Page 30 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
Concern knits his brow. “My sweet child, all grown up.”
I giggle, throwing my arms around him in a hug. “I love you.”
Thessaly squeezes me tight. “I love you more, sweet girl.”
Still locked in our embrace, I smack his shoulder. “I’ll have you know, I am a fully grown female at the rapidly ripening age of twenty-one, and have a variety of carnal urges that I am certain would make you choke on your own spit.”
Thessaly chuckles, patting me on the shoulder. “I have no doubt, my little vixen. I shall utter a small prayer that Lucen survives.”
The tinkling of the shop bell announces a customer’s arrival.
Thessaly winks, patting my shoulder. “Speak of the daemon. That’s probably him. Why don’t you finish getting dressed for your date while I prepare your chastity belt?”
I cackle. “Ooooh. Kinky. How about we makehima chastity belt? I saw something similar in a shop window once. Acockcage, I believe it’s called. That sounds utterly delightful, doesn’t it?”
Thessaly shakes his head. “My, my. Our dear Lucen is really going to have his hands full, isn’t he?”
Pocketing the vial, I watch as he disappears through the swinging door that leads to the storefront through the laboratory, before I head in the other direction.
I’m halfway up the staircase when I hear a glass shatter from the storefront. My footsteps pause, ears pricking. I hear a shout—Thessaly’s shout.
Terror licks up my spine with a tongue made of ice. Ifoldinto the storefront.
Scan it and find no one.
My eyes snag on feet—a pair of shiny brogues peaking out from behind the counter. I rush forward, dropping beside Thessaly’s prone form, as blood-curdling horror tears from my chest.
A macabre halo of blood grows around his body. I leap to the ground beside him, pressing my hands against the wound on his side to stifle the blood.
“Oh, gods, oh gods, Thessaly, no!”
I realize too late that his clothing and face are coated in something wet that has a glimmering sheen as the too-sweet metallic scent reaches my nose. My power splutters as I fail towillhealing elixirs into my hand.
Thessaly’s dark eyes lower to meet mine as he manages to rasp one word.
“Run.”
Glass crunches behind me just before a loudbanghits my ears. A fine mist showers me. I twist to face our attacker, who holds a militia-issued gun. His shaggy, ruddy-blond hair is unkempt, his pale skin grimy, and his gray eyes red-veined.
He grins down at me as I uselessly shield Thessaly’s body with my own.
“Fuck me, you’re pretty.”
A blue leather sack embossed in gold, reading,The Divinarium—the name of Thessaly’s business—is gripped in one gloved hand where the patchwork scarring of burned flesh crawls up the length of one arm. He tosses the satchel on the counter, and the distinct chime of coins reaches my ears.
My fury rises and swells, drawing upon my magic that crackles at my fingertips—only to sputter out.
Our attacker’s eyes drop to my flickering, failing magic. His malevolent grin is enough to make me wretch. “Palladium mist. It’ll wear off in a few hours... but until then.” He waggles his eyebrows, licking his lips. “We can have a little fun, can’t we?”
I turn, scrambling to climb to my feet just as he takes hold of one ankle with a bruising grip. Lashing out with my other leg, my foot connects with his head, and I hear a sickeningcrack.
He grins at me through bloody teeth as he pins both of my legs down despite my flailing. “Like it rough, do ya?”
Screaming only seems to encourage him further. My wings and tail are crushed beneath our weight as he crawls over my body. I scrape my filed claws down his face only to be rewarded with the back of his hand.
The growled words, “Silly fucking bitch”are muffled by the ringing in my ears as my head spins and vision tunnels.
Desperately trying to shove him off me, my efforts are in vain. He shoves my legs apart, and a moment later I hear the tearing of fabric. He chuckles. “But a pretty cunt.”
