Eyes Of Crimson : Vampire Paranormal Romance (Transfusion Saga Book 8) Page 2

  The witch had got to him.

  She had done something to him, forced his demon to the surface and right now, one thing became obvious the second he spoke,

  It was a demon that didn’t like me.

  Which is when I realised, there was always time for another ‘oh shit’ moment, and here it was, something that finally sank in the second he snarled down at me,

  “Found at last, my little human.”

  2

  Eyes of Crimson

  The moment I found myself in this dangerous grasp, with a King I clearly didn’t know anymore at my back, my eyes couldn’t help but search out the only light in the room in what felt like an abyss of darkness.

  Trice.

  I hated myself for needing, in that moment, the comfort of a life that cared. The one person who gave a shit about my fate, as it was clear that the person who should have felt this way, now currently had my life firmly in his grasp. Because he wasn’t being gentle with me, not by a long shot. Or was it just being made worse because this wasn’t exactly the first time today I had found myself in this position with a demon’s hands around my neck?

  However, the moment I found Trice in the crowd, I saw that his intense gaze was locked on me and he looked so torn, I was almost worried that he would do something suicidal and challenge Lucius. So, I couldn’t help but mouth silently at him,

  ‘I’m okay.’

  Of course, Lucius could feel this, seeing where his hand was placed, and I felt him press harder against me from behind as he looked down at my face. He then looked back up to see where my eyes had been before I was smart enough to lower them. The snarl of anger was felt penetrating through my body as it made his chest rumble. Which was when I couldn’t help but whisper my first plea, one I had a feeling was going to be the first of many, with this tyrant King at my back,

  “Please”

  “At least you haven’t lost the ability to please me, in both sight and sound,” he growled low, now running a hand first across my belly and then up to my breasts. Breasts that were not only now covered in the sheer material of my dress but also being cupped by a hand of metal…a decisive move, where he was most definitely staking his claim.

  “Behold at last, my troublesome little Mortal has been returned to me!” Lucius’ booming demonic voice echoed out throughout the throne room and I couldn’t help but notice that Trice grimaced before turning his head away in annoyance at his King’s announcement. Meanwhile I flinched at the sound making Lucius grumble down at me,

  “Easy, my Pet, for you won’t get away from me quite so easily next time.” I frowned wondering what he meant by this. Did he have a totally different memory as to what had happened between us in the Temple? Exactly what memories had the witch planted in his mind?

  “And to ensure such, time for your leash once more, my little Mortal Pet,” Lucius stated making me frown in question, which ended in wide eyes when his hand came to the front of me. This was when I saw the true nature of that statement was as literal as his words. Because the armour on his right hand started to turn from solid to a thick, oily liquid that dripped down from his fingers. It flowed from his fingertips in long streams that clung there, hanging like a rope and increasing in both length and thickness as more of his armour liquified adding to it. Then when it reached just an inch from the floor, it started to take shape, starting at the bottom as if it was being poured into an invisible mould.

  This happened quickly and before long I could see a length of metal links that made up a chain of the likes I had never seen before. Its links looked more like that of a black metal spine that once belonged to some human sized fish, with each bone shaped section ending either side with hooks. Wicked looking spikes, which thankfully were curled inwards, so I assumed were not to cause damage to his ‘Mortal Pet’. This was my hope anyway.

  But it was little wonder why the very thought of it had me narrowing my eyes in outrage and this even more so when I was suddenly spun around to face him. Because finding him now holding out the last part of my leash in his hand, I could see what was attached to the end of it, this being of course...the collar. I could also see for myself now where the creation of it had been born from as the two shoulder pieces of his armour was what he chose to sacrifice to make it. Not his gauntlet like I first assumed, seeing as his hand had been bare when making it.

