Page 73 of Their Blood Rite

When I open the door, the most delicious smell greets me.

Cooked pork, roasted potatoes, baked berries with pastry and sugar.

I look at the three warlord immortals and am left utterly stunned.

Dorian has flour over his cheek and hair. His grey shirt is stained with red. At first, I think it’s blood, but on closer inspection, I see it’s a mixture of crushed berries.

Shaw has a tray of roasted vegetables in his hand. Half of which have fallen to the floor. He’s utterly dishevelled, and behind him is a pile of burnt potatoes.

Archie is in the middle of placing a sprig of rosemary on a perfectly roasted pork joint.

And all three look at me.

No words come to mind. The entire kitchen looks like it’s been ransacked. Ingredients cover the floor, surfaces and even the walls.

‘What are you doing?’ I ask, stepping inside, my foot crushing a rogue carrot. ‘I thought you didn’t eat food.’

‘No. But you do,’ Archie beams, proudly gesturing to the perfectly prepared meat on the table. ‘Surprise.’

‘You… you cooked… for me?’

‘Well.Idid.’ Archie chuckles and looks at Dorian and Ronan. ‘Not sure what those two are doing.’

‘I made a red berry pie,’ Dorian replies indignantly, gesturing to what I think is supposed to be a baked latticed pie. It’s a little burnt on one side, the filling has spilled out, and the lattice is a twisted mess. But the cooked sugar and sweet filling has my mouth watering.

Then I look at Shaw.

‘I dropped the tray,’ he says, sadly looking at the fallen vegetables. ‘Saved as many as I could. You like parsnips?’

‘I’ve never had parsnips,’ I reply, still stunned. Behind him, black smoke starts coming from the oven. ‘Erm. I think something’s burning.’

Dorian rushes over and rescues… I have no idea what.

‘Forgot about the bread,’ he grumbles, dropping the charcoal mess on the table. ‘Sorry, Poppet.’

I choose to ignore his ridiculous nickname. Nothing else seems to register with me anyway.

‘Youallcooked for me?’ I repeat, the words not quite making sense.

Archie pulls out a chair, brushes off the flour and carrot peel, and gestures for me to sit.

‘I don’t get it,’ I say.

‘What’s not to get?’ Archie asks. ‘It’s food. You eat it.’

‘Butyoudon’t. Why have you done this?’

‘It was Archie’s idea,’ Dorian says. ‘And he wouldn’t shut up until we agreed.’

Archie walks over and stops close, looking down at me. I tense, watching his hands, preparing to be grabbed or something. He notices me staring and makes a point of cupping his hands behind his back.

‘We haven’t gotten off to the best start,’ he says.

My brow raises. No fucking shit we haven’t.

‘Yeah, you’ve kidnapped me and have a chain around my neck.’

‘But in the grand scheme of things, you’re much better off here than back where we found you.’ His gaze scans my body, and I know he’s seeing the marks beneath the clothes. The proof of the beatings, hidden by the glamour. ‘And we are much better off with you and your blood here with us. A fresh start, yes? Holy fuck. I’m sorry, but do you have a fucking snake wrapped around your arm?’ he asks, pointing at precisely that. ‘She does.’ He turns to Shaw. ‘She has a mother fucking snake wrapped around her arm!’

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