Page 94 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Five

“Let me tell you a tale, lieutenant,” Draggun says. “Your queen made me a bargain. I know you know that part.”

The man’s brow furrows over his eyes.

“What you don’t know is what she bartered with.”

The man’s shoulders go rigid.

“She promised me your suffering. All of your brethren. One night a year for the rest of your immortal lives.”

The man tries to get up but Draggun shoves him back down and then tsk-tsks like the soldier is a misbehaving child.

“The problem is, of course, that you wouldn’t survive a night with me.” He smiles, sharp teeth gleaming. “So I took the vampire’s offer instead because—and here’s the best part.” He leans in and lowers his voice to a menacingly wicked tenor. “I still get your suffering.”

He shoves the arrow deeper, then twists.

The soldier screams into Draggun’s gloved hand, thrashing beneath the pain and the pressure. But Draggun holds steady even though on appearances, he’s at least half as small as the lieutenant.

It’s hard to watch.

It’s not at all what I wanted.

But Draggun must be telling the truth. No other fae can lie. Which means, the Summer Queen was bartering with some of her most loyal soldiers in order to win this fight.

I almost feel bad for the man.

Draggun twists the arrow deeper and the man’s eyes finally roll back in his head and he falls sideways into a cluster of white flowers.

The Fairy of Suffering hangs his head back and tastes the last of the lieutenant’s pain, his black mark swirling over his face.

When he refocuses, he looks over at me. “Winter Princess. We’ll handle the rest of this.” He gestures with a flourish at the mayhem in the garden. The Fairies of Suffering are destroying what remains of the queen’s army. And everywhere I look, the dark fae are feasting on the pain and suffering.

“You’ll find your enemy deep in the summer labyrinth,” Draggun goes on. “If you want her dead, I suggest you hurry.”

“Why?”

“Because there was a second part of my deal with her. She wanted an escape plan, so I showed her the way into the Forbidden Garden—my domain. It’s on the other side of the labyrinth. If she reaches it, you will likely lose her. The Forbidden Garden is no place for a princess like yourself.”

“And is it a place for queens?”

He smiles, flashing me sharp incisors. “Oh no. If she steps into our realm, we will pick the meat from her bones.”

One way or another, she’d be dead. But there would be no justice in that.

And I wouldn’t discount her so quickly. If she found a way to survive this Forbidden Garden, she’d return and we’d be fighting this battle all over again.

“Which way?” I ask.

Draggun points over his shoulder, where the soldiers had lined up, where the Summer Queen disappeared deeper into the garden.

“Follow the cobblestone path. Keep to the left. You’ll find the labyrinth soon enough.”

“Tha—” I catch myself before I can say thanks. Draggun’s smile deepens. “You’ve been most helpful,” I correct.

Behind him, his soldiers are a blur of movement as they fight what little remains of the army.

“Go on then,” he says. “And leave us to our prize.”

Careful not to get caught in the fighting, I skirt my way around the battle and slip into the garden.