“Careful pointing fingers,” he warned coldly, his jaw hammering. I smirked, knowing I’d hit a sensitive chink in his armor. “You’ve been in this world for a minute. You have no idea what I’m capable of once you’ve pissed me off. Don’t piss me off. You won’t like what happens, Aria.”
“I’ve been here a few months, Knox. I’ve set siege to four castles and brought them all to their bloody knees. You’ve been at this for how long? And you’ve done what? Waged war on me? Oh, no. That’s right. You’ve wrecked my world, killed the evil bitch that birthed me, and her wicked sister. Your people raped and decimated innocent lives that had nothing to do with your war, and you think witches are the only problem in the Nine Realms?”
“Your breed, the Hecate line, is the only one that matters at the moment. Kill the head of the snake, and the rest will fall easily.”
“I’m right here, Knox. Come get me if you think you can,” I snorted, stepping back as power entered the clearing, and the illusion I’d held in place slipped.
Now visible, were the burning embers of bloody husks and blackened skeletal remains littering the ground beneath our feet. The castle walls were singed and covered in blood and gore where I’d waged a battle against the witch who held the keep in Hecate’s name. Fires burned all around me, some from bodies, others from pyres I’d lit to increase the magic fueling the altar where I was about to stand. I’d been here for days, playing with these witches, testing my army against their numbers. I was winning until Knox had crashed the party.
Men were such inconsiderate pricks when they didn’t know how to ask a bitch for an invitation. I should be thankful he hadn’t just sent me a picture of his cock with a date and time for a fuck-and-duck. Flames exploded from the pyres, and my hand touched the altar as I turned, canting my head to the side, blowing Knox a raspberry.
“I’m waiting, Knox. Come and take it if you can.”
Chapter Fourteen
Knox was starting to understand that his terms were null and void. He’d wanted me on my knees, watching as he killed my army, but they were already dead, so that was a moot point.
My house wasn’t just dirty; it was filthy. If anything, Knox downplayed the state of affairs inside the Nine Realms. I’d walked into a mess far beyond my imagination.
I’d been captured, beaten, abused, and almost killed by witches. They were the one creature within the Nine Realms that should have welcomed me with open arms. Yes, I’d found some nice ones along the way, and they’d assisted me in slaughtering the army I had now, but my reality check had bounced pretty hard on its way to the bank.
This keep wasn’t like the others I’d taken, murdering their witches for being vile. The dark witches filling this castle allowed monsters to force-breed innocent witches. I’d freed most that were pregnant before ever lifting a finger against the stronghold. I’d made damn sure those who raped unwilling witches or had taken their babes, didn’t escape my wrath.
Turning away from Knox, I peered up at the battlement where the last of the dark witches stood, flanking their leader. My hand waved, dispelling the image of a sprawling meadow, exposing the burning embers and scorched corpses of the army she’d sent to attack me.
I allowed her to see Knox and his army as well, enjoying the fear that fluttered across her face before she concealed her expression beneath a veneer of malice and betrayal. Like I was the bad guy here, right?
A song from The HU Band, The Wolf Totem, started playing in my head. I released the barrier on their side, and the leader of these dark witches leaned over the edge of the stone wall, screaming out orders. My body swayed to the beat, sweat beading on my brow, dripping down my spine as swirls of embers filled the air around me.
The witch screamed for her archers, who rushed forward on the wide battlement. They dipped cloth arrow tips into oil before aiming the fiery missiles toward the skies. Smiling, I laughed at their attempt to thwart me by setting me on fire.
My arms lifted, as did the witches’ arms under my control, standing next to me on the field. The moment the archers released their arrows, I sucked power from the ground, slamming our hands down hard, causing the airborne arrows to turn before finding purchase in the archers who had freed them.
The barrels of oil exploded, causing men to fall over the battlement walls or be burned alive by the fire rushing through their ranks. Closing my eyes, I listened to the screams of those burning as my body and my army of witches continued to sway to the music in my head. Lifting my hands, I delicately moved them through the air with the heady beat only I could hear.
