Page 100 of Dark Souls

“Hey, Dad.” That sounded normal, right? There is no way he could know I’d spent the last however long fucking like animals just from my voice, right?

“Ilaria, where are you?”

“I’m…” I opened my eyes and peered around the unused kitchen. I couldn’t even tell him the truth if I wanted to. “At Sienna’s.”

“Still? I’ve been worried. You could have called.”

Guilt tugged at my insides as I ran my hand through my matted locks to tame them.

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”

“Yeah.” He paused and exhaled a heavy breath. “I’ve only just got back from Heroux. We’ve been enjoying the celebrations. That pack sure knows how to drink. But I wanted to talk to you about Leif…”

“What about Leif?” I asked worriedly. Leif was never someone we had to worry about, mainly because he just got on with life. Nothing ever seemed to faze him, but I knew after the losses he’d suffered in the war, he’d take a bit longer to bounce back.

“He’s not himself. I swear he is trying to drink himself into an early grave. He won’t talk to anyone about anything of substance, even your Grandma Alina tried and failed. Your mum is beside herself with worry and I don’t know what—”

“It’s okay, Dad. I’m coming. I’ll…” I placed my hand on my forehead as I thought about how Luka had asked me not to leave. But if Leif needed me, nothing would stop me from being there for him. “Just get my things together and come home. Is he still in Heroux?”

“No. He’s currently passed out on the sofa. I dragged him home for the night before he embarrassed himself in front of his new coven. I still can’t believe he’s taken over as the Father of the Heroux Coven! What was he thinking? That’s the other thing we are trying to get him to discuss with us, but he just keeps brushing the whole thing off and saying what’s done is done.”

I sighed. I was definitely the most stubborn triplet, but my brothers still had a streak of stubbornness that came out to play now and again. And I knew Leif, probably better than I knew myself. Which meant I was likely the only one who could get through to him right now.

“Okay, Dad. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. I’ll be back soon.”

Ending the call, I turned and faced the window. Beyond the overgrown wild bushes was a large plot of land and, in the middle, a raging bonfire. The orange and red flames licked the air with savage movements, blazing higher than the shadow of the man standing in front of it. Luka. Relief flooded me as I’d be able to explain why I needed to leave, and I raced for the back door, yanking it open.

The grotesque smell of burning flesh had my feet coming to a halt and my eyes widening when I realised there was a heap of bodies beneath those flames. The figure slowly turned around, curved horns now visible against the backdrop of fire as black, soulless eyes met mine through the dark.

“Heathen?” I breathed, unable to believe what I was seeing. “What are you doing here?”

He took two large strides towards me, eating up the space between us and I stumbled back, my heartbeat pounding like alarm bells in my ears at the fierce expression on his face.

“I could ask you the same thing, Snow.” That ancient voice was the deepest I’d ever heard it and I gulped as I realised just how bad this really was. His eyes glided down my body, taking in Luka’s black shirt that stopped at my mid-thighs and narrowed.Oh shit.Shit, shit, shit.How the hell was I going to explain this without putting Luka’s life in danger? Or mine from the terrifying look on Heathen’s face.

My eyes flicked over to the burning corpses and, in an attempt to distract him from the obvious, I lifted my chin to hide my anxiety and attempted to ask calmly, “What’s going on? Who are you burning?”

He didn’t answer me, just carried on staring with hellfire blazing in his eyes like I’d committed the ultimate betrayal. Or maybe that was just me projecting my guilt that was chipping away at me now I was face to face with him, forcing me to realise my feelings. Which was just crazy. Luka was my soulmate. I shouldn’t even have feelings of guilt for being with him. For fucking him for days and enjoying every second of it. But if that was the case, why did the look on Heathen’s face cause a lump of emotion to lodge in my throat?

“Heathen… it’s not what you think…” My voice shook when he took two more steps towards me, towering over me with his enormous body.

“Tell me what I think,” he hissed through his razor-sharp fangs. His claw snapped up and grabbed my jaw firmly. My lips parted as he pulled me into him. The size of his hand wrapped around my jaw made me realise just how easily he could crush my skull if he wanted to. I blinked up at him, my eyes glistening under the moonlight and the dancing flames behind us as I met his gaze. Fear mixed with desire when he leaned forward, inhaling deeply, and ran his nose along my cheek.

My body trembled as the chilly breeze whipped up my bare legs, but I knew it wasn’t the weather that was affecting me. I squeezed my eyes shut to fight back the complicated emotions that were threatening to come to the surface when he growled with so much beastly aggression.

He forced my head to the side abruptly. His forked tongue darted out and flattened against the side of my face, licking up my cheek and temple before he moved down my neck, noticing the bite marks that were slowly healing.

“His mating scent is all over you. And I can smell him in your blood,” Heathen whispered in my ear with such icy calmness it sent a shiver of trepidation down my spine. My nostrils flared as my breathing quickened and panic took hold. He knew. There was no denying it.

“Heathen… please listen…”

“I SAW YOU FIRST,” he bellowed. Rage made his voice boom across the rolling hills like thunder and his grip on my face tightened to a point I felt his talons pinching at the surface of my skin. “He’s been keeping me away from you! Killing for The Devil in my place! Now I know why.”

“What? No, you don’t understand. He has agreed to help you. Now that he’s made me a member of The Underground, we can work together to help you! He’s onboard with our plan!”

Heathen threw his head back and released a sadistic laugh, as though he didn’t believe a word of it.

“And is this how you persuaded him?” he asked, his voice laced with bitter sarcasm. My expression morphed into anger as I glared up at him. I ripped my face from his claw and stumbled back unsteadily as his black wings started beating viciously behind him when he paced the grass.