With my free hand, I grip his throat—tightening just enough to be a threat, but not enough to cut off his breath. “You… areselfish, but we can change that.”
His eyes narrow, and I hate that his excitement is growing.
“You belong… to me, loyal tome. If you even want a sliver of a chance with your revenge…” I can see in his eyes he feels the doubt in my words. It isn’t the influx or change in demeanor, but it’s how I’ve phrased it.
“With your revenge” not“with me”.
“You will bow to me when I say bow, without question. Even over Belial.”
I know he wants to laugh, the slight roll of his eyes and very minimal shake of his head all-telling. However, I’m not really going to give him a choice.
“I’ve seen obsession, felt it in the best ways possible but also in the worst ways imaginable.” A shutter rolls down my spine at the thought of Lars, but I don’t let it fester. I don’t give myself the moment to think beyond the layers of reality before me. “I see your obsession, but it isn’twith me, it’s with your revenge. I’ve seen—no, I’vefeltit.”
He stays silent, his hand still laced with mine, tightening its grip.
“I will only ever be owned by one person, in this life, and the next. Until there is no mind or body left. Whether his death comes before mine, or mine before his. Nod if you understand that man is Kairhyse.”
This time, he waits, and I can only assume it is to digest what I’ve said. Attraction, need, desire; it’s what he feels. None of it is love, want, or aneed for me. I’m a body, even to Alaric, just as I am to everyone.
Everyone but Kai.Mymonster.
After another minute passes in silence that not even a door opens to break, he nods his head.
“Now that we understand each other…” I sigh and close my eyes, realizing that with this demand of his loyalty, I’m condemning myself to a lifetime at his beck and call. That doing this will solidify at some point in time, I will have to aid him with his revenge. This won’t be a debt, but an annoyance in my eternity I will have to deal with at a later time.
As I once helped Tyson when he needed it the most, I know I’ll be helping this piss stain all the same.
“Do I have your loyalty tome, Alaric? Speak with words.”
When I look at him, I pull the aura of his singular answer, seeing the truth behind them.
“Yes, to you, Xeraphine.”
I release his hand and shift from his lap, standing without his intervention to help or do something more personable. When he gets back, he can go to Niyla to fix the hard-on he’s sporting.
“While we are at it… hit Kairhyse again and I’ll remove your cock and force Niyla to eat it before killing her. Understand?”
He clears his throat, coming to stand. “You love feeding people appendages, don’t you.” It really isn’t a question, so I don’t entertain an answer. “Yes, understood.”
“Good, now, which room?” I ask while adjusting my top, wiping the blood from my healed wrist.
He brushes himself off, and drags the back of his hand across his nose. He doesn’t get nearly all the blood off, but at least it isn’t pouring down his lips anymore.
“Heopened the gate directly in front of reception.”
My eyebrow pops up and when I look at the door closest to us, it sure as shit says‘Reception’right on it. “Where exactly is this?”
“It has many names.” He clears his throat, and I can tell his submission to me is sitting uneasily with him. He enjoyed it, no matter how much his male brain tries to argue.
Little bitch,just admit you are a bottom.I’d say he is lucky I have no desire for him—I’d probably break his sensitive ass.
“Crossroads, Expressway—it has even been called the Path to the Beyond. It’s just a hallway to me.” He places his hand onto the handle of the door, and just before he pushes it down, I place mine over his.
His gaze meets mine as I ask, “What does he look like?” The last time I went seeking out my family, it hadn’t ended well for me.
“He has many forms, just depends on what he wants you to see.”
I wouldn’t say I’m nervous, not even scared. It’s a sensation of anticipation, which can feel the same as being fearful of what’s to come.
