Page 75 of Venomous Kiss

Am I too late?

“Reon.” Her voice is faint and desperate. I hear a loud slap and start moving. When I reach her, I see her on her hands and knees, Soren standing in front of her with his hands wrapped in her hair, holding her up. Her fingers dig into the dirt, and her knees are stuck in mud.

“Let her go,” I demand as I step closer, and he turns to face me.

“She is the chosen one, Reon. You should know better than to ask that of me. Do you want the honors? We know how much you like to claim your kills.” He laughs darkly.

“Reon,” she whimpers my name, and Soren yanks her hair to shut her up.

“You chose this trash over my sister?” he asks, and I can’t help the growl that leaves my chest.

“Yes. Now, remove your fucking hand before I remove it for you.”

Soren still wears his mask, but we all know it’s him. As the Lord, he has an L on his jacket, indicating it’s him. Plus, I would recognise his voice anywhere.

“You would give up everything for her? Is that ass really worth it?”

“Hank is dead,” Arlo says as he approaches, and two others come up behind Soren. I couldn’t care less who they are.

“Did you do this, or did she?” Soren growls. “You killed one of our own?”

“Don’t act like you’re innocent here. You’ve done it before, Soren,” I remind him. Just because not everyone is privy to certain information doesn’t mean I’m not.

“There are rules for a reason, Reon. Leadership and pecking orders for a reason.” He tsks. “You should know better.”

“Rules?” I laugh. “Since when do you follow the rules?” I yell. “Now, remove your hand.” I lift the axe, and his eyes track the movement.

“Even if you were able to strike me, the boys would be on you before you could get away. Do you think you can survive this? You’re outnumbered, five to two. And one of you is already exhausted?” He yanks her hair again, and she yelps.

“I’ll take my chances,” I tell him. “You’ll be my first, though.” I point the axe at him.

“We were brothers once, bonds so thick not even a piece of ass could come between us,” he says.

“But then you changed,” I tell him.

The taste of power made him hungry for more. He’s always been hungry—in life and in this Society.

“You are always right by my side, Reon, or have you forgotten?”

“How could I forget?” I growl. “You make it a point to remind me often enough.”

“Well, I think it’s time we return to the old ways. And we start by removing the trash, beginning with her.” He tugs at her hair again, and she hides her yelp this time.

“I think not.” I step back and look around. “Rules. We all obey them, correct?” I point my axe at everyone standing here. Not all the members are in attendance tonight, but the ones who can’t miss the Hunt—the darkest of them—are here.

Boston, who is in his mid-thirties and standing next to Arlo, nods. He is a detective and a damn good one at that. But he also has an obsession with killing those who get off free for their crimes. Arlo, whom we all know and want to hate, is closest to me. He nods his head as well, and the others follow suit.

“Reon,” one of them says. I think it was Rylas, who is usually quiet and keeps to himself but is a very powerful man. Or it could have been Benji. He keeps to himself, too, but he’s a sick fuck, just like the rest of us. “Kill her,” he says.

“The rules state wives and children are off-limits. That’s the rule.”

“Yes, we know that, so move along and fucking kill the bitch,” Boston says. I turn to see Arlo watching but not saying anything. I pull my mask off and look down at Lilith, who is still on her hands and knees with Soren’s hand twisted in her hair.

“Remove your hand from my wife’s fucking hair. Now.”

TWENTY-EIGHT

LILITH