Page 287 of The Lands Defying
“Only Alpha Darius can?” he scoffs. “He will soon die. Or shall I make him watch?”
I spit in his face, and I’m choking again.
“Listen here you cunt. My goals are not mere things, they are years in the making. Years! You will bear me powerful children, but not at first, no. You have angered me now. When there is a babe inside of you, I will take its life essence into me, givingme more of the power already coursing through my veins from your mother’s.” I choke out a noise, but he only squeezes harder. “Only then, when I am satisfied, will you bear my children, and once they are old enough, they will go across other lands on my command and it shall all be mine. But if you bear daughters, they will be given to my pets.”
His eyes take on a crazed look, tilting his head back and laughing as more of them crawl out of the ground, joining the other beast who is huffing and chuffing.
“Oh Lasandrhea, I wonder what else is out there…” The delight in his gaze scares me, and my whole body trembles with the lack of air, my lungs burning. “Shall we see what other manner of beings can slide between your thighs and bare other kinds of children?”
He lets me go, my throat on fire as I hack and cough. Tears stream down my face, dripping onto the platform and I can see my blood splattered on it. Sinking into it.
“You were an obedient little thing, once, you shall be again,” he murmurs.
“Darius, I need you, please! I’m scared.”
A beast walks closer to me from the right, his chuffing sounds terrifying as it sniffs the air.
“Now don’t look so frightened, the rutting of those will be much later. Probably when you are close to death.”
I watch as one beast goes over to the dead pile of bodies, and when it drops before one, I look away, not wanting to see what it’s doing.
I wish I could block out its noises, I wish I could be far away from here.
“Vihnarn, where are you?”
Charles lifts his hand again, and a strand of violet moves around me, coming to wrap around my legs and effectively, loosening the hold they had to keep them open.
I’m relieved instantly, wanting the most vulnerable part of me safe in any way.
No matter how futile the position I am in.
I call for my power again, for Runa.
Still nothing.
“Why are you doing this?” I croak. “I was a child, you have taken countless others and for what? To have other lands in your name?”
He scoffs. “I wantallthe lands in my name and all of its inhabitants. The demons, humans, elves, the fae and the dammed and beyond. Even the damn dragons. They should all bow to me, every single one of them!” he shouts at the end of his rant.
He’s completely lost it as he looks at his beasts and urges them toward the pile of bodies, almost cooing at them.
“Go and feast!” he says to them, and I shiver.
“The Gods will never allow this,” I whisper to him, my throat sore.
He laughs.
Full on, head tilted back, laughs.
“The Gods?” he cackles. “Oh but they cannot even come out from their realm, can they?” My breathing stalls. How does he know that? “The entrance to their forevermore home is where you are right now. The veil is thin enough to pass through it if you are welcomed. They can see you, you know,” he comes closer again, and a rogure comes out of a hole, snarling, the black foam dripping from his mouth as another and another follow it.
Gods. How many can he possibly have under control?!
“And the Gods can see me, see their new owner.”
“You will never control them.”
“Never say never, dear. For Iwillbe the new God of Vrohkaria, don’t you see?” he inhales and sways, the beasts and rogures around him turning their heads toward him.
