Page 44 of V for Vilified
His hand was in his hair as he released an unamused chuckle. “Wow, mate, what you must think of me. But yes, still alive. I won’t do anything that will risk my maus’s anger.”
One of my eyebrows rose in taunting. “Oh? Funny, that, because I’d argue that’s all you’ve done since meeting her.”
Finally, a smirk. “You’re an ass, but…yeah, I deserve that. It’s why I can’t do it this time. I have to be that good guy she’s always claimed I was.”
I breathed a short sigh of relief. “Good, because I would’ve kicked your ass myself if you didn’t get your bleeding shit together.”
He stared out the window, thoughts somewhere else. “Don’t I know it. It didn’t take much convincing to get that woman to divulge her brother’s secrets with him gone and a promise to keep her safe with the other Hunters, but it was all theories she had rather than facts. Guess even his sister wasn’t privy to the bigger stuff. Took me the last week to follow up, but as it turns out, her theories weren’t far off the truth. Lux is a real piece of fucking work.”
“Brother?”
“Doesn’t matter. Are you going to keep stalling or get your ass in the car so we can go get our girl back?” Phillip demanded,stomping out the door. With a careless toss, he threw my bag into the back of his car with a number of bags he’d already brought with him.
“How are we meant to find her even if we can portal to that realm? It’s a whole other world, Phillip. With magic, no less. Neither of us has been there. How are we supposed to locate her?”
Phillip unsheathed his sword. “Our wits, mate. Well, and Blood Slayer.”
I crossed my arms and stared at his favorite weapon. “Thought it only responded to you.”
“Ah, right. I forgot you were mugged off around that time and probably not paying attention to anything but your bleeding heart. You were so pouty and sour, mate.”
I glowered at him, unamused.
He went on like I hadn’t. “It used to only respond to me until she was taken and saved Lux’s sister in the process.” The blade flashed under the sunlight. “It’ll find her once we’re in the same realm.”
“It’s made more than one connection?” I asked in disbelief. “Has that ever happened before?”
“Not that I’ve been told, no.” He wore a proud grin, chest puffed out like I’d lavished the bloke with compliments. “Our Liebling is truly something, yeah? Blood Slayer is as much hers as it is mine.”
The scientist in me wanted to know more, but then another thought struck. “So, you never needed that bloody tracking ring.”
His smug grin would normally annoy me, but I was just glad he was back to his usual antics. “I mean, the ring’s tracking is a bit easier to control and doesn’t require me to tune into it the entire time, but no. Sorry, mate. Bothered you, did it?”
I rolled my eyes and sighed. “It was childish and unimaginative. Of all the things, that was what you chose to focus your efforts on—making your mark on her stronger than mine.”
Laughing, he sheathed his sword and put it in the backseat. “I’m a different person around my maus.” He shrugged unapologetically. “But what a treat, the Great Unbothered Sloan annoyed by a ring.”
“You’re a smarmy bastard.”
“Right back at you, mate. So, are we going to keep standing here squabbling like a pair of monkeys, or are we going to find our feisty Hunter?”
“Let’s go get our darling back.” I got into the front seat and felt the first glimmer of hope since V had vanished.
Chapter 18
God of the Realm
Little hybrid? That was what Aram called me. Guess the devil came a-knockin’. Fuck my life. And my power didn’t work on him. Fantastic. He’d found me in frozen time like Serine managed to. Lyra got it wrong. My luck, or lack thereof, was really kicking my ass lately.
Villain was the new trending look, and fuck was it gorgeous. Like he’d stepped right out of an anime film, his cloak fluttered around him without wind or reason. Aram was prettier than I’d like for an enemy. Totally Kate’s type of you-better-fucking-not. A real menace on a hottie-addicted heart.
Long silver-white hair, staggering red eyes, and a powerful body even the armor he wore couldn’t conceal was a staggering sight in front of me. And this bro was absolutely massive. Easily the biggest fucking dude I’d ever seen. Bigger than Big. Bigger than the monsters in my nightmares, and he had fucking wings to add insult to injury.
Now the whole God of the Realm name made more sense. Because that was exactly the word that floated across my mindwhen he appeared out of thin air, postured like a king without a crown. The authority he put out with a single glance was stifling.
When I finally tore my eyes away from him, I found the Trickster bastard dead on the ground. Though I hadn’t seen what killed him, I somehow knew it was Aram. His human slave was off her leash and free, still paused by my power in a stumble.
I stared at the scene in confusion.
