Page 12 of Savage Blood
He sipped from the chalice, stood, and rolled his shoulders, the crystal chandelier and lanterns along the walls glinting on the copper strands in his russet hair. “Keep an eye on Amelia,Jax. She’s loyal, but her temper is uncontrollable. I don’t trust her not to snap and do something regrettable.”
Jax and I traded glances as Barric walked toward a sleek black table on the left, large enough to stretch out on. The Collective Hunt’s symbol—a tree with twisted branches extending on the top and roots growing on the bottom—was carved into the table’s wood.
The beta shook his head, motioning for me to remain quiet about the attack.
Why should I? If Barric killed Amelia for disobeying his orders, that was one less enemy on my back.
“Would you like the cure, Tate?”
My head jerked toward Barric as he loomed at the table, his fingers dragging over a stack of books and a few rolls of parchment.
“Is there one?” I asked.
He angled toward me, a grin curling his lips. “Of course there is.”
My heart gave a hard thump, but I didn’t trust him. He could have been bluffing or screwing with me. “What is it?”
Barric slowly withdrew the blood-red amulet from beneath his gray button-down shirt, sending my pulse into a frantic dance. “The Infernal Sol’s knowledge is greater than I could have imagined.”
The sight of that stone sent hot waves cresting over my shoulders and down my back. Fire coursed through my bloodstream, and the urge to hold the Infernal Sol, to have it in my grasp again, fogged my brain. It took everything in me not to lift my arm toward the damn thing.
You’re mine! How could you betray me and pick him?
When I heard nothing, I gritted my teeth, a snarl rumbling in my throat.
Answer me!
But no response came.
Barric’s taunting chuckle echoed through the room. “Oh, Tate, you’re so desperate to have the amulet back. I can’t say I blame you. Itisintoxicating.”
I crossed my arms and breathed through the craving. “Did you bring me out here to tease me, Barric, or do you actually have a cure?”
And if he did, what did he want in return?
Jax strode toward the table, grabbing a silver bowl and a decorative dagger. “Are you sure about this, boss?”
When Barric nodded, Jax approached me.
I took a step back as cold fear slid down every vertebra. “What’s that for?”
Jax stopped a few feet away but didn’t stab me. “We need something from you.”
Barric stroked the amulet, keeping his distance as if he feared I’d try to snatch it off him. “I need your blood.”
My brow furrowed as I stared at the two shifters. “So just take it? You can find some on the dungeon floor.”
“It must be given willingly for this ritual,” Barric said.
Jax flipped the dagger around and offered me the hilt. “Give us your blood for the cure.”
“I’d rather die than help you with whatever sadistic ritual you want to perform.” I contemplated snatching the dagger and stabbing Jax, but Barric would be on me in seconds.
Barric withdrew a phone from his pocket and tapped at the screen. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
The double doors burst open as Wes and his son Torin brought in another shifter, bound in chains and gagged.
“Meet my backup plan.”
