Page 57 of Devil's Doom

He shakes his head and changes the topic. “There are three kitchens. One prepares meats and vegetables, the other is more like a butcher’s shop, mostly dealing with meat, and one is basically a prison where we keep, well, the blood bags.”

I stop and stare at him. Lech shrugs, looking away.

“How many prisoners are kept here right now?” I ask, emulating Woland’s tone of idle curiosity which he uses when he wants me to answer easily, as if he doesn’t really care to know.

“I don’t know. A dozen, maybe two. They are mostly war prisoners, but might also be rebels serving a sentence for breaking the rules. If Wera had attacked you back there, she would already be locked up and drained for blood, for example.”

Lech motions down the corridor, and I resume walking. “All right. What are the other important rules here?”

“I think you should ask the master what rules he wants you to follow,” the upir demurs, pointing toward a narrow corridor with rows of doors on either side. “Living quarters. Can I leave you for a moment? I want to check on Rada.”

I grab his arm, turning him to me. Lech’s blue eyes widen when they meet mine, his lips pursing.

“Wait. Lech, you can call me ‘darling’ if you want. It’s what you call almost everyone.”

His laugh is bitter and mocking as he gives me a patronizing look. “No, Jaga, I really can’t.”

“Why?” I stomp my foot, willing him to treat me the same way he always did. Lech has grown so distanced and stiff around me, it doesn’t feel like we’re friends anymore.

“Becausehecalls you that,” he says, lips curving in a condescending smirk as he shakes off my hand. “Things are different now. To be frank, I’d prefer to be anywhere but near you. You’re a fucking hazard.”

I reel back as if slapped. Lech sighs, rolling his eyes at my reaction.

“Don’t worry,” he says with a snort. “He hasn’t kept a woman for longer than a month in the past. Soon, you’ll fall out of favor and everything will go back to normal. Enjoy it while it lasts, and for fuck’s sake, don’t touch meeveragain. I don’t want to die.”

With that, he turns and walks away. I gape after his retreating back, my eyes burning. Before any tears have a chance to fall, I grit my teeth and turn away, scanning the area for a safe space to hide. Gods, I just want to be alone for a moment.

But luck isn’t on my side. The two upir women I saw fighting in the forge come my way, their eyes sharp as they focus on me. I brace my shoulders, seeing their expressions. I know immediately they won’t be my friends.

The taller one, who has blonde hair and light gray eyes, stands in front of me with a mocking smirk.

“You must have done something really humiliating to entice him,” she says without a greeting, scanning me from head to toe with clear scorn. “You’re not beautiful and you’re certainly not smart, because attacking Wera was the stupidest thing a new recruit could do. So, what did you do? Lick his shit off the floor? Is that why you’re here?”

Lech’s cold rejection still rings in my ears, overlaid on top of Woland’s voice telling me he’d rather kill me than lose. My throat is tight, my body rigid, and somehow, I am so weary, so confused, I can’t shut the hurt away like I always do.

Or maybe it’s not the exhaustion. Maybe I grew complacent, spending weeks with my friends and forgetting how to survive. In any case, my self-control is gone. I’m unleashed, and it’s a relief of sorts.

I know exactly what to say, because the woman’s line of attack shows me she’s jealous. Probably one of those people who have an altar devoted to the devil.

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t,” I say, drawing myself up. I’m almost as tall as her, and I make use of every inch of my height. “But why are you asking? Hoping to get some tips so you can be the next in line? I’ll make sure to leave some scraps for you once I’m done with him.”

An ugly spasm contorts her features. “You’ll be gone in a few weeks at the latest,” she hisses, getting right in my face. “And we’ll remember long after he forgets you. You’ll pay for what you did. Traitor.”

“Why wait?” I ask, mad laughter bubbling in my chest. “No one’s here, just you and me. It’s two on one. Come on, bitch. Put your fists where your mouth is.”

I don’t even care that if she attacks me, I’ll probably have more bruises and wounds to deal with. I have some magic to defend myself, but if I want my provocation to work, I need it to be clear that they attacked me first.

The upir woman sneers, her eyelid twitching. I notice her lashes and eyebrows are as fair as her hair. Behind her, a shadow slithers along the wall.

“I’m not as stupid as you,” she hisses. “I won’t attack hiswhore.But if I were you, I’d keep that mouth shut. These tunnels aren’t safe. What if a rock falls on your head one day? Something to think about.”

I burst out laughing when another shadow creeps down the wall, then another. She frowns at me, unsure why I cackle.

“Sweetheart,” I say, looking over her shoulder, where I suspect he is, invisible yet watching. “You’ve got it all wrong. You think I’m his whore, but the truth is, it’s the other way round. You know what the secret is? You need to make him your blood bag. He loves nothing more than to kneel for a woman.”

Her eyes bulge, confusion and then outrage burning in their depths.

Behind her, the shadows take form of an antlered silhouette. His eyes are locked on mine, and they burn with fury.

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