Page 103 of Hell Bound

“I think it’s kind of romantic,” Pypentha said wistfully.

It was so absurd that we all turned and stared at her.

She bristled defensively. “No one’s ever threatened to burn down a whole court forme,” she muttered.

Jovran gave me a quick glance, teeth still showing, but Deasley pulled a small rectangular object out of his pocket and flicked a button. A small flame burst to life.

“Don’t worry, babe,” he said, deepening his voice and sliding an arm around her waist. “I’ll burn down all of Hell for you. Even if half of it is naturally on fire, which makes this kind of pointless—”

Pypentha growled, jerking out of his grip and smacking the thing out of his hand. “I was jesting, you insolent pup.”

Even Jovran huffed out a breath that was almost a laugh. The tension diffused even further when my own chuckle escaped.

When Deasley rose from picking up his fire-rectangle, I nodded to him. The young wolf beamed, tucking the thing back in his pocket, but his face grew serious again.

“I’m with the Commander. Asmodeus already has us all cursed—what else can he take from us? We have no dignity. We have no homes, and nothing to call our own. All we have is hope that we can find a way to break the curse.”

I’d never seen Deasley look so fierce as he looked at us all. A strange pride welled up in me for the youngest member of the pack.

“Everything worth something has a price.” His eyes landed on Jovran, and though he shrank a little at the sight of my intimidating second-in-command staring back, he kept going. “Even if I die moments after I gain my freedom… just for those moments, it will be a sacrifice well-spent.”

Pypentha nodded, casting a quick look at Jovran.

“I am a princess,” she announced. Her eyes slid to me. “And you were a prince.”

It was amusing how she phrased it like my title was an afterthought.

“I will not willingly accept my servitude. The pup is right—there is hope for another way.”

The ‘pup’ snorted. “Once I’m free, I think I’ll pursue a career in motivational speaking.”

Pypentha sighed in disgust, waving a hand. “Don’t make me regret agreeing with you.”

I met Jovran’s eyes. “So we’re settled?”

I let the other half of my thought go unspoken:or do we fight for command of the pack again?

A long, tense moment passed, and Jovran finally jerked his head in a nod. “We’re settled. But you should watch your step, Commander, for your life, if no one else’s.”

He walked away, but before he vanished, his voice drifted to us. “The king will eventually lose patience with your games. And when he does, there will be many ‘next times’ for the queen—but none for you.”

* * *

I foundmyself prowling out of pack quarters an hour later, unable to resist the siren’s call that seemed to emanate from Lilith.

I promised myself I wouldn’t initiate anything sexual again—she might not, but I remembered all too well what had happened the last time I gave in to my own desires.

Her own nature betrayed her.

As long as we were here, searching for this nebulous hope of escape, I would remain chaste, even if she begged me to take her.

My wolf disagreed, but I locked those primal emotions away in a cage, dropping them into a deep, dark chasm inside myself.

Somehow, I needed to make the beast understand that if he took her now, we’d lose her again. Maybe then he’d sheath those internal claws he liked to use on me.

I’d just turned the corner to her hall when I saw Lilith’s door open—and Tavila crept out.

I ducked back quickly, peering around the corner.

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