King of the Unsightly (Tempting Trickery #1)

Scars and Ruin

T he thing about fear is it’s irrational, shows itself at the worst times, and I couldn’t always control it, no matter how many fucked up situations I had already been through—like now. Something slithered up my leg and bit me, and I latched onto Kaschel’s back like a piranha jolting out of the water ready to take a chunk out of his ass.

“What are you doing?” Kaschel asked, confusion laced in his voice.

My face was smashed against his upper back, but I didn’t need to see him to know what expression he wore.

His eyebrows had to be lowered; his mouth was probably slightly open like he wanted to say more but decided against it.

I didn’t lift my head as my arms wrapped around his neck and my legs locked around his bare abdomen.

“My body aches, and I thought it was about time you did something useful,” I lied through my teeth.

I was too embarrassed to say something brushed against me and bit me. I had no clue if it might come back for another taste, and I sure as hell wasn’t stepping back down to find out.

But I was so far from okay: fatigued, delusional, hungry, and fearful of what might happen next. Of the psychotic witch trying to torment me. Of the red moon. Of what lurked in the darkness. Of pretty much everything that happened to me up until this point.

I was human. I couldn’t magically get over it. I needed time to digest.

I needed stability. I needed a goddamn therapist.

God, I wished this nightmare would end. And I could wake up in my apartment, snuggled under my comforter. Safe and warm.

I apparently wanted a lot of things I couldn’t have, and I never thought I would miss my shitty apartment, yet I did—immensely.

All the pressure had hit me like someone dropped a heavy anvil on my back and told me to run with it when all I craved was to bury my face into my bed—but I couldn’t.

Instead, I carried on trudging through some creepy swamp land because some demented fae seemed to have way too much power and wished to play a twisted game with people’s lives like we were his chess pieces—and he could easily take us out if he pleased and start over with the next sorry saps coming his way.

“I’m not sure I said you could ride me, but I’m not entirely against it.”

I choked on my own spit as his words registered in my mind and took me out of my thoughts.

Kaschel chuckled, and the low vibrations of his voice rippled through his body and tickled my chest.

“I’m glad you can make jokes at a time like this,” I mumbled. My cheeks were on fire. I didn’t want to think about that , at a time like this . We could die, yet he teased me again like he had no cares in the world when he literally called me stupid two seconds ago. He was unpredictable and annoying. “I mean, you can never be serious, can you?”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you. Now shall I continue carrying my chivalrous little flea? This princess is growing quite weary.”

“Stop mocking me,” I murmured against his shoulder blade.

“Ah, is my gallant flea finally comprehending things? How rare.”

I laughed involuntarily and shook my head. “You’re so annoying.”

“I prefer quick-witted and dastardly arousing.” He hummed, and I felt every vibration swell through his throat as he squeezed my thighs, bringing my body closer to his back.

I hated to admit it, but his ridiculous words relieved some of my uncertainty.

A smile crept across my face and all the tension drained from my body.

I cleared my throat and changed the subject. “I have no idea what to expect. Do you think it’s another creature?” I asked, whispering the last part.

Kaschel chuckled again, and it stirred my heart and made it flip. “Why do you sound so nervous? Just do the same as before. You seem stronger now somehow, but there’s a strange magic pulsing through your veins so I can’t say for certain if it’s for the best.” Kaschel’s voice turned icy as he dropped me.

I barely managed to catch myself and glared at him. “ Really ?”

“You should keep your wits about you and the dagger accessible. You never know when something might happen.”

“Sure, super easy.”

So he refused to have a normal conversation with me. And what strange magic?

“It’s called multitasking, a skill you seem to lack,” he said, curtly.

Holy shit. This stupidly hot capricious man had me burning with rage. How could he be so fickle? Could I believe anything he said, or was he saying things to humor himself and pass the time?

“Adeline Rose Winters. Do you need to be cleansed again?” a woman’s voice buzzed from behind me.

I shuddered.

No. No. It wasn’t her. I was hallucinating like before.

It couldn’t be her . No, I knew it wasn’t her.

This was Fell’s plan.

I still couldn’t breathe; it was like someone had pried open my ribcage and viciously played operator with my lungs, hitting all the sides as they plucked my insides out.

My chest tightened and my heartbeat lashed against my ribs and shook my resolve.

I couldn’t stop myself from twisting my body to see if Fell decided to play tricks on me again.

I gulped hard as Mrs. Kelley crawled out of the murky water resembling a ghoul rising up to haunt the living. She craned her head, and it cracked and snapped back in place.

My breathing hitched again, and I clenched my nails into my chest. My breaths came in short and uncontrolled shots, like daggers digging into my throat.

“I can’t do this. Not now.” I gasped and shook my head, but she wouldn’t disappear.

Kaschel grabbed my shoulders and squeezed. “What’s wrong?”

My concentration warped, and my hands trembled relentlessly even with his firm grip grounding me.

Kaschel’s voice gradually drowned out until he faded into the night, and the darkness swallowed us both.

A similar smell of mildew and bleach caressed my nostrils.

The clanking of metal chains resounded off the wooden floors as the coldness seeped into my bare legs. My shallow breathing was inaudible as footfalls rang from above.