Page 139 of The Satyr's Guilt
Jarek grinned, his smile breathtaking. “Thatwas only early on.”
“But?”
“The victor had his choice of me or someother companion to fuck.”
Though Lizette hesitated, she asked anyway,her curiosity getting the better of her. “Were all companionsmale?”
“No. We had ample female campfollowers.”
“How did you avenge your enslavement?” Hereyes dropped, but her pulse sped up.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
“Hassem was with General Rashon by the timeI escaped my slavery. They still fought the Ottomans. I stole intocamp one night and injected Hassem with a sleep serum. I hauled himto a cave in France where I had prepped for his torture anddeath.”
Lizette nodded, her fingers trailing alongJarek’s naked chest. “I want the details.”
He withdrew his knife from a sheath at hiswaist, the metal shimmering in the light. “I honed my blade untilit was a razor. I sliced off his genitals. I split him from grointo throat. I slipped this tip just under the skin, careful not tocut into the body cavity. You get the idea. I removed his flesh.After I skinned him and treated his hide, I slept with Hassemagainst my flesh each night as a reminder all who betray me die.”His savage gaze fixed on Lizette.
“What? You expect me to be horrified. I’mnot. Did he scream?”
“Loud.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Good. I want to dothat to Spear. Show me how.”
“No. Doing such to another being willdestroy your soul.”
“My soul wants revenge.”
“No, it doesn’t.” He rested his palm aboveher breast. “Your heart wants revenge.”
“And I want to castrate him before I killhim.”
“I will do that.” Jarek sighed.
“How did you get here?” She waved her handaround, taking in his yurt. “How does a young djinn ex-slaveeventually become a commander in the Scion Firebrands?”
He pointed to the brand on his upper arm.“He gets this mark burned into his flesh. The pain brings a grownmale to his knees. Worse than anything during my enslavement andworse than anything the djinn camp could deal out. Serving is anhonor passed from an ancestor to a descendant. Hence, ScionFirebrands. Like my father before me, I assumed the gauntlet, rosein the ranks, and eventually became commander of this unit.”
“Because you’re the best?”
He laughed again. “Because I’m thedeadliest.”
****
Dante settled into his seat,strapped in, leaned against the headrest, and closed his eyes ashis private jet went wheels up. Memories flooded his thoughts.
By the time he had been summoned, it was toolate. Too late to say goodbye. He had not been phoned when Amelia’slabor began. Officials told him she had eventually been admittedinto hospital once the delivery became difficult. They tried tosave her but couldn’t. The infant lived, but the mother died.
So sorry.
Then hospital attendants informed him thechild was missing. The infant, his granddaughter, had been stolenfrom the nursery by the father.
So sorry.
They assured him their security wastop-notch. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
They were sweating a lawsuit, but hesatisfied them by saying he had no intention of resorting to thecourts. Their sighs of relief were infuriating, but he had moreimportant things on his mind.
