Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

TYRANT

I lick my claimed one ’s cunt one last time. My tongue flat against her sleeping body. Her sugary smelling honey still dripping from her. I thrust my tongue in her body and feel her clench against me.

Good girl… she knows it’s me…

I curl my tongue and move up, tasting her clit. Closing my lips around it. Suckling and pulling, growling like a beast.

I pull away with a loud wet noise that only I hear. I offer her soft mound a few soft kisses.

From there I pull Serafina’s dress down and make sure she looks presentable for the gathering we’re about to have. This is all part of the ceremony. She’s on full display right now. It’s a very dark ceremony, yes.

She’s been claimed by me now. Officially. In the eyes of the legion. In the Perg . All that traditional stuff taken care of. The whole concept is to break her down and let her know that she is no longer in control of anything. Her life is now planned and designed, and that’s it.

As her ace I will fuck her when I want and protect her as she needs to be protected. It’s my job to kill anyone who gets in the way of her… I grit my teeth and refuse to think the other half of that thought.

I stand next to the table and admire Serafina. Her beauty. Natural beauty. Innocence that lingers. Not much though. I mean, after all, she has blood on her mouth. Blood from a kiss I gave her. Blood that came from a cut at her inner thigh that I also gave her.

It’s dark and it’s scary and that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. Because life is dark and scary. Even when you’re part of the group that makes up the most powerful people in existence.

I reach down and stroke Serafina’s left cheek and then I catch myself leaning down and kissing her forehead. It’s uncalled for. I don’t know why I just did that. I’m glad nobody else saw it. I back away.

I need to fucking collect myself, and fast.

My brother gives me a nod and waves me to come over to him.

Fuck.

The cathedral room is full. There’s a select group who do not have to cover themselves up, except for their skull makeup. The rest of those here are in their robes and wear their masks. They stand against the walls, like breathing statutes. It’s their job to observe, take this ceremony in, and hope that someday they are chosen for a brood that will serve the legion .

Those who can’t find their place are torn away, beaten almost into a coma, and then come out the other side with a nice cushy job at their father’s massive corporation, where they will earn seven figures a year to do jack shit, allowing them to suppress all their memories of SA .

Life is cruel, for everyone. To everyone. There’s no escaping it.

As I walk toward Luc, I spot Mac out of the corner of my eye. I detour toward him. I know I should offer a handshake but I don’t. Call me a prick. Call me stubborn. Call me whatever you want.

“Ty,” he says to me. “Congrats. It was a perfect ceremony.”

“The night of that fucking party, Mac…”

He nods to me. He gets it. I respect him for understanding. If an ace isn’t willing to kill to protect their claimed one , then what are we doing here?

“None of my business here, Ty, but whatever happened, I hope you get an answer,” Mac says. “That’s not how we do things. Nobody deserves to have their drink spiked like that. Without consent? No fucking way, Ty. No fucking way.”

My brother calls my name now. His voice is like ten billion paper cuts inside my ears.

“I better go check on the king ,” I say to Mac.

He flexes his jaw, knowing part of our responsibilities are to respect the one on the throne. Do I respect Luc?

Don’t make me fucking laugh.

I approach my brother. He stands there with Sin and Ven at his sides.

“Still no sight on Baal, huh?” I ask my brother with a grin.

“A joke,” Luc says. “Considering you’re the reason why he had his eye removed…”

“Not me, Brother . That was his own doing. Look at the mess he’s caused. Maybe it’s good he’s not here. I’d love to cut his other fucking eye out.”

“Let’s not talk too much business tonight, Tyrant,” Luc says. “This is a celebration for you and your claimed one . You will care for her. You will break her in every way possible. She will be left with nothing when she’s handed off to her husband.”

That fucking word makes my heart angry. Luc is waiting for me to get pissed off.

“Of course,” I respond to him. “I know my job here. I know what must be done. I’d also like to point out to you that someone is after her. This isn’t like other ones.”

