second later, an icy blast of power filled the cavern as Vynom appeared along with a small fairy, who was no doubt in control of the magical opening.
“Don’t let her escape,” the vampire snapped, pointing toward Terra. With a grunt, the troll grabbed Terra’s arm in a grip hard enough to leave bruises. Vynom narrowed his eyes as he studied her. “And I warn you, Seraf, don’t try any funny tricks like the one that has my guards snoring outside the cells. Unless you want Javad fried into a crispy pile of ash.”
“No.” Her heart lodged in her throat. She didn’t need to hear his moans or smell the charred skin to know that he was in gut-wrenching pain. It vibrated in the air. “Please, let him go.”
The large vampire ignored her plea, strolling to tower over her. “Ah, sweet Terra. It’s been a long time.”
She tilted back her head to glare at him. “Not long enough.”
“Don’t be that way,” he chided. “I thought we were old friends?”
“Friends?” She spat the word. “Is that a joke?”
“You were my guest, weren’t you? I fed you, clothed you, provided a roof over your head.”
“You held me captive.”
Vynom clicked his tongue. “Such a nasty word. Besides, it wasn’t personal. I needed your skills.”
Terra shuddered. She didn’t know exactly how long she’d spent in the pits. It’d seemed like centuries, but in reality, it’d probably been less than a year. But during that short time, she’d been forced to heal thousands of fighters, along with whoever happened to be at Vynom’s establishment with enough money to pay for her services.
With effort, however, she resisted the urge to remind him of all the horrible things he’d done to her. The male was a ruthless, cold-hearted monster. He didn’t know the meaning of regret.
“How did you use my medallion?” she abruptly demanded.
A strange expression tightened his blunt features. “What does it matter?” He motioned toward the troll. “Take her to the main cavern.”
“Wait!” Before the oversized demon could haul her away, Terra glanced toward the silver net. “What are you going to do with Javad?”
Vynom curled back his lips to reveal his fully extended fangs. “I’m going to give him the opportunity to become the legend he was supposed to be.” He turned his head to stab her with a glare of pure hatred. “Before you.”
Terra didn’t flinch. Which was impressive, considering the male could crush her with one hand.
“Before me?”
“Javad spent centuries earning his reputation as the most feared fighter in a dozen different dimensions,” he snarled. “Demons traveled thousands of miles just to see him in the cage. And then, you arrived.”
Terra snorted. Was he serious? He made it sound as if she’d dropped by for tea. “I didn’t arrive. I was kidnapped and sold to you by slavers.”
“I shouldn’t have bought you,” the male complained, like a petulant child instead of a grown demon. “After you arrived, Javad was restless and moody. It only got worse after you disappeared. He clearly mourned your absence. You took away his will to fight.”
Oh. Terra blinked, struck by a sudden realization. Vynom’s fury wasn’t just about losing money. He’d been hurt by what he saw as Javad’s betrayal. A brief flare of hope ignited in her heart. Was it possible that she could convince this male to release them?
“He never had the will to fight,” she told the male.
“Lies. We were a team. An unstoppable force.”
“He did it because you manipulated him into believing it was his duty to fight.”
“No. He did it because he was my child. My heir.” Ice coated the floor and rimmed the bottom of Terra’s gown. “Until you ruined it all.”
She softened her tone, attempting to reach any lingering bond the male might feel for Javad.
“He’s still your child. Let him go.”
There was a second of hesitation, and Terra held her breath. This was the moment. Had she managed to reach Vynom’s non-beating heart? The scent of rust thickened in the air, an indication that he was battling a strong emotion. Then, his expression twisted with ugly determination.
“He’s my retirement fund.” Vynom waved a hand toward the guard. “Take her away.”
Chapter 6
Levet had lost track of their journey through the caverns. They’d been forced to retrace their path over a dozen times to avoid the guards who patrolled through the narrow tunnels and dark caves. It made him feel as if they were wandering in circles.
Becoming increasingly wary that he was about to waltz into a trap, Levet halted as Sparkles