Page 8

8

Dagny

Hungry. So very, very hungry.

My tongue slides across my lower lip in an attempt to wet the chapped skin, but my mouth is so dry, I doubt it’s doing anything. A bucket of ice chips sits on the cracked gray stone just inches from me, but I can’t bring myself to reach for it. The more I drink, the worse I feel, and every time I consider why , bile rises in the back of my throat, my stomach flipping and threatening to expel the little water I’ve managed to consume in the past twenty-four hours I’ve been locked alone in this cell. I’m not sure if I still need it to survive, but I’m certainly not taking any chances.

And then there’s that nagging desire in the furthest corner of my mind, growing stronger with each desperate heartbeat and every shallow breath. Fenryr… I wonder if he’s okay…

It’s only been a few days, but since our bond snapped into place, it feels like I’ve known him for eons. Like my soul had been searching for him across worlds and throughout time, so when we finally found each other, I was able to breathe for the first time in my life.

But he’s gone now. Gone, just like the others. Just like always.

I’ve often wondered if I’m cursed—if at some point, I did something bad and the gods decided I deserved to be alone—but no amount of tears I could cry or anguish I could carry would prompt them to give me an answer.

Perhaps it’s better that way.

I lay my head back against the cracked stone and let out a breath, the thick cloud of vapor swirling in front of my face and blocking my sight. When it clears, my heart skips a beat at the sight of a glowing red eye blinking lazily in the shadows.

“Malice?” As soon as his name rolls off my tongue, he steps farther into the room, head lowered and shoulders hunched like a lion stalking its prey. Anxiety heats the back of my neck, but it’s not uncomfortable. Just the sight of him alone has the bond roaring to life, my skin prickling with desperation to feel his clawed hands on me. “What are you doing here?”

He brings a clawed finger to his lips, a barely discernible smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he speaks into my mind. I brought you something.

My eyes track down his body, over the quivering muscles covering his arm, and stop at his fist. What is it?

Something to keep you alive, he answers.

Malice walks over to me, halting when there’s less than a foot between us. With a wary gaze, he crouches in front of me, holding out his closed hand with a pained expression.

It doesn’t look like you want to give it to me…

He shakes his head, his smirk dropping as his lips press into a thin line. I don’t. But my desires mean little in this instance.

I tilt my head, waiting for him to open his fist and let me see what it is. With a sigh, he obliges, clawed fingers uncurling one by one and revealing a small ball of yellow wax resting in the center of his palm.

What is that? I ask.

Something to dampen your power.

Malice shifts his hand toward my mouth, and I jerk back as far as I can, my eyes widening as a rush of adrenaline floods my system.

I don’t want it, I snarl, my lip curling back to reveal sharpening canines. If you want to kill me, you’ll have to try a lot harder than that.

Malice rolls his eyes but still closes his fist around the wax and brings it back to his side. The last thing I want is to harm you, Dagny. I’m surprised you still think so little of my affection for you.

I scoff, forgetting I’m supposed to speak into his mind as my irritation crests. “Your affection ? That’s rich, coming from the guy who’s literally trying to poison me.”

Malice’s smirk returns, but there’s no humor in it. He leans forward, stopping when our faces are inches apart. His nostrils flare as he inhales deeply, and a low purr rumbles in his chest as his pupils expand, devouring the warm red of his iris in a single heartbeat.

“Perhaps I need to do a better job of showing you the depths of my devotion, ” he murmurs. “Perhaps I need to make you understand.”

Malice inches closer, brushing his lips against mine and causing heated sparks to erupt between us. My eyes flutter closed as warmth builds in my core, spreading to the tips of my fingers with each powerful throb of my heart. There’s no denying the emotion Malice is able to draw out of me—no way to fight against it or suppress it—not even if I wanted to.

My back arches, pressing my breasts flush against his toned chest and drawing a desperate groan from his clenched teeth. Snaking a hand around my waist, his arm works as an iron vise, holding me in place as he closes the distance between us. And when his lips crash against mine, the rest of the world falls away. I forget about the danger we’re in. I forget about my responsibilities, my fears, my eagerness to be free of this prison—all of it just evaporates, leaving me with the taste of burned cedar on my tongue and fire in my veins as Malice claims me as his. His mouth works expertly with mine, each sweep of his tongue, every gentle nip leaving me breathless and shaking and desperate for more.

The beast within me rises, obliterating any thought other than Malice. Mate. Bond. The half of me that terrifies me the most wants my mate more than anything, and right now, I have neither the will nor the desire to fight against it.

Malice’s hand slides up my spine, cupping the back of my neck and holding me in place as he devours me. My body is putty in his hands, moving with him and molding to each gentle twitch of his muscular frame. I never realized what this feeling was before, but it all becomes clear here in Malice’s arms. I want to please him in the way only his mate can. To bring this powerful creature to his knees and make him beg.

