Page 96 of Caller of Crows
"Hah," Nephariel barked out a laugh, then grinned coldly. "Already there, mortal."
Sven fought the urge to spit in his face.
Nephariel stared Sven down with an expression that sent a chill running through Sven's veins. He reached up, cupping Sven's face gently with one palm. Sven shivered involuntarily. His touch was icy cold and terrifying.
"Altair destroyed me, and I will destroy everything he loves."
Sven jerked back. Fear gripped his insides, turning them to ice.
He tried to pull away but Nephariel wrapped his arms around Sven, pinning him in place against the vampire's chest with one hand firmly on the back of Sven's skull. His fingers dug painfully into Sven's scalp.
Then he pressed his cheek to Sven's, inhaling deeply against his skin. "I won't kill you, boy. I'll drain every drop of blood from your body instead," he promised in a whisper. His breath was cold on Sven's skin, making the hairs on the back of Sven's neck stand up. "And then I will keep you chained in the corner of this cell, where you can watch as I torture your friend over and over until the day your mind finally breaks."
"Let me go," Sven choked out.
Nephariel chuckled. "I'll rip him apart and make you watch. Will you be crying for him? Begging me to put him out of his misery? I won't, of course, his blood is still valuable. But maybe if you ask nicely, I'll rip out his vocal cords, so you don't have to hear his annoying little whimpers anymore."
He squeezed tighter until Sven screamed as another wave of blinding pain radiated from his crushed arm. Tears stung at the corners of his eyes, but he blinked them away. He wasn't going to cry.
He refused to give this monster any more satisfaction.
A loud bang made Nephariel's body jolt against him. Then there was shouting from somewhere outside their cell. Sven looked toward the door to see what was happening but Nephariel tightened his grip on Sven again, forcing him to remain still.
More shouts sounded from beyond their dungeon. Angry roars rang out from above them, and Sven caught several curses, though they were all too muffled for him to make sense of them. Then footsteps rushed down the corridor, louder than any previous noises, getting closer with each second.
Sven's heartbeat increased. He swallowed heavily.
Please don't be more bad news, please don't be more bad news.He held his breath as the noise drew nearer, his nerves tingling with excitement, anticipation.Hope.
Someone burst into their room then, making Sven jump. A pale, dark-haired figure clad in dark leather stood framed in the doorway, his gaze burning with rage.
It was Altair.
Sven's throat constricted painfully. He'd never been happier to see someone in his life.
Except that he looked awful. His skin was blistered and bleeding, and he moved like he was in pain.
What waswrongwith him?
With a sinking feeling, Sven realized that Altair wassunburned.
"Neph," Altair growled, the anger in his voice almost tangible. "Get your fucking hands off my mortal."
Nephariel bared his teeth, revealing his fangs. His hands tightened even more around Sven, to the point where it became painful again. Sven flinched and closed his eyes in reflex, and horror.
He was so fucking glad that Altair had come for him—and from the sounds of fighting going on above them—he hadn't come alone, but what chance did Altair have when he was clearly injured already?
Nephariel was going to tear him apart.
Sven couldn't bear that thought. Couldn't endure the idea that Altair would sacrifice himself to rescue him from the clutches of a sadistic asshole.
All because Sven couldn't stay put in the coven's base.
What if Altair got hurt? Or even killed?
God.
This was his mom saving him from the thornefang all over again.
