Page 24 of Our Sins in Shadows (Coven of Sin 2)

I couldn’t keep myself from shaking now. Everything inside pushed me to attack this evil creep. I was pretty sure he wouldn’t risk touching me directly, for fear he’d get his ass added to the vampire king’s shit list. Of course, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t order some vampire thrall he didn’t give a crap about in here to hurt me on his behalf.

So I stayed my hand, keeping them balled into trembling fists at my sides. “It’s none of your damn business, you perverted fuck.”

“It’s every bit of my business.” Dagon rose to his feet and strode in front of me. I hated the way his lecherous eyes roamed over my body, regarding me like I was nothing more than a piece of meat rather than his own flesh and blood.

I wished the blanket wrapped around me covered a larger portion of my skin, especially the mating mark that was on bold display. It burned red-hot beneath my brother’s scrutiny.

“Our father is a possessive man. He’ll murder Deathwish for that scar, evidence of your desecrated virtue. He’ll murder Sterling for allowing you to claim him, and he’ll killyoufor stealing his precious mate. The youngblood will be fodder to add to the flames of Father’s rage for the simple fact that you carry his scent between your legs, however faint it is. That will be enough for our father to execute that useless vampire who’s hardly worthy of the Knight name.”

“If that’s enough to drive the old king to murder, then he’ll kill Vincent Feral because he was the one who tricked him into drinking the liquid silver in the first place. He doesn’t need to carry my mark.”

Hours ago, I was begging Vincent to claim me. I still wanted him to. I wasn’t afraid of the vampire king bringing his wrath down on my princes because I had every intention of stopping Dagon before he could see the ritual through.

But the prospect of the necromancer forcing Vincent to claim me was a terrifying one. And I had a bad feeling that’s exactly what my sick fuck of a brother planned to do.

“Maybe. But that hybrid’s mark on your pathetic hide is as good as a signature on his death certificate. Our father locked you away so his feral little vampire spawns couldn’t soil his pretty little daughter. He’ll rip them apart, limb by limb. Which will clear my path to the throne.”

“What about when he comes back? How do you know Father won’t want to reclaim the throne himself?”

“The reanimation spell will be temporary. It should hold long enough for him to destroy you and this little collection of lovers you’ve amassed. There will be just enough destruction for the Elders to beg me to take the throne and salvage what little of the Knight legacy remains.”

I swallowed thickly. “You can’t force Vincent to mark me. He won’t. Not here. Especially if your creepy ass is anywhere near the fucking vicinity.”

Dagon’s eyes glittered with his malevolent smile. “I don’t believe he’ll have the luxury of choice, baby sister.”

Suddenly, the door opened, and I felt the presence of a new vampire behind me. Expecting it to be more of the suited thugs that were a dime a dozen around here, I didn’t bother turning.

“Get her ready,” Dagon instructed the newcomer, all while wearing a sleazy grin. “I have every intention of making this showcase of my power as entertaining as possible, so put her in something that will be easy for the monster to tear off.”

“Yes, Lord Dagon,” a familiar voice answered.

I whirled around to find myself face to face with Dr. Sharpe’s immortal teenage progeny.

“Oh, and Lavinia, it’s good to have you join us,” Dagon continued. “Your master had expressed his doubts over your willingness to leave the Cape Cod Coven because of your fondness for the eldest of my father’s progeny.”

The blonde didn’t so much as bat an eyelash at me as she kept a smile trained on my brother. “But of course, My Lord. My affinity for handsome gentlemen would never override my loyalty to my master.”

Hope sailed in my heart.

I’d seen how the girl looked at Sterling that day I’d spent in Sharpe’s examination room. I had a bone-deep suspicion that she was lying through her teeth. Her love for the eldest Knight prince would take precedence over her loyalty for Sharpe because siding with her master would mean Sterling’s death.

Was this Corry and Sterling’s plan?

It would make sense. They couldn’t just waltz into the Boston Coven’s headquarters.

Could Lavinia be a triple agent?

Chapter ten

Miss Lavinia Sharpe and her Broken Heart

ThemomentLaviniaandI were alone in the hallway, my chest collapsed as I expelled a breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding.

What. Just. Happened? Something that would probably haunt my nightmares forever.

Meeting a blood relative for the first time ever would be strange in anyone’s book. Course, it wouldn’t be my life unless you tossed in some seriously twisted contingencies. Like the fact that said relative was an unfeeling, callous vampire with a dangerous lust for power and a willingness to do anything to get it, such as forcing a man to claim me while a crowd of strangers watched, just to flex his dark magic.

Needless to say, I’d need mega therapy after this.

---