ones with her presence alone. No fear. No manipulation or deception. Just her.

The man on the floor groaned, rolling to his side in a puddle of blood.

“I think that counts as moving, don’t you?”

Larkspur’s manic giggle had my lips twisting into a wicked grin. She dipped her head once, and then I was flitting forward, snatching the piece of shit from the floor and holding him up by his neck.

“If only I could heal your body and start anew every day,” I sighed with mock longing. Thanatos and Hades had no mercyfor rapists. I’d have years to torture him as soon as his life thread was cut. “Oh, wait. I can.”

My fingers dug into the flesh of his neck, wrenching his head to the side as I pressed down on his shoulder. Wails of agony ricocheted off the walls, growing more frantic as flesh tore. Vessels were next, stretching and then snapping and recoiling, spraying the walls and ceiling in red as I dragged his skull further away from his chest.

Reaching through the tangle of nerves and muscle, I grasped the bones of his spine, ripping as his body fell away, leaving me with nothing but a skull and swaying spine in my grasp.

“I promised to redecorate,” I breathed, holding Larkspur’s wide-eyed gaze as I flung the pieces of his corpse over the rail.

Her fierce green eyes had gone fuzzy around the edges, her body finally shutting down after the exhaustion that must have been building. I caught her as she swayed, drawing her into my arms.

“What’s the favor?” She breathed, barely managing to keep her eyes open. The fact that she wasn’t fighting me, wasn’t shoving my arms aside to stand on her own, sent a spike of fear through me.

“The favor, little monster, is letting me care for you.”

Her brows furrowed, waiting for clarification for the proverbial catch. My lips twitched, noting the vulnerability in her gaze, even with the sheets of blood matting her hair, the golden skirt and top now doused in red. Larkspur was fucking incredible, a warrior, a queen, a woman who didn’t need me but might be willing to share her world with mine if I could prove myself.

“And that starts with you drinking my blood.”

LARKSPUR

My gaze was fixed on the large pool of blood left behind, on the scarlet splatter coating the walls, and on the flesh-colored ribbons littering the ground. I’d killed him. Well, technically, Morpheus had killed him. But what I’d done was worse. I’d tortured him. With relentless determination, I’d dragged the blade across his skin over and over again, watching as bits of flesh and muscle curled. Hearing his pleas, his screams of terror and agony—and I’d loved every second of it.

How many women had he used? Had he allowed others to abuse? I was glad he was dead. Delighted that I got to be the one who led him to death’s doorstep. I wondered what Thanatos thought when he was forced to guide souls like this. Did he taunt them with what would come in Tartarus or leave the soul destitute, wondering, confused, and mangled for a few days?

Whatever was next for shitty people like he’d been, I hoped it would be filled with endless suffering.

“Thanatos and Hades will see that he never finds peace,” Morpheus said, his voice a whisper in the echo of the cavern. His strong arms held me, waiting until I was ready.

“Good,” I breathed, wishing I felt stronger. Wishing I could have dragged out his torment a little longer. But I felt so tired.

“Let’s go get cleaned up.”

Morpheus’s great bat-like wings beat, launching us from the balcony and over the cavern, still swarming with dark ones searching for hearts to give me. My lips twisted as I recalled how they listened when I spoke, and the look on Morpheus’s face when I issued my first order. It was intoxicating. Maybe that’s why I felt safe enough in Morpheus’s arm to settle against his chest, inhaling the warm scent of leather and spice.

He’d let me command his people. Let me maim one of The Night Children in a cavern full of others. I’d felt the anger radiating off Morpheus when he’d found me. The look of unbridled rage that coursed through his body with each strong pump of his heart. At that moment, I think he would have destroyed anyone for me. No—notfor me.

Morpheus and Megara had been clear that consent was vital. Any violation of that, going against their prince’s decree, was punishable by death. Some small, tired part of me wanted to believe the promise of vengeance spiraling out of him had been because of me, as pathetic as that was. Still, it was a relief to know Morpheus took matters of assault seriously.

I glanced up at him, mulling over everything I knew about the prince while we swooped in between two ledges and into a spacious room, and I wondered if I knew anything about him.

The cave stretched, the rock walls opening to large glass-covered windows revealing the glimmering night sky beyond. No wonder I was tired. It was already night, and judging by the half-moon set in the sky, it had been for a while.

Moonlight filtered down, illuminating the room as we descended. A large bed with black satin sheets and a massive, black headboard carved to look like a pair of wings. Shelves wereadded to the small nooks of the cave. Some were filled floor-to-ceiling with books, while others housed various weapons.

We landed on a plush, scarlet rug that spanned much of the room before he carried me forward. Morpheus set me on a leather bench, ensuring my feet were on the ground and my body strong enough to hold myself upright before his gentle hands let go.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, brows pinched in worry with what he saw before he flitted through the door to my left.

Glancing around, I realized the small bench I was on was set before a large, oval mirror framed in black. Various crystals and small glass vials adorned the dark vanity, which was cluttered with sticks of charcoal and pots of color. Various brushes and a few leather ties were thrown about, meaning this must be where Morpheus got ready in the morning. The image of him fussing over his hair almost made me laugh.

A moment later, the sound of water started, followed shortly after by the soothing scent of eucalyptus and honey—my favorite.

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