Page 7 of Death Comes for Her
“That was a fantastic fight! I think I still have my trophies around here somewhere—”
“It hardly matters.”
“It matters if one of them got away!” Dante beamed, rubbing his palm down my spine between the scars. “Think of what our Grandmaker will say.”
“Then you can be the one to tell him a Monarch survived,” Simon droned on, perfectly articulating each word with derision. The thick carpets muffled his steps as he returned to the couch and picked up his book.
“We can’t be sure if she’s a Monarch without the wings,” Dante tutted, turning me back around. “The scars aren’t definite proof of heritage.” He dug his fingers into my hair, brushing it behind my ears as he held my head in his massive hands. Those inflamed eyes danced over my features, noting the bite marks already marring my throat. “Definitely a fairy, though. Bloody hell, Eryx, what the fuck did you do to her?”
“Mauled rat is what she is.” Simon curled his lip, once again flipping through his book.
A direct address provided the captain his opening to speak. Though he hesitated, eyes on the floor. “The squad hadn’t had fairy blood in so long. I figured since we caught her, the lads deserved a treat.”
“She’s half-dead already, you bastard,” Dante barked with laughter loud enough to make my eardrums vibrate. His hands on my head ran through my hair, then he placed them on my shoulders, subtly taking me from the captain’s grasp.
Eryx shuffled his feet. All bravado from earlier leached from him the longer the interaction dragged on.
“You know how it is, my lord. The lads got a bit carried away.”
The dark-haired vampire had a dominating aura, radiating off him in vicious waves. One twitch of his lip and arch of his brow conveyed the displeasure behind his jovial smirk.
Evil with a smile.
“So, are you telling me that you can’t control your men?”
“No, sir. That’s not what I meant. I just thought—”
Dante inhaled, nodding his head with a flair. His hand bounced as he pointed, eyes cast to the ceiling. “You thought of bringing a gift to your generals, but decided to take your fill before dropping her off?”
“A used gift for your betters? How indecent,” Simon sniffed as if the captain’s gesture was improper. He sat with his back straight, showing off his high breeding and well-trained manners. His arrogant glare was potently disdainful.
Dante snapped his fingers, glimmering eyes glaring wickedly at the captain. “So, if she was a gift for us, that would make her ours correct, brother?”
“Indeed. A filthy new possession.” His tone was clipped, bordering on annoyance.
“And if she’s ours, it’s not your place to feed from her or permit others the luxury.” His smile turned vicious, fangs gleaming with venom. “I don’t share what’s mine, Eryx.”
I was still trying to decide if I would throw up or not when the pale vampire on the couch vanished. My vision was fucked at the moment, but one blink and the ice-cold bastard was simply gone.
Startled, I careened forward. The mountainous vampire caught me without looking down. His powerful hands curled on my upper arms, holding me to his chest but looking over me. With my head turned, cheek pressed to his chest, I stared at the spot Eryx stood.
And stared, puzzled, at the strange red object protruding from the center of his chest. It looked like a crimson blade stuck through him.
Red droplets spewed from his mouth when he coughed. A choked gurgle left him as his eyes rolled back in his head.
The wavering power of magic in the room distracted me from my nausea and the vampire holding me tight. My curiosity rolled over the acidic fear bristling under my skin.
A sickening squelch accompanied the red blade jerking from Eryx’s chest. Without the support of the sword, his corpse collapsed to the ground. He dropped lifelessly and my eyes darted back up to Simon, standing behind the body.
My breath hitched as I noticed five red blades hovering in the air around Simon. They splayed out around his frame like thin, floating petals of a sharp flower. The sixth one, absorbing the blood of its latest victim, settled back into place on the vampire’s left side, joining the array of other blades.
Simon brushed invisible lint from his crisp, all black attire. With a bored wave of his hand, the crimson swords evaporated into red mist. I blinked, and they were gone as if they’d never existed at all.
Vampires had utilized magic to help them conquer the world. The two I’d been delivered to must be powerful indeed if one of them was wielding magic with indifferent ease. They were generals in the Ambrose coven after all; direct descendants of the vampire who stole the sun.
My insides lurched, and a cold sweat formed on my brow. If my heart beat any louder, everyone in the manor would hear it. I was sure the vampires could.
“Clean that thing up. She’s getting mud on the floor.” Simon’s lip curled as his hand gestured at me.
