Page 117 of Degradation

Like fuck I will.

I jerk my head for Mace to move and both of us are dragging our quarry out, down the hall, down the stairs down to where we’ll set up a nice little welcome party for my brother.

Grace kicks and bites the entire way. Little bitch has some fire, I’ll give her that. Even a good smack to the face doesn’t seem to subdue her.

“Keep that spark.” I growl into her ear. “It’ll make it all the more enjoyable when the first man gets to fuck you.”

She whimpers before slamming her head back into my nose and I let out a groan half pain, half pleasure.

I slam her onto the floor, leaving her curled up in a heap, while I get on with finalising this shit-show.

In the kitchen is an old-school farmhouse table and chairs. I grab two of them and carry them over to where I left the girl.

She’s started crawling away, as if she were an insect, as if she could simply slither into the dark.

I place a heavy boot on her back, tutting.

“Please,” She half-whispers, half-pleads.

“Don’t go soft on us now, bitch.” I reply, as my fingers dig into the silk of her nightshirt.

I haul her up, then shove her down onto the chair. Mace tosses me some rope and we tie both her and her mother up.

Behind us, we hear the shouts as Titus is bundled down.

“Let them go. Please, let them go. They haven’t done anything, they haven’t…”

God, will he stop waffling on?

“Please.” He says, staring at me, trying to look me in the eye, only, I’m head and shoulders above him so he has to wrench his head up to do it.

“I won’t fight. I won’t cause any problems. You want me to surrender, to let Magnus win, fine, I’ll do that. Just let my family go. Spare my family…”

I grab the first thing I can see, a napkin, and ram it into his stupid face.

Does he think we’re here for my brother? Does he think that’s what this is? That I’m some errand boy, running around, doing as I’m told?

“Get him out of here.” I order. I need him gone; I need him secure.

Cooper and Mace haul him out, and the silence that follows is pure fucking gold.

I fix my gaze back on the two women. Both of them have been gagged so they can’t speak but their eyes are wide, the terror in them illuminates the room with more beauty than the full moon has ever been capable of.

I kneel down, staring at the fake Paitlyn. The imposter. I can see now, how I was fooled. I can see the similarities go only as far as her pretty pale skin and her golden hair.

I scrawl out a note, folding it quickly, then place it into the girl’s hand.

And then I slip out, leaving them to the darkness, while I find a nice little hiding place.

It only takes an hour.

One beautiful, delightful hour of waiting.

Magnus, Conrad, and all their little buddies turn up, smashing the door in, acting like they’re about to set the world to rights.

Or ruin, more like.

I smirk, seeing all the commotion. Seeing one light after another switch on and the entire house is suddenly illuminated.