Page 71 of The Howling
The cliff face opens at our advance, permitting entry, and all the natural light is cut off, to be replaced by flaming torches.
I’m rolled out of the cart unceremoniously, snarling all too quietly as I am roughly handled.
One of the younger Reivers shies away from me while the older ones laugh.
“The Barghest can’t hurt you, Maharg,” a particularly grim Reiver says, bending over me with his crooked body and foul breath.
His claw-like hands grab my muzzle and rag it from side to side.
“See, the wolfsbane in his system makes him like a pup, no risk to anyone.”
He loses his hand in a snap of my jaws. I spit out the disgusting appendage at his feet as he howls in pain.
“Nexsht time it’ll be you’ head,” I slur.
Before I can say anything more, something thumps into my temple and there is only darkness.
But in the darkness, I find my Wynter. She’s just beyond my reach, her arms outstretched, her hands reaching for mine, a smile, the one I love more than anything, on her lips. She calls my name, but I can’t hear her voice.
My mate is so close, and yet I can’t quite get to her, no matter what I do. The longer I try, the more I despair. It would be bad enough not seeing her at all, but with her being so close and yet so far, it is worse.
As bad as having my spirit family, here but not here.
“Wynter!” I call her name, but she only smiles at me. I do everything I can to get my legs, my body to move, but there is no movement.
“Reavely,” she says at last. “Wake up.”
I gasp at the air as light floods my eyes, washing away her image and instead bringing into stark relief the magicallyenhanced features of Lord Soulis. He stands over me with interest in his eyes. I go to lift my arm and find I cannot. I am chained down to the cold stone beneath me.
“Thinking of your mate?” he queries, his eyes trailing down my abdomen.
My cock is solid, as it should be if Wynter is in my thoughts.
“Yes.” My lips struggle with the word as the last of the wolfsbane still sits in my veins.
“She belongs to me now. As do you if you want her to stay alive.”
“No.” It’s hardly even a word. “Wyntermine.”
Lord Soulis throws his head back with a bark of a laugh, his glamour leaving him and instead revealing the true nature the Faerie. A demon, worse than the Reivers we fought in the Night Lands, one faction against another.
“You just don’t know what you had, do you?” he snarls at me. “Neither did that idiot Guyzance, but then you did for him, didn’t you?”
I manage a weak snarl as I continue to fight against the tendrils of wolfsbane curling around my brain.
“But still, having a Barghest under my control will only enhance my power, along with the human, soon to be my wife.”
This time the snarl comes from me like it’s been dredged from the depths. It causes Soulis to laugh again.
“Ah, yes, you wanted to wed her yourself. To break the curse on your family?” He shakes his head. “You were misinformed, Barghest. You cannot lift the curse.”
“Then you cannot have me either. I belong to the Reaper.” I spit out the words, the power of speech finally returning.
I don’t want him to think for a second I will end him for even suggesting he might take Wynter from me. I will be keeping his demise to the very last moment. This Faerie won’t just lose hiswings. I will tear him to pieces and there will not be any return to the Yeavering or anywhere else for him.
Lord Soulis leans in close. I strain at the bonds holding me. He runs a hand over my head, fondling one of my ears as I snap at him, but I still have wolfsbane and his reactions are quicker than the Reivers’. He trails over my shoulder, pausing at the mate mark and then down my abdomen to where my cock lies swollen and heavy.
“Everything I desire belongs to me,” he says with quiet menace. “Nothing can stop what I want, not even death. And I want both you and the female you chose as a mate.”
