Bound by Darkness - Alexandra Ivy [129]
“I never asked to become a Hunter.”
“It was your destiny.”
“Chosen by you.”
“Chosen by fate,” he insisted. “Do you have any notion how many vampires would quite literally kill to be in your position?”
She did.
Being a Hunter brought her the sort of awed respect her fellow vampires coveted.
It was bound to go to any female’s head.
But the few benefits didn’t come close to making up for the nearly soul-destroying price she’d paid.
“Then you shouldn’t have any trouble filling it,” she said.
Kostas’s fury spilled through the room like icy needles. “Now is not the time for flippant remarks.”
She shrugged. “Do you want me to beg?”
His eyes narrowed, assuring Jaelyn that even if she could manage to kiss this man’s ass he wouldn’t be satisfied.
“You could, but it would do no good,” he drawled, proving her right. Not that he wouldn’t enjoy seeing her on her knees begging. He might be missing a heart, but his ego was fully functioning. “You have committed the worst crimes known to the Addonexus.”
“I thought attempting to kill the Ruah was the worst crime?”
He imperiously ignored her accusation. “Not only did you allow yourself to form a relationship with your prey, you actually mated with him.” He cast a condemning glance toward the rigid Ariyal. “And if that were not bad enough, you have reneged on a contract with the Commission.”
“Actually, I didn’t renege,” she swiftly denied. “The terms were altered by one of the Oracles.”
Kostas stiffened, clearly caught off balance by her revelation. Siljar had told her to keep it secret, so that’s what she’d tried to do.
In fact, she’d only confessed the truth to Ariyal a few nights before.
“It does not matter.” The Ruah at last dismissed what he didn’t want to hear. “Any one of those atrocities carries with it a death sentence.”
“Why you ...”
Ariyal charged forward, but as fast as he was, Styx was faster, moving to intercept the maddened Sylvermyst and wrapping him in his massive arms.
“Stop, Ariyal,” the Anasso commanded, clamping his hand over Ariyal’s mouth. “You’re only making matters worse.”
Jaelyn was relieved that the king had moved to keep Ariyal out of danger, but she couldn’t deny the small pang of disappointment.
She hadn’t assumed that she and Styx were suddenly buddy-buddy, but she hadn’t expected him to actually help Kostas send her to the gallows.
“Either you get rid of him or I will.” Ariyal’s words were muffled, his anger a warm flood that battled against the chill in the air.
A humorless smile pulled at the Ruah’s thin lips. “The Anasso is the King of Vampires, but the Hunters belong to me,” he informed Ariyal, pride thick in his voice, although Jaelyn suspected he resented the fact that he wasn’t the ultimate leader of vampires. Hideous thought. “It is my right to punish my people how I see fit.”
She couldn’t argue the truth of his words.
All she hoped was to convince him that it would somehow serve his purpose to keep her alive.
Yeah ... fat chance.
“And what purpose will my death serve?” she demanded.
“It will remind other Hunters that our laws are meant to be obeyed.”
“So you’ll kill me just to make an example of me?”
The empty gaze moved slowly down her rigid body before returning to her face.
“You’re like a cancer that must be destroyed for the good of the Addonexus.”
He truly believed what he was saying. She could feel it to the very depths of her soul.
So this was the end.
No chance of escape, no last-minute pardon.
Squaring her shoulders, she held her chin high.
“You can do whatever you want to me, but I will never regret loving Ariyal,” she announced loud enough that her voice bounced off the walls. “Never.”
Kostas reached to grasp her chin in a brutal grip. “Such a pity,” he murmured, studying her with a faux expression of regret.
She yanked away from his touch. “Don’t pretend you’re not getting off on this. You love when you get the opportunity to flex your muscles.”
His jaw tightened, clearly annoyed. Not that she gave a shit.
He was going to kill her.
Who cared if she offended