“I’ve heard,” Luc says. “The drink…”

“And a teddy bear with its head and eyes taken apart. That doesn’t sit well with me.”

“It doesn’t sit well with me either,” my brother says.

He grabs my shoulder and gives me a squeeze as though he’s my father and I’m getting that go-get-‘em-champ vibe. It takes all my might not to throw a right uppercut and take out Luc’s bottom row of teeth.

“Need anything else?” I ask Luc.

“A drink,” he says. “You and me, Tyrant. Beyond what this all means. After all, we are brothers, right?”

My jaw tightens.

I see the look in Luc’s eyes. That reminder that our father chose to raise him and left me hanging. That our father simply just fucked my mother and that was that. He made a life with Luc and Luc’s mother. I hate to think for a second I could possibly feel something that resembles jealousy in all of this. Fuck that. Fuck jealousy. Fuck feelings. Fuck emotions.

Des brings the bottle of expensive vodka and two glasses to us.

I look at Des. “Put any drugs in this one?”

“No,” he says. “That’s just for really special occasions.”

I take a step and Sin makes a fist and presses it to my chest, keeping me back.

“Drink, Tyrant,” Luc orders me.

I take one of the small glasses from Des. Luc has the other. Des pours the drinks.

“To your claimed one ,” Luc says.

I nod.

The vodka is smooth and chilled. This particular vodka is a very deadly drink because it has no real smell and the taste is that of purified water. I’m talking this stuff hits your tongue and you want more .

I offer Luc one more nod and then I walk away from him. That’s enough brother time for one lifetime if you ask me.

My eyes naturally gravitate right toward Serafina as she sleeps peacefully on top of the blanketed table. This entire thing is so fucking morbid.

“Hey, brother, I guess I should wish you congrats,” Peri says to me.

“Something like that,” I say.

Someone bumps into my shoulder. It’s Demo. He’s the only one who can do that to me without getting punched in the face.

“She looks beautiful over there,” Demo says. “You’ll have a blast with her. I mean if you haven’t already, right?”

“She doesn’t fit the part around here,” I say. “And someone is after her. There’s more to her story.”

“And you want to research it?” Peri asks.

“What are we researching?” Vic asks as he decides to join the conversation.

“Nothing,” I say. “Leave it all be. We all have jobs to do, right?”

“You’re tense as fuck, man,” Vic says.

“Did I ask for your opinion on anything, Vic?” I growl.

“No. But I love giving my opinion.”

“Get the fuck away from me,” I tell Vic.

Vic laughs, knowing he’s under my skin. He’s always looking for a fight. No matter what. He’ll fight enemies, friends. He’ll fight family. It’s his thing.

He and Peri go to a bar to get a drink. That leaves me alone with Demo.

“You’re calmer than I’d be,” he says. “Someone fucks around with my claimed one … watch the fuck out. I would burn this entire place down and dig through the ashes.”

“I know you would, Demo,” I say.

“Can I get you a drink, brother? We’ll have a toast to the ceremony.”

As I open my mouth to reluctantly accept the offer I notice Des closing in on Serafina. Demo is already moving his left hand out, preparing to stop me. I’m already walking, pushing by Demo’s fucking hand. Nobody is going to get too close to my claimed one .

Not even her future husband.

“Are you going to stand there and watch me, Ty?” Des asks without looking back.

“That’s right. I’ll be right here. Watching. Or you can just walk the fuck away from her. She’s not yours.”

Des looks back at me. “Not yet.”

My eyes go wide.

Des smiles. “She is beautiful. I’m very lucky for that. Some of the women around here are just awful looking, you know? Imagine getting paired up with some ugly woman. And that’s your wife. I mean, yeah, the marriage is all bullshit, right? I’ll get my dick sucked by anyone I choose. I’ll fuck ten women a night and not a single one will be my wife. But you get the picture, Ty. Can’t have some nasty, ugly woman hanging off your arm like a tumor.”

My hands roll up into tight fists.

