Page 44 of The Devil of London

“What the fuck are you doing?” Khaos demanded in a sharp, clipped tone.

“Dying,” I replied before sinking deeper into the filthy water. “Go away. I will be ready to bury soon enough, Nasir.”

“Why the hell did you run from me, love?” As if he actually cared. He didn’t. We both knew the truth of it now.

“I was looking for the garbage. You know where you and your beloved fiancée said I belonged?” I snorted, which caused me to wince from the agonizing burn. “Can’t you just come back once the madness has set in? I’d rather not deal with you right now.”

“You just fucking shot me, Aderyn. Do you honestly think I will let it slide?” he growled before removing his suit jacket and then rolling up his sleeves to reveal his sinfully hot tattooed forearms. “Get up. Now.”

Laughing at his order, I sank deeper into the tub. I couldn’t stand up if I tried. I was barely preventing my mouth and nose from becoming submerged in the chilled water. Khaos’s regard slid down my battered frame before he expelled a soft huff of air. He bent and pulled the plug before sliding his arms beneath me, hefting me out of the tub. A soft whimper of agony burst from my parted lips as he pressed his nose against my wildly beating pulse.

“You shouldn’t have run from me, my love.”

“Why? You didn’t want me there anymore than I wished to be there,” I muttered.

“I warned you not to come tonight. You could’ve called ahead and given me a warning. You chose not to do so.”

“I called you. It went to voicemail, asshole. I should have just let the hunters have me. It would’ve been kinder than you’ll be, I’m sure.”

Nasir moved into the bedroom. “Everyone out except Merikh. Secure the perimeter in case those bastards return to finish her.” The men shuffled out the door of my bedroom, exiting without a word. Merikh stood beside it, closing it once the men had left.

Khaos gently placed me on the bed before lowering to a crouch beside me. His fingers danced over the ruined flesh the bolts had shredded. He hissed as one of the black, ugly snakes beneath my skin moved, shooting up my stomach.

“You’ve indeed been poisoned,” he whirred mellifluously.

“Fucking hell, Nasir. Her side,” Merikh stated. Khaos pushed my arm back and flinched when he saw whatever Merikh had pointed out. “If you intend to remedy this, I’d do it quickly.”

Sliding his hand behind my back, Khaos used two fingers to unhook my bra. My eyes slid to Merikh, who was watching me with heat pooling in his frenzied green stare as Khaos pulled back, gently removing my bra as my breathing grew labored.

“What are you doing?” I whispered, feeling excitement and fear growing as the madness hooked its claws into my mind.

“Whatever the fuck I want, brat. You are too far gone from the poison. But you already knew that.” Khaos eased me back onto the bed, which forced a startled cry from my lips. Blood dripped from the wound after being jostled, but when cold air rushed over my body, my nipples pebbled and my fingers twisted into the soft, plush comforter.

“Admittedly, I hate when you die, but I also love the glimpse I get of my bonded mate when you do. I love the fight you put up to remain among the living, darling.” The sound of a blade being unsheathed caused my focus to shift to Merikh, who remained silent at the edge of the bed. “Don’t worry about him. He is here to ensure I do nothing too drastic or something that cannot be undone.”

“Please, Nasir? Just let me die in peace,” I murmured.

“There is no peace for us, Aderyn. You destroyed any chance of that when you fucked with the gods. You ruined us, and now we get to ruin you until the end of your days.” His cryptic words had my nose wrinkled. Khaos hooked his thumbs through my panties, then yanked them off. “Isn’t she so beautiful, asshole?” Khaos’s dark head lowered to my cunt, and he forced his tongue through the slit. I moaned even though I fought to prevent any sound from escaping my lips. “Mmm, sweetest tasting pussy in the world.” His tongue flicked my clit, forcing pleasure to rush to my abdomen in a white ball of fiery need.

“She is divine. But considering who she is, it makes perfect sense for her to taste like heaven even though she fucks like a demon.”

Blinking slowly as Khaos continued tonguing my pussy, I let my head drift to the side so I could see Merikh. How the hell would he know what I tasted like? The asshole would not even kiss me more than a tease of our lips brushing against one another’s! Khaos pushed my thighs farther apart, which had pain rushing through my chest and a cough violently pushing from my lungs. The bullet inched just that much closer to my heart.

“I love the sound of your pain,” Khaos murmured before sitting back, taking in the sight of my pussy being held open for his gaze.

“I’m fucking dying. Go fuck Glamour Barbie and leave me to die in peace, Nasir.”

“You think I want that simple-minded bitch when I have a battle queen?” His words slithered through me and then disappeared into one of the newly-torn rips in my sanity. His feverish breath fanned my naked pussy before he turned his head, biting playfully into my thigh. “Goddamn I love your needy cunt, slut.” Khaos slid his hands under my back, forcing me up despite the pain he knew I was in.

“You motherfucker,” I cried, as agony vibrated through my entire frame. My vision swam as the toxins clawed deeper into my mind. “I want to murder you, bastard.”

“I bet you fucking do.” He laughed coldly. “You did this to us. Your need to fuck with people you held petty grudges against, fucked us all. Now we all suffer because of you, my queen. The best part of it all? You don’t even know why we’re all stuck together for eternity.” Maybe it was the madness, but the rage in his tone made my body heat with lust. From the corner of my eye, I watched him extend his hand and Merikh place the knife into it. I buried my head in the crook of his neck as I ran my hands over the solid muscles of his abdomen.

“I need you to fuck me, Khaos.” I moaned huskily, moving my fingers up his sinewy stomach until my fingers found the bullet hole in his shoulder. Lifting my head, I licked my lips as he watched me through smoldering eyes.

Then I shoved my fingers through the hole and bashed his head before shoving him away from me and rushing past him into the bathroom.

“You fucking bitch!” he bellowed as I slammed the bathroom door closed behind me. My world tilted and my vision exploded in black dots, as I scanned the bathroom for my remaining gun. I found it still in the holster under my discarded top and grabbed it before pressing my back against the wall and leveling the weapon at the door.

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