Page 80 of Prisoner of Steel and Shadow

Tendrilsof black smoke peeled away from him like angry clouds as he watched his prized possession be mauled like a common back alley whore. His vision grayed at the edges as the darkness claimed him, his true visage trying to break free. It took all his substantial control to retain his grip on his current form, his hands shaking and his jaw ticking from the strain.

To transform now would leave him vessel-less, the dreamer’s body reacting to the sudden outward expansion the same way a balloon too filled with air violently pops. And no one had time to deal with that.

Still, it would serve her right if he destroyed the object of her obsession right before her eyes. If he made her watch as he flayed the flesh from his bones and then tore him into a million tiny pieces before making her eat them. If she wanted him so badly, he’d let her have him. Or perhaps he’d go with something more classic and rip his head from his body and place it on a pike outside her door as a warning. Then again... mummification was always fun. She could keep him propped in the corner of her room as a reminder of what happened when she disobeyed her one true god.

With every malicious thought, more wisps broke free, filling the space with misty darkness. The mist took shape when she came with a muffled shout, the cloud fragments forming two skeletal hands.

No.

The hands curled into fists before dematerializing. He would not make it easy for them. Shadow would never learn if he didn’t make this hurt her every bit as much as it would killhim. So instead he remained concealed in his cloak of shadows, teeth bared in a feral snarl as his nemesis carefully helped his toy place her mask back on.

“You look like a dream in silver, kitten. Too bad it doesn’t hide blood anywhere near as well as black.”

For a heartbeat, Erebos wondered if his control slipped and he’d accidentally lashed out. But then Shadow let out her own soft growl of frustration.

“Dammit, I can’t go back out there like this.”

“Perhaps I can escort you to your rooms so you may change.”

Her voice turned mocking, but there was a flirtatious edge Erebos didn’t recall her ever aiming his way. “Do you honestly believe I have a spare ball gown just hanging about my closet?”

Oh, the ways I am going to make you pay for this, Shadow mine. I thought you had learned your lesson. Apparently I will have to be more thorough this time.

“Perhaps not of this caliber, but certainly there’s something you can use for the occasion.”

“You just want to get me alone so you can have your way with me again.”

“We’re alone right now. If that was true, I wouldn’t need to take you anywhere.”

“I suppose that’s true...” The rustle of fabric told himexactlywhat had interrupted her flow of words. As did the breathlessness of her reply when she spoke next. “Tell me the real reason you want to go upstairs, and I’ll take you.”

His Shadow may be a faithless whore, but she was clever. Even after succumbing to her lust, she still managed to sniff out the bastard’s ulterior motive as easily as a bloodhound. There was a reason she was the queen. Or that she used to be, anyway.

“It’s the only way to complete the second part of my task. But I won’t lie, kitten. Getting you near a bed is reason enough.”

She laughed, a low husky chuckle that had a man’s blood rushing south. “Fine. Follow me, but if we get caught, don’t act the hero. I can take care of myself.”

You just keep piling on the sins, don’t you, Moonbeam? Does your betrayal know no end? It’s like you want me to punish you.

Erebos took a few steps back, even though there was no way the lovers would see him unless he wanted them to. The darkness could hide all manner of secrets, but never from him. He saw every detail, and his veins burned with jealous rage at the well-loved state of his toy. Her lips were swollen, skin flushed, hair mussed. She’d been a fucking goddess when he’d brought her down here tonight, but now she was ruined. Defiled by a common piece of filth.

And it wasn’t the spray of blood splashed down the side of her skirt he was referring to. That macabre accent simply served to further accentuate how perfect she was. A warrior queen who only accepted payment in the form of blood.

No, he referred to the invisible stains left all over her skin by that cretin.

How dare the worm reach so far above his station? How dare a mere mortal play at being a god?

Erebos watched them move slowly away from him, their soft voices only stoking the flames of insanity he was lost in. As a plan took shape, his temper coalesced into dark satisfaction.

A low, sinister chuckle rolled out like thunder. “Oh yes... that will do nicely.”

Not only would he get what he wanted, he’d take out one of Luna’s precious children in the process, and his Shadow would finally learn a very valuable lesson.

She belonged to him.

And Death did not share.

CHAPTER24

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