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.You go too far, and you’ll lose your balls.”Devlin shot Preston a glare.Now we’re getting somewhere.“None of these guys could help me.What makes you think you’ll do any better?” Devlin dared.Brody released Devlin, taking a step back with a cocked brow.Preston glanced at Fallon.“Give me fifteen minutes without interruption, and if he doesn’t make some improvement, you can have my balls.”Fallon crossed her arms over her chest, a scowl on her face, but she nodded, and leaned against the wall.“It better work.I see that look on your face.”He gave her a nod of acknowledgement and stepped toward Devlin with a smirk.“I do love the way Jamie tastes.”Devlin’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and his hands fisted.Other than a new tense posture, he didn’t move.Preston gave him a cruel smile.“I love to spread her legs and lick until she screams my name.”Devlin was standing there, a mask of fury on his face, and then Preston was on his ass, his jaw nearly unhinged from the swing that came out of nowhere.Next thing he knew, he was pinned face down on the ground.That was all it took to bring Devlin’s inner-fighter out.“Sorry, man,” Preston grunted.“Knew that would piss you off enough to fight.”Devlin released him.Preston rolled over.The druid was still ticked.“If you touch her again, I will spin a curse so vile you’ll cut off your own balls.”“Yup, you’re Fallon’s brother all right,” Preston muttered, picking himself up from the floor.“Look, it was the push you needed to stop thinking like a healer, and act like a fighter.Now we know, and more importantly you know, you have the ability.And for the record, Jamie and I are over.I won’t deny I enjoyed my time with her.She clearly loves you.I still care about her, and I will always be her friend, but I won’t ruin what makes her happy.”“Jamie is mine, and I’m not letting her go.”“Good, ‘cause I can’t make her smile the same way you do.” Preston shrugged.“Still, we need to get your ass ready to fight, because I guarantee if you aren’t prepared, the Dales will ruin you once they get what they want.”“I know that better than anyone.” Devlin pushed his fingers through his hair and looked back at his sister.After a deep breath to release the edge of his temper, he told Fallon, “Preston’s right.I needed something to fight for.”Fallon nodded.“I should have thought of that.Though none of us could have pulled that stunt with the same effect.Now, let’s get to work.There’s a lot more ground to cover.”Chapter 18DeMarco strode into the deepest darkest holding cell of what was an old mining shaft newly transformed into the Dales’ temporary base of operations.Home, at least while they had to be in Washington.It was too cold for his taste.He missed the coasts of Italy where he grew up centuries ago.If DeMarco had his way, he’d forget the age of technology and gizmos, and go back to the quiet countryside where his power was greater than anything anyone had seen.He found Sarah, the worthless Shadowstalker who clung to a love she could never salvage, hunched into a ball on the dirty floor.He wanted to beat her, to whip her, until her skin was shredded.Let her precious blood leak until he could put what she most desired in front of her and then watch as she drained his life away before Fallon’s eyes.Fallon would find a way to kill the wretch and he would have one less defiant bitch to worry about.“You still want your precious Brody?” he sneered.She didn’t answer, didn’t even look at him.Her stare was blank.“Will you at least listen to Malachi once he’s released?”Sniffling, she nodded, pink streaks marking the trails her tears took down her pale face.“Of course.I can’t deny my maker.”DeMarco had to wonder.Devlin could likely make a ward to break the compulsion to follow her master’s orders.He wouldn’t put it past the man, who was constantly trying to find a way to improve everyone’s life.Damn meddling druid.He didn’t have time to worry about it.DeMarco turned toward the post which had four Others chained to it.A mage, witch, werewolf and werecat.Once Malachi had his fill, if he saw fit, he could give Sarah his leftovers.The four of them were shackled with some of Devlin’s handiwork.The spells stripped the wearers of their powers, leaving them no better than humans, who couldn’t stand against a vampire, let alone a Shadowstalker.He pulled the golf-ball sized black orb from his pocket and started to cast the air spell his charge acquired from Aeremaius.The fae would sell out his own sister if he thought he could get away with it.If he wasn’t fae royalty, DeMarco would have taken him as one of his combatants centuries ago.He fought dirty, and would do anything to win.As he finished the spell, Malachi drifted out of the orb in a swirl of shadows and reformed.Weak, he immediately crumpled to the floor.His already scarred skin was charred, his clothes crispy rags that clung to his body.Pathetic, hoarse whimpers left his lips as he attempted to orient himself.After months of being trapped in solitude with nothing but gray mist, he was starved, and in pain.“Feed.This is your chance.We have much to do,” DeMarco ordered.Once upon a time, Malachi would have had the upper hand, but it had been years since Fallon left the vampire a burnt shell of his former self.And decades before that, Fallon’s father had given Malachi injuries he never recovered from.More than unmanned, Malachi hadn’t been the same since Declan used a mana-blade to slice his cock from his body.The druid refused to let the Shadowstalker use Moira for his pleasure and sustenance.That was the night they escaped.Growing impatient, he threatened, “Shall I put you back in your prison?”Malachi sprang from the ground, latching onto the werewolf who valiantly attempted to fight against his bonds and Malachi, but he was already weakened.Once the drained corpse fell, Malachi was on to the next victim.His skin started to mend itself, leaving hideous fresh scars on top of the old.Mana-blades did more damage than any other weapon.It was an old, supposedly long-forgotten magic, but Declan knew it and had taught at least one other who passed on the ancient knowledge.None of them would gift DeMarco with his own blade, no matter what was done to them.“Consider feeding your pet, and when you’re done, I need a word with you,” Demarco spat before walking through the door and back up to his chambers.* * * *Jess parked the truck outside the gym.“Sorry I was a bitch about Devlin.I needed to be sure, but I get it.”“Good, because I’m not letting him leave, and I doubt Fallon will either.” Jamie winked and hopped out of the truck [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]