Beyond His Evil

FIFTY-FOUR.

My body hurt.

Not one place. Everywhere. Like something inside me had been damaged and my body couldn’t recover from it.
My head rang constantly, sharp and loud, and it made it hard to think.

I could hear voices. They were close but not clear. I groaned, and for a second everything went quiet.

Then—

“She’s awake.”

“She’s awake.”

“The healer is awake.”

My eyes slowly opened.

I was still chained to the ceiling.

The chains were tight around my wrists, pulling my arms high above my head. My shoulders burned. My hands were numb. My legs ached.

There were five vampires in the room, and a face I would always remember till I took my last breath.

Rya.

She looked away as soon as her eyes met mine. Everything rushed back at once. The deaths of Cal and Kate. The pain. The rage. My chest tightened and I struggled against the chains on instinct, even though my body screamed in protest.

“I would stop that if I were you,” a deep voice said.

I froze.

My eyes met his hollow ones. I had imagined him so many times, but standing in front of me now, none of those imaginings came close to what Zethar actually looked like.

In human years, he looked to be in his early thirties, but I knew he had to be hundreds of years old. He was tall, muscular, and terrifyingly calm.
He didn’t need to introduce himself. I knew exactly who he was. I knew exactly what he wanted to use me for.

“You can kill me now, Zethar,” I said. My throat was dry, and talking hurt. “Because I will never willingly help you. And I don’t have the powers to.”

He smiled slowly, his fangs flashing.
“Why would I ever hurt you,” he said, “mate?”

My brows furrowed at the word.

A vampire bites to feed or to kill. But sometimes, they bite to claim.
When that happens, a bond is formed between the vampire and the one bitten. They become mates.
The stronger the one bitten, the stronger the bond.
A bond with a human is weak. It never lasts.
A bond with a hunter is stronger, but it still fades after a few weeks.
For higher hunters, the only thing that can break a vampire bond is death.

Those were the village head’s exact words, spoken one night around the bonfire.

A mate?

He tilted his head slightly, his brows lifting as if genuinely surprised.
“Devon didn’t tell you you’re mine?”

“I will never be yours,” I growled.

His eyes moved to the side of my neck, then returned to my face.
“My mark says otherwise, Kira.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I spat.

He turned his head slightly, “Bring her a mirror.”

One of the female vampires moved so fast I barely registered it. A second later, a mirror was held up in front of me.

Two puncture marks stared back at me.

My breathing broke. “What have you done to me?”

He chuckled. “Not all dreams are dreams, my beloved.”

Something cold settled in my chest.

The dream at Safeland came rushing back...the one everyone laughed at, the one they said I made up for attention.

I screamed and fought the chains. They tightened instantly, biting into my wrists until pain tore through me.

“Shh,” he said, stepping closer. He cupped my face, his touch firm, possessive. “Don’t do that. You’ll only hurt yourself.”

“I will kill you,” I said through clenched teeth.

He smiled faintly. “Kill me, and you die.”

It hit me then.

He marked me for insurance. If something went wrong, if anyone tried to take him down, I would be his shield.

I would gladly die if it meant killing him.

He placed a hand over his chest. “That’s unkind, my beloved.”

“Stop calling me that!” I screamed. I pulled harder. The chains reacted immediately, crushing my wrists until I cried out.

He watched calmly.

“Most creatures would already be dead from the amount of gethum in your system,” he said. “But you’re still awake. Still threatening me. Still fighting.”

His eyes lingered on me. “Interesting.”

I spat at him.

He wiped his face with the back of his hand, unbothered. “Now I understand why Devon is in love with you.”

My heart dropped hard.

Devon.

“What have you done to him?” I demanded.

“You will see him,” Zethar said. “Soon.”

“What did you do to him?!”

He turned away, already done with me. He spoke to one of the vampires in a language I didn’t understand. Then he disappeared.

The vampire he spoke to stepped toward me with a syringe.

“No,” I said immediately. “Don’t.”

She didn’t stop.

“Don’t,” I said again. My voice broke.

The needle went into my bark.

Pain hit instantly.

I screamed as my body jerked against the chains, my arms burning, my vision blurring.

I couldn’t fight it.

Darkness pulled me under again.

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