Page 46 of Cursed Shadows

That’s a slim chance,I remind myself.They were able to reverse Cambion’s disguise illusion in order to see us, which means they were probably looking for us. Which probably also means they’re Variant’s men.

Turning us over to Variant now will mean death for us all. I’m sure of that.

“Where are you taking us?” I ask, hoping I can get some sort of information. So far, I’ve decided I must be in the bed of the truck because I can feel a steady breeze against my skin, beneath the sack.

“That ain’t for you to know,” the man beside me responds and then shoves his hand between my legs again. I try to pull away from him when I hear a voice beside me, and my heart sinks. Even though I spent most of my time in her presence severely drugged, I can still easily recognize Anona.

“Get your hand off her, Dravon. She’s the property of Variant now.” Her voice sounds fierce and authoritative, but different from the one I remember from our first meeting. Where once she was flirtatious, smug, and proud, she now sounds exhausted—there’s a hint of something else there, too…fear?

But why would she be afraid? She caught us. She caught me. Variant won and here she is, ready to deliver his prize.

A feeling of guilt floods me. Whatever happens to my companions from this point onward, it’s my fault. EverythingFlumph, Cambion, Thoradin, and Baron have been through has been to protect me. And Dragan has tried to protect me even more than the rest of them.

Dragan…

He risked his life to saveme;they all did. If he hadn’t intervened, I’d still be Anona’s sex slave. And Flumph was instrumental, too. Without him, I never would have gotten away.

I’ve been so busy struggling to understand who I am and where I came from that I never paused to consider how much my weakness was putting my friends in danger.

But they understood the risks and still made decisions to help you because they believe in you,I tell myself.And Dragan believes in you the most.

Or used to,I correct in my head.Now, I have no idea how he feels about me.

I remember the expression in his eyes when he discovered I could be Succubus. The information upset him, clearly, but I’m not exactly sure why. If it’s true and I am part Succubus, I’d have more in common with Dragan, the King of Shadow, than before. I would think that information would please him, not anger him.

I remember Baron’s reaction after he and Dragan discovered what I was at the shore of the River of Souls. He was more sympathetic than he’d ever been. Before, Baron was always detached and somewhat disinterested in me. But, after he realized I was more than just an angel, his attitude seemed to soften towards me. I don’t understand why.

Someone coughs up something phlegmy and thick. In front of me, I hear the rustling of fabric and the sound of glass bottles clinking.

“What’s that?” Dravon asks. I listen intently, trying to discover what the mystery object or objects could be.

“The vampire’s bag,” Anona responds. “He has quite the collection:Assassin’s Blood,Crawler Mucus,Truth Serum,Midnight Tears…” Her voice trails. “Ironic he couldn’t handle a taste of his own medicine.”

They must be talking about Baron’s bag of poisons.

Dravon laughs. It’s a cruel sound, and I instinctively try to shift away from him. I don’t want to think about Baron not being able to handle his own poisons. But then something interesting occurs to me.

They don’t know who Baron is! They don’t realize he’s one of the original kings.

Anona called him ‘the vampire.’ Maybe it doesn’t really matter all that much, but this information pleases me all the same. If they don’t know who Baron is, then he’s less valuable in their eyes…

Dravon seems to notice my discomfort and wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. The smell within my hood worsens. My body tenses beneath his grip and then, suddenly, I feel warm air enter the hood near my ear.

“An’ where’s our sprite, friend, hmm? I was lookin’ forward to rippin’ his little wings off,” he snarls.

I remain quiet.

“Touch the bug, Dravon, and I’ll kill you,” says Anona bluntly. “He’s mine. And that fucker will pay for betraying me.”

Dravon sits back, and I can feel his disappointment.

“Actually,” she goes on, smacking her lips, “I do have some questions for you, beautiful.” With dread, I realize she’s talking to me. “Dravon, take off her hood.”

He complies and the abrupt rush of light makes me squint.

“Ah, I missed that gorgeous face of yours,” Anona remarks.

Blinking into the light, I quickly try to take in my surroundings. The bed of the truck is made of wood, with benches lining either side. In front of me sits Anona. She’s wearing a dark green, sleeveless top that exposes themusculature of her arms. Her skin appears slimy, like the surface of a fish.

---