Page 143 of Venomous Desires

My chest heaved up and down.

“Good girl.” Judas’s voice was soft like he were teaching me some twisted lesson. “Never turn away from death. It’s just another part of life, after all. One moment you’re on top of the world, the next...” He pressed his lips against my ear again. “You’re bleeding out, regretting every breath you took for granted, right?”

He wiped the knife clean, slow and deliberate, eyes cold as they swept over the men. Silent. Frozen. Color drained from their faces.

Like me.

Tears slipped down my cheeks.

Licking my skin.

Scorching it.

The pain crawled deeper, burning through my chest.

No sound.

Only fear, sinking its claws in.

I stood there, bleeding in silence.

The devil sighed, secured his arm around my waist once again. “What do they say, ‘If you sit by the river long enough, you’ll watch the bodies of your enemies float by.’” I shit my eyes as his blade tapped the side of my waist before he let go of me and I fell on my knees. “Except I’m not the waiting type. I prefer a more... proactive approach.”

He stalked around the table.

“Tell me, little bird,” he murmured, fingers tracing the curve of the blade, smearing the blood he’d forgotten to clean. “Do you feel safer now?”

I swallowed thickly, words failing me. He didn’t wait for an answer, knowing all too well the power he held. “I told you. No one can touch what’s mine.”

The other men quickly recovered from shock, and suddenly one of them pulled out a gun. My eyes widened as he pointed the gun at Judas. “You played us, bastard,” he spat as other also pulled out their guns. “Fooled us with your fucking blindness!”

A chorus of guns clicked into readiness. My breath hitched, and before I could even process what was happening, five men stood with weapons pointed directly at Judas.

My body seized with panic, every nerve alight with terror, but Judas... he laughed. A low, deranged sound that bubbled up from deep in his chest, sending a sickening chill down my spine. His head tilted slightly, that eerie grin never leaving his lips. And pale eyes shone brighter as the sight of guns amused him.

“Judas...” it was Veronica’s soft voice as she sighed and stood beside him. “You’re not thinking of killing them, are you?”

My breath hitched as the devilish smile curved his lips. “Of course, I am. They wanted to have a taste of my little bird.”

I swallowed hard.

Before anyone could react, his hand flexed around the blade as his fingers curled with an almost sensual anticipation. “It’s funny, isn’t it?” he mused, taking a step forward. “People think that because they have a gun, they have power.” He shrugged, his smile widening. “Come on now, Faruk. Because we both know, your dick is the only things smaller than your fucking courage.”

I screamed.

Without warning, the first shot was fired. The sharp crack of a bullet pierced the air, and my heart leapt into my throat. I thought the bullet rushed past me, and I was ready to find his body on the ground.

But Judas... he moved like smoke. Before I could even blink, he was gone from my side, a blur of black and silver as he dodged to the left. The knife in his hand flashed, and Faruk’s wrist exploded in a fountain of blood.

I shrieked as I scrambled on the arse and hands, hiding behind the chair.

What-what was happening?

I couldn’t process.

This was the first time I had heard gunfire. And first time watching this much blood.

The man screamed, dropping his weapon as Judas twisted the knife deeper into the flesh. I looked through the gap.