The Crystal in the Chasm

chapter 28

Death Bringer was upon us like a messenger of darkness as his magic rallied around him like a brewing storm cloud, his hand wrapping around Arthur's throat and lifting him up as if he were nothing. Arthur slammed into the stone wall, rocks thudding to the ground around him.

"Wait! Wait! Don't hurt him!" The words clawed their way from my throat with desperation.

Death Bringer whipped his head in my direction, the black in his eyes fading away until they were shining a bright blue. He never left my gaze as his hand let go of Arthur and he went crashing to the ground. Arthur gasped and sputtered on the stone floor, his hand grabbing for his throat. I was certain it would already be bruising. Arthur was a wolf. He would heal.

It was the lethal, predatory sharpness of Death Bringer's eyes that caused me to take a step back. He tilted his head, his expression unreadable beneath the skull. I was certain that the skull was real now that I was staring at it so intensely. The bones looked worn and aged, framing him into the epitome of a monster. He was breathing heavily, his fists clenched at his sides. He was in a cloak as dark as night, a shadow covering his hooded eyes.

"So this is where you ran off to," Death Bringer's voice was low and deep.

I crossed my arms in frustration, letting out a huff of annoyance. "I didn't run off anywhere. I was-..." but I stopped myself before I could say that Arthur had taken me. I wasn't sure that Death Bringer wouldn't snap his neck like a popsicle stick if he knew the truth.

Death Bringer didn't wait long to continue his rant, "While I was up there doing your dirty work with no help, you were shackling up with this," he looked down at Arthur and gestured to him with the fling of his hand and sniffed the air, "wolf. Ah, Sea Wolf, of course. It all makes sense now."

"What are you insinuating?" I snapped.

"You're telling me you two have never slept together?"  Death Bringer looked unamused.

Arthur coughed, his brown cheeks flushing with red. I was entirely speechless.

"That's what I thought," Death Bringer responded flatly.

"She doesn't have to explain herself to you. You don't own her!" Arthur growled, his eyes glowing yellow.

"Arthur," I warned through my clenched teeth, my body ready to lunge in between the two of them.

Death Bringer squatted down to Arthur's level, his blue eyes piercing through the skull. "Listen here, wolf boy... I don't wish to own her. She's a star. Who would I be to keep her from shining? What I do know is this: it doesn't matter how many times you fuck her, she will always crave me more... So good luck with your losing battle. Have your fun. I've got all the time in the world." Then he flashed his white teeth with a catlike grin and raised back to his feet before confidently strolling away.

My jaw was to the floor. So was Arthur's.

"Arthur, I'm sorry. I'll find you later. Thank you for your... help," I said stiffly to him, unable to give him my full gratitude at the reminder that he had drugged me before I chased after Death Bringer. "Wait," I called for him.

He stopped abruptly in front of me, enough that I had to come to a skidding stop to keep myself from crashing into him.

"What the hell was that?" I stared him down in disbelief.

He continued walking forward, my legs frantic to keep up. "I don't appreciate being toyed with, princess."

I shook my head with confusion. "I'm not... toying with you?"

"Don't think for a moment that I didn't notice his shiny uniform. Do you trust him, Helena? Do you? Because you are lucky I didn't end your little guard on sight."