Page 42 of Their Blood Rite

‘Okay. I’ll tell Archie. Remind him that he’s not real and that you imagined seeing him transform from a giant wolf to a man.’

My head spins as I try to find a place for this information to settle in an already buzzing brain.

‘Any words of advice for dealing with him?’ I ask, failing to think of anything else to say.

He laughs deep from his chest. ‘Oh. A lot. The main warning I would offer is to know your limits. Because he sure as hell has no idea what his are. He’s never reached them yet. And never call him Archwin. He hates that name. Start with Archie. See how he likes the sound of it coming from your lips.’

I turn to face him.

‘You can all control me? My actions?’

‘Yes.’

‘I have to obey whatever you say? Anything at all?’

‘Would you like to test it out, Pixie?’

I shake my head. ‘No.’

‘I’ll ask you again. When you tried to run, where were you going?’

‘I…’ I think. I really try to think.

Where would I go? Who would help me? Humans will add my bones to the gates of their village. The covens want me dead.

His hand settles on the scar on my side.

‘This mark belongs to your fiancé.’

‘Ex,’ I correct.

‘What about this one?’ he asks, tapping another scar. ‘Whose mark is this?’

I try to breathe around the lump in my throat.

‘How about this one?’ He gestures to another.

‘Is there a point to this? I know who put every single one where.’

‘Then tell me. I’ll make you if I must.’

I grab his hand and slam it onto one of my scars.

‘Sebastian. He helped teach me to read.’ I put his hand on another mark. ‘Lillian. She helped me the first time I got my period.’ I move it to another. ‘Theon. He was my father’s best friend.’ With a shove, I push him away. ‘I get it. I’m not welcome back home. And if humans find me, you’ll be greeted by my bones at the village gates. I still want to know what the fuck you want with me. I know who you are. I know what you are. If you want blood, you have an endless supply available to you. There are humans contracted to you. If you want a woman to screw, I’m sure there are more willing ones. Unless you like them fighting back and screaming for you to stop because that’s all you will get from me.’ He just holds that smirk, finding my anger amusing. ‘And if you want me to use this vile blood magic I have, then think again. I will not have it consume me and turn me into one of those soulless monsters who tore this world apart.’

‘You will do as commanded.’

I step closer. He doesn’t move, so now we’re entirely nose-to-nose.

‘I will not make myself a monster for you. I will not tear apart the living to get access to my powers. So bite me. Humiliate me. Push my limits. What the hell do I care? I’m already dead no matter what I do.’

I shove him hard. He allows himself to fall back a couple of steps, still fucking laughing.

‘Why am I here?’ I repeat, snarling every single word. ‘What do you want with me?’

‘Everything. I want everything, Pixie. And I’ll get it too. We all will.’ He opens one of the drawers and tosses me something. I catch the material. ‘Get yourself dressed.’

I throw back the pathetic excuse of a dress he’s thrown at me, and it smacks him in the face. He lets it slide to the floor, and his eye twitches as he attempts not to lose his temper.

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