Shouting began, and I opened my eyes, thrusting my hands toward the keep. Magic slammed against the castle, causing the far sides of the stone walls to cave, preventing escape through anything other than the main gate.
Men jumped over the edge of the stone wall to engage my army. I pulled arrows from the corpses at my feet, sending them singing through the air, impaling the men, and crashing them into the earth as if they were nothing more than raindrops painting the ground.
I lifted the blood from the earth, each in a single droplet, sending it to extinguish the fire on the battlement. I waited for those still upon the wall, to assume it was safe, only to flick my finger as men surged forward to attack, catching fire with the oiled blood I’d rained down upon them.
Slowly, I moved backward as I felt the army preparing to escape through the gate that creaked open, knowing it would be a long process. Smirking, I turned, swaying my hips as I walked toward Knox, who silently watched me.
“Not bad for a witch from the suburbs, right?” I asked, rolling my neck as he narrowed his eyes, staring over my shoulder.
“You’re going to end up hurt, Aria.”
“By you? Yes. I’m aware. Not today, though, nor tomorrow. But eventually, it will happen. I’m not sure if I should be excited or worried about what you will do to me once you have me.” I swiveled to face the last of the witch’s army that had assembled outside the crumbling keep. “On a scale from one to ten, how bad is this thing?”
“What thing?” He pressed his hands against the barrier that should have sent him doubling over in pain. Instead, he looked unbothered by it, which was worrisome. The heat in his eyes told me he knew exactly what ‘thing’ I was asking about, which made me twist the question.
“This war, of course,” I stated aloofly. “What else would I mean?” I whispered huskily, bending over to stop the ache as heat rolled throughout my body. I laughed, sucking my lip between my teeth as I stood straight again, staring into his hungry eyes.
“You won’t fight your need for much longer, Aria. It is inevitable, and you can’t fight evolution either. Soon, you won’t care who takes you, just so long as you’ve sated your hunger.”
“This is the second keep this week that I’ve seized, as you’re aware. I did leave some of their skulls for you as my calling card. The others, well, as you can see,” I said, waving my hand behind me, “I needed them in battle.” I smiled sweetly at Knox as he grimaced, looking at the witches’ decaying bodies under my control.
“I noticed, and you shouldn’t have. I enjoy killing witches. It makes my cock hard when they scream and beg me for mercy,” he said huskily. “Now, let’s get back to your personal matter because sooner or later, it’s going to become too much for you to disregard. You’re underfed and over your pretty head, Aria.”
“I guess I’ll have to find someone who can assist me then. You want my head, and all I want to do is ride that deliciously amazing mouth of yours. I think our idea of ‘head’ differs, Knox.”
“I’ll let you ride me for however long you can stand it, woman. I’ve enjoyed the taste of you, and the wonder lighting those beautifully expressive eyes when you screamed my name, dripping your arousal down my chin as you tried to escape my tongue while your body unraveled in an orgasm. Come fucking ride it. I’m hungry, and you’re fucking delicious.”
I studied the look of victory sparkling in his eyes and tilted my head. “Hard pas
s, Knox. I don’t think you’re worth losing my head.” Spinning around, I strutted away, rolling my eyes so hard I was checking out my ass in the process.
The remaining warriors had spread out in front of the keep, each one armed with a variety of weapons. Soundlessly, they started moving forward, and I grinned, lifting my hands, I spun in a circle. I severed the warriors on the front line into two grisly pieces, causing the others to back up, trampling one another to get closer to the castle’s stone walls.
“What do you want from us?” a woman screamed, untangling herself from the men who fought to guard her.
“Your fucking soul,” I chuckled coldly.
“You’re a witch! We will yield to you,” she cried.
“There is no yielding to me. You trespassed against the House of Hecate, and for that, you forfeited your lives. Lay down your weapons and surrender, or fight to the death. Those are my terms.”
