Page 25 of Seized to Sacrifice
‘Come,’ he said, noticing her cheeks were wet with tears.
She wiped her face so that he wouldn’t see when they got upstairs, but it was far too late to keep it from him. He gnashed his teeth. He’d be having words with Thorne, and he’d be finding out which of the servants had left her down here in the pitch black as well.
‘Who put you down there?’ he asked again even though he could easily find out from Fen.
She shook her head, not saying a word. Why?
He looked her over properly. Her face was pale and thin. It looked like she hadn’t slept in days.
He swung her up, cradling her in his arms and ignoring her surprised yelp as he stomped towards the library.
Kicking the door open and marching inside, he found Thorne in his preferred chair by the hearth. Seeing his Brother warm and comfortable made him even angrier.
‘What the fuck were you thinking?’ he exploded, tempering his tone when he realized he was scaring the woman in his arms.
Thorne put down his book unhurriedly, marked the page, and closed it, regarding Nyx with something akin to surprise. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘She was meant to be working in the kitchens, Ryder said. That is what we agreed.’
‘Aye,’ Thorne said crossing his arms, ‘but she was getting too close to one or two of the servants and I thought it would be best if she didn’t make anyfriendswhile she’s here. I've been wanting the storerooms cleared for ages. The others wouldn’t go down there. I put her to work as I saw fit.’
‘Locked in the dark?’ Nyx thundered. ‘In the cold? In the damp when she's only just recovering from a ravaging fever?
Thorne shrugged. ‘She seems healthy enough.’
‘Then you aren’t looking at her.’
Nyx deposited Elle in a nearby chair. She was glancing back and forth between them, her countenance indiscernible. She clearly had no idea what to think.
‘She had a torch,’ Thorne said, dismissively. ‘I don't know what lies she's been spewing, but—’
‘There was no fucking torch and even if there was …’Nyx growled at his Brother, finished with this conversation. ‘Get up.’
Thorne’s eyes widened slightly, but he stood, squaring his shoulders.
‘We can do it in here,’ he said, stretching his neck, ‘but I suggest we go outside. We don't want to destroy our home.’
Thorne’s fingers were already flexing, and his nails were growing. That gave Nyx pause. Did his Brother know the darkness was taking control? They might have a real problem if the Beast was growing strong again, if Thorne could no longer control the other half of himself.
‘We'll discuss this later when Rye returns,’ Nyx said. ‘For now, I'm taking her back to the kitchens where we agreed she would stay for now.’
Nyx picked the woman up again. Her eyes were still wide as she looked up at him and then over his shoulder at Thorne.
When they got out to the hallway, she pushed at his chest. ‘Please put me down.’
He did as she asked, albeit reluctantly. Everything in him screamed that he wanted her as close to him as possible, but he let her down and then took her back to the kitchens.
He watched Eruk’s gaze take her in when he thought Nyx wasn’t looking and frowned – though Elle ignored the man completely, which made him feel marginally better. Nyx didn’t want her anywhere near Eruk and neither did Thorne, it seemed, but the kitchens were what had been decided. He would be speaking with Rye and Thorne about this tonight, but for now, things had to be done a certain way. He wouldn’t be the one who ended their long-standing peace despite what the others had been doing behind his back.
The three of them had been the bitterest of enemies when they’d first been cast out and for a very long time afterwards, each blaming the others for her leaving them. They’d traversed this realm, fought each other, tried to kill each other before they’d realized that such a thing was impossible. After they’d brokered the truce, they’d united in their hatred of her and been brothers ever since. But, even after all these years, their alliance was tenuous at times. Loneliness and boredom had driven them together once they'd understood that they were stuck in this realm forever, but sometimes Nyx was afraid those same elements would force them apart again.
He made himself leave the kitchens and returned to his chamber, feeling tense. There was only one way he knew of to find relief when he was in this state. Well, perhaps two, he thought as he closed the door with a wry smile. He threw the bolt and took out his cock, moving his hand along his length.
Walking slowly to the hearth, he slid his hands over his hard staff, thinking of Elle in his bed under him, her crimson hair draped over his pillow, of him spreading her legs wide and feasting on her sweet, wet cunt. It had been a long time since he touched himself thus and it didn’t take long for thoughts of her to help him to his pleasure. He spent into the flames, hearing the hiss as his seed turned to vapor with the heat.
He put himself away with a glower, not feeling any difference in his desire for the woman downstairs.
‘Fuck,’ he muttered, running a hand through his human hair.
