Page 141 of Rising Frenzy

Instead of feeling relief, a surge of anger coursed through Sonia. Why had she been so special to have the redhead’s attention, and not this girl? Why was she to be spared when Sonia had endured so much? Sonia had to force herself to remain where she was instead of rushing over to the captive and ripping out her throat in payment.

“You may leave her here. I will see to her.” Gwala gestured to his throne, then turned away, his tone changing to a mutter as he spoke to himself. “The magic of free will is tiresome. To think that I have to bother with such charades is ludicrous.”

The vampire closed the distance and laid the woman gently over the throne, taking time to adjust her unconscious head to a more comfortable position.

Again, fury coursed through Sonia.

As the vampire turned to face the king once more, Sonia ducked her head back out of sight. She could do it. All she needed to do was step into the room, look only at Gwala, and say that she wanted the death of the vampire. The king would ask no questions; he would simply do as she requested. She just needed to force herself to take the first step.

She couldn’t. She was frozen where she stood.

Sonia railed at herself, damning her weakness, whatever piece of her humanity remained that kept her from facing her tormentor.

“When will the ceremony be, my king?” Again, chills ran over her body at the sound of his voice. She could feel the weight of his body over her, the fire of his fangs as he ripped through her skin.

The feminine chortle the king issued made Sonia think she wouldn’t have to make such a request after all. Warning seeped through every syllable. “You will have no such ceremony, servant. You are not worthy. If you presume equivalence to the Royals again, it will be your last. I will have your reward delivered to you the night after next. At that time, the period of your servitude will commence.”

The vampire hesitated so long in answering, Sonia thought he was going to argue with the king, an act that would solve all of her problems. Her hopes crashed when he finally spoke again. “As you wish, my king. Is there more you require from me this evening?”

“Be gone.”

At the king’s words, footsteps sounded, growing louder as they approached the chamber’s doorway.

Without any thought, she flew soundlessly through the passageways, nothing more than a blur. She ran until she reached her gilded chamber and slammed the stone door shut behind her.

Sonia bit through her lip in an effort to refrain from letting out her fury in a scream. She could have ended it, could have been rid of the terror that the monster continued to inspire. All she needed to do was demand it, ask the king to kill him. She’d been too weak. Toohuman.

Hours later, after she’d drowned her disgust in the blood of four men, Sonia was glad she hadn’t had the king enact her vengeance. It would come from her. Not Gwala. She would be the one to kill the vampire. Sonia. He would look in her eyes, know who she was, and he would die.

She wasn’t strong enough yet. But she would be, she swore to herself. She would be.