Page 5 of Death God

What the fuck?

“I don’t blame you though. You have a rebel in you, and I can relate to that,” he continued. “I went through the same phase when I was a teenage boy. I can help you with your anger issues. As I admitted before, I didn’t do right by you when you were with me due to a complicated situation. But also, you have to know that there was a great misunderstanding between us. You’re here now, and I’m here. We’re together again, and nothing and no one can tear us apart.”

Oh gods, I was going to be sick.

“I’m leaving with you,” I said, “but it doesn’t mean you and I are an item. There is no us together. The sooner you get that concept into your thick skull, the better off you will be.”

I’d said it, yet I tried not to provoke him too much, as I needed to buy my mate and myself time.

As long as the Alpha King kept up appearances, pretending to be in control and trying to make amends by courting me, it wouldn’t escalate to the worst-case scenario too soon.

Yet I wasn’t a fool. The man in front of me was a ticking bomb. This type of possession was even worse than being possessed by a demon. For a demon possession, exorcism might solve the issue.

There was no hope for Jared.

“You like to talk tough, Pip. I understand,” said the Alpha King. He even softened his tone, clearly knowing that his alpha crap wouldn’t work on me. “I’ll make it up to you, and I’m determined to change your mind about me. After all, you’re my fated mate, no matter how hard you deny it due to your anger. Facts are facts. A few of my top advisors wanted to level the vampires’ compound, but I honored my agreement with you. I’ll spare the vampires as long as they don’t try to take you away from me again. In time, you’ll learn to trust me, as I’m an honorable man.”

My heart skipped a beat, dread sinking into the pit of my stomach. I heard the threat. If I stepped out of line, the Alpha King would return with his army and finish off Marlowe and his vampire warriors. The only reason he hadn’t done so already was because Spartoi no longer perceived the Vampire God as a threat. The horseman had speared my mate and almost killed him. He didn’t know that I’d healed my mate and that we’d formed a mating bond. Through it, Marlowe would restore his former strength and power.

My mage allies had done a great job helping me cloak my mating bond with the Vampire God. To a degree, I also got lucky that the alpha’s wolf had been caged by the horseman. The wolf would have smelled that I’d formed a mating bond with another. But once the horseman merged with the wolf alpha, there was no room for the beast anymore.

“I’m not the Vampire King’s bitch either.” I sneered. “We all know his history. He also wronged me. You sparing him and his men didn’t exactly do me a favor. I’m not above being petty, and I can hold a grudge for a long time.”

“If you want revenge now,” the Alpha King offered eagerly, “I can have my army turn around and stomp his compound. We can finish him off now.”

“Why would I want to give him an easy way out?” I sneered, my voice dripping with venom. “I don’t want his immediate death. I want him to suffer first for what he did to me. It’ll take the Vampire King at least three months to recover after what you dealt him. I want to hurt him emotionally first. I hope he comes out of the coma and realizes that I am gone, leaving with his worst enemy. He’ll come after me then, and I’ll have my final sweet revenge.”

“You’ll have your revenge, Pip,” said the Alpha King in satisfaction.

Spartoi was evil, and Jared, who had once been an arrogant fool, was now corrupted by the entity. One thing they understood was revenge, viciousness, and having power over everyone.

“However, you believe that I also wronged you,” he said. “Are you going to take your revenge on me as well?”

“You figure it out,” I said.

He was silent for a heartbeat, then he let out a low chuckle that wasn’t exactly his voice, and goosebumps crawled over my skin.

“Why did that turn me on, little Pip?” he purred.

A chill slithered up my spine. I needed to always bear in mind that the Alpha King was both Jared and Spartoi, with dual personalities. That made him unpredictable and thus more dangerous.

“Then you’re too easy,” I said, my tone devoid of any emotion.

“You’ll feel differently after you settle in my new base and get to know me more,” he offered.

Shit, we were changing direction.

“What new base?” I narrowed my eyes, cold panic spreading through my chest. “Aren’t we supposed to go back to the Shifter City?”

“No, Pip.” He chuckled more. “You underestimated me. Shifters and mages are one force now under my banner. All the human cities have pledged their allegiance to me. I’m the king of North America. So, no, we aren’t going to the Shifter City. Nevada is but a tiny blip on my map.”

How had it happened so damn fast? But then, the horseman had been the head of the shadow government for two centuries.

I noticed that Going-gray’s shoulders stiffened. He’d taken pride in the Shifter City, his home, and constantly bragged about how he’d made the city the finest one in the world.

“I allow the vampires to have their illusion, thinking they have Washington State under their belts, for now,” the Alpha King continued, the tone and the arrogance absolutely coming from Spartoi. “The Vampire King has no idea that he doesn’t own the loyalty of the west coast of Washington State.”

My heart rammed into my ribcage. The Alpha King was suggesting that he had control over the vampire clan too. Marlowe had mentioned that Lucian, the vampire lord who ruled over the ocean cities of Washington State, would come to his aid at his summons.

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