Page 7 of A Bond in Blood (Blood Bound Duet #1)

Chapter 7

I woke with my face in a soft pillow, the burn on my back somehow not as severe.

“Don’t move,” a gruff voice said beside me.

I turned my head, the stiffness in my neck making me groan. When I forced my eyes open, I found the room dark.

Fuck the Gods .

The last place I wanted to be taken after my torture was his bed. He must have been beyond sanity to believe I would have willingly stayed beside him. Near him. Following his terms .

“I said don’t move,” he repeated, shoving me back against the bed.

I bit down on the pillow from the shock of his touch, unable to hold back the tears falling from the pain.

“Why?” I asked quietly.

He was silent while his hand pulled away from me. His sigh filled the room. “Haven’t you heard of my violence, Brenna?”

I shook my head against the pillow, gripping the sheets below me. “Why?” I repeated, lost in the haze of hate, pain, and shock.

A creaking sound told me he’d leaned back on whatever chair he sat upon. “You’re going to learn, Ursa , the kind of monster I am. To have order in my court, I must rule with fear. I must punish those who deserve punishment. I must ensure my people know to never cross me.”

“I’m not one of your people,” I snapped.

“You are during the term of your service,” he replied.

I closed my eyes, burying my face in the pillow. “Please kill me,” I cried, unsure if he could hear my muffled plea.

He was silent beside me, but the air had shifted. I could only assume he’d left his spot beside me, understanding now the cold that emitted from him was due to the shadows he could recall in an instant. I strained my neck, trying to track him in the dark but yelled out in pain when the bed shifted beside me with the weight of his body.

“Get away from me!” I cried, unable to move from my spot.

His voice became low, predatory, a warning.

“Go to sleep, Brenna.”

I was too tired to fight. I was in too much pain to shift away from his body settling into the covers beside me. My tears fell against the pillow while the burn of my wounds served as a reminder of my plan.

He hadn’t done anything to deter me from my conviction to end his life. If anything, he’d solidified it. Made is stronger. Turned it into a monster of my own.

I would end his life. Even if it was the last thing I did.

My legs trembled while the quiet attendant helped me from the bed, allowing me to drape my arms over her slender shoulders. Tears lined my eyes from the pain as we walked toward the bathroom. But even more, the tears were brought on by the fear coursing through me.

I’d been in Ulrich’s bed for days. How many? I didn’t know.

It had been a fever dream. Laying there, jolting every now and then by the rough, callused hands rubbing freezing salve over my wounds. Hands I wasn’t sure were his or Olen’s.

Making me hate both of them even more.

Ulrich had been the one to mark me, to shame me publicly, and Olen had been his willing accomplice. Yet one of them believed they could care for me? Tend to my wounds?

What kind of monsters was I imprisoned with?

To my relief, Ulrich hadn’t demanded to stay in the room when he ordered me to bathe. Claiming I smelled like death .

Part of me had wanted to refuse. Because the thought of sickening him with my stench gave me disgusting satisfaction, but he’d picked up on my intentions. That had resulted in him quietly informing me I could bathe willingly, or he would carry me to the tub himself and force me to bathe with him.

Nude.

Horrified, I relented and allowed him to call the attendant.

I cursed him and his vile nature while the attendant, a quiet young woman, lowered me onto the stool in the bathing room. I watched her, taking note of her bronzed skin, the freckles across her cheeks, her elongated ears, and the twisting braids running down her back.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

She jumped, her head jerking from her attention on the tub. Nervously, she glanced through the bathing room doors.

I laughed, followed by a loud wince at the pain shooting down my back from the movement. The girl scrambled to her feet, rushing to me, but I held up my hand.

“Don’t fuss over me. Would you tell me your name?”

“Adalie,” she whispered.

I nodded my head. “That’s a beautiful name. Are you Seelie or Unseelie Fae?”

Adalie startled, her eyes widening before she shook her head. “I—”

A booming laugh cut off the girl’s words and my head turned to the sound. The lights in the room vanished with the movement but I was able to catch Ulrich’s frame leaning against the doorway before the dark took over the space.

“Stop asking my people personal questions,” he said coldly.

I leaned back, using my hands to feel for the wall behind me. “I’m just trying to get to know people. Do you expect me to live in solitude for my remaining twelve months?”

