Page 126 of Vipers and Vendettas

‘Well, come on then,’ he says impatiently.

‘I’ve never done this before,’ I say.

He sighs, looking long-suffering. ‘You come over here and touch my hand, and you give me your magick, you stupid demon!’

I walk over to his desk and slap my hand on his, closing my eyes.

‘I’ve decided that once your babe is born, she will live here as my ward,’ he murmurs casually, watching for my reaction.

I make sure my face stays blank. ‘My lord?’

‘Oh, you’ll be able to see her once a week if you’re good, but she will be under my care. I won’t have my future put in the hands of some rabble demon clan.’

My jaw ticks. ‘Yes, my lord,’ I say sweetly. ‘She will be a lucky slave to have your favor.’

Fuck that.

I was going to wait until I had a real plan, but I can’t. If he’s already changed this part of the agreement, no doubt I’ll find myself back down in the dungeons to live out my pregnancy as well, and not with my mates as we agreed. I might not get another chance to take him down while he’s weak like this before Jellybean is born, and I’m not birthing her here. The High Fae in front of me has to die today.

I begin to pull magick from him, but much more slowly than I did with Toramun, and I get ready to draw it quickly if he notices, but the arrogant fucker just puts his head back and closes his eyes.

‘Yes, she will be lucky, won’t she? You can thank me when you’re finished replenishing me.’

I keep going and watch as he relaxes while I very slowly drain him of his power, amping it up when he gives a soft snore. It’s so simple. So easy. I can see why the succubi were such a threat.

Then, the door bangs, and a guard enters. ‘My lord! A portal has just opened in the square outside!’

Tamadrielle jerks awake, and he takes a deep breath, his eyes snapping to mine. ‘You crafty little bitch,’ he snarls, grabbing me hard and trying to get his hand out from under mine, but I don’t budge; I suck as hard as I can, thinking of Jellybean.

He sways in front of me, but his eyes blaze. ‘Well, don’t just stand there! Stop her!’

The guard rushes at me, his sword pointed right at my belly.

Jellybean!

‘Don’t kill her, you idiot!’

But the warning is too late for the guard. I’m suddenly taller, and the soldier is falling back, blowing a whistle to bring reinforcements as he runs from the room.

I catch sight of my reflection in the window and freeze. Tamadrielle takes his chance and grabs something out of his top drawer. He breaks away from me and totters across the room. But I already know what he’s doing as he puts the link key on the door, and my foot stops it before he can get it open and flee from me.

‘I’ll kill you, you fuckinganimal,’ he snarls as he whirls around to face me. ‘I’ll have your mates murdered in their beds, and you! Once you give birth, I’ll make you watch as I brand your daughter. You will die by my hand, and then I’ll raise her as mine. She will love me, the fae who killed her mother and fathers!’

My clawed hand circles his throat.

‘You’re already dead, Tamadrielle,’ I sneer, ‘and once you’re gone, the rest of the Ten are next! I will thank you, though, my lord. If you hadn’t brought me here, I wouldn’t have any idea of how to take you fuckers down.’

His body begins to flag as I steal the last bits of his magick, drawing the final dregs like the last sip in a teacup.

The library door flies open and bangs into the opposite side of the wall. I tense, ready to fight, though my demon form feels alien to me, and I stumble when I lurch toward the middle of the room to meet Tamadrielle’s men head-on.

But it’s not one of the guards who comes through the door; it’s Jayce. He freezes when he sees me, throwing the bloody sword he’s carrying to the side.

‘You’re even more beautiful in this form,’ he mutters, marching to me and taking me in his arms. He kisses me hard.

‘Are you all right?’ he asks, holding me tightly. ‘The babe?’

‘We’re okay,’ I say, eyeing Tamadrielle, who’s on the floor, slumped against the door.