“I’ll take good care of her,” I say. “I have to warn you though, she won’t be the same when I’m done with her. Hope your dick goes through a growth spurt or else you won’t be able to take care of her.”

“Oh, I’ll do just fine,” Des says. “You think I’m going to enjoy her in that way? I’ll have exactly what I want. She’ll just be a plaything for me. Something to have hanging off my arm. Something to toss around when I’m in a bad mood.”

“That’s quite the future for you,” I say. “That’s the big plan? Beat the hell out of your wife every night?”

“Not every night,” Des says. “Every other night. Or every third night. Keep the fucking whore guessing.”

Des reaches down and touches Serafina’s face. My right hand swings before I know it’s happening. In fact, for a split second I thought it was someone else smashing their fist against Des’s face. I hit him so hard, he falls on the table, on top of Serafina.

I grab the back of his shirt and pull him off my claimed one . Des spins and punches me. His fist against my jaw makes me step back but I don’t stumble. Fuck that.

Des and I go for one another. Both of us throwing punches

“Enjoy my wife,” Des whispers at one point.

“Fuck you,” I growl with each punch I throw.

I feel an electric jolt to the right back side of my body and I lose feeling in my arms and legs. A second later I’m on the ground, tense and trying to scream but can’t.

Next to me, Des flops around like a fish thrown out of a tank. That’s when I realize Sin is standing over Des with a fucking cattle prod at the middle of his back.

Luc stands over me with the same damn thing jammed against my right side. A fucking cattle prod. That’s what it takes to break up a fight between Des and me.

“Stand them up,” Luc orders.

Sin and Mac pull Des to his feet. Peri and Vic do the same to me. My body is jumpy from all the volts but I’m ready for more.

“Don’t ever fucking touch her,” I spit at Des. “She’s mine. My claimed one . I’ll say it in front of everyone here. You touch her again and I will fucking kill you. I will fucking kill you! ”

I roar like a lion.

Luc touches my shoulder. “This is not the time nor the place. This is not how we do this.”

“He fucking touched my claimed one ,” I say. “I don’t give a fuck about any rules.”

“Tyrant, that’s enough,” Luc barks at me.

He then eyes Des.

Des stands there, bloody mouth, swollen jaw, still fucking smiling, thinking he’s got something over on me. Maybe he fucking does. No matter what happens, I have to hand Serafina over to him.

Goddamn…

“The two of you are working a fantasy tomorrow night,” Luc says.

“The fuck I am,” I growl. “I refuse to let my claimed one out of my sight. Someone is after her.”

“Don’t speak back to me like that, Tyrant,” Luc says.

Luc points at Sin and nods. Peri and Vic hold my arms tighter.

“Sorry, brother,” Peri whispers to me.

There’s no need to be sorry.

Luc sits on the throne. He’s as close to the legion as any of us. Sin is handed a set of brass knuckles. He slides them over his fingers and punches me in the face one time. There’s only so much a human can take.

In reality, one punch can absolutely kill the biggest of men. My knees give out and Peri and Vic hold me up from collapsing. My head wavers a little and I regain my full capabilities in a few seconds.

“ Fantasy ,” Luc says. “Tomorrow night. Now everyone have a drink and then we’ll watch Tyrant carry his claimed back to his place.”

Drinks are passed around and then when it’s time, I scoop Serafina up and hold her in my arms. I walk her from the Perg back to my place, where I place her down into my bed and kiss her forehead.

I then go into the bathroom and look at my face. A little beat up but not bad at all. I stare at my reflection and shake my head.

A fucking fantasy …

Someone paying to be tossed around and tortured, everything planned out in detail. A bored housewife. An overstimulated mother. Someone who has no confidence in themselves. Someone wanting to know that there’s more to life than just bills and debts and mindless holidays and planning a yearly vacation.

Normally I enjoy working a fantasy . Right now all I care about is keeping my claimed one safe. And finding out who drugged her and threatened her…

… so I can take all this rage I feel and put it to good use when I commit another murder.