Chapter 28

By the goddamn devil—

I fisted both of my horns and tugged like I wanted to rip them from my skull. The sickness of the serum had subsided, but what replaced it was so much fucking worse. I was either going to bleed her out and free myself from this cursed bond, or I was going to lose my mind.

I refused to relieve the tension she had crawling through me. Not with my hand, not with Master, and not with anyone. The only person who deserved my current frustration was the obnoxious girl who I was accidentally keeping alive. How was it that the one SINGLE time I made the mistake of helping a wayward human, just so happened to also be the one single time Theron decided to mark a tribute and Alessi was down to fuck one? It was almost like they sensed my blood in her veins and couldn't resist.

My head jerked back at that realization, and I immediately dismissed it, not wanting to acknowledge that my own magical signature might have been part of what had everyone so drawn to her. Give a human a splash of devil's blood and no one can keep their hands off her.

Devil and angel's blood, I reminded myself. I didn't like to acknowledge the impure half of my bloodline, but in moments like these, it was difficult not to. No one else in this realm could begin to understand my specific gifts and curses. I barely understood them all myself.

All I knew for sure was that the thoughts she was putting in my head had heavily warped the challenges in the Yellow Sector in a way I would not be discussing with anyone. I already suspected the King would want an explanation as he witnessed the exhibitionism. I'd avoid that conversation as long as possible. It would be something to laugh about long after this tribute was dead and this year's game was over with.

I stood from my bed, and I paced and paced and paced. I hit my head against the wall once, then twice, letting the impact reverberate through my whole goddamn skull, while knocking into the stone with enough force to chip pieces off the rough surface.

The pain of a whip's crack was a welcome relief on my back, but it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough, because her pain spurred on the same feelings as her pleasure. This woman had fucking problems that made the rest of us look well adjusted.

When I couldn't take another second, I turned on my heel and stormed towards the portal room. My feet took me straight to the orange twinkle on the far end. She'd be done with the Yellow Sector soon enough, so I'd head her off in the jungle.

I didn't have a plan, but I'd figure it out when I got there.