Page 106 of Bonded Chaos

Ryker pressed his forehead to mine, his hand moving through my hair until he found the nape of my neck.

“No one takes you from me, Temptress. Not even the gods. Remember that.”

I watched in awe and slight trepidation as Ryker’s emotions drained from his face, only to be replaced by deadly determination. His shadows bled into the whites of his eyes until only obsidian remained. The black wings that had embraced me earlier sprang free, but there was a distinct lethality to them now. The tips were pointed and sharp, and as he unfurled them to their full span, the surrounding space seemed to darken. It was as though every beam of moonlight had been consumed by his presence.

I took in the sight before me. Ryker was terrifying, yet beautiful.

Instinctively, I stepped back, my heart racing. Ryker tilted his head as he considered me before his gaze fixed on something in the distance.

His lips curled into a snarl, revealing the tips of his elongated fangs. When he spoke, his deep voice vibrated with power.

“Stay behind me,” he commanded. “They’re coming.”

As if on cue, a shrill shriek broke through the silence of the night. An icy wind raced through the branches surrounding me, carrying the faint scent of decay.

Those who could mend bodies or preserve life could always detect the acrid smell of death. After all, we worked hard to deny the God of Death his rightful bounty.

I gripped the hilt of my dagger, its silver blade catching the moonlight that dared to pierce the darkness of the night. The crunch of leaves and the rustle of footsteps surrounded us — a haunting chorus that drifted through the trees, growing louder with every step the enemy took in our direction. I fixed my eyes on the tree line ahead, but I still couldn’t make out anyone approaching.

The clash of steel meeting steel rang out, and I gripped my dagger so tight that my knuckles turned white, almost translucent.

“I won’t let any harm come to you, Cadence,” Ryker murmured, misunderstanding my anticipation for fear.

This moment had been a long time coming.

Ryker stepped forward, his power rippling through the forest as his shadows coiled around him. The tendrils writhed and pulsed, eagerly awaiting his command. He raised his hand, and his shadows surged from his palm. They glided through the night effortlessly, twisting and dancing as they became one with the darkness.

A low hiss sliced through the air, followed by an ear-splitting scream.

I swung my head back in Ryker’s direction, and the cruel smile making its way across his lips left me shivering.

I didn’t get the chance to question what he had done as a dozen of the Wraith Borne charged through the underbrush. One figure lunged for me, his hand swiping at my chest, his blade missing me by mere inches as he tried to end my life.

I twisted out of reach, stumbling over my boots in my haste, but I righted myself before I crashed to the ground. Flicking my wrist as Malesh had taught me, I slashed my dagger at my attacker, grazing his cheek before he jumped back.

I didn’t hesitate as I darted forward and sliced my blade through the air once more. The man blinked in surprise, and I mimicked the action, unsure I could trust what I was seeing. Crimson droplets beaded across the man’s throat like rubies as they danced along his skin. The red substance gleamed under the dim light, and the macabre display was both dazzling and disturbing.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away as I watched the color leach from his face. His ragged breathing was the only sound I could hear as he struggled to fight against the inevitable. My hand moved without my permission, and my fingers slid against the wetness coating his skin. His blood was hot and sticky, and I could smell the metallic tang in the air, intermingled with sweat and fear.

Horrified, I jumped back and hastily wiped my hands against my dress, desperate to rid myself of the slick substance. The man fell to his knees, gravity pulling him to the ground, where he collapsed, unmoving.

As if I had been holding my breath, oxygen filled my lungs so rapidly that it felt as though they might burst. Grunts of pain and cries of terror reached my ears, but they were muted by the buzzing that had started up inside my head.

Shit, was I going to faint?

Tingles broke out all over my body, and a cold sweat quickly followed.

I was definitely going to faint.

I didn’t have time to panic, though, because someone yanked on my hair so hard that black dots marred my vision.

“What do we have here?”

A man leered down at me, and I shook off any lingering dizziness as revulsion took over. Before I could make a move against him, however, I caught sight of Ryker, covered head to foot in blood, as he stared me down.

He was the embodiment of deadly wrath.

His whole body vibrated before dissolving into a swirl of darkness. A moment later, he reformed behind the man in front of me.

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