Page 4 of Eternal Ruin

Right as her bones began to dissolve, sudden footsteps bounded onto the porch. A shudder of warning tore through the house.

Like a swarm of insects, the visions scattered.

Kidan’s feet found the ground. Solid and ablaze.

She released several quick breaths and bent over. This lounge always nurtured her rage, and it was back, curling like a dragon’s tail around her legs.

She straightened slowly and tightened her shaking grip on the gun.

Samson was here.

2.

KIDAN

Kidan stroked the arm of the couch, calming herself and the house.

The floorboards creaked in distress against Samson’s footfalls, hammering like heavy rain as he bounded into the study that doubled as a lounge. His entire face soured when his black eyes landed on her. Old carpet and an oval glass table stood between them—Susenyos’s favorite treasures about to become collateral damage yet again. The carpet, sourced from Saui thread, would be stained with blood, and the beautiful table he prized for the traces of red sea glass shimmering beneath its surface would shatter.

Kidan almost shook her head. Thinking about Susenyos’s treasures instead of taking an axe to them was new and dangerous, a signal of something she didn’t want to examine closely.

Samson moved forward, his boots dragging mud on the carpet. A muscle tightened in Kidan’s jaw. The Nefrasi vampire could be Susenyos’s brother, even though they weren’t biologically related. They shared the same skin tone—a dark brown that was unnaturally smooth, almost reflective under direct sunlight, and a straight nose. But that was where the similarities ended. Samson’s hair was cut close to the scalp, revealing the long scar that started at his ear and disappeared into his shoulder. As if someone had tried to axe his head and missed.

Unfortunately.

His starless eyes browsed over the poor decorations with disgust. The balloonscrowded the candle-filled chandelier, sending long shadows along the ceiling like seven cloaked men gathered around a bonfire.

“What is this?” he barked.

“It’s my friend’s birthday.” Kidan’s voice was perfectly neutral, something she’d learned pissed him off. She delighted in it. “Do you want cake—”

“Take it down,” he ordered. “And get my blood.”

Kidan inhaled deeply, gripping the gun tighter inside her pocket.Hisblood. The blood coursing through her veins. As if her body was no longer hers. This part of their arrangement humiliated her the most.

He extended his metal hand—yet another difference from Susenyos. His entire left forearm was shielded. Kidan rose with great effort and poured a full glass of her blood. She held still, wanting him to come closer, right under the balloons.

Samson crossed onto the carpet and took the glass. He devoured it like he’d never tasted water before. He wiped his pinked lips, his skin becoming sunstruck. His vile eyes tinged red as he exhaled deeply with sickening satisfaction.

A sharp wave of hatred choked Kidan, and she almost shot him right then and there.

The first time he’d asked for blood, she’d refused.

His liquid eyes had lit up like a starved wolf before his hand was around her throat, crushing her windpipe. His metal glove was so cold the bottom of her feet had chilled. Then he had cut her neck with his claw and poured her blood into a glass as if she were a wine casket before throwing her aside.

He didn’t drink directly from her body. Didn’t allow her anywhere near his debased mind, which she supposed was a small mercy.

So Kidan went to Uxlay’s Rojit blood drive like every graduated student and had her blood drawn, brought it here.

“Your only job, heiress, is to get me the mask artifact and tell me what the house law is,” he said, wiping the red from his mouth.

Her eyes trailed the empty glass. This was the nightmare she’d feared for June once.

No one has drunk my blood.

Her sister’s words. Because June hadn’t killed, and she was no murderer. And actis that had not killed could not be fed on. Just like when they were bullied in childhood, June closed her eyes and huddled in the corner until Kidan handled it.

Kidan spoke without looking at him. “I told you a thousand times. Reading a law takes time. Mastering a house lawtakes time. Class starts Thursday. Until then you’ll have to be patient.”