  I became startlingly aware of his face staring down at me, when I felt the side of his talons raising my chin up so as I was forced to look in the cold eyes of my new Master. This was when he warned in a dark and dangerous tone,

  “Cast your scowl elsewhere, Pet, before you receive your punishment for escaping me in front of an audience, instead of behind closed doors like I intend!” he snapped making my eyes widen in shock before I could hold back my secondary reaction when my scowl deepened. I also opened my mouth ready to tell him to go fuck himself when something in his eyes quickly stopped me. It was a flash of emotion that gave way for only a second to the grey blue beneath the blood, and in that moment, I couldn’t help but feel as if he may have been communicating something deeper with me.

  Besides, even if I had been seeing what I wanted to see and that fleeting moment between us had been nothing but foolish hope, then did I really want to see how far this version of Lucius would go? How far he would go to enslave me in front of his people, all for the sake of throwing sass and saving the face of my ego? The answer was no, I was not that stupid. So, I did as he said and lowered my gaze submissively, despite how hard that was to do, as inside my blood was boiling in rage.

  “Good to know all my training was not lost in my absence,” he said making me want to growl back at him, but I bit my lip to stop myself, something I think he knew as the bastard chuckled. Then I felt the cool, smooth metal as it was about to be placed around my neck, but something unexpected happened as he paused.

  Then that was when I heard it…

  A very angry demonic growl.

  It was such a dangerous sound, that I couldn’t help but flinch. Especially when it was joined by the grip he suddenly took hold on my chin as he lifted my face up to inspect it. This time when my eyes met his, they weren’t scowling, but asking him a silent question. It was one however he answered without being prompted to do so by me, as his gaze was solely on my neck. A gaze that hardened in anger, with the ring of metal he had been about to place there, now hanging, at the ready in his grasp, the coil of the spine leash curled on the floor like a skeletal snake.

  Then I felt his bare thumb run the length of my neck where he must have purposely made his gauntleted glove seep back, doing so to allow for a gentler touch. Something that he didn’t know yet, but the hope this gesture gave me, felt like a lifeline.

  “You’re hurt, my little Šemšā?” This was said so quietly I swear I almost questioned it even being real, or whether my mind had simply conjured it up for the sake of my sanity. At the same time realisation flickered in his gaze as if he had just remembered something and again anger quickly took its place. Because this was when the comfort of both his touch and his words, came crashing down the second he spoke again, as if masking the soft words spoken before it,

  “WHO DARES TOUCH WHAT BELONGS TO ME!” Lucius suddenly roared after first looking up over my head, something easily achieved due to the added height of his demon form. The room beyond instantly stilled and not even the sound of breathing could be heard, which was testament alone to how much his people obviously feared him. I started to turn around so I could see the moment I heard footsteps approach, but Lucius quickly put a stop to this, as he grasped my side and snarled down at me,

  “No, you will stay where you are and keep your eyes where I want them, at my feet.” I swallowed hard, hating receiving the harsh lash of his words. However, despite my bitter feelings, I did as I was told and continued to look down as I felt the man approach.

  “As I said, the prison warden is awaiting your sentence, Šeš.” He answered Lucius and I wondered at the name he had used for him
or if it had been a name at all. As for the man, well, I still didn’t know who he was, but at the very least, I recognised the voice as the one that I had believed was the King when first arriving here. The one who had wanted to see me executed.

  Lucius growled at this and when I was certain he had turned his head I braved a glance up at the fake King. Which begged the question…who was he to Lucius? Was he some kind of stand in for Lucius for the time he spent topside? In fact, I was almost sure I had heard him mention how someone ruled in his place.

  “BRING HIM TO ME!” Lucius roared suddenly, jerking me from my thoughts as the thunderous sound echoed throughout what could have been his entire kingdom. I could just imagine that the wave of fearful, demonic faces travelled much further than the ones in this room, as I wasn’t the only one holding myself ridgid. Because, like them, I knew precisely what was about to happen and well, I didn’t exactly relish the sight of an execution, despite the demon’s crimes against me.

