Chapter 82
Chapter 82
Valencia’s POV
Aiden growled like an animal, his voice raw and primal as he lunged at Dante. “How dare you?!”
Dante’s laughter filled the room, dark and twisted, his features contorted in an expression that sent a shiver down my spine. “How dare I?” he mocked, his voice dripping with disdain. His burning eyes shifted to Aiden with a madness I had never seen before. “Aren’t you a little too late to be asking me that question, brother?” He said the last word mockingly.
I barely had time to register what was happening before Dante moved, letting go of my arm. Faster than my eyes could follow, his hand shot out and grabbed Aiden by the shoulder.
They were both towering–both powerful, built of muscle and raw strength. But Dante stood just a little taller, his presence overwhelming, the golden and turquoise scales on his arms shimmering faintly under the dim light.
“You dare to touch what’s mine?” Dante hissed, his voice low and venomous.
With a sickening crack, he twisted Aiden’s shoulder, dislodging it with effortless cruelty. My scream echoed through the room as Dante ripped Aiden’s arm clean out of its socket and flung it across the room and out of the broken window like it was nothing more than a toy.
“Go fetch,” Dante sneered, his lips curling into a cruel smile.
“No! NO!” My voice cracked as I screamed, my vision blurring with tears. “Please. Please, stop. Dante, please!” My words tumbled out in desperation, my hands trembling as I clutched Castor’s egg tightly to my chest. “I’ll go with you. I’ll go with you–just don’t hurt him!”
Dante’s gaze snapped to me, his eyes softening for the briefest moment before hardening again. He moved toward me with predatory grace, his movements deliberate and unrelenting.
Before I could react, his hand was at the back of my neck, pulling me close. The heat of his body burned against mine, suffocating and all–consuming.
“You’ll come with me,” he growled, his voice like a low rumble of thunder. “Whether I spare him or not.”
I froze, my breath hitching in my throat as his words sank in.
And then his lips crashed against mine, a brutal, possessive kiss that left me gasping for air. I fought against him, my hands pushing at his chest, but he didn’t budge. His grip on me tightened, and I felt the world spin as his mouth claimed mine with a ferocity that left no room for resistance.
“Stop,” I tried to say, but the word was swallowed by the force of his kiss.
He pulled back for the briefest moment, his eyes now blazing red as he looked down at me.. “Mine,” he said simply, the word carrying an unspoken finality that made my blood run cold.
Before I could process what was happening, he kissed me again, harder this time, more demanding. I felt like I was drowning, my lungs screaming for air as dark spots began to creep into the edges of my vision and my ears rang relentlessly.
And then everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, the room was dim, illuminated only by the soft glow of a bedside lamp. My head throbbed, a dull ache pounding behind my temples as I tried to piece together where I was.
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Chapter 82
The air smelled faintly of lavender and smoke, a scent so familiar it made my chest tighten. I blinked slowly, my vision adjusting to the low light.
I was back at the Steele mansion.
My heart clenched as my eyes darted around the room, searching for Castor. Relief flooded me when I saw him resting beside me, his egg glowing faintly. I reached out and pulled him close, cradling him against my chest like a lifeline.
But the relief was short–lived.
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The memories of last night came crashing down on me with the force of a tidal wave. Dante’s laughter. His madness. His kiss.
My entire body trembled, my hands gripping Castor tightly as tears welled in picture
What… had I done?
my eyes. No. No, no, no.
Maybe I shouldn’t have run away but even if I did I shouldn’t have opened the connection. How stupid could I be? Why did I always have to ruin everything? Why was I so useless?
But… Castor was still with me. Dante hadn’t taken him away. That was… something, wasn’t it?
I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. My skin still felt hot, a lingering heat that refused to fade. I needed to get up, to move, to escape this suffocating sense of helplessness.
As I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, a soft chiming sound caught my attention. It was faint but clear, a delicate tinkling that followed every small movement of my feet.
I looked down, my brows furrowing as I caught sight of something glinting in the dim light.
Anklets.
Two delicate chains adorned my ankles, gold with tiny silver charms dangling from them–a silver fox, with little bells and turquoise gemstones that caught the light in a way that was almost mesmerizing.
I stared at them, my breath catching in my throat.
They were beautiful. My lips twitched upward despite myself, a small, fleeting smile breaking through the haze of fear and exhaustion. But the moment didn’t last.
The smile froze on my face as a sudden realization hit me.
Dante had put these on me.
And I knew it was true because, the moment I smiled, a faint pulse of delight rippled through me–not mine. His. As though he felt delight in seeing me smile.
My heart leapt into my throat as I felt it—his presence,
watching me.
I swallowed hard, my eyes scanning the room frantically.
And then I saw him.
A figure cloaked in black, sitting silently in the corner of the room, shrouded in shadows. Beside where the curtains hung.
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Chapter 82
“D–Dante?” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper,
He didn’t move, didn’t speak. But I could feel his connection, sharp and unrelenting.
My entire body tensed, every instinct screaming at me to run, to hide, to do anything but sit here waiting for him to make
the first move.
But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.
All I could do was wait for him to speak.
