Page 33 of Monster's Obsession

The thump of my footsteps echoed, rebounding off the walls.

Perspiration ran down Steele’s face, his clothes sticking to him. He hung there in his monster form, but these cells were built to withstand even the strongest of us.

His eyes opened, almost glowing against the light. He growled at our presence, then barked out a raspy, dry laugh. “Couldn’t keep away from me. Tell me you’ve brought my Blake.”

“She’ll never be yours,” Ash spat, hurling a fist into his gut before I even got the chance.

Steele sneered at us, his upper lip curled over sharpened fangs. I snatched him by the throat, holding him close.

“If it wasn’t for Blake, you wouldn’t be breathing right now,” I barked in his face. “But that can change in a heartbeat, and Blakewillfind out the truth of your betrayal and lies, about you murdering our queen in cold blood!”

He never flinched once, but licked his dry lips, his eyes narrowing on me. “Fuck you, Creed. All this time and you still don’t believe me. We were like brothers once. It baffles me you still haven’t worked out the truth of how broken and corrupt Queen Eruthria was. She sure as fuck had plenty of enemies. We all know this, so why are you so damn determined to pin this on me?”

“You keep saying the same shit,” Ash snarled, while Seven lingered close, crazy desperation in his eyes to attack.Soon, I thought.

“If you want to start proving your innocence, then remove the curse you placed on the city," I stated abruptly.

He blinked at me, then at Ash and Seven. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Seven lunged at him that time, shoving him out of my grasp and hammering into him. Steele thrashed and kicked, and I knew he’d been dying for this moment.

Blood splashed, primal grunts filling the space. Ash lingered near, wanting his chance. But the more I watched Seven beat Steele, the more I suspected he wasn’t going to break. The bastard had never broken once; even when he’d been captured by an enemy city and tortured for a week…he still gave nothing away. He’d later told me he was prepared to die before he shared anything.

There was only one solution then. Kill him and the curse should die with him.

“Enough,” I snarled.

Throwing a last strike to Steele’s face, Seven retreated, blood dripping from his balled hands.

Steele swung in the middle of the room, blood running down his face, which hung forward, and he groaned…before chuckling maniacally.

“Is that your plan?” he grunted. “Blame everything that goes wrong in your city on me? You’re going to feel like a real fuckhead when you discover how wrong you’ve been. Then I’ll make you grovel before I consider forgiving you lot.”

“You’re so jealous that Blake wants us, you couldn’t stand it. You’d rather starve the whole city than lose her to us.” Hatred laced Seven’s voice.

Steele spat blood on the floor, then stared at Seven with a twisted glare. “I didn’t put a damn curse on the city. Why the fuck would I want them to starve? I’ve grieved so much in the years I’ve been away from my homeland, from the people I considered family. I wouldn’t put them in danger, you fucking psycho.” He heaved for breath, his words fast and loud.

Seven’s shoulders curved forward, staring at him with daggers in his eyes.

One word from me, and Steele would be dead.

One word that would also destroy Blake, but this was bigger than all of us. Without feeding our city, everyone would die.

Anger rose through me, at the fires and protests, at nearly losing Freddy, and most of all, at the heartache I was about to bring my beautiful pet.

“This ends now. We kill you, then the curse is lifted,” I growled, furious at Steele for making me do this. I grabbed a blade from the sheath on my belt and approached him.

Panic blanched his face. “Creed, don’t do this.” He thrashed, wrenching at the chains keeping his arms above him.

As if on cue, Ash and Seven lunged to his side and grabbed hold of him to stop his kicking legs.

“I don’t take pleasure in this, but I also won’t be fucking betrayed by someone I once considered a brother.” My chest constricted, fury bubbling over my mind. I snatched him by his hair, forcing his head to the side, exposing his neck.

The sting of grief suffocated me, the hurt-filled resignation clawing at my insides because killing someone who was once a friend was going to ruin me. But as king, there were hard decisions I had to make, ones that would save the city. They needed me.

That meant doing the shit work I wouldn’t wish upon anyone else.

I lifted my hand, my fingers grasping the leather hilt, and I met Steele’s terrified gaze. “Any last words?” I growled, the ache in my chest deepening. Ash and Seven didn’t say a word, but their silence darkened my thoughts.

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