Page 47 of V for Vilified (Hunter V #4)

Broken Bonds

I was going to rip that Hand of Death a new asshole for keeping that from me even if he had his reasons. I hadn’t gotten much of the history between them, but I knew there had to be because Cash knew so much about Aram when he was meant to be an elusive, out-of-control god.

I’d been made aware of Cash’s dark history and how he’d done things that would align more with a villain than a hero, but I never imagined he was part of Aram’s loyal Fae court. Now I had nothing but questions.

Flashes of Aram opposite of Cash, who looked very different than he did now were suddenly in my head. At least, I was pretty sure it was Cash. The Fae had a mask over his eyes, long hair blowing in the wind, and no runes that I could see, but the smirk was all my Fae Karen.

I glimpsed the sensation of rage and betrayal. He’d taken something from Aram, and the Nether Royal was there to get it back and teach the traitorous bastard a lesson.

“He took something?” I asked after the memory faded away to nothing.

Aram seemed amused. “I’m quite envious of how much access the bond gives you to my head, little mate. What I wouldn’t give to glimpse just a small thought or memory in that pretty head of yours.”

“Ah-huh. I won’t be distracted, asshole. Tell me what he did,” I demanded, and Aram’s smile only grew.

“He stole a very powerful set of stones from me. Together, they have the power to trap even a Nether Royal like myself. They were a gift from my mother, and had I gotten them back at some point from that bastard, I would’ve kept them to use on Hera.”

“You didn’t get them back?” I asked, suddenly wondering if that was what Cash planned to use on Aram if he still had them.

He clicked his tongue and bent his face close, which was a goddamn feat with the difference in our heights. “A mistake I never made again, little mate. And if he wasn’t bonded to you, I would’ve done what I failed to do all those years ago.”

I scowled at him, one hand on my hip, bringing out my own Karen in honor of my Fae Karen.

“I’ll remind you that if I go back, you’re going to have to get over whatever issues you have with him.

I’ll make sure he gives them back because those were your mother’s, but I’m not playing mediator between two big man-babies more than that. ”

His fangs were out as he grinned at me, his smile full of secrets. “Will I be rewarded for the efforts made not to take his head from his shoulders? You know, perhaps a little carrot and stick to keep this god in line? I might even look forward to what cleverness you devise to keep me in my place.”

“Oh-my-god, I can’t even with you,” I complained, giggling against my better judgment. “Okay. Back to the issue at hand. Hera. You said she made me to defeat you guys?”

“That’s what I have theorized, yes. Not you specifically.

Perhaps an army of hybrids of three or more kinds of blood, but you were certainly the first of that plan—and immeasurably powerful.

I don’t doubt that she intended to replicate your creation and build upon it.

Humans are much easier for her to control with pheromones and mind-reading.

It’s where her power grew the most, under the adoration and worship of your realm’s humans.

She was their god for a long time, and I suspect it’s why she thought she could control you. ”

I grinned. “Joke’s on her, no one controls me.”

His laughter was annoyingly sexy. “That’s been made quite clear, yes. But Hera is crafty. She’ll use your greatest weakness against you. She already has.”

Lyra had known to go after Kate and I’d thought it was because of the Organization, but it’d make sense it was someone like Hera instead. That kidnapping was what started this whole mess.

Eyes wide, it dawned on me. “That’s why you brought Kate here.”

“In part, yes. But she makes you happy, and I didn’t want you to be alone here without an ally you could trust.” Aram’s affection was a warm embrace. “It’s much easier to have your weakness by your side rather than vulnerable to attack.”

Another lightbulb. “So that’s what this whole contract was about? You said I’m your weakness.”

He folded his arms and glowered down at me. “You are my greatest strength, but yes, until our bond is fully formed, it could be exploited.” Whispers of thoughts were in my head before he said the words aloud. “But make no mistake, a king is nothing without his kingdom.”

I swallowed, suddenly invaded by such an intense feeling of affection it was making it difficult to give the giant Fae a hard time about how sappy the statement was. So, I clung to one statement that confused me instead.

“Fully formed?”

Thinking, Aram gestured to the sofa by the window. I walked over to it and sat down. It was immediately dwarfed the second he took the seat next to me, but he leaned back like the god he was and aimed his body toward mine, torso muscles highlighted by light and shadow and totally distracting.

