it?”
I grunt in affirmation. “Where are we?” I think I know. I want to be sure.
“Wales. Some of the best hellhounds are born and bred on these soils.” Gaire turns and looks over the land. I do the same, keeping an eye cocked on him. It’s very green, with craggy mountains and what looks like a small village in the distance. No wonder it’s so cold. We’re in Wales.
“Let’s cut the bullshit,” I say.
“Relax.” He smiles. “I brought you here to talk, not to fight or to argue.”
“You’re not someone I want to talk to. I have absolutely nothing to say to you.”
“Are you sure about that?” he asks, cocking a brow.
This fucker is getting on my last nerve. “I’m sure, but since you’re going to say your piece anyway, you should speak. Make it quick.”
“You have somewhere you would prefer to be?”
“Yes, inside Nia.” I deadpan.
His whole demeanor changes. I watch every hackle come up. Every muscle tighten. I see a nerve tic in his jaw.
“You don’t love her, so what do you care,” I say. “You should leave her alone. Walk away. I’m this close,” I hold my fingers together, “to getting all of my brothers involved. I’m pretty sure a couple of dragons would join in as well. As a collective we—”
“You’d be signing all of their death warrants,” he interjects. “I’m strong and fast, but that’s not why I’ll win. You can’t kill someone unless you can see them coming. I’ll take heads from shoulders and hearts from chests. I’ll make you watch until every last one of them is dead, and then I’ll still take Nia from you. I’ll incapacitate you, and then I’ll fuck her while you watch. I’ll make her kill you once I’m done. I think that girl has a soft spot for you. It’ll haunt her every day. You don’t want to do that to poor Nia, do you? It’ll ruin her life.”
I feel my blood run cold. I can see that he means it. I’m itching to kill him. I know if I lay so much as a hand on him, he’ll teleport. He’ll come back invisible and take me out. I’ll be dead before I know what’s hit me. The only reason I’ve survived against him thus far is that he toyed with me. Also, because Death has saved my bacon every time. I ran like a fucking coward.
Gaire laughs. He must see my defeated expression. My anger and sheer frustration. I want to hurt him so badly. My hands itch. My muscles bunch. My adrenaline surges. I’ve never been this incensed. This fucking helpless. “What the hell do you want? If you’re going to kill me, then do it now.” I will fight back. I will try. You never know. I’m ready for this prick. I’ll die trying to end him.
“Calm down. I didn’t bring you here to fight you, or you’d be dead.” He’s smirking. Such an arrogant cocksucker. “I wanted to show you Wales, home of the hellhound. You can find yourself a replacement if you love the bitch so much.”
I clench my teeth and fold my arms to stop myself from attacking him. A jerk like Gaire would assume a person could be so easily replaced. “If you feel that way, why not choose another hound for yourself?” he shrugs. So nonchalant it’s sickening.
He shakes his head. “I already have a hound.”
“Then we have ourselves a problem.”
“I had a suspicion you would feel this way,” he says. “I brought you here to offer you a deal.”
“What kind of deal?” I can hear the skepticism in my voice.
“It’s something you want. Something you desire more than anything.”
This is bull! “You don’t have anything I want or need.”
“Are you sure about that, Rage…lord of war?” his eyes narrow on mine.
I pull in a deep breath. “I have a feeling you’re going to tell me whether I want to hear it or not, so out with it.”
I don’t like the smug look in his eyes.
I don’t like it one bit.
“I want Nia. Let’s start there. I need a hellhound at my side. Makes my job easier. I’ve grown…attached to her.”
“I think it’s probably a case of wanting something you can’t have.”
“Oh…don’t misunderstand, I can have her. I’m her master. She’s mine. It’s already a forgone conclusion.” He rubs a hand over his face.
If that were really true, I wouldn’t be here.
“One way or another, the bitch is mine. It’s just that I have a job to do. Right