Page 5 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

The stash was accumulated over the years, steeling here and there from some of the guests in the hotel and then trading whatever I stole for things with actual use.

Potions. Food. Cash.

King’s sessions were never planned and most times my clothes would be destroyed. Having back-up clothes and other personal items hid around the hotel helped.

Heading back towards my suite, I keep my head down and ignore the guards and supes hanging around to move quickly past them.

I didn’t need to become anyone’s target tonight, not with how weak I still was. I need to keep my head down and stay focused.

Stepping into my suite, I lock the bolts in place while retracing the protective barrier I traded a witch for.

It wouldn’t stop King or any powerful Supe from getting in, but for any underlings or someone just wanting to break in, it did the job.

Looking around the modern apartment, you would never think that I was dirt poor or being physically and mentally tortured by King. My outer appearance always showing what King wanted to portray to outside the Cardinal Three. A spoiled daughter who gets whatever she wants.

It isn’t until you look closer do you see the truth. My cupboards barely hold enough food to feed a child, my fancy walk-in wardrobe full of high-end fashion, is barely worn, only touched when King decides it.

The place is clean, too clean.

No homely touches or feel from it are added, with a white and grey colour scheme, giving it a cold and clinical feel.

This wasn’t my home and never would be. It was just another piece of the cage in King’s Tower, a cage that I would soon be free of.

CHAPTER 2

Adeep cold settles into my bones as I stand outside the room, awaiting my fate.

I take a deep breath and draw it out slowly, my hands shaking slightly. My eyes drift towards the tall arched doors, not twenty feet in front of me, for what felt like the tenth time in ten minutes.

My stomach turns as I think about what is about to happen.

It’s just one night.

It wasn’t like I was a virgin, having lost that to some drunk human that was passing through the club Prestige one night.

So, I couldn’t understand where these nerves were coming from.

Overhearing gossip from the maids assured me they weren’t all old dirty men, having recently been challenged and beaten by five new younger versions, closer to my age.

Each powerful in their own right, they had climbed the ranks fast, making a name for themselves among the supe community.

They had a lot of political issues to fix from the older alphas fucking things up, but the supes were happy with their new leaders.

Glancing down at my new gold bracelet and the spell that encased it brought a sliver of reassurance to me.

There were not many people I would call friends in King’s Tower but Jazmyn, the bartender and witch, would be the closest thing I had to one and one of the main reasons I was able to figure a way out of here. Her connections and abilities ensured a nice little side business for us both, the bracelet being the result of one of our most recent transactions.

One advantage of the gold band was that once this was over with, the alphas wouldn’t recognise the real me. Which would assure my plan could still go ahead and I didn’t have to worry about controlling supes.

Taking another deep breath, I turn my thoughts to the plan. Just three more weeks and we’d be out of here.

In a few nights, I would meet up with one of Jazmyn’s contacts in the hotel club, Prestige. He should have one of the main items we need for the spell to work and be one step closer to getting out of here.

I had to hold on, just for a little longer. Alana needed me. I couldn’t be selfish, not after everything she’s gone through for me, being at King’s mercy all these years.

I grip the skirt of my dress, balling it tightly in my fists.

Cringing when I feel how light it is, I look down at the thin piece of material. Not that I could call it a dress, really. The fabric was so light, it was nearly see through. If not for the dim lighting in here casting shadows over me, I would look naked.

---