Page 92 of Court of Evil

“Your worst nightmare. I am the hand in the dark, the evil in the shadows, and she is mine!” I roar.

He nods, his mouth opening to speak, but my shadows invade him. We might not know how to kill ghouls, but I can keep trying until we figure it out.

“Tem,” Tate calls, and I turn to see her walking through my shadows without hesitation. They allow her passage, caressing her skin as she stops next to me. She reaches up, her hand cupping where my cheek would be. “We need him alive. If we didn’t, I would let you rip him to pieces. Can you let him go for me?”

“He insulted you,” I hiss.

“He has done worse than that, but we need him for now.” Her voice is soft. “Release him for me, please.”

I instantly shrink, put my shadows away, and step back from him and into her as she smiles. “Good boy.”

“Anything for you, mistress,” I say as I kiss her softly. She lets me and even takes my hand.

“Come on, let’s get moving.” She keeps hold of my hand as she tugs the rope and Eric is dragged forward. “Either get to your feet or be dragged. Don’t slow us down or I will let Tem eat you.”

He scrambles up, and this time he keeps a wide berth from me as I walk at my mistress’s side. Fang chuckles behind me, and I wink at her as she shoots me that same gesture again with the thumbs.

We stand in the trees that seem to surround the abandoned electrical station. It’s overgrown, and there are no signs of life. There’s a huge barbed-wire fence the entire way around the one-storey building, a pylon to the right of it, though the wires are cut.

“It will do.” Tate nods, and I know she hates it, but she glances at the ghoul, clearly not wanting to trust him or leave him with us. “Addeus, Zee—fae, go scout it for any signs of life.”

They nod and head out. “Tem, take Fang and scout the woods. Check for any signs of life anywhere. We don’t want to bring trouble to anyone or vice versa.”

“Yes, mistress.” I nod, and Fang and I slip away, heading through the woods. I stretch out my senses, even as I check with my eyes, wanting to be sure.

“You’re doing good, you know, to get her to fall for you,” Fang remarks.

“Fall for me?” I repeat in confusion.

“You know, to make her love you,” she scoffs, her gaze on the woods.

“Mistress already loves me. She saved me.” I shrug.

“Right.” Fang coughs with a smile.

“Have you always enjoyed the company of other women?” I ask.

She snorts, laughing even as she looks around. “Yes, they are better than men. Men are just walking idiots. No offense.”

“I am not a man. I’m an ancient tempest.”

“Good to know, but yes, I’ve always enjoyed the company of other women.” She grins. “They are just soft, sexy, and so much fun. It’s like your best friend and partner rolled into one.”

I nod. “I like my mistress. She’s sweet and soft and tasty too.”

“That she is.” She grins. “But she’s also strong. She makes me feel safe when no other has.”

“You are important to my mistress, therefore I will protect you. She cares for you,” I say. “Nobody will hurt you again, Fang.”

“Family,” she blurts. “That’s the word you are looking for. We are a family.”

“Family . . . I have never had one of those.”

“Me neither, apart from my brother,” she says. “I like it, even if we are trekking through the woods and avoiding ghouls.”

“Life is never boring with my mistress.” I grin.

“Say that again.” She chuckles. “Would you like to be friends, Tem?”

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