King of the Unsightly (Tempting Trickery #1)

A Sacrifice

T he thundering footfalls rang closer until Levisus came huffing out from the hallway. He leaned a hand on the wall wearing a dark cloak and what looked almost like nursing scrubs.

Levisus glanced at Kaschel with a tinge of gravity in his voice. “I need more time but I—”

“Enough. I’ll handle it, but you better hurry. When one comes, they all follow.” Kaschel stalked over to the door. His muscular back tensed up. He shook out one hand and put the other on his sheath, but before he opened the door, he glimpsed back at me. “Stay here and don’t come out.”

I jerked to my feet, ignoring his request. “I need to get Gren first.”

Kaschel couldn’t talk me out of it. No one could.

I couldn’t leave Gren out there by himself. I would never forgive myself.

The few people I cared about always seemed to ... No. I wasn’t going to entertain a thought like that. I sure as hell wouldn’t let another one I cared about slip through my fingers.

My cowardice couldn’t stop me. I could retrieve Gren without falling to my knees in fear. Even if my anxiety returned the second I caught a glimpse of the creature, I just needed to call for Gren and tell him to come hide inside. Easy, peasy.

Kaschel groaned and he rubbed his temple. “Fuck. Fine but you can’t waver. You grab him and you get the hell out of there.”

I walked behind him, but my movement came in short spurts as my legs wobbled and threatened to give out the closer I got to our impending doom.

Kaschel grumbled at my weak attempt to get to the door. I wondered if I put a face next to the bloodcurdling screech, would I be even more terrified?

I shook my head and disregarded the cluttered mess of tension filtering through my mind and kept my focus on the door in front of us.

I gulped when Kaschel pushed it open, and Gren flapped toward us.

A beast emerged from the forest and my eyes widened in horror.

It had to be about ten feet tall with a body warped by shadows as its elongated arms with claws the size of blades dragged behind it. A disturbing smile distorted its face. Something I believed only nightmares could conjure as its crooked jaw hung loose like an unspun thread.

The beast spotted Kaschel and its mouth broadened. Its jaw cracked as it snapped together and then apart. Even its ghastly fanged teeth couldn’t be concealed. They hooked outward like elephant tusks as drool poured out of its malformed mouth.

The beast shrieked again, and I almost pissed myself. Its body trudged forward, compelling the ground to tremble beneath our feet. Or maybe only my body trembled; I honestly couldn’t tell.

The beast’s neck craned, and another snap echoed throughout the forest. “Kaschel, you were warned, yet here you are. I can’t say I’m disappointed.” The beast’s slimy voice slithered through the air, taunting my ears. “Imprisoning someone like you would earn me a hefty reward. I mean, just think of all the ones you threw in the Scáths who would be overjoyed to hear of your return.”

Kaschel exuded so much energy and wrath it took me back as he stepped forward, unfazed by the beast’s threat. “You know, I was going to pardon the others once I regained my throne, but you eradicated any chance of that. Now, I’m feeling quite bloodthirsty.”

Kaschel unsheathed his sword and lunged at the beast. The clanging of metal and claws ruptured through the air as they both moved with such speed I couldn’t concentrate on either one of them.

Gren perched at my side, and he tilted his head as he watched the battle unfold.

Gren looked back at me with concern. “He won’t be able to defeat them all when the others arrive, but ...”

I whipped my head down to him. “Others? Now is not the time for hesitations. Tell me, now. I don’t want us to die here,” I demanded, but it sounded more like a plea.

Gren huffed. “When I was interrupted, I was saying you have magic, but it’s sealed away and doesn’t come without a price.” He hesitated again.

“Gren.” I lowered my chin.

“A witch can only unlock her powers through a ritual, but dark magic is costly. The only way to gain power and a familiar is through a sacrifice. You can do both at once but it’s dangerous. I can’t help much as I am. After all, I’m only bound to you by an oath. And I ... I am not whole.”

I opened my mouth, attempting to make sense of his words. “Sacrifice? Dark magic? Who the fuck would I sacrifice in the middle of bumfuck nowhere? Not like I could—”

“We won’t survive if you don’t, but you will be bound and I promised, I ...”

My head snapped back to the forest from the loud crash and thud.

The beast launched Kaschel against a tree and he collapsed onto the ground.

Gren turned his head to where Kaschel landed and didn’t say another word about the ritual, and instead looked up at me with a darkened eye. “Get to safety.”

Gren’s talons grew the size of rapiers as he left my side. He didn’t give me enough time to process or protest as he soared through the air and headed for the beast, slicing its back tendon as he flew past it.

Gren whipped back around and repeated the motion until a gray liquid spewed from the beast’s back.

The beast hissed in pain, and right when Gren pivoted to slash him again, it snatched him midair and slammed him against the ground.

The beast picked Gren up by his wings and slowly tore them from his back.

I stood helplessly as the beast pulled Gren’s ligaments apart like fleece as blood soaked his ebony feathers.

The cracks of bones assaulted my ears with each tug.

