32. The Price of Revenge

Chapter 32

The Price of Revenge

Vasileios

T ime was everything.

An important lesson learned by my father and one I lived by. One that granted me my greatest weapon…

Patience.

But now that I could see the end of the road, I had to confess that even this had its limits. Limits the witch, Circe, would soon learn for she tried this famous patience of mine for the last time. Hence why I had my darkness transport me inside her store, one which was a ruse for the plans I had put into place.

Circe owed me a life debt, and it was one I had purposely not collected on as of yet. Because she had better uses to me. Better uses than that of just another dead soul gathered to feed the darkness within.

Souls and blood, that was what I dealt in.

Her blood I had tasted, her soul I owned. Just like many before her. The only difference was that this one came with a price she bargained for.

The Erebus family dagger.

It was all I wanted. All I craved to possess.

And soon it would be mine. Time, once again, would be on my side.

"Why do I get the impression you are stalling for time, Circe?" I asked, my intention to scare her like I did most people with my formidable presence. The scream of fright she emitted was almost worth the grin.

"My lord Vasileios!" Her voice already grated on me, for I had no time for her shrill tone.

"The dagger, Witch, where is it?" I demanded, making her drop the shaky hand she had placed on her chest in fear. As if the heart I had threatened to rip out had been my first thought. I almost scoffed. It would do her little good trying to protect it from one such as I. You didn't get many souls darker, and she knew it.

But then, like most… she didn't know everything about me. Like who or what I truly was at my core, nor that of my birthright. Just the way I intended, as information was power… another lesson my father instilled.

"My Lord, it will be in your possession very soon, I swear it!" she said, making me harden my jaw. A common trait I shared.

"You really expect me to believe that?" I asked, my tone dangerously close to being the last she would ever hear.

"I have my plan already in motion."

"And what plan is this?" I asked as I ran my fingertip along only a few of the bottles she kept on a shelf, making each one crack with the slightest touch. Her eyes widened seeing the power I held with just the tip of my finger.

"I found her," she said and this… well, this got my fucking attention . My head snapped up to pin her with a glacial stare, one she was right to cower from.

"Be more specific!" I snapped.

"Their Fated, the one they call their Moirai Theía, My Lord."

My entire body grew tense. The unbelievable was finally happening and I couldn't help but find myself curious. However, I also knew better than to trust someone who was desperate enough to save their own soul. So, I snatched out, too fast for even a witch's eyes to track. Her throat now shackled in my hand, making her scramble to try and free it.

Silly little witch.

I pushed her body back, having no time to see it dangling by my hand like some floundering fish. No, I wanted her controlled. The small table next to us rattled with the force as I slammed her back against the wall.

"Please… have mercy, it is true!" she gritted out.

A deep, sick satisfaction ran through me at the feeling of her windpipe being restricted, knowing how little it would take to snap it in two.

"Your plan?" I asked, curious enough not to kill her just yet.

"She thinks she is cursed."

I frowned at this, telling her darkly, "Go on."

Her fingers tried in vain to pry my hand away, wasting my time.

"Speak!" I demanded, making her flinch as if she had been struck by force.

"This curse, she thinks they have been made to fall in love with her. She thinks I will lift the curse if she brings me the dagger. I should have it before sundown tomorrow," she told me, this time making me grin, and it was a sight that had her wisely trying to flinch back.

I couldn't blame her, because no one wanted to see me smile, not when they knew what usually followed.

"And the girl, who is she?" I asked, unsure as to why I was curious, for she would soon be dead by my hands. Or drained by my fangs which depending on how she smelled.

When Circe looked down to her side, my eyes followed. Instantly I dropped the witch, ignoring the way she coughed and sputtered through her discomfort now on her knees on the floor. A lesser witch would have passed out long before.

But I cared little for the soul I owned. No, now I was far more interest in the picture of the girl she spoke of. I picked up the image of her and forced myself not to react to the face I knew.

To the face that haunted my dreams.

The irony that she would end up being the Moirai Theía to my enemies was not lost on me. But then again, it stood to reason seeing as Fate had deemed her belonging to both brothers.

But the question now was…

Would she also belong to the third?

Would she soon belong… to me?

To be continued in

Book 2