Page 211 of Code Bound
Stryker breaks the kiss, but doesn’t move away. “Exquisite,” he pants. “I need . . . I need you,” he rasps. “I need to sink into your sweet cunt.”
His hands move to the fastening of my trousers just as I fasten the collar completely. The soft sucking sensation at the edges of my consciousness disappears immediately and Stryker stumbles back with wide eyes, dropping me onto the catwalk. I hit it with an oomph, my body too weak to react fast enough to catch myself. I’m panting, my lungs screaming for air, my body screaming for energy, as I stare up at him. I shove my hair out of my face and watch as Stryker reaches up and wraps his hands around the collar, tugging. It doesn’t budge. It doesn’t even stretch.
“What is this?” he hisses, jerking harder. “What have you done to me?”
I grin and drag myself to my feet slowly. Dizziness overcomes me for a few seconds and I have to brace myself against the railing to let it fade. Once it does, I stomp toward him on heavy feet to poke him in the chest. He touches his chest like it hurts him. “Suck on that, asshole,” I snarl.
“Got it!” Locke shouts, victoriously form somewhere else. “The Boiler King is down!”
I swipe the notification away on my interface so it doesn’t block my view. I need to keep him in my sight. I need to make sure he doesn’t attack even if he’s weak.
I flash my teeth at Stryker. “So is the Leech.”
Surprisingly, he smiles back.
CHAPTER59
STRYKER
My Leech stats are muted, so low, they’re practically gone. I tug on the collar again, trying to see what it is. When I get a peek at brown leather, I narrow my eyes.
“Is this one of the Rat Queen’s concubine collars?” I ask, trying to get a good look at it. “Are you claiming me for your harem, Beastie?”
I can’t help but be delighted by that, even if it does make me weak. They could kill me right now and I wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it. But oh, I’ve enjoyed this chase so much.
She scowls and crosses her arms. “No,” she spits. “It was just a quick way to make you not a threat.”
Clever girl. Admiration slams into me for the second time and I find myself smiling at her wider. “Oh, how divine,” I purr. “What will you do with me now that you have me at your mercy?” I slide toward her. She doesn’t back down, her eyes narrowing as I stroke a finger down her arm. “Will youplaywith me?”
“I could kill you,” she says, her blade suddenly in her hand. She presses it against my neck, pricking me with the sharp bone. “I could gut you again.”
I grin and press my neck more into the blade, drawing more blood. “I do so enjoy knives.”
Her eyes narrow further as she scowls at me. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
I laugh. “So many things, Beastie.” I tug at the collar again, as if to check it’s still there. My powers are muted, all my stats back down to a normal, human level, but my charisma was so high, the collar only does so much. It’s meant for lower levels, after all. I may not be strong, and I may not be able to drink, but I can still charm her.
I can still convince her to fuck me.
“The only one who can remove that is the one who put it on,” she says, assuming my tugging is an attempt to remove the collar.
Then she turns and starts to walk away. I watch as she pauses next to a large wheel, hesitates, and then turns it until the pipeline is open. A loud rattling starts to shake and groan before she steps back, nods, and starts to walk away again.
“You can’t leave me here with this on,” I purr, trailing after her.
“Watch me,” she says.
“Oh, I am,” I groan. “And the sight is fucking delectable.”
She whirls and bares her teeth. “Stop looking at my ass!”
“Where am I supposed to look when you’re in front of me?” I ask, raising my brows.
“Just . . . go away!” she snarls.
“Why would I do that?” I ask, laughing. “You’re the one who holds my leash.”
She swears under her breath and keeps moving back toward the platform where her other two men wait for her. The Boiler King is on the floor in a heap and the Bone Breaker is sporting a large bruise on the side of his face now. The Warden is standing off to the side, his arms crossed. Behind them both, an Ophanim hovers menacingly. When it catches me looking, it flares brighter in warning.
