Page 88 of Evil Hearts

And if I choose not to participate?

What my father showed you is only a taste of what will happen if you don’t fulfill the contract.

Can I see the contract? I mean if I signed it, I should get to read it.

Sure. You just have to go to the archives and put in a request.

Sounds easy enough.

The estimated wait time is three-hundred and ninety-five thousand years.

“What?” I snap and shove against his chest.

“It’s an antiquated system.”

I lick my lips. “I’m going to need a drink or ten.”

“I want you able minded and willing.”

“One drink to calm my nerves.”

And prolong the inevitable.

I didn’t say no.

Take a look around you. They will devour you if I don’t take you in front of them.

Like they’ll eat me?

They’ll play with you. Eat you. Fuck you. Whatever they want because you’re on the lower end of the food chain here.

And what’s in this for you besides the obvious?

My brothers haven’t found their mates. So this tips the scales in my favor. We both get what we want. You get my protection and my mark. I get you and my father won’t see me as some weak halfling. And one day, Daciana, we could rule this place.

City of Bones or do you mean Hell?

Ruthless doesn’t answer. He snaps his fingers and someone hands me a shot glass filled with foamy pink liquid.

“What is it?”

“Something to make you less nervous.”

I can’t believe I’m doing this. I sniff the shot, and it smells fruity. I close my eyes and knock the bitter drink back. “What was that?”

“Passion fruit.”

“How is passion fruit supposed to calm me?”

“You’ll see. Things can be very literal or opposite here.”

“Huh?” His fingers brush my cheek, and my body is all warm and sensitive. Every stroke of his skin on mine sets me on fire in the most appealing way.

“You’re so beautiful, Daciana. I can’t wait to taste you, little wolf.”

His shadow magic, dark and inly wraps around me, setting me on the table. The runes carved into the table catch fire, but I don’t burn.

Ruthless pushes my legs apart as his shadows undress me right here in the middle of a demon filled bar. My mind tells me Ishould fight this, and yet my body hums with a delicious ache that only he can sedate.

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