Page 130 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
Suddenly, my hand is empty, and mycollar is now wrapped around the rapidly healing wrist of Azrael’s right arm.
To add further injury, Azrael seems pleased. “Such pretty gifts you give me, darling. However, shall I repay you?”
“That’smycollar.”
Violette hits me with a glare. “It’s not your collar. Not afteryousaid you would never love me or accept our bond.”
Guilt softens my growl. “I came here to make amends.”
She blinks, a maniacal grin tilting her lips as she speaks in a deceptively calm tone.
“Amends? You callthismaking amends?”
A scowl carves my face as my voice drops to a growl, all while Azrael watches our exchange with a placid expression—the way one does while dozing off to the horrors displayed on prime-time television.
“We were interrupted.”
She huffs. “And thank fuck for that, lest I have yet another lapse in my sanity.”
My laughter feels like gravel in my throat.
“You weren’t complaining when you were squirting all over me.”
She gives a bitter chuckle. “Truly darling, you possess the charisma of a soggy boot.”
The wittiest of retorts is poised on the tip of my tongue just as Violette lets out a shrieked, “NO!” A too-loud thump reverberates through my skull as my vision tunnels with fuchsia before narrowing to black.
VIOLETTE
After my screech of protest, the birds of the wood take flight. Levi’s body hits the ground with a heavy thud. Azrael’s headless, yet animate, corpse stands directly behind him, wielding a charred log of wood. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I attempt to muster patience and am half tempted to drop Azrael’s head in the grass.
“Delightful. I’m dealing withtwosavages.”
Azrael’snudebody drops the log and crosses its arms as Azrael vocalizes from the pedestal of mine, “Darling, you wound me. It hardly makes us even. The male’s rage cannot go unchecked.”
I angle his head to meet my gaze, quirking a brow. “Something you know a little about, I gather?”
Azrael’s brows lift with feigned innocence. “I haven’t the foggiest notion as to what you’re talking about.”
Heaving a sigh, I hold Azrael’s head out towards his body as he takes cautious steps towards it.
“Right, well... Let’s put you back together then.”
His hands grasp his head, facing it towards me to align it with the stump of his neck. My lips tilt upwards as his earrings sway pendulously with the motion, twinkling in the light.
I watch, breath held, waiting for Azrael’s head and neck to fuse together.
In vain.
Azrael’s brows tense, hands still holding his head in place. “Odd…”
Oh dear.
My gaze falls to Levi’s unconscious form, scowling. Frustration swells inside me, and my fists clench. I’m not sure if it’s with the need to hit him or hold him and make sure he’s okay. Perhaps both.
“Perhaps it’s the palladium.”
Azrael smirks. “I can assure you it isn’t. If I hadn’t grown so fond of them already, I might suggest you remove them.”
