Page 73 of Death God

The Alpha King stiffened for a second, annoyance and anger flickering in his deep blue eyes that still brimmed with lust, before he scolded Going-gray harshly. “Just handle it, will you?! You’re the commander. So fucking command!”

“Yes, sir. We outnumber them, and we’ll crush them once and for all,” Going-gray said proudly, his chest puffing out, his uniform spotless.

“Then go crush them, Commander,” the Alpha King ordered, “instead of wasting my time. Don’t you see that I’m with my future queen? What’s more important than this?”

“Nothing is more important than your time with your future queen,” said Going-gray. He didn’t spare me a glance, and I bet it wasn’t out of respect. Shade should denounce him as his cousin. “But will you do us the honor of speaking in front of the army to pump courage into our men? It won’t take long, Your Majesty. The men need to see their glorious king before the great battle. This will be the war that ends all wars.”

Flattery never failed.

“Must I do everything?” The Alpha King sighed in exasperation. “Fine, lead the way, Commander. Let’s get it over with as soon as possible. On a side note, Jay, don’t call Nyström a god. That’ll grant him powers. There’s only one god on this Earth, and it’s me.”

“Agreed, Your Majesty.” Going-gray couldn’t kiss the horseman’s ass harder.

The Alpha King turned to me with a wide grin. “I’ll be back, Pip. And when I am, I expect you to be wet.”

The king put on a crimson cape and strode out, his commander reaching out to the handle and shutting the door behind them.

“Watch your future queen carefully,” the Alpha King barked at the guards stationed outside. “No matter what happens, she’ll not be allowed to get out of the room.”

When I could move again, his minions would be dead.

As soon as the Alpha King departed, my spirit court screamed in my head. Fight, Pip! You must fight! They clawed at the door, yet they couldn’t get into this warded room prepared for me. Consume us. Consume our souls to empower yourself. The enemy is away, but he’ll be back soon. This is the only chance. Consume us so you can fight that final spell. We’re willing to make the final sacrifice for you. We now know that’s our purpose and why we’ve been waiting for you. Avenge us.

I’m fighting, I cried out. Just give me a moment. Please don’t scream in my head. I’m having a hard time here. And don’t ever ask me to devour you. That’s gross and creepy, even though I’m the new Death. You’re more than loyal and worthy. You’re my friends. Friends don’t eat friends. Got it?

If you’re the new Death, then act like it, they screamed at me.

Tough love.

It pumped strength and courage into me.

Fire coursed through my middle. Then my dragon fire roared to life. It ate through the final spell the horseman of war had implanted in me. However, part of the spell’s venom had dissolved into my bloodstream.

But the poison could no longer keep me completely immobile.

My toes moved first, then my fingers twitched.

CHAPTER 20

Cold sweat soaked me while flames burned within me. My dragon fire roared through my veins, trying to purge the remaining trace of the dark spell to no avail.

Icy panic choked my throat as the door flew open, then closed with a loud, angry bang. To my dismay, War had returned in no time, and he was wearing Marlowe’s face.

He’d rape me while mocking me in the process.

Wrath surged within me, yet I stayed still, pretending to be immobile, just like when he’d left.

When his face loomed over me, I lashed out, my hand turning to claws, as I intended to gouge out his eye. He might succeed in violating me, but he’d pay a price first. And when my full power came to fruition, he’d pay with his life.

He ducked, faster than lightning, surprise and grief and fury flashing in his eyes. I didn’t get the fucker’s eye, but my claw opened a gash on his jaw.

“It’s me, Bride!” he hissed, his eyes on fire. “I’m not him! I’m Marlowe Nyström, your true mate! I’ve come for you. I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you earlier. If you’re still angry, just punch me. Don’t poke out my eyes, my fierce Bride. I need to see your beauty and fight our enemies! And you won’t stay with me if I’m blind, will you? I can’t have that! It’s pure hell without you. Though you’re a pain in the neck, I’d rather take it every second than live without you!”

My heart pounded, calmed, then rammed into my ribcage again. I stared at him like an idiot, and my jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe that Marlowe was here. It was like an impossible dream. So I just glared at him more.

“How can you prove that you’re my Marlowe?” I demanded, though in the recesses of my mind I had recognized him. His familiar scent of pine, spring rain, and powerful male wafted toward me, comforting me like nothing else could. But I wouldn’t fault myself for being extremely cautious under the circumstances. I wouldn’t allow myself to be conned by my worst enemy. “The evil horseman might have muddled my mind and fed me an illusion. The entity might be pretending to be you to make me comply. I’ll spit at you if you’re a fake.”

He lifted his face a bit further from me in case I indeed spat at him, and a dark storm swirled in his sapphire eyes that I’d dreamed about so many times.

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