Page 143 of Broken Souls

“A little more than a week ago,” Varius says tightly. “But I loved her before then.”

My eyes widen as sudden giddiness breaks through my fear. “Oh my gods. Did you fall first?”

I turn my head to look at him while keeping Khalid in my peripheral. I’m excited, not stupid.

His lips move so subtly, it can’t even be called a twitch, but I can feel his love for me, the joy he gets from seeing my excitement even as he keeps his eyes on the cold gaze of the reaper. “Karaoke night,” he says, and I preen.

“Bonding night.”

“You’re bonded?” Khalid demands, but neither of us get the chance to answer as the first creature steps out of the portal.

All of our gazes go to the white-haired man who’s built like Henry Cavil inThe Witcher.He’s soon followed by a woman with a neck so skinny it makes her head look too big. An image of one of those bobble head toys pops into my mind, and I roll my lips in, chastising myself for being rude.

“Henry” disappears back into the portal immediately as… Fuck. “Bobble Head” –I’m so going to Hel, but gods, if I don’t go there laughing– walks towards us. Her head bobs as she moves, and I am dying on the inside. I keep my face completely expressionless though. As an assassin, wearing masks is all just a part of the game.

“Varius,” she purrs as she stops in front of him. Using her right hand, she taps first her left shoulder, then her right in an off-world greeting. She doesn’t once acknowledge Khalid or I.

“Zara,” Varius says, way too friendly for my liking. He repeats the gesture. I wait for him to introduce me, but he never does.

Forcing a smile, I say, “I’m Micha,” just as she’s about to say something. She ignores me. “His wife,” I add.

“You got married, and I wasn’t invited?” Zara says with a pout.

“It was last minute,” Varius supplies.

“Ahhh.” She nods knowingly, then looks at me like I’m some baby-trapping hoe. But it’s the fact that Varius doesn’t correct her that irritates me the most.

“I –”

“Let us talk, Micha.” His tone is cold, flat, and final.

Clenching my teeth, I swallow my words. We might be married and bonded now, but I know he won’t hesitate to punish me. My lack of control reflects badly on him and the Family, and he is all about the fucking Family.

She smiles triumphantly, and my jealousy simmers so hot I can’t feel anything else. The portal glows softly behind her, and I focus on that as she and Variustalk.

Dozens of people come through the portal. A quarter of them are Zara’s men. Of those that remain, two thirds are carrying backpacks, marking them as the people we are smuggling in. They’ll be forced to work for us for the next five years before they’re given IDs and set free. All the fees they’ve already paid go to Zara’s Family as off-world money means nothing to us. We get their labor.

Maddox starts to lead them upstairs to get them out of the way. Varius doesn’t want anyone here to witness the exchanging of silver so we can take Antonio by surprise.

My eyes fall on those that remain. These are the poor bastards that the Blood Fangs have demanded. One of the stipulations of our treaty is that they get to use our portal to buy and sell humans six times a year. So they gave us a list of six women to pass over to Zara’s Family to round up and collect a few weeks ago. They will then supply six humans as payment. Aleric wanted to come exchange them himself, but Varius refuses to let any outsiders enter the warehouse.

“Who’s missing?” Varius asks as he nods at the group of seven girls surrounded by Zara’s men.

“The succubi killed herself last night,” she says, looking annoyed. “We can add one to the next batch, though, if you still want one. Alternatively, we’ve brought two fae with us as a replacement. They’re twins.”

He heads over to them. My stomach twists as I follow, urging me to set them free, but vampires have to eat. If these people don’t die to feed them, then someone else will.Just think of them as cattle, Micha.No one would bat an eye at farmers buying stock.

A young woman catches my eye. She looks terrified.

I look away.

Pigs have the intelligence of a three year old. Some of them play video games for fun.I wince. These facts aren’t helping me as much as I hoped they would. I stop, unable to get all the way to Varius.

Bobble Head Bitch notices and smirks at me. Grabbing one of the twins by the arm, she hauls her in front of the Boss of the Shadow Domain.

“Fae blood might not be as sweet as succubi, but it packs more of a punch.”

“What Court is she from?”