Page 2 of Cosmic Power

“Where is your Alpha?”

The shifter stilled. “My Alpha?” he scoffed, shaking his head. “You might as well just kill me now. I’ll never betray my Alpha.”

“You really think your death will come that quickly?” Luther tsked, a cruel smirk on his face. “We’re going to play first.”

With blinding speed, he reached forward and gripped the shifter’s arm, tearing it free from the iron shackles with such force that the metal shattered. Excitement rippled through him. Luther wound his fingers around the shifter’s bulky wrist and pried his fingers open, holding one up in the air.

“Wha-what are you doing?” he stuttered, and Luther smiled widely.

His sharp fangs descended agonizingly slowly and the shifter’s eyes widened in shock. He tried to pull his arm back, but Luther didn’t let him move a single millimetre, keeping his grip tight and his expression deadly. Luther would not allow an inch of movement until he was ready.

He enjoyed toying with his prey, letting their fear skyrocket and consume them so much that it drenched their scent. Part of it was the fear of the unknown, not knowing exactly what he was going to do, what he had planned that terrified them the most…and he loved it. It made the blood running through their veins so much better, taste so much sweeter. Psychological games were his forte, not to mention his favourite games to play with his victims.

Luther sunk one of his sharp fangs into the shifter’s finger just before the knuckle so deeply that it punctured straight through the bone and out the other side. He clamped his mouth shut and tore the digit straight from his hand. Blood sprayed across Luther’s dark suit and a scream echoed throughout the room, loud and full of pain.

Luther chuckled evilly and spat the finger out, right in the shifter’s face, making him baulk in shock and disgust.

“You fucking cunt rag!” the shifter hissed with venom, trying to yank his arm out of Luther’s ironclad grip.

Luther let him flail and fight against his hold, waited for him to tire himself out—which didn’t take long. After a few minutes, the shifter exhaled in exhaustion and ceased his attempts at trying to escape.

Amused, Luther raised the next finger into the air and arched an eyebrow, waiting to see if the shifter would speak. But he just clenched his jaw tightly and remained silent.

Luther chuckled again. “Goody. More fun for me.”

One by one, Luther tore off the shifter’s fingers with his sharp fangs until there were none left, delighting in the screams that followed, the way that his face contorted in pain and fresh red blood oozed from his stump of a hand.

Luther released him with a shove and stepped back, letting his arm flop and dangle towards the ground, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. The shifter groaned as his body swayed back and forth in the air, his head shaking with exertion as he struggled to lock eyes with Luther. His eyes blazed gold, brighter than the sun, and Luther sensed the creature beneath his skin raging in anger, its frustration at being bound and tortured so high that its power sizzled in the air with nowhere to go.

“Shall we move onto the other hand?” Luther took a slow, menacing step forward and the shifter baulked, rearing backwards, true fear flashing on his face.

“Stop…don’t. J-just kill me,” he groaned.

“But we’re having so much fun.” Luther smiled, baring his blood-tipped fangs.

“I can’t betray my Alpha. I-I-I can’t,” he stuttered, sweat dripping down his face.

“You can, you’re just choosing not to. And that’s fine. Just know that it’s going to cost you countless hours of agony, followed by an excruciatingly painful death.”

Bright red blood trickled down Luther’s chin as he spoke, dripping from his full lips. Using one of his long, slender fingers, Luther swiped it up and tilted his head to the side, staring back hard at the dangling shifter in front of him, his crimson eyes shining brightly in the dark, dank basement. “It’s no bother to me, really. In fact, I’m enjoying myself immensely.” He turned to face his Elite Guards behind him, who studied the scene in front of them with hungry eyes. “How about you four? Enjoying the show?”

Darius smirked. “Oh yeah, it’s always entertaining watching you work, Boss. Although I must say, I am a tad famished.” He licked his lips, his fangs peeking out slightly. “I could definitely go for a snack,” he rumbled, staring at the blood gushing from the shifter’s mangled hand. “How about you, Mad?”

Maddox bared his fangs and hissed. “Do you even have to ask?” he snapped, annoyed. His eyes flicked to Axel and Ophelia, a silent message passing between the three of them.

As one, they all crept forward towards the shifter, spreading out and surrounding him like a pack of hungry lions hunting a gazelle, their fangs free and bloodlust in their red eyes.

Luther let the scene before him play out. If the shifter refused to talk, he would let his Elite Guards suck him dry. His warriors deserved to get in on a little of the action. He couldn’t have all the fun, after all.

They stalked ahead, crouched low with their claws and fangs at the ready.

The shifter’s beady green eyes swung from vampire to vampire. “Why are you doing this?” he whined, pain and fear in his voice. “What do you want with my Alpha?”

Luther’s eyes flashed red and a pulse of power exploded from deep within him, pushing the shifter with such force that he swung back and forth, the metal groaning in protest. Luther narrowed his eyes. “He stole something that belongs to me,” his deep voice boomed, “And I want her back.”

ChapterTwo

Luther took a deep breath in and stepped outside, the cool air blowing against his pale skin. The moon shone brightly in the night sky, its light illuminating his shadow in the dark alleyway. He adjusted his cufflinks and straightened his tie, running his hands down the front of his crisp black suit. It was sticky and stained with the blood of his most recent victim and Luther pursed his lips, annoyance flaring through him.

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