Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 140780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Chapter Nine
I TRIED TO FOCUS ON A million things at once.
Whisper was losing his goddamn mind, Rook was borderline catatonic, and Marcus? He was unbearably smug.
But the only thing my heart focused on was agony.
The Cryolyt pill hadn’t worked nearly as well as I’d hoped. I could still feel pain, even if it wasn’t all-consuming. Could still tell my body was dying, even as it clung to life. Every injury and agony screamed behind a numbing wall of ice, buying me time but not enough.
I was losing control, mentally, physically, emotionally.
Why else had I kissed her?
Why else had I used such valuable time by doing something so stupid?
“Lucien, Lucien, Lucien.” Marcus smiled thinly as if this was some sick reunion. “You really have made a mess.”
Death came closer, ticking down the minutes I’d borrowed from the Grim Reaper. I had no idea how long I had left, but it wasn’t nearly long enough.
The temptation to throw back every pill had me reaching for the silk bag in my pocket and pulling out another two.
“You made it farther than I expected,” Marcus said pleasantly, never taking his eyes off me as I placed both pills on my tongue and swallowed them. “Been saving those for a rainy day, I see.” He chuckled and stuck his hand out from under his umbrella, letting droplets splatter against his fingers. “In more ways than one.”
Ignoring him, I twisted on the ground and planted my hands into the gravel.
I pushed upright.
And groaned as pain cut through my control.
Blood dripped from my chest as I fell back down again.
Marcus’s smirk faltered as I bled—a flicker of fear behind his polished veneer. “Look, you’ve had your fun. You’ve made your point. Let’s go back and—”
“The only way you’ll ever get me back in that place is over my dead body.” I threw him a grin. “And wouldn’t that destroy all your plans.”
Marcus bared his teeth. “Don’t test me, Lucien. You won’t win.”
“Are you so sure about that?” I pushed upright.
Agony flared bright and savage—my vision tunnelling as my leg screamed in protest. I made it halfway before my arms buckled and the world pitched sideways.
Fuck.
Rook dashed to my side. “Let me—”
“Don’t touch me.” I shoved her hand aside, sharper than I meant to. I glanced at Marcus to make sure he saw it. I needed him to believe I hated her. To protect her. To make him believe that the kiss he saw was just lust and nothing more. If he knew I would willingly slit my own throat to stop them from throwing her back into Cinderkeep, Rook would spend the rest of her life as my leash...being tortured just to make me behave.
Baring my teeth, I hissed, “You’ve done enough.”
Rook froze, hurt flashing across her face before her quick intelligence caught up. With a barely noticeable nod, she backed up and kept her distance.
Whisper wasn’t so subtle about his feelings, nudging my shoulder as if he could push me upright, whimpering under his breath as if his feline heart was breaking.
“It’s okay,” I murmured as the panther bashed his head against mine, knocking me off balance as I gathered non-existent strength to stand. “This isn’t over yet.” Using the bike for leverage, I hauled myself upright for the third time.
Death weighed on me like wet concrete, every instinct begging me to collapse and give in. I just gave it the finger and told it to wait because I had far too many lives to take before I lost mine.
Straightening, I drew my shoulders back and kept my face carefully blank. The bitter, fizzy taste of the Cryolyt pills tainted my mouth, and I couldn’t stop myself from stepping in front of Rook, shielding her from Marcus.
“You know.” I locked eyes with the man who’d destroyed my family. “For years, I used to picture this moment. I imagined what I’d say when I finally saw you face to face again.”
Marcus’s smile widened, crow’s feet appearing by his eyes. He looked wiser than when I last saw him but whatever little experiments he was up to with my blood kept him almost ageless. “Oh?” He chuckled. “Go on. I’m listening.”
“Nah.” I shrugged. “I’ll keep it as a surprise. It’ll be more fun that way.”
Marcus just laughed again. “You always did have a dry sense of humour.”
Whisper paced around me, shoulders low and muscles coiled, his claws tearing holes in the wet lawn as he glowered at our unwanted company.
Eight guards and two men dressed in white smocks had appeared from the G-wagons.
I smirked. “I see you’ve brought medical help as well as your guard dogs. How thoughtful.”
Marcus nodded and glanced at the two doctors who looked as if they’d been kidnapped and dragged here. Their eyes wide, hair messy, and both clutching a black case that no doubt held everything they’d need to fix me instead of ever taking me to a hospital.