Page 174 of Between Soul and Vessel
Blood for blood.
Thinking of that happening to Sage, of her choice being stripped away and that fucker forcing himself on her after he drugged her—it made me wish Aurelius was alive so I could cut his cock off and force it down his throat. It made me want to hunt down every rapist, end their miserable existences, and lay their corpses at my mate’s feet in offering.
But most importantly, I would find Sage first. Because in all of this,she was who mattered the most.Not my anger or need for revenge.Her.
I would take her in my arms and tell her howstrongshe was, how strong shecontinuedto be.
I would tell her how proud I was of her forfighting.
How proud I was of her forsurviving.
She was awarrior.
Although she might not have physical scars to show for the battle she had endured, I saw her hidden wounds. I would do everything within my power to comfort her, to take care of her.
Tears stabbed at my eyes. I blinked them away.
Urgency filled me—I needed to get to her.
SAGE!I roared her name through the bond.
Silence was my only reply.
Fuck. FUCK!
I tried to clench my fists, tried to do something—anything—but my body would not comply.
Folkoln could, though.
FOLKOLN!I shouted down the line linking our thoughts.
Nothing.
“I wonder—” The imposter looked at her hand then used a finger to hook the neckline of her tunic. She pulled the shirt open, looking down at her breasts. “When I get my body back, perhaps the empress will let me have some fun with Sage.” She looked back up at me and licked her lips. “Rumor has it, she tastes like apples.”
That was when I realized who was standing before me.
“I’m going to destroy you, Nicholas,” I promised him, my words slurred.
“Eh, probably not before Aurelius and I destroy her first.” Nicholas grinned. “In every way you can imagine.”
Internally, I roared, but externally, my eyelids were beginning to close. I tried to fight them, warring with the poison, a raging tempest dragging me under.
He smacked my cheek. “Wait, wait, before you go night-night, I have one last thing to tell you.” He leaned in, whispering in my ear, “Did you know you have a son?”
A . . . son?
I fought to keep my eyes open. I fought so damn hard.
The poison was just too strong.
Nicholas pulled back, but it was Sage’s smiling face that followed me into the darkness.
Sage
“Aurelius,” I snarled at the lie standing before me.
Every cell within my body blared in warning, my flight-or-fight instincts screaming at me, demanding I do something. But I wouldn’t run, no. I wouldn’t turn my back on the vulture wearing my husband’s hide, which meant I needed to fight. I just needed to find the opportune moment to strike.
