Page 53 of Their Blood Rite

‘Castle,’ he says.

‘A castle? Really?’ He nods. ‘I’ve never been in a castle before.’

‘I imagine you haven’t done many things, considering you’re a sheltered little mud witch who was promised to the next coven leader.’

‘My name is Ashe. Not mud witch. Not Pixie or anything else you want to call me. Ashe. Can you at least give me that dignity since you have stripped me of all others?’

‘We’re not the ones who tied you up and cut you to ribbons. And we aren’t the ones who wanted to fuck you with a knife as you watched the man you love roughly get balls deep with your bestie.’

My glare deepens.

Prick.

‘Come on, Pixie.’ He leads me out the door, guiding me like a leashed dog. As I trail behind him, I try to snap the chain just as he did. No luck. It might as well be made of solid steel.

Archie leads me down the hall, tugging when I slow, distracted as I try memorising my surroundings. Fixing the locations of the doors. The halls. The stairs leading off this way and that. Everything is stone and metal. A castle, bare and unwelcoming.

‘You were under the bed again,’ he says. ‘Why do you go under there?’ He peers back at me. ‘And what was the sheet over the mirror about?’

I shrug, not interested in telling him shit.

‘I’ll get the underside of my bed cleaned for you when you stay with me. You want a pillow under there, too, Pixie?’

I frown at him, but he’s not mocking me. He’s genuinely asking.

‘A blanket, maybe?’ he adds.

‘I will not be sleeping in your room,dog boy.’

‘Dog boy?’ he laughs. ‘That’s the best you can come up with?’

‘Mutt? Hair ball? Mongrel? Pooch? I have others if you would like to hear them. Seeing as you insist on calling me Pixie and Mud Witch.’

‘I’d prefer you call me…’ He looks at me with a smirk. ‘Master. And you will be spending time in my room, Pixie,’ he replies matter of factly. ‘And you’re a fool if you think Dorian won’t want you as well.’

‘Shaw gave me his word I wouldn’t be raped.’

‘Did I say “when I rape you”?’ he repeats in a deep voice attempting to sound like some ridiculous villain. ‘Or did I say “when you stay in my room with me”?’ He drapes the thin chain over his shoulder and pulls a little, making me stumble after him.

As we walk through this stupidly large castle, I begin to see others. Males mostly. Then, a few females. Then, creatures with scales or feathers. Some have strange markings, and others have abnormally coloured skin. One blue. Another a peculiar grey.

When one of them sniffs me, I pick up my pace and get closer to Archie.

‘What else lives in your castle?’ I ask him.

‘Nothing you want to find yourself alone with.’

Can’t say I disagree.

After a while, we come to a steep set of winding stone stairs that lead down. We follow them further and further until we come to another door. When we step inside, Archie locks the door behind us.

And I’m looking at Dorian and Shaw.

They’re sat with their feet up by a roaring fire. Each holds a goblet of wine and watch me as I stand before them. I quickly scan the room for any idea of what they plan on doing to me next. I spot a long table to the side. Several black squares of silk are draped over whatever lies on its surface.

‘She was under the bed again,’ Archie says, dropping the delicate chain around my neck and going to join the two others.

He takes a goblet of wine left waiting for him and leans against the leather chair Dorian is sitting on. They all look at me, and their dark excitement makes me uneasy.

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