  The only commotion in the vast space came from the guards as they dragged in the prisoner at the ready, I had a feeling he was about to lose a lot more than the cock I had teased Trice in saying I had rid him of. I knew when Lucius growled low and menacing, that without looking he was being dragged closer. Of course, it was also obvious by the sound of the demon begging for his life, doing so now by trying to twist the story to his advantage.

  “Lies, it’s all fucking lies! The bitch was trying to escape, wanting me to fuck her before she attacked me!” I sucked in a breath, raised my head up and opened my mouth about to defend myself when I felt pressure on my lips stopping me.

  “You don’t have to speak…for his memories will speak the truth for him…and I warn you, my Pet…he’d better be fucking wrong,” Lucius warned on another growl. Then, even against his wishes, I couldn’t help but raise my head in defiance before I stated firmly,

  “He is.” This was said despite the metal thumb against my lips. Lucius’ eyes sparked a brighter glow of crimson before he grabbed the back of my neck. Then he suddenly pulled my face closer to his own as he dipped his head, telling me from only an inch away,

  “Then your reward will be that of an easier punishment,” he told me, and I opened my mouth to speak. But thankfully I stopped the bite of my reply just in time when he raised a brow, doing so as if silently daring me to dare to push him. Then he got even closer to me and pushed me instead,

  “I believe this is where you show your thanks and respect to your Master’s generosity.” I swear I was close to growling back at him and he knew it as I gritted my teeth and said,

  “Thank you, Master.” His grin was pure evil and that of a demonic sadist. I couldn’t help but ask myself where my Lucius had gone. The one who softly played with my hair until I fell asleep in his arms. The one who indulged my geeky and admittedly, often childish hobbies when playing with Lego and such. The man who made a fuss of my cooking and danced with me as though I was the only person in a room full of hundreds. The man who picked our song, one called ‘In case you didn’t know’ as a way to let me know just how much he cared about me. And the man who took care of me when I got drunk and playfully teased me about it in a sweet way the next morning. This man, the one who now looked lost to his demon, who had told me he loved me and called me his little Šemšā, his Khuba…

  His little sun and his love.

  Where had he gone?

  “She still pleases me,” he muttered with that grin still in place as if talking to himself. I couldn’t help it, but his words made me close my eyes and turn my face away, making him grab my chin in a rough hold and warn,

  “Although that can change, and you would do well remembering that!” he snapped before turning to the man at his side and telling him,

  “Rape him of his memories,” Lucius ordered all the while still with his grip on my chin, making me flinch in his hold at the crude word he used, making me hate the sound of it coming from his lips. I swear, I was close to tasting bile, that, or blood from biting the inside of my cheek so hard. Something I did just to stop myself from doing something stupid like openly challenging him.

  Then the second he let go of me, I couldn’t help but turn my face away, closing my eyes again. Something that thankfully, this time he gave me. However, I knew this was only because he had set his angry sights on someone else. The only grace this gave me was that I finally had some breathing space, even if it was only by him taking a step away from me. I just needed to think, and being so close to him like this, being dominated in this way was driving me closer and closer to panic. A useless emotion that I knew wouldn’t help me in the slightest right now.

  So, I took a deep and calming breath before I braved a look to my side, doing so in time to see Lucius grant a silent order with a nod of his head. This was before the roars of pain started. I couldn’t help myself but look, doing so to find the back of the man I had assumed to be King now stood in front of him. He did so with two of the King’s personal red guards holding the demon between them, fighting to hold him still.

  The jailor’s light grey skin now looked even paler, with his hard rock like flesh looking more like crumbling ash. Whatever Lucius’ high-ranking subject was doing to him, it looked to be nearly killing him. His hand was in front of the demon’s face, obviously with no contact needed other than the inch between them. The hand of what currently looked like a sorcerer, as I could just about see the streams of difference in the air, like when you see the haze of heat blurring the landscape ahead.

