proclaims, and he does a dramatic wave before heading to the fridges at the back of the room. Feeling Cross’s eyes on me, I turn to him just in time to see him look away. He picks up a cup of something warm, and I smell the coffee. Before I can say anything, I feel a change in the room. Cross goes tense, his eyes moving behind me, and I look back, finding the prince right behind me.
“You need to be marked.”
“Well, good morning to you too,” I say, clearing my throat and stepping off the stool, all the while keeping my eyes on the Mad Prince. “And honestly? Fuck off.”
He stills. I just told a bloodsucking monster to fuck off.
I’m so dead.
To my surprise, Maddox’s lips turn up into an intense smile, and it’s scary. No, not just scary, downright petrifying. He takes two steps, and before I can move away, his hands move to my upper arms, holding me in place. He feels as strong as a rock as I try to move away.
“Get the mark ready, Cross,” Maddox instructs. He devotes his time to confining me, staring me down, and I don’t dare look at whatever the hell Cross is doing. “I spent a lot of time thinking about where to mark you.”
He moves quickly, titling my head to the side and leaving my neck exposed in his grip. He leans down, my heart pounding in my chest as I swallow the scream I want to let out, and he presses a soft kiss on my neck. His kiss feels like a promise, like a claim. “And I decided this would be the perfect place. Then every time I bite into your soft skin, I will see my mark.”
He lowers his voice, and my heart beats like it is trying to do its own dance. “And so will my brother or anyone who dares to touch you.”
“Mark me all you want, but you can’t own my soul. No one ever will, and I mean that,” I reply, even as my hands shake.
“I will have your body and blood willingly soon. I will wait,” he counters, breathing the words against my neck, his hot breath making me shiver. Cocky monster.
“My body isn’t my soul. Take what you want, but you won’t break me,” I all but growl back. His hand tightens in my hair, and his grin never leaves his lips as he straightens up.
“This is going to hurt.”
That’s all the warning the monster gives me before something burning hot slams into my neck from behind me. I can’t hold back the cry that leaves my lips, and even though whatever it was that burnt me is gone quickly, the pain never leaves. My legs feel wobbly as Maddox lets me go and dark spots fill my vision. I stumble back, seeing Cross walking away with a hot poker with a burning hot circular end. Maddox lifts his hand and bites into his wrist before stretching his blood-soaked wrist out to me.
“Drink to heal.”
“I want the pain,” I state, straightening my back, feeling drops of my blood dripping down my neck. “I don’t want your blood.”
For the first time, the prince’s smile drops, and fury fills his expression. He walks past me, stopping purposely when he gets to my side. “You will regret this, Ria.”
I hold my head high as he walks out, and I suck in a deep breath, feeling nothing but the pain from my neck as Cross comes over. He hands me a tea towel with ice in it, and I reluctantly take it from him.
“Is this your way of saying sorry?” I ask, flinching as I place the towel onto the burn. I grit my teeth, refusing to let out a sound.
Cross meets my eyes. “He is the wolf, and I am the slave. Don’t forget who leads the misery, Riona. It will never be me.”
Oddly, I believe he isn’t just the slave he pretends to be.
“Pancakes and waffles. Perfect healing food,” Hector calls out, like nothing happened at all, his attitude still jolly. This castle is full of lies, brooding hot monsters, and trapped souls. And I’m not sure which is worse.
Chapter Twelve
“Ah, you’re awake,” Marcella, or I think that’s what her name is, comments as she freely walks into my room. Hello, boundaries? I turn away from the mirror and my stare down with the mark on my neck, wishing it would vanish and take me with it. The mark is a