He slowly turns on the Onyx slab and lowers his bare feet into the blood below. Standing up, he rolls his shoulders, energy vibrating from him. He glances down at his crown and smiles as he places it on top of his head. He walks closer to me, looking me up and down. "You can probably expect that I was happy to get back to my body. And look, you're still here… for now."
I choked out my words. "What… Did… You do… To her?"
Drogaem lifts his eyebrow and looks over at Briar, lying on the table next to his slab. He pokes out his bottom lip and walks around, running his finger down the side of her cheek. The anger explodes inside of me but I cannot move without him squeezing tighter against my neck. "At first, I found it completely ridiculous that you fell in love with a mortal, but I can see where she charmed you. Unfortunately, what you don't know, is her soul has been sullied before."
He releases the magic and I drop to the ground, scrambling as quickly as I can to my feet. I go to lurch toward him but he waves his hand nonchalantly. I'm frozen in place on my feet. "Liar! She is an innocent mortal."
Drogaem leans his head back and laughs loudly. "On your knees."
With a flick of his wrist, against my struggle, I drop to my knees. My arms are tightly pinned to my side and I watch as he walks back over to Briar and lifts her hand up. Her palm is covered in blood and I wince at the sight of it, wanting to rip his throat out for injuring her. He reaches down with two fingers and pulls a piece of black metal from the palm of her hand. He drops her arm back down and holds it up in front of him. "It's a shame, as I don't see you the type of man that falls in love very often. But, unfortunately for you, she gave herself to me for your freedom. Or, as much freedom as I plan to give you."
I watch as he lifts the piece of metal up to his crown and places it where it had once been connected. As he does, a light shimmers, the same kind of light that emanated from Briar so many times before. But just as quickly as it glows, his dark powers snuff it out and connect Briar's soul to Drogaem. There's a dark mist that floats between them, and he breaths it in, smiling at me, torturing me with thoughts of my bride twisted inside of his soul.
"You see, Kane, your beloved's body and your beloved's soul are now bound to me," Drogaem says as he bends down just inches from my face. "So, if you kill me, or anyone tries to kill me, I'll take this mortal with me."
My chin quivers as I stare at him with hate flooding from me. I cannot reveal my secret, no matter how satisfying it would be to watch his face drop with the knowledge that I am still one step ahead of him. He thinks his binding is so perfect, but I know different. What seemed like a nightmare at the time, bonding my soul to Briar's was the best thing that could have happened. Her soul belongs to me. Drogaem can never completely have her. But how I separate their bond so that I can kill him, I do not yet know
"You will pay for this, and I will keep your soul alive just to burn you over and over again for an eternity," I growl at him. "And then, when I've had enough, only then will I squash you, take your soul, and crumble it beneath my feet."
Drogaem narrows his eyes at me, and chuckles. Bending down, he grabs Briar's dagger from the ground, and looks at it. Walking over to me, he holds it to my cheek and presses it into my flesh. I can feel the burn as he cuts along my jawline, just deep enough to draw blood. "I'd like to know how you're going to do that. I plan on having you tied up in here for a very long time, and the things I can do to you, you'll wish to be nonexistent."
As he raises my body up into the air, forcing my arms and legs out to the sides, I close my eyes. He lashes at me with his magic, cutting through my flesh, sending jolts of energy into my soul. I focus on Briar, my only consolation, the only thing that will keep me alive. I will have vengeance, and no amount of torture will ever break me.
Coming Next
The Final Book in The Captive of Shadows Series!
About the Author
Bailey Dark is obsessed with all things dark, hot, and supernatural. From Fae to Aliens, her heroes are thoroughly alpha and pure raw masculinity. When she’s not writing (which is hardly ever) she’s busy watching every movie in the marvel universe, or binging supernatural on her couch. So come along, and enter her dark world. . . .
https://www.baileydarkromance.com/
FREE Preview - Stolen by the Fae King
Chapter One
Altair
The purple hue of the dusky sky is fringed with orange. The sun is rising, though the daylight hasn’t yet driven out the night. The stars are still visible, winking above the city and the palace. From the roofless tower, I can
