Page 23 of Uncrowned

I surged forward, gripping his face tightly as I leveled the blade at his throat.

“Yes. I was there for her. I am there…for…her.”

Tighter, I squeezed into his face, forcing his jaw open. John couldn’t react before I drew back and stabbed the blade into his tongue, twisting the knife into the thick flesh as I carved a hole through the muscle. Blood poured over his bottom lip, running a river to his chin. Violently, John thrashed. The guards held tighter, but the Lord was no match for my power or size as I locked onto his jaw with crushing force.

“Ahhh! Ple-ase!”

Harder, I forced in the blade, feeling teeth bite against metal. A thick chunk of his tongue slipped free, and I smiled, letting go and slowly rising.

“What belongs to The Order, stays at The Order. Your tongue tasted what’s mine. It’s a part of us now. Just as you are. Masters…” I held to the evil smile. “We like to taste, too. I present you with a gift. Feast.”

My tone deepened through the word, and a sea of black rushed in from all sides at my offer. Hands tore into the Lord’s body, digging and gouging while others sunk their teeth into his flesh. Blood sprayed out from the side of John’s neck, and my cheek tugged back even more as a Master stabbed a knife into the Lord’s stomach, stopping just so he could physically rip open the incision. Like an animal, hands dug and pulled, fighting to tear out the screaming man’s intestines. They weren’t eating—they were setting an example.

“You gave them a treat. Very generous of you.”

I turned, letting my gaze flicker to Redmond.

“Am I not generous? I’m so generous.”

My sarcastic humor had him laughing. I wiped the blood from my blade, opening my jacket to return the knife to its sheath. Concern over Penelope was like a punch in the gut. Emotions I kept trying to fight forced their way through giving me no choice but to face them.

“I have to go.”

“Did you know? About what he did to her?”

I glanced to what was left of John.

“No. John may have forced himself on her, but he’s not the one I’m worried about.”

“The father.”

The response didn’t require an answer. We both knew the real threat.

“This ends tonight.”

“Of course, Sire. You won’t see us, but we’ll be monitoring. Don’t forget to wear the mask. Call if you need anything. We’ll clean up behind you.”

Ringing filled my car’s interior.

One call.

Two.

Three.

For all the blood and destruction I was capable of, I couldn’t get Penelope to pick up the phone. The sickening pressure in my stomach was automatic as I hit end, pushing redial.

“Answer.”

My jaw tightened.

Turning onto her road, I couldn’t stop the plethora of conflicting thoughts. They overwhelmed me. They stole me in a mass of memories and… loss.

Colors. Screams.

“Answer.”

Had I not heard my own father repeat that exact word when my mother hadn’t picked up?