Page 25 of A Bond in Blood

Ulrich’s amused smile turned vile, and he straightened in his seat. My eyes shifted when one of his naked fae women approached the throne, bending as though she intended for me to see all the Gods had given her. Only Ulrich didn’t welcome her to his lap, instead I watched him grip her cheeks roughly, pulling her face up to his.

“Go,” he snarled, throwing her away from him.

Her gasp made me feel for the humiliation he’d put her through before she ran off to the side.

“That was brutal,” Olen said. “I could have had her.”

“Then go and claim her,” Ulrich replied while he scanned the ballroom.

My eyes went down again, praying he would release me from this spot soon. That he would grow tired of whatever game he was playing.

“I would,” Olen paused. “But I can’t leave you alone with a murderous princess.”

I snapped my head up, eyes widening. “I could kill you both.”

Ulrich’s laugh echoed around me. “Brenna, you are as terrifying as a mouse. Perhaps even less. You’re only alive because you’ve become entertaining to me. I wonder when you’ll finally give up.”

I sat straighter. “I’ll keep trying. For the remaining twelve months. I won’t stop.”

“Thirteen,” Ulrich countered.

My feet were pulling me up before I realized what I was doing. My voice rose and I pointed at him.

“Thirteen? No!” I yelled. “It’s been thirty-one days. Three days past a full month. I have completed the first month of my service.”

Ulrich sneered at me, his hair brushing past the black mask covering half of his face. “You have attempted to kill me each night for thirty-one days. Do you really expect me to not punish you?”

“That wasn’t part of the terms you gave me!” I protested.

“Well, neither was your determination to kill me,” he replied. “Sit back down, Brenna.”

I crossed my hands over my chest. “No.”

His eyes glared back at me, and I swore black flecks rushed past the green. “Sit down. My court is now staring.”

“Let them stare,” I challenged.

Olen’s eyes widened beside Ulrich.

Slowly, Ulrich stood from his throne. I braced myself for his wrath but gasped in shock when shadows appeared from behind him, climbing up his body as though they were part of him.

The lights in the room dimmed while whispers filled the space.

“My guest!” Ulrich yelled, not meeting my gaze. “Did you all know she’s tried to kill me each night?”

“Traitor!” voices chimed together.

“What should I do about that?” he laughed.

“Remove her head!” one voice yelled out.

“Force her into courtesan servitude!” another laughed.

Ulrich’s smile coursed through my body as he approached. His shadows wrapped around my legs, holding me in place. After flipping me to face his people, his hands wrapped around my body, but I could do nothing to fight him off.

His hand crawled past my stomach, traveling between the plains of my breasts, stopping at the base of my neck.

“Should I give them a show?” he whispered into my ear.

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