But before I can do any of that, Malice slides his other hand between my cleavage, drawing my attention to the pleasurable sensation of his rough skin on mine. I wait for him to touch me as I’ve been craving, but he continues up my neck and jaw, stopping there and teasing the corner of my mouth with his clawed thumb.

Malice breaks the kiss abruptly, a low whine echoing in his chest as he stares deep into my eyes. My mouth falls open with a question, but before I get the chance to voice it, Malice’s fingers shoot past my lips, forcing something small and round to the back of my throat.

He rips his fingers out just before my teeth clamp down—a mistake I realize only after Malice uses his hand to hold my jaw closed. With his other, he pinches my nose closed, cutting off my oxygen and ability to spit out the weird wax ball.

Swallow, he orders.

When I refuse to do so, he painfully tightens his grip around my jaw. A cruel smirk tugs at his lip as the tips of his claws dig into my skin, dotting the surface with bright red pearls of blood. Swallow and you get your air back. It’s really very simple, little one. Obey.

My gaze hardens as my heart rate increases, desperate for the oxygen my mate is withholding. Is he allowed to do that?

Fuck you, I snarl, fighting against his hold as dark spots line my vision. You and your creepy-ass, ugly-ass eye.

Malice sighs heavily, and his grip tightens further. Impossible creature… would it kill you to listen to me for once?

Actually, it would. My eyes narrow on his insipid smirk, rage heating my skin. Why do you look so happy?

Because the wax is already dissolved.

My eyes widen as my tongue rolls around my mouth, searching for the small ball of gods-know-what. It’s gone. Shock courses through my veins, only to be replaced a moment later with a molten fury, one that coats my hazy vision with silver, further obscuring it. But it doesn’t matter. I don’t need my sight for the pain I’m going to inflict on Malice.

Before my power has a chance to explode, Malice releases my mouth and nose, stepping back as oxygen rushes into my lungs. The relief is so great that I forget about my anger for a moment, but as soon as I lay eyes on that glowing red eye, it all comes back to me.

“What the fuck was that for if it was going to dissolve?” I ask, my voice shaking with pure rage. “What the fuck was the point?”

Malice’s smirk widens to a full-blown grin as his shoulders rise. “What can I say? I’m a bit of a sadist.”

“You’re a psycho is what you are.”

“Such sweet words,” he murmurs, rising to stand as his voice enters my mind once more. Slaine will be here soon. It would be wise not to mention what transpired here. I would recommend staying quiet entirely, but I doubt you possess the ability.

I bristle at the insinuation. And why the fuck should I do anything you recommend ?

Malice blinks, that eerie smile still in place as he says, Because it is the only thing that will keep you alive.

I’m about to remind him the only reason my life is in danger is because of him, but before I get the chance, the door to my cell is thrown open, revealing the outline of Slaine. Without a word, he stalks into the room, hateful clouded eyes pinned on me and brimming with repulsion.

“Step out of the way, Malice. It’s time.”

“Time for what?” he asks, though he never turns to address Slaine. His fist clenches at his side—the only display of anger he allows to peek through his carefully constructed mask. “I surely hope you don’t intend to harm my mate. Not when I’ve already had such an… unpleasant day.” At this, he turns his head slightly, his good eye glowing molten as he glares at the demon lord. “Is that what you’re doing, Slaine?”

Slaine takes a threatening step forward, but I don’t miss the flash of fear that enters his gaze. “I need to test her, Malice. If she’s not a halfling, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Nothing to worry about?” Malice’s voice lowers to a deadly pitch as he turns fully to face Slaine, dark shadows swirling over his shoulder, showcasing the power brimming beneath his skin. “I know what your tests are. They’re not exactly painless.”

“Pain is the best way to draw out a halfling's demon, and the only way in her case,” Slaine says, waving Malice off. “She’s much too young to have control of it—or is that knowledge too advanced for your kind?”

“She’s a human, ” Malice snarls. “It will kill her.”

“I’ll tell Zairn to take it easy. I’m certain the mighty Abaddon’s mate can handle it.” Slaine’s lip pulls back in a sneer. “We have a deal, after all. I’ll respect it and keep her alive until I find out you’ve been lying to me.”

The fact Slaine says “until” and not “unless” tells me all I need to know, and it has my stomach clenching. He’s already made up his mind that I’m a halfling, and he’s going to do everything he can until he finds a reason to kill me.

My eyes find Malice’s brimming with a desperation that pales in comparison to the panic filling my lungs, seeping out of my pores, and infecting the air around me.

Help me.

Malice shakes his head, his lips pressing into a pale white line. I am, my wildfire. I promise I am.

But right after he says it, he turns and storms out of the dungeon, leaving me alone with Slaine. Leaving me to a world of pain and torture.

I only hope I can survive it.