Page 46 of Blood

Memphis turns toward the floor, where there’s a shallow hole in the shape of a body. Trenches branch off from it, all of them leading to the stone door.

“Your blood,” Memphis says as he reaches into his cloak pocket and produces a god-blessed dagger. “When we cut you open, the blood will flow through these grooves and activate the runes Lucifer placed on the stone. Only then will the door be unlocked and the Fomorians freed.”

“No.” Alex shakes his head adamantly. “No way in hell. Violet, you’re not doing this.”

“I need to, Alex.” How many times are we going to have this conversation?

“I’ll do it!”

“Do you have Lucifer’s blood in your veins?” Memphis questions dryly.

Alex’s lips compress together. “There has to be another way,” he insists.

“I’ll be fine.” I take a timid step toward the hole in the ground and slowly lower myself into it. It almost seems to conform to my body. I can feel the hard edges of the brimstone brushing against my arms and legs, ice-cold when compared to my overheated flesh. “Memphis, do whatever you need to do.”

Memphis nods stoutly and takes a step toward me, the blade extended.

With a roar, Alex lunges for us, his russet-black eyes wild with rage...before he abruptly falls to the ground, snoring.

Holy shit.

“I’m related to the boogeyman, after all,” Memphis says when he notes my shocked stare. Then his expression turns grave. “When you do this, Violet, your soul will drain, along with your blood. You’ll need to hold on for the full duration of the spell. Do you understand?”

My heart thunders like a war drum in my ears. And maybe that’s an accurate simile. It feels as if I’m charging headfirst into battle, after all.

“I can do it.” There’s very little conviction in my voice.

Think of your mates, Violet.

They need you.

If you die, Zeus will kill them.

It’s that thought alone that bolsters my resolve. I can tell the Grim Reaper to fuck all the way off if it means keeping my men safe, right?

“Then let’s begin.” Memphis takes a deep breath, his strange mouth curving downward, and then he begins to slice at my flesh.

CHAPTER 17

JACK

Maybe you should let me take control of the body, I suggest, inwardly wincing as more blood splashes across our face. At least for a little while.

Hux ignores my request as he bends down and begins painstakingly cutting off the dead guard’s finger.

“They need to pay for keeping me from my precious treasure,” Hux retorts firmly as he finally rips the finger free.

I watch, physically unable to look away, as Hux uses his knife to carve a hole through the bottom of the finger. He then adds the finger to the string of other fingers he’s collected—a necklace for Violet.

A necklace...of fingers.

Gah.

Hux hums noncommittally as he straightens from his crouched position and wipes at the blood on his cheek.

Almost as soon as Balor finished the spell—and the Fomorian confirmed that the rune will no longer impact us—Hux raced out of our prison, much to the other guys’ dismay. My brother was determined to get to Violet, and he wasn’t going to wait for anyone or anything.

But then he stumbled upon one of Zeus’s guards.

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