  Whatever he was doing, the demon soon stopped roaring in pain, and became more like someone lured into a trance or zombie like state of mind. One controlled by a new puppet master, only instead of strings pulling at his limbs, they were pulling at his mind. This was obviously how the man was extracting that part of the demon’s memories and I had to wonder, was he stealing them completely or just accessing them?

  My answer came shortly after but not before I witnessed a reaction I had not expected, as the moment the man broke contact with the demon, he burst out laughing. I had positioned myself to try and not make it too obvious that I was looking, able only to do so by the higher advantage on the raised throne area. One I had when glancing down over my shoulder at them.

  “Well, your little Mortal can certainly be called resourceful if nothing else,” the man said still with humour lacing his words, and it didn’t take a genius to know where that humour came from, not considering how I had managed to survive the attack. Hell, even without a bedpan in hand to repeatedly hit over the head with, there were too many things to count about that fight that someone would have found funny when looking back.

  The demon slumped forward, obviously unconscious for the moment and only prevented from being sprawled out across the floor by the two guards that still had hold of him. I felt Lucius’ eyes come back to me and he simply nodded to the floor, as a way to remind me where he wanted my gaze. Then he simply growled out another order, only this time, it wasn’t one aimed at me.

  “Show me!” The snarl of his words had me doubting that Lucius would find what happened quite as amusing as his subject did. This thought had me sneaking another glance to see how it would work, and doing so just in time to see Lucius as he reached out and grabbed his subject behind the back of his neck. This brought him a stumbled step towards his King, and once secured in his rough hold, they both closed their eyes.

  It was in this moment that a silent sigh of relief slipped through my lips, as for the first time it looked as if my Lucius was back in the same room as me. Well, even more so if it hadn’t been for the inky veins shadowing his features and the massive body of armour, of course. But there was just something about Lucius closing his eyes that gave him a more human quality. Almost a vulnerable side that was never seen when he was awake. Although, that was before Hell, as at the moment then the word vulnerable was the very last one I would have used to describe such a being.

  No, Lucius right now was as hard as stone with, unfortunately, what looked to h
ave a heart to match, and a sheer will that could bend iron. But whilst he was busy looking into the memories of what happened in the cell, I chanced a quick glance at Trice. I knew I shouldn’t, but in my weakness I couldn’t help but find his intense eyes staring back into my own. I also couldn’t help but wince when I saw the pain there, pain combined with a rage that was only just being kept in check. This was why I felt the need to do anything in my power to stop him making a grave mistake…emphasis on the word grave.

  ‘I’m okay,’ I said silently, mouthing the words I knew he could read from my lips when he frowned before turning his face away. He also added to this with a look of disappointment before closing his eyes as if he couldn’t stand to see me being treated this way…but if only he knew. Should I have told him the truth…should I have told him everything? Maybe now seeing this he would have understood it all a little better, or maybe it would have only made it worse. I didn’t know and the hopelessness I felt at the unknown was eating away at me. I just wanted it all to be over and to find Lucius alone so I could discover the truth of what my future held with him. But as for right now, well, it simply felt like I didn’t know him.

  Not. At. All.

  A sinister and dangerous growl was all I needed to warn me that it was over, and Lucius had seen all he had needed to. I knew this when my quick glance showed Lucius’ furious steps taking him directly down to the jailor. Then he grabbed him by his left horn, using it to lift his head up enough to swiftly knee him in the face. I quickly discovered this wasn’t effective enough to do damage but that it was only done as a means to wake him up. Clearly, Lucius wanted him conscious for this next part, but then it wasn’t all he wanted as his next order was aimed at me,

  “Turn around my Mortal and watch the hand of death claim what you were unable to do,” he said just as the jailor started to shake his head, now coming around from his unconscious state quickly. As for me, I did as he said after releasing a deep sigh, knowing that there was no getting away from it or the sight of Lucius’ brutal revenge. And when I did, the demon shot a look at me and then to the sight of his angry, tyrant King looming over him like death uncloaked. Unsurprisingly, he started struggling to get away.