Page 115 of The Artist and the Dragon

“A little higher and I might have been felled by my own blade,” he laughed. “How careless of me. Enough talk. It’s time to finish this and move on to bigger prey.” He tossed the blade aside as his fingers lengthened into wicked claws.

“You’ll pay for what you’ve done, you bastard!” Malik roared. For Bronwyn. For Ceridwen. For every innocent he’d hurt and killed.

“Ack.” Lord Griffith reared his head back in a show of disgust. “I do hate that word.”

Malik smirked. “I’ll write it on your grave.”

Griffith’s eyes narrowed.

“What’s careless”—Malik spat the word—“is that you failed to realize one thing about me,cousin.”

Griffith’s eyes gleamed red now. “And what is that?”

“You thought I’d stick to the light, as I always have. Be easy to remove from your path. But you’re wrong.”

The lord’s smile faltered ever so slightly, even as Malik’s curled to satisfying life.

“You’ll find I’ll do any manner of things to protect the woman I love.”

He couldn’t stomach the darkness to protect himself, nor could he do so for revenge. For so many years, he’d feared what he could become, the dark path he might be led down, winding its way into oblivion until he no longer recognized himself and forgot all that he had once valued. But that had changed the moment a strong-willed brunette pointed a fire poker at him. Something had sparked at that moment and burned strong but slow, like one of the deepest embers in a low fire. It heated everything around it, spreading until it consumed him, mind, body, and soul. There was nowhere left in him for darkness to hide. Perhaps that was why it had whispered to him sweetly since he’d consumed the blood. The beast had cracked open its eyes for the first time, reared its head, and now longed to take a look at the world.

There was only one thing—one person—that could tempt him to walk willingly into darkness.

What wouldn’t he do for her?

Nothing.

Not even at the risk of his soul.

Without fear, Malik gave himself over to the beast that roused in the darkness within him.

Chapter 49

Bronwynwhimperedasshetried to push herself up. The arm she’d landed on barked in pain. Her head throbbed. She managed to twist around enough to see Malik and Lord Griffith a few feet away. The latter’s hands were elongating into sharp claws. A shiver stole down her spine.

Malik had said to get away, to hide, but how could he expect her to leave him when he’d come to save her? She’d stayed by his side when they’d faced his father. She wasn’t about to leave him now. It would be impossible to forgive herself if she fled and something happened to him. To say nothing of the other monsters waiting in the stormy night. Unless it was some trick of magic, she’d seen them waiting on the other side of the glass.

Was Drystan coming to their aid as Malik said? If so, would he be quick enough? She believed in her sister’s husband, but there were far too many adversaries for her to trust that would somehow turn the odds in their favor. Even if he had a company of guards with him, she and Malik would still need to hold Lord Griffith here until they arrived. An escape could easily mean Ceridwen’s death. And this man already had too much spilled blood on his hands.

The bloody blade Lord Griffith had held landed several feet away. Her eyes locked on it. She needed that. Anything to defend herself. Without a weapon, she was as good as useless.

Bronwyn scurried over the wreckage of the table to get to the blade. Her fingers wrapped around the hilt just as Malik’s words caught at her awareness. “The woman I love.”

Her heart swelled. He faced down a beast for her. There was no way she’d let him fight alone.

Then, the most unexpected thing happened.

Malik’s body shuddered violently. His head whipped side to side, his limbs twitching as if caught in a seizure.

“Malik!” Bronwyn’s shrill cry cut through the room.

She ran for him as he dropped to all fours, back bending oddly. Clothing ripped. A pained cry tore from his lungs, and his face contorted.

Horror rooted Bronwyn to the spot as understanding dawned on her.

No. No, no, no!

He couldn’t. He didn’t—

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