“Thirteen,” he replied.

I cried out. “Not this again. Please! I have completed my first month.”

Ulrich’s commanding presence filled the room, but due to the lack of light, I could only assume he’d crossed the threshold. My pulse quickened while my hands gripped the thin nightgown I wore.

“Are you scared?” his voice whispered above me.

I swallowed, not sure how I hadn’t felt him approach so closely. But now that he was before me in the dark, it was hard to ignore the cold, sickening power coming from him. Like a darkness, determined to pull life from any living thing near him.

“To answer your plea,” he said calmly, “I’ve already told you the other evening that your time has added an additional month. This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t misbehaved.”

Tears lined my eyes while I calculated the time that gave me. “That means my time ends when the blood moon ends.”

“What?” Ulrich’s cold grew more frigid.

“My…” I snapped my mouth shut. “Nothing.”

The room grew silent before his voice echoed around me again. “Technically you are right. Your service will end on the last day of the blood moon. Did you have plans, Brenna? A blood moon rite you were hoping to make it to?”

My tears fell without my control, and I shook my head, unsure if he could see me.

“You aren’t answering my questions,” Ulrich spoke with the same blank command I’d heard my father use countless times before.

My tears fell heavier at the thought of my father. In all the days I’d been gone I hadn’t received any word from him. No letters. No armies coming my way.

I’d expected—I’d hoped that he would have written to Oberon and begged for help. Or that he would have rallied our allied islands in the seas to come to my aide. But he hadn’t come for me. He’d left me here, to be tortured and tormented by this awful king.

“Adie, you may leave. I’ll assist my guest.”

Ulrich’s voice pulled me from my despair.

“Wha—”

My protests were cut off when his palm wrapped around my lips. His mouth brushed against my neck. “You’re in my home.” His hands trailed down my forearm. “By my bath.” He continued his trek, freezing me in place, stopping only when his fingers touched my hands in my lap. “You will obey my rules.”

His hand gripped the hem of my nightgown, pulling it upward. I threw myself out of my haze and held his hand still.

“Get your hands off me,” I warned.

“Baths are usually better with nothing on,” he replied with a laugh.

“Get out,” I demanded.

“Get in the bath, Brenna,” he whispered, lowering his lips against my neck again.

I shook my head in shock. How he believed I would undress in front of him was equal parts confusing and intriguing. I couldn’t though, I couldn’t give him the satisfaction of making myself any more vulnerable than I already had.

His palm released my face, and I stared into the darkness.

“I don’t give you my permission,” I said.

He laughed. “I can easily toss you in that tub. I don’t need your permission. I just need your stench gone so I can enjoy my bedroom again.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” I replied.

You’re a godsdamn fool.

The moment the words left my lips, his hands gripped my waist. In one fell swoop, he had me over his shoulders.

I screamed but couldn’t fight due to the heat burning through my body.

“Please!” I cried while my hands fell limp against his chest. “Please, my wounds—the pain. I’m going to be sick.”

He set me in the tub, more gently than I’d expected, but the shock of the water pulled another scream from my lips.

“Fuck the Gods!” I yelled out.

His laugh filled the room. “That’s quite the curse.”

Shivering from the cold water, I rolled my eyes. “Why is it frigid?”

The water moved around my feet, while I assumed he waved his fingers to test the temperature. “I wouldn’t describe that as frigid . It’s warm. Heat isn’t good for your wounds.”

“This is freezing,” I replied through chattering teeth. “And I wouldn’t have any wounds to worry about if you hadn’t been such a monster.”

Silence layered over the room, as though he possibly felt a sliver of guilt for what he’d done to me. Biting back an additional response, I laid my head against the cool edge of the tub. I began slowly lowering my body down, allowing the water to flow over my shoulders.

The wounds beneath my soaked nightgown burned in response, but the temperature, to my annoyance, was soothing.

I lowered myself further into the tub, losing myself in the weightlessness. Not caring if the man above was possibly watching. Even knowing the white gown was likely sheer now, revealing my most intimate places.

The hem of the gown floated around my thighs, dancing against the water. It lapped against my skin while I stared up at the void of the room, realizing he’d somehow blocked the skylight above.

I chose to ignore it, releasing a relaxed breath. That was until the water moved, and to my horror, Ulrich was climbing into the tub on the other end.

