Page 37 of Blood

“You’ll kill me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve heard that one a thousand times before.”

Hux’s brows furrow. “I do not believe I said it one thousand times. According to Jack, I said it exactly two hundred and thirty-six times.” A dark thunderstorm lowers over Hux’s expression. “But I swear to all of the gods and goddesses that, if you don’t help me get to my precious treasure, I will fuck you so hard.”

Balor freezes, one of his hands centimeters from the mark tattooed on Hux’s skin.

“Don’t you mean fuck you up?” Cal interjects helpfully.

Hux frowns. “No. I believe the saying is fuck you so hard.” He pauses and then adds, “And if you’re really mad, you say ‘fuck you so hard until you’re screaming my name.’”

Vin pinches the bridge of his nose. “Who told you that?”

“Mason.”

An uncomfortable silence descends around the room. I’ll be the last to admit that my own heart feels heavy in my chest, a lead weight that threatens to collapse into my stomach at a moment’s notice. Grief settles on my shoulders like a winter coat, and I half want to shuffle from foot to foot uncomfortably.

But I don’t.

There’s nothing I can do to raise the dead. What I can do, however, is protect the living and the world.

And since Violet is my world, then that means I need to protect her and the rest of her good-for-nothing mates.

“Are you going to do this or not?” Vin snaps. Animosity simmers directly beneath his veneer, made all the more evident by the subtle clenching of his jaw.

“Of course.” Balor sniffs haughtily and places his hand on Hux’s wrist. “I’m going to try to sense the powers of the rune and, hopefully, untangle them from its host.”

“What the fuck does that even mean?” Cal asks.

“Think of the rune like...a weed. It’s currently sprouting throughout the body as we speak. The longer we wait to remove it, the more it’s going to grow. What I’m going to try to do is untangle these weeds from your bodies and kill them with my magic.”

“Is that going to work?” Barret asks hesitantly.

“No idea.” Balor shrugs, feigning calm. “I’m not even sure you guys will survive the procedure.”

“But we need to try,” I interrupt. “For Violet. And for Mason.”

The guys shift around me as the air, yet again, blankets in sadness, a thread of rage waiting to be pulled from it. We all want revenge for what Zeus did to us—to our...family. Yes, our family. I suppose I can admit that in the sanctuary of my own head.

There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to see Zeus’s head on a silver platter.

A breath I didn’t realize I was holding releases like a rope around my neck.

If this works, then we’ll be free of Zeus’s control.

We’ll be able to rescue Hera, Lucifer, and Dracula.

We’ll be able to help Violet on her quest to eliminate Zeus once and for all.

My girl was born to be a queen, and though I didn’t see this future for myself, I’m beginning to believe I was fated to be her knight in shining armor.

Me...a knight.

Who would’ve thought?

But if my mate needs me to get my hands bloody so hers can remain clean, then so be it. I’ll paint this world red if it means getting Violet what she deserves—a throne, a crown, and a harem of monsters at her beck and call.

CHAPTER 14

VIOLET

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