“King Karnavious, we yield to you!” she screamed.
“Oh, you poor, dense woman,” I chuckled. “He isn’t here to save you, witch. He is here to see you on your knees. It seems to be one of his kinks,” I laughed, turning to wink at Knox. “After that, he will slaughter your people, removing their heads. I turned the offer down since I didn’t think you or your people deserved mercy. Now, it’s time to die,” I hissed, pulling their magic from them.
Those without magic began turning to embers, burning to nothing more than skeletal remains as they wafted through the air, drifting past as I walked toward those still living.
“I do love the smell of wicked bitches roasting in the morning!” I laughed, closing my eyes as the embers kissed over my skin before sizzling out.
I stretched my arms behind me, cracking my neck as the witches hissed and cried while watching those beside them burn to nothing.
“Bring down the fucking barrier, now!” Knox demanded, but I ignored him.
“Are you ready?” I whispered inside my head, watching as my fingers blackened. It was something that had begun happening when my creature took over. “Do not leave me in a compromised position. Knox is bad. Say it with me, Creature.”
“He gives good dick.”
“That’s not the answer I’m looking for right now. We had a deal, remember? He doesn’t get us anymore. He would murder us, and we enjoy living. You wouldn’t be able to feed or fuck if he removed our head.”
“I can eat, though? I’m starving!”
“You may, but remember what happened last time I allowed you out to eat?”
“I ate your army,” she pouted.
“Yes, and I threw up everywhere. Why was that?”
“Because kidneys are yucky?”
“Very much so, Creature,” I snorted and groaned as the change continued. “What are we not going to do this time?”
“You’ll see, won’t you, Aria?” she snickered as she took control, pushing me into the backseat of my mind.
Instead of facing the army that was preparing to attack us with magic, she turned, sniffing the air, drinking in Knox’s scent. He zeroed in on the color of our eyes, the sclera no longer white, but turquoise with flecks of gold burning within them. The tips of my hair turned black as streaks of obsidian crawled up my arm from my fingertips.
“That’s new,” Knox admitted, continuing to stare at us, taking in all the changes.
“He smells delicious,” she whined. “I need a drink of him.”
“Focus on the battle, Creature.”
“Can’t we swing one quick orgasm?”
“No! Absolutely not!”
“You don’t deserve our vagina! It’s going to waste! It aches, and he would soothe it, painting it pretty on the inside, making the pain stop, Aria. You kept me awake all night, trying to make it stop on your own. It didn’t work!” she stomped her feet, flinging her arms around. The witches under our control slammed into the men surrounding them, throwing them around with magic as she pitched a hissy fit.
“Pay attention to the army that I just threatened!” I warned, and she turned as a male strutted out of the ranks, ripping his clothes off.
He neared us, and she rattled loudly. Knox echoed the sound from behind us, only his was filled with a lethal warning. The male slammed to the ground, grunting as he started rocking his hips, grinding himself against the rocks. My creature released her rattle, watching him with disappointment.
“That was unsatisfactory,” she groaned, zipping towards him as something wet splattered our face.
Lifting her hand, she tossed his head over her shoulder before moving back to where we had stood. Another male started toward us, and she smiled, tilting her head as the large, handsome male shed his clothes. He was already pumping his cock in his hand as her smile turned feral. It was a huge, knotted cock that had excitement bubbling up through my creature.
“Do not even think about riding that thing!” I warned, and she arched her back, parting her hips as she went down to the ground, lifting our ass while Knox snarled angrily behind us. “Get up! Get off of the ground. This was the last thing we should be doing right now. You’re ruining the badass battle I had planned to show off my magic in front of Knox!” I growled.
The male smirked, slowly walking around us, strutting like a peacock. He lowered himself behind me, and I fought my creature for control. Losing the battle, she started rocking her hips, turning to smirk at the man as she purred huskily. Knox was hissing as he rattled and banged his fists outside the barrier. I shivered at his rage, agreeing with him for once.
