Page 17 of His Atonement
No, far from it.
I cannot collect souls.
Cannot drain vitality.
I cannot fuck until my dick no longer swells with need, and I cannot smoke enough poisonous plants to quell the insatiable hunger I have for all three.
The next best thing—my last resort—is to fight, to exchange blows until I'm a bloody, aching mess of bones and muscle, but I can't fucking do that either!
My gem would despise me for it, hate me for laying a hand on her mate’s brothers, the dragons she loves as fiercely as she loves me.
Yes, I fear my lovely sister would have my hide for such atrocities, so I relent.
I push up off of Kai and get to my feet, momentarily consider flicking the roach at Milos despite what that would do to him, but instead I stuff it in the pocket of my shorts.
"Forgive me, my king, for such childish behavior.” Then I glare at Milos. "And fuck you, you ridiculous little twat."
We stare at each other for a moment before Milos starts to chuckle and soon it turns into his stupid giggle, then before I know it he's full blown laughing.
And because I've come to realize that his even stupider laugh is contagious, I find myself joining him, as does Kai, the three of us probably looking completely mad, cackling like imbeciles at two o'clock in the morning.
Gods, how I want to punch Milos in his dumb face.
“Sit," he snorts as he tries to calm himself. "Sit and we shall work through our issues in another game of Mortal Kombat."
I shake my head with a low chuckle. "I should retire. I need to roll another blunt and smoke myself into oblivion so that I may attempt to sleep."
"Cora have you performing some ridiculous task bright and early?" Kai asks as he retrieves his controller from the entertainment center then hands mine to Milos.
“Yes." I sigh but still smile. "I'm to help her pick paint samples for several rooms in her new home, give her my opinion on various types of wood floors, and then Havok and I will begin installing the insulation so we can hang drywall before the weather turns."
Both males frown and I nod.
"I fear my gem has a rather eventful day planned for me.” I smirk. "I have never been more grateful for constant snack breaks or swollen ankles in my life."
Milos goes stone cold serious as he says, "I feel that. I feel that deep, brother."
"If you and Vok need assistance with the insulation, do not hesitate to ask," Kai says, his eyes already glued to the TV. "My schedule is wide open tomorrow and I know it to be fact that Henrich and Milos are free as well."
I give the dragons a firm salute and appreciative nod, then drag my suddenly exhausted ass through the kitchen, further still to the secret entry in the pantry and down to the dungeon I temporarily call home.
I'm still living in the prison cell I was kept in when I first breached Dragovihk land, but save for the bars, so it can hardly be called a dungeon anymore.
Thanks to my dear sister, I have all the creature comforts, all the things I never wanted or needed before, and it warms my evil heart the way she insists on providing for me.
The cot I once slept on has been replaced with a custom made twin-sized bed, a twin being the only size that will fit in the space I occupy, but Cora had it specially made for my six-foot-eight body so my feet don't hang off the end.
The walls behind the bars are covered in bookshelves now, filled with dozens upon dozens of books, each of which I've read at least once. In between all their leather are various little trinkets and knick knacks that my sister has added, as well as photos of her and I, ones her mate has taken for us.
I now have an actual dresser for the little amount of clothing I've agreed to wear, and a place for the flip flops and slip on Vans—the only shoes I allow on my feet.
The fairy lights and tapestries, the rugs and floor pillows that once graced the inside of her tiny home—the one I destroyed—are now littered throughout both sides of the bars in an attempt to give it a morehomey vibe.
She added a kitchen table with chairs, a dorm size refrigerator, a microwave, and mounted a few shelves for snacks and dishes. There is a TV in the corner, another shelf with board games and decks of cards, and a speaker dock for the iPhone she insisted I buy so that I may play music as well as communicate with her whenever needed or desired. Cora even personalized the bathroom that is across the way on the other side of the war room, actually hung a shower curtain and added space for toiletries, towels, and a few candles that are supposed to be relaxing.
But my favorite addition, my most adored pieces, are the numerous plants hanging from the ceiling or in small pots scattered about because my precious gem used her power, her gifts, to grow them.
It fills me with pride when I look upon those living things, so much pride over the way Cora has harnessed some of her power, power I believe will be greater than that of Tolan and Ellida combined. We do not know the extent of her gifts just yet because, due to her condition, she becomes more tired and in turn frustrated, cannot fully focus the way she wants, but her ability to create life from nothing is coming along beautifully.
