I grinned at the smell of burning flesh as Dean stepped back, grabbing some lighter fluid to rinse what he had carved into the fucker’s abdomen. His scream turned feral, his body going up in flames as I watched the only semblance of any part of Lorcan he’d have go down with him. Her name was carved in his stomach as he was burned alive, and I breathed in the scent of it happily, glad I’d been one of the people to kill him. He deserved so much more, but watching him go out this way was satisfying. No fucking magic was really needed for this, just some good old-fashioned torture.
I grabbed another drink as Draven began to casually toss daggers into his body through the flames, popping the sack of skin like a leaky balloon. His screams lessened as his skin melted and his insides slid out of him. I closed my eyes and breathed out. I needed to get back to Lorcan. I needed to get fucking grounded before I suggested killing everyone else who’d ever interacted with Lorcan.
“We should pick up some food, I don’t think she’s eaten today,” I pointed out.
“True,” Dean nodded and then looked at Adriel. “Your car here?”
I couldn’t help but smile as Draven joined in, talking about going to grab food for our girl as the creepy bastard screamed, burning to death only feet away.
That part of me I’d kept captive for so long was out. I didn’t think it was going back away, and frankly, I wasn’t positive I wanted it to… who knows, we may have more people we would need to kill. Rather be ready than not.
Hopefully, this wouldn’t freak out Lorcan too much, because I knew I couldn’t lie to her. My smile grew. Yeah, I didn’t think that was going to be a goddamn problem. Our girl was dark as hell.
One of the many things I loved about her.
6
Lorcan
“Black wave blocking out the sun
Baby when you go down ain't no coming up
Thought that you were safe but nobody ever was
Choking on a diamond, poison in your lungs.”
-Black Wave by K. Flay
A masculine, guttural scream of absolute horror and suffering echoed through the space around me. I could feel familiar magic brush across my skin, but I couldn’t see anything. I wasn’t positive that I even wanted to.
Instead, I was surrounded by the soft lullaby of the pain and suffering of the man who I knew deserved it. The men might not have told me why, but I could damn well assume. In a way… I wish I had been part of it. In a way, I wish that it was my hands being painted in his pathetic human blood as he sobbed.
I was damn near positive that I heard his last breath.
His last cry of suffering amongst hot, searing flames.
His last moment on this earth before his pathetic soul was dissolved.
His useless body was nothing but a sack of skin and blood.
I could almost feel the blood running over my skin…
“... reported that Lorcan Louvre was involved in a car accident where one of her said-to-be lovers assaulted a news reporter...”
“Now is it true, Alex, that she is with six men?” the gossip trash TV news anchor asked curiously as my eyes blinked open, realizing the reality show that Maggie and I had been watching ended, instead leaving us with TMZ news.
I frowned, sitting up, feeling oddly relieved from that violent, lullaby-like dream. I smiled when I found Maggie’s head on a pillow near my lap. Honestly, I had never given a thought to what it would be like to have a sister. I mean, if it was like hanging out with Maggie and talking about shit that I never got to with my brother or the guys, then I loved it. I could also tell she was getting more relaxed around me instead of trying to idealize me, which wasn’t necessary in the least.
Maggie didn’t have many female figures in her life, so her biggest desire was just for someone to fill that role. I would one hundred percent do that. Willingly. I was fucked up, but that didn’t mean everything I touched had to turn out that way, right? I could maybe help her figure shit out? I could be a good influence… I think. I hoped.
I briefly wondered how we were going to handle Maggie’s living arrangements. I mean, by all means she could continue to live at the Reid estate, but even with her live-in nanny, it felt wrong. She should be with family.
I suppose she could make the decision herself, but I would personally be completely fine with her moving in here. This house was plenty big enough, and it wasn’t like we were planning to fill all twelve bedrooms anytime soon, if you know what I mean.
Rhett’s soft snores had me turning to find the lanky, sexy man passed out next to me, his face looking younger than normal. I guessed we’d all dozed off. It reminded me that despite how old we acted, in some ways we were still kids. I just felt centuries old.
Probably because of the fucking cosmos being inside of me… oh, that sounded dirty. I smirked at that. Standing up, I pulled a blanket more securely over Maggie and then Rhett as well, making sure they were cozy. I nearly rolled my eyes at my caretaking tendencies. Ones that were almost always absent, it seemed, except when it came to the Reids.
My thoughts were relaxed as I walked towards the kitchen. I knew the four other boys weren’t back yet, despite it being somewhere around seven or eight at night, and I really did encourage them to take as long as they wanted. I was curious, however, to know where Cash was? I entered the kitchen, hoping to find him, and froze because…
There was a man in our kitchen? What the fuckity fuck?
“Umm, hi?”
The man’s eyes snapped up from where he leaned over the counter looking over a stack of papers. He offered a concerned look as he snapped straight, his body language instantly making me know he wasn’t a threat. In fact… he seemed more scared of me than I was of him. His next words solidified that concept.
“Sorry ma’am,” he offered with a small awkward smile. “I was looking over something for King Adriel. I didn’t mean to interrupt your night.” I could tell he was apologetic, and I felt bad for the guy, considering how stiff and uncomfortable he looked. I didn’t mean to make him feel so awkward.
“Oh, you’re good,” I waved him off and turned towards the fridge. I explored the contents but didn’t find anything I wanted, so I grabbed a water bottle. For the first time in a long time, I was hungry. I’d gone so long without eating, though, that I wasn’t positive about what I was even hungry for. I could feel his eyes on me, so I turned back around.
I sat down at the kitchen island and searched his expression, realizing that I couldn’t get a very good read on his desires. They seemed mutable and rather blank. My instincts were telling me that he was okay, but of course I still felt cautious.
“You’re Lorcan, correct?” he finally asked, seemingly trying to not be rude.
I realized very clearly that he was a pure-blood elf. His dark hair was tied back in a long braid, and his dark eyes watched me curiously. He was wearing a militaristic uniform, all navy and purple colored. Kingdom of Night. Interesting. This kid couldn’t have been much older than me, but he acted so much older.
“I am,” I nodded.
“So you are our future Queen?” he asked, sounding a bit more excited, his desires becoming more apparent. His eyes were curious, not judgmental in the least.