Page 109 of Burn for Her
“Dorian will bring her here shortly.” Malachi’s empty wine glass thudded on the table. “You’re welcome to remain as guests of my House until that time, Marius. But if you treat my men the way you treat your own, I will escort you outside myself and drain you dry.”
Marius glowered, his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth over and over.
One of Marius’s escorts whispered, “He’s lying about Bram, sire. The executioner would never use a gun. You know this. He only ever uses blades and teeth.”
“I made an exception,” Dorian said calmly. “Don’t presume you know all my methods of killing, asshole. I’ve got tricks that will make your blood scream before it drains from your bony little body.”
Marius tensed. “You’re up to something, Reaper. You’re all up to something.”
“Funny, we were just thinking the same about you.” Lucian poured his king another glass of wine and handed it to him without looking.
Marius’s eyes narrowed and he jabbed a finger at Dorian. “Have you turned her?”
“Why are you so fixated on his mate?” Lucian snarled.
“Answer the question, Reaper.”
Dorian did no such thing.
“That’s a no then.” Marius smiled wickedly. “Good to know.”
Dorian tried to leap from the table and couldn’t move. His instinct was to rip the vampire’s head from his shoulders for that mild threat, yet he sat still as a statue, looking the epitome of calm. His vision darkened until he went completely blind again.
“If you try to harm her, Marius,” Dorian seethed from his seat, “I’ll personally tear you in half. Starting with that tight ass of yours, and ripping you clean up to that fat mouth you like to use so much.”
“I’m royalty!”
As if that mattered?
“Yeah, a royal pain in our ass.” Lucian chuckled. “And you’re nothing but a guest on our territory. We have our own set of House rules, just like you. You have no power here, Marius. Remember that.”
Dorian leaned in and glared at the furious vampire king, praying his gaze landed on its mark. “I get why you’re emotional over your son, but that doesn’t mean you can stomp in here with your parade of asslickers and think we’ll bend over for you. And if you threaten my mate in anyway…” His nostrils flared as he sucked in a breath. “You so much as make a shit remark about the hair on her head, I’ll eat your tongue out for the insult and let her finish you off. And she will. My alakhai is as savage as the devil himself.”
“Well, you would know,” Marius seethed. “You’re so well acquainted with monsters and barbarians.”
“Keep talking,” Dorian purred, “while you still can.”
Marius looked around at each of them, disgusted and frazzled. “You’re all animals here.”
Lucian blew him a kiss. Malachi didn’t break his stare from the mirror.
“Then I’d tread carefully if I were you.” Dorian flashed a toothy smile. “Animals like us eat prey like you for a snack. And, dare I say, my King is famished. Aren’t you, sire?”
“Beyond reason,” Malachi purred.
The instant Marius and his band of merry motherfuckers left the room, Dorian regained movement.
“Forgive the intrusion,” Malachi said from his seat. “I know how you abhor control being taken away, Dorian. But I also know that you’re not in your right mind yet. Cutting you loose could have done more damage than I’m prepared to suffer today.”
Dorian wanted to roar over the violation of losing control of his body, but the king was right. He’d have murdered Marius the instant he tried to threaten Lena. That death could wait for another day. Any energy spent now, was less energy saved for Lena later. He had a lot left to take care of with her.
“I brought her to my family.”
“Nice,” Lucian said with a grin. “How’d she like it?”
“Good until a wolf was found dead and strung up with a note shoved in its mouth,” Dorian rubbed his forehead. “Oh, and Lena dropped a Lycan with two hits.”
Lucian’s mouth fell open. “No shit?”