Page 115 of His Mark

Caleb screamed.

It was a horrible sound—raw, slick, wet—his body jerking violently.

I snarled, fighting against the strange bonds that restrained me. The King tilted its head, its forked tongue darting out as if to taste Caleb as he pulled the poor man’s body closer to him.

Caleb somehow kept screaming.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” it murmured.

Its mouth split open, wider than it should have been able to, like a snake unhinging its jaw, rows of sharp, translucent teeth glistening as it lowered its face toward Caleb’s gaping wound.

Then it started to drink.

A revolting, slurping sound echoed through the cavern as the King sucked the blood straight from Caleb’s body, its long tongue curling around the wound, pulling at the torn flesh.

Caleb convulsed, a keen of horror coming from him, his eyes rolling back as the color drained from his face. His body twitched—once, twice—his limbs spasming, and then he went still. A ragged, gurgling gasp left his lips, and then… nothing.

The King sighed, its too-many eyes fluttering closed in sick satisfaction, like it had just tasted something exquisite.

“Better,” it purred, its voice thick with sensual pleasure. “Fresher than the last ones.”

I lost it.

A furious snarl ripped from my throat, my body lunging forward against the restraints, straining for vengeance, my muscles burning, my wolf howling inside my skull.

The bonds held tight.

The creatures around us chittered, their clicking sounds sending shivers of disgust down my spine.

I could hear Rowan panting beside me, his immense black wolf barely contained, his gaze locked on Caleb’s lifeless body. Varek let out a low, vicious curse, blood dripping from his side, wild with rage.

The King licked its lips, wiping its mouth with the back of its pale, elongated hand, unbothered by the fact that we were watching.

“You will all die here, but don’t worry; you’ll be delicious,” it mocked, its voice slithering over my skin like something alive.

I had nothing to say in return.

I feared that it was right.

CHAPTER25

Lia

Pain pulled me from unconsciousness.

Not the sharp kind or the instant burn of a fresh wound, but a deep, aching throb that settled into my bones, making every breath feel like a struggle. My body was heavy, my muscles sore from the fight, from running, from shifting for the first time and pushing myself past limits I hadn’t even known I had.

The air was damp. Cold.

I blinked slowly, my vision swimming as I tried to push myself up. The world tilted, my head pounding, and for a terrifying second, I didn’t remember where I was.

Then it hit me.

The fight. The cave. The swarm.

Silas. Rowan. Varek.

All of them… captured.

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