Page 51 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
I don’t actuallyneedhim to remove it. When he dies, its magic will surely fade.
Despair slumps Lucen’s shoulders, and again, I am given no reply.
Frustration burns through me.
“I don’t understand why you would go to all this trouble. You had my friend murdered, only to take me in, make me fall in love with you, and take my virginity? Pawn me off to your friends? Enslave me in your brothel? Why not just go be with yoursoulboundand live in peace?”
Lucen’s sudden bark of laughter makes me jolt. “Live in peace.”
Unease winds through me as his laughter increases to hysteria.
“Live in peace!”
Tears stream down his cheeks as he repeats the words, and I can’t discern whether or not it’s from laughter or his plight. Perhaps both.
My hand reaches behind me to grasp the blade sitting on the dining table. Drawing in a deep breath of fortitude, I press the blade to the pink scar now forming over his heart.
Blood runs anew.
Lucen’s laughter wanes, and he groans through clenched teeth as the blade sinks in.
“Tell me why.”
The pitying look in his eyes makes my stomach churn.
What am I missing?
“You really are completely fucking clueless.”
I feign a thoughtful look as I press the blade deeper.
“You know... I don’t think I like your tone.”
His strained grin is one of pure spite.
“If you kill me, you’ll never get that ring off.”
My heart stutters at the words, but I feign indifference as I pause, leaving the blade sticking out of his chest as I pretend to admire my bejewelled finger.
“I can live with that. You do have impeccable taste, after all. That I cannot deny.”
His chest heaves through the pain. “People will come looking for me.”
“Let them. I’ll even tell them where to find you—in the bellies of all the sharks that will devour you the moment I drop your bleeding carcass into the sea.”
“You don’t understand... If you kill me,he’llcome looking. And you’ll suffer a far worse fate.”
Mustering patience, I massage my brow.
“Truly, Lucen. I tire of all this dancing around the matter.Have you no regard for life and limb? You’re going to force me to resort to gruesome measures.”
“For my own? No. Not anymore... but for her, yes.”
Some irrational part of me experiences a pang of jealousy.
Lucen’s eyes narrow, dancing between each of mine—likely as some inconceivable manipulation blossoms in his mind.
“I’ll tell you everything, and remove the ring, so long as you give me your vow?—”
