57. Lina
Lina
L aughter rings through the darkness. Maniacal, hysterical, cruel.
Slow, purposeful steps bring the man into view. A new Dread. Taller, with thicker muscles.
“You have turned out to be so much more entertaining than I’d ever imagined, Little Mouse.”
My fingers tremble. My teeth chatter.
He looks over my shoulder to the void below while I carefully slip the blade now covered in Azkel Haze’s blood back into the cloth at my thigh.
“Think he survived the fall?” he asks. “I hope so. Don’t get me wrong, I love that you tried, but it would be disappointing not to have the opportunity for my own revenge.”
I inch back, but my heels find the edge of the platform. I look down and go dizzy.
“Don’t worry, Little Mouse,” the new Dread tells me. “If you want a dive with our beasts, I’ll give you one. But first, you have a little visit to pay.”
His hand is around my wrist in an instant, tugging me toward him. I yelp as he twists me and pulls my back against his chest. I thrash against his hold, but it’s no use. I am far from strong enough to resist him.
“I wanted you,” he says in my ear, taking a long breath of my hair. “Before that asshole took you from me.”
I whimper. This is the other Dread who fought for me when I first came. Haze’s former commander. Ivar.
“What are you going to do with me?”
“Eager for a real man, are you?” He chuckles. “I intend to take a piece of you before all this is over, but alas, I am not the only one interested in your rebellious spirit. The priestess Blythe has requested your presence. They’ll get to have you first. If you survive, then it will be my turn.”
My heart hammers in my chest. I consider giving up, right then and there. What is there left to fight for? What chance do I have to survive this now?
But the moment is fleeting. Anger takes hold, and I cling to it.
It’s a toxic, dark plan that alights this time. Something I never would have done before.
I press my behind tighter against the new Dread, rocking against him.
“Fuck,” he mutters.
“We have a moment to spare first, don’t we?” I purr. My aching heart races faster than ever.
He pauses. For a long moment, he doesn’t respond.
Then, with a growl he twists me around and pushes me against the wall, his chest against mine. He presses forceful lips against my throat and hastily works to unfasten his pants.
I ignore the disgust rising in my throat and hold tight instead to my anger. And the knife at my thigh.
Giving in means I’ve let them win. I might fail spectacularly, but I will never give up the spark. That’s something they can never take from me.
I don’t expect to kill this one. I don’t need to.
I slam the blade into his stomach and push as hard as I can. One single moment is all I need as he screams, stumbling back, his dick half out of his pants.
I leap into darkness, falling to the depths where I will certainly find my end. But I’d much rather feed the stomach of a draken than feed the appetites of a Dread.