Chapter 65 Kidan
KIDAN
Kidan healed each time Samson shouted in pain. Susenyos maneuvered and broke another bone—the shoulder this time—and Samson’s scream became more animal than human. It fed her rage like kindling in a fire.
Her finger moved to her sweater’s collar, tracing her burned skin.
The heat of the fire poker had nearly melted her bones.
But it wasn’t the physical pain she wanted revenge for.
Samson had scarred her long before this, when he’d come to take June from their garden two years ago.
June had merely been a pawn in his rivalry against Susenyos, a path to Adane House.
His obedient servant.
Until today.
Today, June had somehow broken away from Samson. The shock and betrayal on his face had been delightful, as he discovered, along with the rest of them, June was her own person. With knowledge of things Kidan couldn’t begin to wrap her mind around.
Compulsion marks.
Lusidio’s true identity.
Varos the Night Lion.
There it was again, the name writing itself with a hissing sound, like icy breath on the skin. Full of evil. Kidan rolled her shoulders, trying to shake off the new chill.
And that wasn’t all. There were five more. Six Manes of Blood. If they were powerful and alive today like June said, where the hell were they?
Her heart pounded as her vision faded in and out of the room. Susenyos’s swift movements danced around the wide space, dodging the jabs of Samson’s spiked arm. There was too much uncontrolled power in Samson’s blows, roaring rage while Yos was calm, centered.
Arin watched from the throne, her irises spinning golden red.
She’d taken the seat when no one was paying attention.
Her power was silent, contained until it leaked around her like dark flames.
The vampire tilted her head, noticing Kidan’s gaze.
The silver jewelry piercing her nose and collarbone glinted like stars on night skin.
Kidan itched to read her mind. There was something terrifying about her, not in her strength, but in her restraint.
Why let anyone rule the Nefrasi when it was obvious they would bend to her?
Iniko was standing next to Kidan, watching. “You see it too.”
“What… does she want?”
Arin smiled.
Of course she could hear her. Even past the slashing blades.
Arin’s mouth moved, responding. While Kidan heard nothing, Iniko’s face darkened. The sound of Susenyos’s whistling blow reached Kidan instead, a slice to the back of Samson’s knees with his jagged blade. The Nefrasi all watched, a circle of soldiers waiting to see which leader would rise.
There was no red to Susenyos’s eyes. He hadn’t given in to his rage, and his blood-licked silver avoided major cuts to the neck or chest.
Snarling, Samson stumbled near Kidan’s feet, spewing a chunk of blood. He was barely able to stand, his clothes in tatters, but he didn’t give up, forcing himself to his shaking hands.
Kidan stepped on his fingers, relishing the growl from deep within his stomach.
One eye was completely sealed shut from a devastating punch.
Susenyos walked toward them, chest heaving. His face was speckled with blood when he smiled.
A blaze went through her. She liked him like this—victorious.
He lifted Samson to a wobbling stance and faced Arin. “Is this proof enough?”
There were several Nefrasi who bared their fangs, while others observed intently.
“You know the rules.” Arin perched her chin on a folded fist. “He must concede.”
“I will never concede to you,” Samson spat, face bloodied. “I will never.”
“I know.” Susenyos sighed, patting his cheek. “Let me help you.”
Kidan sensed the dangerous shift in him. The casual descent into raw darkness as the savage red possessed his pupils. A few near her stepped back and Kidan felt that old voice—to run, to bow like on Cossia Day.
Taj’s eyes were already on hers, calming her racing heart.
His anger is for you, they seemed to say.
“Open your mouth,” Susenyos said calmly.
Samson sputtered with fury. “What the hell—”
Susenyos seized his jaw, shoved his hand in, and ripped out his tongue. The spray of blood hit Kidan’s face, made her blink.
Samson stilled for a moment, still in the process of speaking before he howled, blood gushing everywhere.
Kidan’s fear stirred behind her rib cage for a moment, focused on the dark muscles in Susenyos’s bare arms. The unimaginable strength.
He did so well to temper himself, she sometimes forgot his impatience.
He gave her a drawn-out look that reminded her she was safe with him, and she exhaled, evening out her breathing.
Susenyos looked to the throne. “Now he can’t concede.”
Arin descended the stairs. Her smile fit like a scorpion’s tail. Kidan’s body tensed, half worried she’d battle Susenyos. From the way Susenyos’s grip tightened on his jagged blade, he was unsure too.
Arin regarded Samson with a frown, then studied them one by one, weighing, deciding.
Finally, she said, “Anyone else wish to state a challenge?”
Many emotions flickered in the audience. A minute ticked by. Then another. Kidan felt like she was going to explode in the tense silence.
A tattooed woman with long black hair broke from the crowd. Her eyes were a fiery green. “If Samson doesn’t lead us, then I’m no longer Nefrasi.”
Murmurs spread through the space.
Several footsteps moved in the crowd, gathering behind the tattooed vampire. At least twenty. Susenyos didn’t look surprised. He’d expected this, though hurt lingered in his eyes.
After what felt like an eternity, Arin said with an icy tone, “If you leave the Nefrasi, you’ll each pay a heavy price to return.”
Samson’s followers didn’t waver, their eyes were hardened, almost granite. Unforgiving.
“Give him to us,” another vampire, with a shock of purple hair, said.
“Not yet,” Arin said, cocking her head. “He still has something we need. The rest of you can leave.”
She must be talking about the blade artifact, Kidan thought.
It took a while for Samson’s followers to leave, murder written on their faces. But they were outnumbered and for a reason Kidan couldn’t understand, they all respected Arin enough to follow her order.
“You’ve finally returned, Malak Sagad, to whom the angels bow.” Arin’s feline eyes ran from the crown of his head to his bloodied shoes. “Stronger than before.”
He nodded.
Susenyos’s blade slid a little in his hand. A small relief.
The chanting began slowly, a tall man with gray eyes smacked his chest twice. It boomed and echoed through each Nefrasi, cries of “Sagad! Sagad!” climbing to the roof.
Kidan had glimpsed this loyalty in Susenyos’s memories, a love he coveted most of all.
He spun with his hand raised, a radiant glow to his face.
She couldn’t help but smile. He’d always belonged here.
Not as a member of Uxlay, among laws and companionship, but as an emperor who saved his court from death.
Samson groaned, making them look at the puddle of blood he was in, face dark with pain.
“Take him to the dungeons,” Arin ordered, and a group of Nefrasi jumped into action, dragging Samson out.
The word “dungeons” finally shook Kidan out of her haze.
“GK,” she said quickly. “Where is he?”
Arin’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Flicked to Susenyos.
Kidan recalled the deathly grip around her wrist. Arin could have killed her, but she didn’t. And there was something else. Her feline eyes, they’d been completely red, poisoned.
“I’ll take you to him,” Arin said.
A choked sound came out of Kidan.
So he’s alive.
Thank God he’s alive.
Susenyos moved before Kidan. Arin fixed her gaze on him.
“You don’t trust me?”
The remaining crowd was watching and if Susenyos made a move against Arin, he would lose the support he’d just gained.
Kidan rested a hand on his warm shoulder. “It’s fine.
“Take Iniko with you,” Susenyos said. “Be careful.”
Kidan nodded, catching his blood-speckled face. There were a thousand questions she had for him, but they’d have to wait. A long line of Nefrasi were drawing closer, waiting to speak with him.
And Kidan would finally see GK.