Page 86 of Once the Skies Fade (Immortal Reveries #2)

Chapter 86

Matthias

G raham violently stole the control back from me with his blade, rousing me by once again flaying the skin where my tattoo had been—the skin he’d taken such care and time to heal with that salve—digging his knife in deeper than he had the first time.

There was no silencing my torment now, no hiding it under forced laughter. It poured out of me in a long, sustained wail as he buried his knife under my skin and peeled it away to expose the flesh beneath. My body silently screamed through my nerves, so loud in my head I almost didn’t hear the sickening slap of my severed skin being thrown to the ground at my feet.

In the brief reprieve Graham granted me, my lungs pulled short, desperate gasps as shock overwhelmed my body. Pulse quickening, I couldn’t still my limbs from trembling against the chair I was still confined to. My head bobbed like the raggedy doll my niece used to carry with her everywhere growing up.

“Deep breaths,” Graham said with mock tenderness, his breath grating over my maimed ear. “It will do you no good to get all worked up.”

Instinctively my hands curled into fists, and I winced as my mangled fingertips smarted at the pressure against them.

“Careful,” he said again. “You don’t want to hurt yourself.”

I slid a rage-fueled glare his way, and he laughed.

“Only I get to hurt you,” he charged. “Speaking of which.”

In one swift movement, he thrust his hand into my gut, forcing a groan out of me. It wasn’t until he pulled away, dragging his hand across my belly, that I realized he’d been holding his knife. The metallic fragrance of fresh blood overwhelmed me as moist heat spilled into my lap. The incision he’d made was small, but enough for my entrails to start spilling out.

A scream ripped from my chest, spurred on as much by the sight as the pain. Graham started to laugh once more. Lifting my gaze to his, I pushed my scream louder, drowning out his amusement. But something—someone—responded with a roar outside, a menacing and terrifying growl that seemed to shake the mountain, quieting us both.

“What was that?” Graham mumbled, his hands shaking as he spun his head around toward the doorway.

I let out one excruciating breath of a laugh before answering him.

“Sounds like my mate.”