I scrambled upward, covering my body. Suddenly caring how thin that gown was.

“You looked comfortable,” he said casually while the water level rose as he lowered himself down.

“You can’t see me,” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Yes I can. You’re looking less like a wild beast.”

I moved to stand but his legs wrapped around mine, holding me in my place.

“Release me!” I demanded.

He let out a content sigh. “No. I’m rather comfortable.”

My legs thrashed beneath his, making the water around us lap over the edge of the tub. The sound of the liquid hit the floor, echoing around the room. Yet he didn’t release me. Instead, his hold tightened.

How in the Gods are his legs this strong?

I tried to fight but each movement sent jolting shocks of pain down my back. Reminding me once again of the wounds he’d inflicted on my skin. I knew I had to stop. I had to allow the water to cool my wounds, but I didn’t care. I leaned forward, reaching through the darkness, trying to aim at his face.

His hands gripped mine, stopping me instantly. His hold grew tight, painful and controlling. “No,” he said calmly.

I twisted my wrists, burning my skin against his, trying to break from his hold. To my frustration, he responded by plunging my hands into the water, away from my target.

“Calm down,” he said.

I yelled again, flailing my legs under his. Trying to get his unbreaking calm to crack. Trying to get him to react to my wild movements.

“Let me go!” I commanded.

“Gods, you’re an animal,” he laughed.

My fingers moved under the water, searching for anything to claw. To hurt him like he had me. My nail brushed against skin and I froze.

“Well,” his voice dropped, “I didn’t realize you wanted to play. ”

I threw my head back with a scream, somehow surprised the king had shucked every last shred of clothing on his body.

“You’re completely nude!”

“I am in a bath,” he replied.

I shook, trying to find a thread of strength in my body. Anything that could overpower his unnaturally large body.

A thought, simple and fleeting, crossed my mind. Just enough to slow my frantic heart.

I cursed the lack of light but smiled a sweet, sultry smile. I knew what men, both mortal and fae preferred. Gods, I’d used my body to get my way plenty of times in my life.

I relaxed my shoulders, dropping my voice like he’d dropped his. “I didn’t realize playing was an option.”

It was silent on the other end of the tub, and I was sure I had perhaps failed. He let out a heavy breath.

“Come here,” he replied.

His hands released me, and his legs unwrapped from around mine.

Freedom .

I could have run then. I could have sprinted out of the room. But I was too focused on my goal. Too ready to enact revenge.

Slowly, I crawled through the water, running my hands across his bare legs to guide me toward him. The feeling of his muscled legs beneath my fingers brought an annoying ache low in my belly, but I focused on my need for another kind of satisfaction.

The rough hairs of his beard brushed against my cheek when I reached his face and I gasped, not realizing I’d gotten so close.

“Sit,” he said.

I shook at the command in his voice, the ache in my belly begged me to allow some physical reprieve. To let the hate turn to passion. To let pleasure replace the burn of my flesh crying out from the air now whipping past my healing wounds.

A release from the madness I was living.

But I threw it aside, regaining my control.

His hands wrapped around my waist, lifting me with ease.

“I said sit,” he repeated gruffly, placing me on his lap.

The end of my gown slipped between my legs, creating the only barrier between my flesh and his. With a steady breath, I leaned forward, running my hands down his torso.

“What do you want?” he asked.

I tried to reply with any kind of smart response, but the way his fingers circled my lower back nearly brought me to insanity. His palm flattened against me, pressing my chest to his and a pulse grew between my legs. Thumping against the fabric of my dress.

A pulse of arousal that wasn’t my own.

“What do you want?” he asked again.

I closed my eyes before placing my hands on his shoulders. Trying to keep control of myself, I leaned into him further, brushing my lips against his ear.

“I want—” I paused, positioning myself above his hardening arousal. “I want you to fucking die.”

An animal took over as the words left my mouth and my teeth clamped down on his ear, pulling as hard as I could. My nails moved as well, clawing at his skin. I bore down, with both my teeth and hands, internally screaming at the breaking of his flesh under my nails and the taste of his blood in my mouth.

I jumped up and ran. As fast as my injured body could take me.

His bellows of rage filled the room, and I slipped on the slick floor, heading to where I thought the doors were. Praying to the Gods he wouldn’t catch me.