“Do you believe that I’m not your enemy, little mate?”

I crossed my arms, annoyed. “You already know that answer.”

“I do, but perhaps your human kind is influencing me more and more these days. I’d like to hear you say it.

” His sultry baritone was full of goading, but there was an edge of uncertainty to it.

He doubted his observations, and it was a strange sense of superiority that came over me as I kept him waiting.

After a minute, I finally relented. “You’re not my enemy.”

His breathtaking smile stole a couple beats of my heart. “Yes, Nioche . I’m not.”

Nioche?

His eyes swept down my body, and it was everything I could do to remain calm and unaffected. “Nether Fae bonds differ from the rest. They’re rare but powerful. Except, unlike the one you share with that undeserving Hand of Death, ours can be rejected. Broken.”

He waited to see if I’d speak, but I was too afraid of him stopping that I didn’t dare utter anything before he finished.

“Our bonds only fully form when both mates accept it in body, mind, and magic. But once they’re fully formed, it can’t be broken.”

“I’m surprised you’re telling me this,” I admitted after a quiet pause. “Doesn’t it benefit you more to keep it from me?”

His smile faded. “No, V, that would hurt me. I want you to choose me knowing what it means, not because you’ve been swindled into it.”

Okay, well, damn.

“So, our bond is vulnerable?”

He didn’t look away or move. “It is, and Hera will exploit it if given the chance.”

I opened my mouth, but my neck was struck with such an intense jolt of pain I gasped.

I slapped a hand over the side of my throat that had Cash’s rune, hissing.

Aram leaned forward and pulled my hand away.

Another jolt of pain hit my wrist, and I lifted it.

Jo’s magical bond mark was flickering. After another rush of pain, it was gone.

“What the fuck?”

Aram’s jaw was strained, and I heard the thought in his head that sent me into a full panic before he tore my heart to pieces with his words. “The bonds have been broken.”

My throat closed up, but I still forced the words out. “But that means…”

He didn’t answer because the word was already in my head before he could.

Dead.

Both Cash and Jo were dead.

My eyes burned as I got to my feet. I wanted to run away. I wanted to hide. I wanted to scream and cry, but I couldn’t do anything except stand there and deny what I already knew to be the truth.

Aram was on his feet, trying to get me to look at him, but I couldn’t. I didn’t hear anything he said as tears burned down my cheeks.

If they were dead, what about the others? What was I supposed to do? What happened? How could they be dead?

My eyes shot up to the Nether Royal in front of me. “Take me back. I need to go back. I need to stop this.”

His wings shifted in agitation. “It might be a trap, V. I’ve been weakened by ancient pixie magic. It will take me time to recover, and you’ve used a great deal of your ability already. I can feel its toll on you. Not to mention, our bond—”

“I don’t give a flying fuck!” I screamed, voice hoarse with anguish.

“Those are the people I love, Aram. The. People. I. Love. All of them. Every single fucking one. Either you take me back yourself, or I find a way to get back no matter if it means I go there just to get myself killed, all because our contract wiped my memories. But I’m leaving.

You either come with me or get the fuck out of my way. ”

I started to head toward the wall we’d come through, but he was already following. His frustration barely registered when my rage and grief were nearly destroying me.

I was frantic to find a way back, but I wasn’t even sure where I could go. Did they have portals? Where even were they? How did I get to them?

Cutting me off before I could try to slam my way through the now solid wall, he nodded after a little sigh.

“We’ll first need to find where they are.

I can track one of your Hunters with the map, but I suspect they’re in the space I projected my shadow into that day.

If that’s the case, I can get us there quickly as long as I have you.

I have the means to get us there in seconds. ”

My whole body was shaking with fear and rage, voice quivering. “Okay, well, let’s get moving on it. If she’s ki—” I swallowed around the dreaded word, too afraid to say it out loud. “If it’s what we think, then I’ll need to reverse and freeze time. We’ll have to stop it from happening.”

He led me over to the map as tears continued to track down my face in vicious streams. “It’ll take me a few minutes, but I really should involve my brothers. Perhaps even the pixies, though they’ll be weakened by the dusting they did earlier.”

I rubbed the rune on my throat, barely keeping it together. While I’d been over here cozying up with Aram, they were being attacked. If I’d just gone with Big…