Page 231 of Filthy Royal

“Don’t hurt her.”

“Do as you’re told, and I won’t have to.” The monitor faded to black, and Zaya disappeared, but the blinking light at the bottom of the screen indicated the comms line remained open. “If you continue to misbehave, I’ll give the order, and Zaya dies.”

Scarlett didn’t buy it. When discussing Damien’s missing sister earlier, Darvish’s tone had been laced with something akin to twisted affection, and even more significant, Scarlett got the sense Zaya was integral to his grand plans and therefore not as disposable as Darvish pretended.

Still, she couldn’t risk it. “I’ll do as you say.”

“Good.” Darvish didn’t sound surprised. But then again, pressing a taser to Luc’s temple had always worked to cow her before. “It’s time to take you to your new home, Scarlett.”

She shivered at the thought.

“Too risky.” Andor’s objection came fast. “You saw what she did to those guards in the corridor. You need to kill her.”

“Shut up, Andor,” Darvish snapped. “I know my omega. She’ll do whatever it takes to save sweet Zaya. And it’s clear Scarlett’s more in control of her gift than before; otherwise, this shuttle would already be destroyed.” He snapped his fingers and pointed to his boot. “Come to heel, Pet. This was always your fate.”

The rage inside seething higher; she forced her feet forward.

As she did, she took in both males.

Darvish was a handsome Alpha, even with only one horn. Not too much older than Nikolai Skolov, with a similar skin tone, shiny black hair, a strong jaw, and the same commanding bearing. Except where Nikolai just seemed hard, Darvish exuded cruelty.

Although wearing the top-of-the-line robe and fine trousers he always wore when visiting the Golden Dome, this time, his usually sleek hair was a little disheveled and one of the ties to his robes laced incorrectly.

Darvish was rattled.

While he might pretend otherwise, he was not as in control as he tried to appear.

Her gaze shifted to the other Alpha, Kadon’s sire. A generation older than Darvish, Andor was shorter than him but wider. Strands of gray threaded through his deep brown hair and bushy beard. At one time, she’d been nervous about meeting him, anxious to make a good impression since she knew that, deep down, Kadon cared what his sire thought and because Andor was Brotherhood and powerful. Back then, though, she’d thought the warlord’s worst sin was that he was controlling and more interested in an idealized version of a first-born Alpha than the real Kadon. Now she knew Andor was far worse than she’d ever imagined.

As she approached the console, the engines hummed louder, and the floor vibrated.

The shuttle was preparing for flight.

Heart beating fast, she picked up her pace.

“I watched you on the monitor as you dealt with the doc.” Darvish’s eyes glittering with that familiar, sickening fascination she’d never gotten used to. “I was most displeased when Damien Skolov took you, but clearly, it had its uses. Your gift has become even stronger. More vicious. You’ll be even more invaluable than I imagined.”

She moved closer.

“No fated-mate marks this time around, I see. Is that because of me?” His gaze shifted from her throat to her wrist, his grin widening. “I bet it is. Broken, in the best of ways.” He chuckled. “I never rutted and knotted you because I assumed your gift would kill me. But it looks like Damien Skolov found a way around it. With Zaya’s life as her motivation, I suspect my pet will find a work-around for me as well.”

Gooseflesh rose on her skin at the disgusting thought.

Andor’s cold expression never altered. “Not eventhatpussy seems worth the risk to me.”

She could not believe such a reprehensible male had produced Kadon. But then again, it was also hard to believe Damien shared blood with Darvish.

Only an arm’s length away from the two males, she stopped, her skin crawling as Darvish’s eyes lit with hunger. “To your knees, Pet.”

“You know,” she whispered, staying right where she was, “killing’s not the only skill I refined while away from you.”

His brows drew together, but before either he or Andor could react, she let her gift out, slamming it straight into the console.

Splashes of color and black smudges splattered everywhere. But, best of all, orange and purple sparks burst from the instrument panel, followed by smoke.

The engines fell silent.

The comms signal blinked out.

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