Reign of Blood

Chapter Forty

"Isn't this exciting?" Annaliese asked, peering out across the water. "We're going to meet a monarch, Chronos. I hope you don't frown like that in their throne room. It's rude. I know that you're not entirely familiar with appropriate throne room etiquette, but the idea follows that you're supposed to seem endearing to whoever sits on the throne."

"You'd give them your virginity, would you?"

"Chronos, over the last hundred or so years, I've learnt a fair few things about men. Wipe that look of disbelief off of your face. It worked, didn't it?"

"Those men seem to think they'll be fucking you when this is all done with. I wouldn't call that a success."

"Then I suppose they're out of luck, aren't they? I've got a big strong werewolf backing my corner who'll maul anyone who tries." She squeezed his bicep mockingly. "Cheer up brother. We'll be in the Common World before you know it."

He wasn't likely to cheer up anytime soon.

"And what's your plan for when we get to the other side of the water and there's a demon waiting for you to open your legs?"

"I'll have to tell him there's a werewolf with the same expectations." He knew what she was doing. Annaliese was buttering him up to lessen his anger. He was pissed off at the fact it was working. "Cheer up Chronos. Maybe if you get me across the water, I'll give you my virginity."

"If I ever find out who you did give it to, I'll kill them."

"If we're going by that reasoning, I suppose I'll be killing off every woman in the Common World, won't I? You should relax werewolf. Everything will go according to plan."

Side by side, he and Annaliese waited at the harbour for the blonde headed demon, Duncan, to turn up and take them across the water. Said demon was under the impression Annaliese would sleep with him when that task was complete. If he tried anything, Chronos would put him down. He cursed Annaliese out for goading this.

"What's your plan for when we get there, assuming that your demon friend still pushes this? I'm not a threat, remember? Since I'm your brother. What will you do?" He asked her, doing anything to take his mind off of the demon.

Unfortunately, he couldn't kill their escort.

"I'll put the guards to sleep for a bit with magic. Then, we find whoever's in charge. Hopefully, they'll hook us up with a portal jumper and then you and I are out of here."

Something told him things weren't going to be that simple.

Annaliese had the same feeling. Before she'd left Veneficus, Evette had told her to hold on. The future was only going to get harder, but she'd pull through in the end. So far, nothing had felt too hard.

She and Chronos had argued the first night. Since then, they'd reached a point of understanding. Although he was still lying about that little mark on her leg. Other than that, things had gotten flirty between the two of them. And damn it—Annaliese was enjoying herself.

Something bad was going to happen. Somehow, things were going to be made hard.

Her first guess was that something would happen in the palace across the water. Something that would throw them off of their course.

She glanced up at Chronos. He was already looking at her.

"When we reach the Common World," He said. "You and I are going to have a proper talk about the future."

"Okay."

"I want your everything, Annaliese."

Chronos had done a full 180.