Page 49 of The Prince's Mate

When the door opened again, I stayed where I was, but my eyes flickered to the entrance, and I watched as Andras walked inside, his neck already healed.

"You were a bad boy, Caelan. I had to drain three humans to heal the wounds you gave me. Well, one for that. The other two I just drained for fun," he said, flashing me a fang-filled grin.

"Fuck off." I scowled, and in the next second, he was on me, his lips pressing against mine, his fang digging into my lower lip.

I struggled under him and used his distraction to free my hands and legs from the shackles Dympna hadforgottento lock. Once I was free, I flipped us over, straddling Andras and wrapping my hands around his neck.

My claws dug into his skin as I held him down and his eyes widened. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed seeing fear in his eyes, the same eyes that had haunted my nightmares for too many centuries.

"You are never hurting another soul," I growled down at him, tightening my hold on him as he struggled. His nails scrabbled at my back, but I kept my hold until my fingers were buried in his throat.

I didn't want to risk leaving him alive, though. I had to be sure. I had to make sure he was dead, and then I had to throw his rotten soul into the Chasm.

With a shout, I ripped his head clean off, and blood spilled everywhere, soaking into the silk sheets and dripping down my arms. Dropping the head, I watched it roll off the bed and smack onto the floor.

Wiping my hands on the bed as best I could, I cupped his soul, wishing I had my pants so I didn't have to touch it any longer.

I climbed off the bed and searched the room, but my clothes were nowhere to be found. Sighing, I tightened the sash of the stupid robe I wore and wished I could just ditch his soul, or destroy it completely. But I was still a soul collector, and I wanted to watch his soul burn in the fires of the Chasm.

Stepping around Andras's head, I headed over to the door before thinking better of it. Turning back, I picked his head up by the hair and then went for the door, pulling it open and coming face-to-face with Dympna. Their eyes widened when they fell on the head in my hand, and they stumbled back.

"I felt his hold on me break. I didn't realize you...thank you," they said in a low voice, and I shrugged.

"What do you mean by hold?"

"He figured out a way to control my magic, some old spell a warlock told him. He could control when and how I used my magic," they explained, and I huffed.

"Well, he won't be doing that again. You're free," I said and they nodded, though they looked a little lost at the thought. "How long have you been...with him?" I asked, unsure how to phrase the question.

"A few decades. I came here from the fae realm to learn more about the human realm. I was only here for a few days before he found me and trapped me," Dympna said, and I sighed.

"I'm sorry you had such a shitty introduction to the human realm. They're—I mean,we'renot all bad," I said, blaming recent events for my slip-up. "Are there others around?"

Dympna nodded, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. "The others are all paid goons and asshole vampires like him."

"Well, then I guess we'll have to fight our way through them," I said, shooting him a grin. Maybe their master's head will scare them off, and if it didn't, I could always beat them with it.

I could always just magick us both away, but it would be a little harder to explain, and honestly, I was feeling a little murdery after getting kidnapped for a second time, and I might just enjoy this.

The door opened before we reached it, and I braced myself for an attack. Instead, an achingly familiar man stepped through the door, and I was in his arms before Andras's head smacked against the floor.

"Kitty, holy shit," Walker gasped against my ear, his arms tight like bands of steel around me. I breathed in his scent, the crispness of it washing away the scent of blood that clung to my nose.

"Walker," I murmured back, squeezing him to me before I remembered I was covered in blood.

I pulled away from him and looked down at myself, and Walker's eyes followed mine, a gasp echoing between us.

"It's not mine," I assured him, and he relaxed. He grinned when he finally spotted the head I'd dropped.

"I guess you didn't need a knight to rescue you," he said, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm still glad you came. Here, hold this," I said, tossing him Andras's soul. He scrambled to catch it, made a face at it, and then stuck the soul into his pocket.

"Friend or foe?" I looked up at Damien's voice and found him holding Dympna at sword point.

"They helped me, Day. Andras was holding them against their will," I hurried to say, and Day pulled his sword away.

"All right. Thank you for your help," he said, and Dympna nodded shakily. I gave him a smile, and he smiled back, his eyes flickering to Arty and Reece as they also stepped into the hallway. This was too narrow for six grown men.