Page 98 of Eternal Ruin

Susenyos shook his head, wincing through the sudden pain in his gums. “I refuse to be bound to her blood. I can’t have anyone else command me.”

Iniko regarded him in silence.

Only she and Taj could truly understand why he needed to kill Lusidio. Free them from his command.

Iniko touched her large collar, where beneath the expensive clothing, three claws had marked her skin. Taj hid his branding behind his headband.

Iniko’s voice was deathly when she finally spoke. “What companion lets her vampire suffer.”

“Leave it alone.”

“It will only grow worse. Your reactions will slow, and your senses dull. Put aside your pride and ask her.” Her dark eyes became cold. “Or listen to Arin and kill her. Get your people back.”

He shut his eyes. A headache was building behind his eyes. He couldn’t think clearly without blood.

A rustling came from the shrubbery down below.

Instantly, they flashed to the window. Well, Iniko did. Even after a beating, she was healing faster than him. Susenyos stumbled halfway.

Iniko’s brows furrowed.

He waved it off, peering through the glass.

There was a very drunk individual, propped up by another. Yusef Umil had clearly indulged, and Slen Qaros was taking care of him. The scene was quite similar to the day they burst into his house, reeling from Dranacti murder.

Only now, Susenyos wanted to murder the girl. It was her eyes, the granite nature of them, that always bothered him. That seemed to say that if given the chance not only would Slen Qaros lead Uxlay, but she would also kill him without hesitation. She had her grandfather’s ambition and her father’s ruthlessness and both would only harden with time.

Yusef gave Slen an easy smile, though shadows clung to his face. “You know I won’t stop asking you, right?”

“Shut up.” The Qaros girl forced water down his throat. “Someone could hear us.”

“You came,” Yusef said.

“I only came to get you home.”

He gulped a few drops and wiped at his mouth. “I want to explore the world. Learn to sketch again. You could play at all the great conservatories. Why not?”

It never failed to amuse Susenyos—the dreams of mortals. How worried they were, racing against their death to make life meaningful.

Slen spoke with determination dipped in fire. “We are this close to securing our positions as masters. After all we’ve done, you want to throw it away?”

Drunk Yusef was quite brave. “Do you think inheriting Umil House would give me what I want? I will inherit burden after burden.”

Slen’s voice could slice through ice. “You’re afraid of being challenged.”

“We were challenged!” he shouted suddenly. “All of us! And where did it lead us? Killing our ownfriend.”

Susenyos’s lips arched. Dranacti didn’t allow humans to hide behind their false goodness. It brought dark desires to the surface and married them closer to his kind.

It’d brought Kidan closer to him, hadn’t it? The poor devout, GK, had paid the price. Susenyos doubted he was still alive.

Slen clamped a hand over Yusef’s mouth. “Nothere.”

Yusef pushed her away. “As long as we stay here, we will either kill or be killed. Or we will be imprisoned. Don’t you want peace?”

Yusef searched her eyes deeply, lingering long enough to slip into intimacy. Iniko and Susenyos exchanged a glance.

Interesting.