Page 199 of The Soulbond and Her Beloved

“I still need you functional. We’ve got four more ferals waiting, and they’re not exactly known for their patience.” His voice lowered. “You really have no idea what it feels like—when your instincts go unmet. ButIdo. It’s agony.”

Zaiper spat. “You’re a monster…”

Daemonikai looked up from his knotwork, smiling faintly. “Oneyoucreated. You wanted me mad, didn’t you?” He tied the last knot viciously, and Zaiper howled again.

“Oh, Zaiper… if you knew how hard it was to control the kill-and-destroy urge, you'd have mercy on me. But thanks toyou,” he said, straightening with a sigh. “I get to release some of that pent-up energy.” He gestured toward Zaiper’s mangled body. “There. All nice and done.”

The male was nearly unrecognizable now. But Daemonikai couldn’t take full credit—the ferals had torn him apart with claws and teeth. One pair had gone so far as to rip his intestines out, and Daemonikai had personally stuffed them back in before ordering him stitched up. Nice and clean.

He smirked. “What can I say? I’m having fun.”

He crouched again. “Now, let’s try this once more. Where is the dark mage?”

“I—I can’t—”

“Wrong answer. Bring me the battle hammer.”

Zaiper’s head lifted instantly, panic flashing in his blood-crusted eyes. “No, no, no, no,please—”

Hammer handed to Daemonikai, he raised it without hesitation.

“I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you—!”

“Too late,” Daemonikai drawled. “You may tell meafter.”

BANG.

Zapier’s femur shattered.

The scream that followed wasn’t human. It was somethingless. Somethingripped apart from the inside out.

Daemonikai blinked slowly. “Hm.” He struck again.

BANG.

This scream, Daemonikai could not describe, but it was the best music yet. However, it cut off at a high tone…

Zaiper had passed out.

Daemonikai stood, peering down at him, lips thinning. “What sort of alpha passes out under such little pressure?”

He turned to the guards and they shook their heads, disappointed.

Daemonikai clicked his tongue, giving Zaiper’s shattered leg a light kick. “Hey. Get up. You can’t just check out mid-session, it’s rude.”

No response.

“Water,” he said, flicking blood off his fingers.

The door opened, then closed. Moments later, a guard returned with a steaming bucket.

Daemonikai dipped his fingers in, frowning. “Hot, but not scalding. What kind of nonsense is this?”

“I apologize, Your Grace. They’re bringing hotter water. Do you wish to wait?”

Daemonikai didn’t answer. He simply lifted the bucket and poured the contents straight into Zaiper’s ear.

The male jerked violently, coughing up water and blood.

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