Page 52 of Anathema Codex

A dramatic sigh escapes him as he leans back in the chair and turns his face toward the ceiling. It’s almost like he’s experiencing some kind of cosmic blowjob, but if he thinks that letting this piece of news slip is going to make me feel frisky, he’s got another thing coming.

“Anyway,” he continues as he sits upright again and rolls his shoulders. His eyes go back to Aftyn. “What do you say? Wanna meet your auntie?”

Aftyn sniffles next to me and I reach over to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Lakyn likes to keep his secrets, but at the very least, this one should be acknowledged more than just the lame joke I tried for a reaction.

“Hey,” Lakyn barks. I glance over at him and he shakes his head.Ever the control freak,I think as I square my jaw.

But I don’t drop my hand, if anything I give Aftyn’s shoulder a squeeze and when he turns his eyes toward me, I motion with my head for him to sit with me on the couch, which he does.

Once we’re comfortable I put my hands on my knees and lean forward, my eyes on the man that’s used me and abused me for more than half of my life and I clench my teeth.

Beatrix St. Germain has been my best friend since she found me digging through some dumpsters to feed my family. I was fifteen years old, hungry, tired, and unaware of the real evil that hides in the world… and she did her best to keep me safe from it.

Her best wasn’t good enough, though. Even so, I never really had an unkind thing to say about her. If anything, I always wanted to be the reason she smiled, felt happy and safe, and maybe one day even loved.

But the bastard in front of me has always been the opposite of Beatrix’s good qualities and when our adventures were over, I found out that she was worse than him.

She bartered me.

A payment to Lakyn for helping her reach her ascension, and I’ve been nothing more than a piece of meat to be tenderized and fucked mercilessly ever sense.

Still.

I can’t help but wish that he’d love me.

Even just a little bit.

I rub my face with my hands irritably.

I know that I’ll never be anything more than the dutiful pup that wants to please his owner at every turn. Any time that I try to grow a pair and stand up to him, it never works.

Ever.

This time has to be different, though.

He’s held something from me that I’ve been desperate to know, to touch, tofeelagain, and I want answers.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” I ask him in a softer tone. Not that soft or gentle are things that Lakyn understands, but anything is worth a shot right now.

“Because that’s a boring subject,” he replies with a shrug.

I shake my head as I throw myself back against the couch cushions and blow out a breath. He’s not going to tell me a goddamn thing about where Beatrix is and I’m going to have to grovel to go with them, but I’ll be good and goddammned if he thinks I’m staying behind now.

“Um, excuse me?”

I angle my head so that I can see the little blonde who’s been watching our exchange curiously. All eyes in the room are on her now and she looks as nervous as Lakyn looks bored.

“Something to say?” he asks her, feigning curiosity.

“I was just wondering,” she begins slowly as she pushes her hair behind her ears. “Does he live here too?

She nods in my direction and I can see Lakyn stiffen slightly.

Ah, the one chord he hates having struck has been plucked in a room full of strangers and I know this isn’t going to end well.

“Not that it’s any of your fucking business, but yeah. Why?" he snarls at her, his eyes narrowing.

In my head, I can already hear the music playing. Lakyn likes to crank his favorite tunes while he tortures, kills, fucks, whatever he’s in the mood to do to get him off, and her asking a question so innocent has flipped his switch on.

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