has any fucking idea what it means to be used by Vasili Caville.”
Vasili’s brow pinched. His lips parted, words unspoken behind them. He even looked as though he were the one betrayed, like he was hurting. “You know who I am,” he growled. “I don’t care what has to be done. I can’t afford to. I need allies. I need an army to rival my brother’s if I’m ever going to get Loreen back. I’m alone. I have this… darkness inside of me, desperately trying to escape, and I don’t have long before it burns me up, like every other Caville. So yes, I took advantage of Yasir. I gave him my blood to see if I could use him like Amir used the guards, and I took advantage of my brother’s fascination with you to distract him, and I will use anyone and anything the same, time and time again, Nikolas, because if I don’t, we all die. I have no choice.”
“Choice?” He spat a cruel laugh. “I’m sure every Caville bastard thinks they’re the fucking hero while the rest of us die for you. I’m done with it, with all of it, with you.”
“Then go, Nikolas, walk away.”
Niko started up the bank.
“Surrender then, you fucking coward,” Vasili tossed out.
He stopped and worked his jaw around the filthy words he wanted to fling back at the prince. “How dare you… I witnessed good men and women die fighting elves because you wanted to play farm boy and left a fucking gate open! Call me a coward again and I’ll—”
“Strike me? Do it.”
Niko stepped face-to-face with the prince.
His damp hair was wild and messy, his clothes wet and sticking to him, his face so full of Caville superiority that Niko wanted to shove him under the water and hold him there.
“I’ve lost everything because of you. Countless families lost it all,” Niko said, “and you don’t give a shit.”
“I can’t afford to care.” Vasili spread his arms. “At least you had something to lose. What do I have? I’m the prince of ashes, the prince of madness. The only thing I’ve ever wanted is to not be who I am. I don’t get to walk away or give up. My life is a cage. But you,” he poked at Niko’s chest, “Nikolas Yazdan, blacksmith’s boy, don’t see any of that. You see a prince, born into power and privilege, and you think I should have all the answers, that I should just be able to raise an army, defend Loreen from the elves and my insane brother, while at the same time wrestle the ancient curse that doesn’t give a fuck about any of this. You hold me to some higher moral regard that even you can’t obtain, and when I fail to reach your lofty heights, you judge me for it.”
A sharp laugh snapped out of Niko. “Shall I pity you, prince?”
“No, you can help me.”
Anger flared hotter in Niko. He stared unblinking into the prince’s icy glare. Oh, Vasili was furious too. So furious, he breathed hard, hands clenched at his sides, holding himself back. Was he holding the dark flame back? “Help you? I’ve seen what helping you looks like. If I laid down and took what you gave, I’d be dead.” Tremors rippled through Niko’s rough words. “Just like all the others you’ve used up and discarded. I will always fight you because nobody else dares to. The second I stop fighting you, that will be the moment you stab me in the back.”
Vasili’s lips gave a telling twitch. “No, Niko. I’m not asking you to stop. I’m asking for help.”
“I despise you, Vasili Caville.”
“A man like you should.”
And what did that mean? Niko felt it all come undone, felt the moment the anger and lust and confusion spiraled out of control. Mindless, he grabbed the prince’s ripped shirt and hauled him into a savage kiss. Vasili’s poisonous mouth parted, his tongue swept over Niko’s, tasting, and all the rage and frustration and hatred boiled over, blazing through Niko’s veins, turning the kiss desperate and raw. Gods, it was like before, hot and hungry and rough. Vasili’s sharp teeth nipped at Niko’s lip and then the prince plunged his tongue in, and Niko thrust back. The kiss ignited a mad, breathless desire to have Vasili writhing under him, gasping Niko’s name, his thin fingers wrapped around Niko’s cock. He wanted to hurt him, to make him feel something. Instantly hard, the sudden friction of Vasili pulled