My creature moved faster than I could register our movements, leaping over the warrior’s back in a swift, effortless move that my body shouldn’t have managed. She sunk her teeth into his shoulder, ripping it apart, then her claws cut through his throat, and his head dropped from his body, rolling toward Knox’s feet. She turned, rattling at Knox, and he studied us, pride burning in his eyes as blood dripped from our chin.
“Okay, honestly, that was badass,” I admitted.
“Did you like that move?” she preened, standing before she turned, wiggling her fingers at Knox, who glared at us. “Hey, fuck-boy. Run faster. I need dick. You have a dick. Aria has wasted our vagina on a hand that doesn’t get us off. So, if you caught us, that would be great. I’ll even suck you off if you do it soon, deal?”
“I’m right fucking here, Creature. Come get me,” Knox challenged, holding his arms out wide.
Chapter Fifteen
Knox lifted his eyes, and my creature turned to see what had drawn his attention. I groaned as she danced happily, clapping and excited at the prospect of more victims as more men rushed forward. Turning back toward Knox, she swayed her hips in a come-hither fashion that had him smirking wickedly, assuming she had accepted his challenge, and returned for him. If that’s what she had planned, we were fucked, literally and figuratively.
Suddenly, she lunged backward without warning, zooming between the men approaching us in her inhuman way. She paused to look back as the headless bodies continued rushing forward to drop lifelessly on the field. I forced her to flick our hands, sending the zombie witches into their attack setting, ending the thwarted attempts on our life while my creature danced around covered in blood.
“No fair, I wanted to assemble the army of the dead!” she groaned, crossing her arms to pout before she stomped her foot on the ground.
“Focus,” I urged. “Do not touch the head witch. We need her alive. You may eat the others, though.”
My creature turned a wicked grin toward the feast I’d offered her and growled so loudly I jumped from within her. I didn’t get time to ask what the hell that noise was because Knox and his men echoed the sound, causing the entire valley to fill with inhuman growls.
She lowered our body to the ground, crawling to the crowd of witches and warriors who watched her with unease while she prowled toward them. Maybe it was confusion they felt since she crawled on the ground in my very human-looking body like we were something else. Lifting her head, she rattled until it changed
to a purring noise she made when she was furious at me, just before all hell broke loose.
Our body hit a jetstream, sailing through it until she was climbing a giant, tearing through him with teeth and claws until he hit the ground, lifeless. The entire assembly of creatures paused, staring at us before they scattered and ran in every direction to escape my creature.
She let out a deafening rattle that shook through the valley, turning to eye the men watching every move she made. She continued forcing the noise out, and Knox rattled low, smooth, and even, causing her to preen and sway her ass.
I smiled from within, laughing at their horrified expressions as one after another victim fell to her. She was hunting them down based on speed and agility, a natural selection from weakest to strongest. She was fierce in hunting mode, that much was a given. It was when she stopped to eat that I cringed.
Once she made it down to the final few witches, she paused to snack on one of the males she’d ripped apart. I gagged from the mess of meat she consumed, gnawing on an arm and then internal organs as she yawned, stretching her arms. My creature grabbed another handful of the male and turned to peek at Knox, winking at him.
“I’m good now. It’s your turn. Remember, Aria, let him catch us, or I will fuck him soon. No more grunting all night. I need sleep! I’m a growing girl. In case you needed a reminder of what one looks like, I left a little something for you since it’s been so long since you’ve seen one,” she laughed.
“No!” I growled, but it was too late.
The taste of raw, grizzled meat hit my senses, causing me to gag. I peered down at my hands, realizing I held a dick in which she’d just bitten off a huge chunk. Tossing it away from me, I gagged again, standing as I retched uncontrollably.
Ashes of Chaos (Legacy of the Nine Realms Book 2) Page 11