Page 2 of A Story of Sinners

“What isthat?” he spat. Shadows writhed around his body, a whisp tearing off and slipping through the bars to wrap around my neck. I clawed at the shadows, my fingers sinking into the misty substance that wasn’t quite corporeal. Still, the shadows held true and dragged my body towards the cage, my face slamming against cold iron.

I squealed as the material grated and burned against my cheek, but the whisp of shadow did not yield. I couldn’t move as Malachi stepped forward and brushed his thumb across my parted lips. I struggled against the shadow, hardly able to breathe as it tightened its hold, and when Malachi slipped his thumb past the barrier of my lips and onto my tongue, I bit down.Hard.

The responding purr that emanated from his chest was not the reaction I expected. My teeth brutally dug into his thumb, tearing through skin and meeting bone, my mouth filling with blood, and his eyes gleamed. It was as if he was savoring the bite, enjoying it. His heavily lidded eyes darkened, his breathing picked up, and he licked his lips, thrusting his thumb deeper into my mouth.

I reached out and gripped his wing again, sliding my fingers along the leathery skin, diverting his attention just enough to loosen the shadow around my neck. Malachi groaned at the touch, and I took advantage of his distraction, using it to tear myself away.

I spit blood on the ground, and my cheeks heated. I couldn’t meet his eyes as I reached up to touch the claim on my neck. The reminder of it tore something deep in my soul, momentarily blacking out what had just occurred.

“My mate,” I whispered.

I didn’t know why, but I glimpsed at Malachi to gauge his reaction, and his lip curled at the wordmate, as if it were something distasteful. Fowl.

“That can be undone.”

My stomach roiled at the thought. Despite how much I wished for the claim to be removed, some baser instinct told me to preserve and protect it. The muscles in my face dropped. “No. I—”

He held his hand up to silence me and tilted his head, a black sheen glazing over his eyes.

I remembered that sheen. I remembered how it used to appear when the disembodied whispers haunted his mind. I’d thought them imaginary, a manifestation of lunacy, but whatever it was spoke to him once again, and he growled in response, replying in grunted and hissed syllables.

I didn’t understand the language, but my body rocked backward, and a shiver skittered down my spine. My eyes widened as I dropped to the cold stone floor, watching, observing, as Malachi shot me one last, cursory glance.

“I’ll be back for you,” he warned, disappearing in a whirlwind of smoky shadows tinted with maroon.

I hugged my knees to my chest and rocked myself as horror wracked my bones.

Not because he’d found me.

Not because he’d abandoned me and left me to rot in the dungeon.

My horror came from those whispers, the ones I’d thought fictitious.

This time, I heard them too.

Chapter2

Ryken

Thoughts of Dahlia had haunted my mind for the past three months, and the incessant agony I’d felt over her well-being had taken a toll on my mindset, and the mental states of those around me. It had been a nearly impossible feat to derive the strength it took to walk away from her, to leave her in a world overrun by shadows, but the priority had always been to regain my crown, and not even my irksome mate could distract me from my purpose.

I groaned at the thought. Even now, so close to achieving my end goal, the separation from the little crow hadn’t grown any easier to overcome.

I’d realized she was my mate from the moment I first saw her over two years ago. She was standing in the courtyard, blindingly bright and beautiful, with a head full of flowing crimson hair and those cute little freckles dusting the bridge of her nose, the same freckles that highlighted those ethereal green and gold eyes. My breath caught at the sight of her, at the scent of her. The urge to pounce had been overpowering, but I held back, though it took all the strength I could muster.

The only problem was that, while I’d been standing in awe of her, she’d been gawking at the prince.

I’d chosen to abstain from claiming her then and there, as distraction was not a luxury I had at the time. Instead, I remained resolute in my mission to recover my powers. Not that I hadn’t planned on stealing her away the moment they were recovered, even if I had to drag her from that kingdom kicking and screaming.

So, I left her be, choosing to watch from afar until the time came.

Over time, the little crow couldn’t help but throw herself in my path, furtively sneaking glances whenever we occupied the same room, desperately striving to peek beneath my hood and glimpse the male beneath. Some deep, intrinsic part of her knew I would be special to her, even if she hadn’t been fully aware of why. However, it was impossible to keep my distance the moment she chose to romantically involve herself with the prince. The final nail had been placed in her coffin, and the matter had been settled, whether she was ready for me or not.

After all was said and done, even the most carefully laid plans go awry. My mate chose another and, judging from the torment trialing through our one-sided bond, the decision had been a regretful one. Her nightmares haunted me, and her pain filled my bones with a sort of hollow ache that couldn’t be eased.

Not until this was finished.

My feet echoed along the marble flooring as I marched into the throne room of the Dragon Lands castle, prepared to greet those who had gathered for the night’s mission. I stopped before Fin, his mate Eulalia, and the raven that always seemed to perch on her shoulder. Isadora stood at her side, that youthful yet ancient seer, Matilda, on her other side. They were lined up and dressed to kill, donning black leathers and grim expressions.

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