My head spun as the sounds of Gren’s screams tore my heart out.

“No!” I cried, but the world stood still except for Gren’s pangs of agony.

I cried out to Gren again, but as my heart hammered against my chest and chills ran down my back—I froze, my muscles quivering, refusing to move.

I couldn’t stop staring as Gren’s horrid scream of distress stirred another panic in me.

The beast hunched over and held Gren’s now lifeless body in its claws.

I turned to Kaschel. My voice, hoarse and desperate. “Please! Do something. You have to do something!”

Kaschel appeared to have the wind knocked out of him and tried to stabilize himself. He ran his fingers through his hair. An animalistic stare—completely on edge and viciously disheveled.

Kaschel lowered his chin as the beast slinked over to his side, dropping Gren’s corpse.

“You are no king of mine,” the beast snarled, baring its grimy, dagger-like teeth. It tilted its head as its yellow, slanted eyes blazed with a murderous aura. “You are no FinnBheara. Look! You’re helpless like a mortal. Pathetic.”

Kaschel lowered his head. His face was unreadable as his alabaster hair was stained crimson from a blow he barely managed to escape. It draped over his purple eyes, and it rendered me speechless.

Kaschel coughed up a pool of blood and it gushed down his chest.

The beast cackled at the damage. “Now you look like one of your devoted followers who died without a cause.”

Kaschel grunted in pain and inclined his head. His expression now held a spark of delight as he grinned. “At least my power can be restored, unlike your mangled face.”

The beast shrieked and slashed its claws across Kaschel’s chest.

“You won’t be saying any of this when I drag you down to the Scáths where all the creatures you put away ... anxiously await to tear you limb from limb.”

Kaschel wiped his mouth and let out a dry laugh as the blood soaked his shirt. “What crawled up your ass and died?” He leaned harder against the tree and pushed himself up.

A spine-chilling howl came from the beast as it snatched Kaschel’s neck and squeezed, dragging Kaschel’s body up the tree bark until his feet dangled off the ground.

I watched in horror as Kaschel squirmed in the beast’s grasp, desperately trying to tear its claws away from his throat, and without a second thought, I ran to Gren’s side.

I cupped his limp body in my hands and brought him to my face. “You’ll be okay,” I whispered, choking back the sobs.

No pulse, but I wouldn’t give up on Gren yet. I snatched him up and sprinted for the front door.

A zap hit my hands like lightning as it convulsed inside me.

I shrieked as the spasms tormented my lungs.

A man’s voice rang in my head, louder and louder until only it occupied my mind. Spill your blood and draw the pentagram. Drop him in and he will be anew while you will acquire what you desire. You only have to recite: I give myself to you. Blood, bones, and all . Now hurry.

My body moved on its own as I glanced at Gren.

If I could save him, I could save Lucien.

Consequences be damned.

I gently set him down and brought my wrist to my mouth and bit down as hard as I could.

Blood spilled down my arm as I forced back the tears of despair.

I drew the circle first and then the star.

I picked Gren back up and placed him in the center.

I chanted under my breath, “I give myself to you, blood, bones, and all . ” I waited.

And waited.

I choked back the tears threatening to come back when a cacophony of pain weaved into my chest and burrowed its way into my heart.

I wailed as my body blazed like an inferno lashing at my skin and sizzling it from the inside out. A part of my soul was torn from me.

My chest, now empty and hollow.

I crumpled to the ground.

I breathed heavily, in and out, unable to move.

Pitiful thoughts entered my mind as my legs refused to cooperate. It seemed I could never be the protector.

Gren’s lifeless body remained unmoving.

I bit my lip and stifled the tears back again, but they relentlessly fell despite my attempt to subdue them.

The crackling of Gren’s bones breaking and forming created a new terror in me as my breaths came out in erratic bursts.

His body transformed in front of me.

It stretched out and contorted as his claws morphed and lengthened into legs.

Feathers collected around his newly constructed back, and his talons expanded and broke into arms as his body turned ... human.

Except for his sharp features and feral eye.

Gren laid there as a man, exposed to all the elements.

I had to blink a couple of times for it to sink in.

It was Gren. He still had his right eye and the evident scar down the other one stopping above his upper lip. He was tall and slender but still looked young and strong as his hair relaxed in waves right below his brows in the same hue as his feathers, ebony to complement his sun-kissed skin.

His eye fluttered open and it was darker than the night sky. Almost listless.

He stood up and leaned back against the tree to gain some equilibrium.

He rolled his muscular shoulders and stretched his arms in bizarre angles.

His mind looked as if occupied by a heavy fog until his eye flickered to mine.

A million thoughts ran through me. What if I summoned a demon? Were demons real? And what if a demon now possessed Gren’s human body? Did I somehow fuck up, again?

I gawked at Gren as he stalked over to the monster—too preoccupied with Kaschel to even notice Gren looming behind it.

Then Gren raised his hands to the beast’s neck and ripped its head clean off.

A grayish blood gushed out everywhere, soaking both Kaschel’s and Gren’s bodies.