Chapter Three

Aliana’s POV

One second, there was a crushing weight pushing me down into the dirt. The next---

He was gone!

The man who had been pinning me down screamed as something unseen hurled him across the clearing. He hit the stone wall with a sickening crack before crumpling into the undergrowth.

What--- what the hell just happened?!

Gasping for breath and shaking so hard I couldn’t tell if I was crying or choking, I forced myself back on my back and clawed my way to my knees. I could still feel a weight on my chest, smell the sweat on his skin. Still feeling hands groping me and---

“So this is what freedom feels like,” sounded above me, a slick voice that had shivers running down my spine. His voice was like golden whiskey; smooth yet burning hot.

And the shivers?

Yeah, they--- they didn’t make my body feel so cold anymore…

Slowly, I turned around, not knowing what to expect. Not knowing what kind of creature I’d just unleashed on the world. Or what that meant for me. What kind of pact had I just agreed to?

But then I saw him…

And my breath caught for an entirely different reason...

He stepped out of the ruin’s shadow like he had been born from the night itself. His body looked like it was carved from marble and leather, wrapped in darkness. His skin was pale as bone, almost luminous against the forest’s gloom. His clothes clung to him like he belonged in another time--- hell, another world! A black coat hung around his body like a living thing with a hood that shrouded him in mystery and allure.

Not quite ancient, but not modern either...

He looked like the love child of an ancient god and a Gothic vampire. His face was so beautiful, it had my heart quivering in my chest. I’d never seen anyone so breathtakingly stunning before. His otherworldly beauty made it hard to deny that he wasn’t human, no matter how hard I tried.

His eyes--- holy fuck!

His eyes burned red, like glowing embers in the dark. And when he looked at me, I couldn’t help feeling like my soul lay bare before him. As if my life was at the mercy of his hellish grin...

Flapping of wings brought me out of my stupor. My head snapped around, and with a screech, I ducked just before a huge bird flew over my head, landing gracefully on the arm that the shadow had stretched out for him.

“Ah, Corvus! My loyal companion,” the shadow cooed in a voice like silk, petting the raven as if he were a treasured friend. “Together at last.”

“Who the fuck are you?” One of the two remaining Armenians barked in English, while the other cursed in Armenian, his voice breaking with fear. Both had drawn their weapons and shifted between moving two steps forward and two steps back, as if they wondered if the shadow was radioactive.

But the man didn’t answer.

Hell, didn’t even seem to have heard them!

His eyes were only for me…

He looked me up and down, a small crease of concern furrowed his brow. But the look in his eyes felt more like amusement than actual care.

“Oh, no!” He said chidingly, clicking his tongue. “This won’t do at all!”

He reached out his hand. My heart hammered in my chest, and a scream was caught in my throat. Heat curled around me, flames eating their way up my arm.

Fuck!

Was this the pact I’d signed?

Was this the price I paid?

To burn in hell for all eternity?!

I gasped when suddenly my hands and feet were freed from their binds. Stunned, I watched as the binds fell away, the heat seeping into my blood. The wounds knitted together before my very eyes, the blood disappearing as if they’d never been there…

I made a meek, mouse-like squeak, as words escaped me.

What. The. Hell?!

“Master!”

My head snapped up, stunned to see him holding out his hand to me.

Was this for freaking real?!

I looked back up at the man who looked more and more like a god of old than something that should be standing before me. I’d never felt studied like the way that he looked at me. His expression was completely schooled, but somehow still made me feel like he could count every beat of my heart. This stranger’s gaze pinned me in place, making me feel like an animal caught in a hunter’s net...

Every instinct screamed at me to run!

But my body betrayed me. Without thinking, I reached up, taking the hand he offered. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have no problems doing so. He was much bigger than me... hell, he was bigger than most men I’d ever seen. But instead of abandoning me – leaving me to fend for myself – he’d freed me and healed my wounds.

So I guess I was safe – for now at least...

“Don’t--- Please! Don’t hurt me!” I stammered, my voice cracking. My hands trembled, barely noticing that despite his pale skin, he felt warm to the touch...

He smiled slowly, predatorily, flashing fangs that I hadn’t noticed before.

“Don’t worry, little girl,” he said, his voice deep and rough, like stone grinding against stone. “You’re mine now!”

His?

I looked up at his angelic face once more, my body shivering at the possessive tone in his voice.

What did that even mean?

“Die, mother fucker!”

I snapped around, startled to see that the man who’d been on top of me had regained his senses. He was still sprawled against the ruin, gasping for air while blood dripped down his temple. His gun gleamed in the night, a flash of gold and then--- he’d fired!

The shot rang through the clearing...

I screamed, terrified once more. The raven crowed, angrily flapping his wings, as the bullet found its mark. It tore through the shadow’s shoulder, spinning him slightly.

But he didn’t cry out in pain.

Hell, he didn’t even look bothered by it!

Instead, he looked down at the wound almost curiously. Then, before my brain could catch up, he dug two fingers into the hole, pulling the bullet free of his flesh, and rolled it between his fingertips.

And I say again…

What. The. HELL?!

“Inventive,” he mused, admiring it as though it were a gemstone. “How far you’ve come since the last time I walked among you mortals. Killing your prey with little metal balls and fire.” He flicked his crimson gaze back to the now terrified gunmen, his grin shark-like and hungry for blood. “I humbly applaud you. You have guts turning your weapon on a god. Too bad your mortal, little bodies get squashed so easily. You’re all like ants. Good for the environment, but bugs all the same.”

Another shot sang through the air, but this time the figure in black caught it in his hand, smiling as if he was pleased with something. Then, as if becoming one with the night, he vanished! Only to reappear before the man, who desperately tried to hold up his gun and shoot once more. But before the gun could go off, the shadow had crushed it between his fingers, the crumbs falling to the ground like dust...

“Do you know what gods do to small, insignificant, little bugs?” He asked, emphasizing each pathetic syllable, as he got in the other’s face. “We feed them to our pets!”

The man tried to get out of it, babbling in rapid Armenian.

Pleading for his life...

But his prayers fell on deaf ears...

I watched in horror as the shadow laughed, tilting his head like he was examining something that was unseen to the rest of us…

“Pathetic,” he murmured, eyeing something the rest of us couldn’t see. “Rotten! To the very core! Black and dripping with innocent blood.” He flashed his fangs again, but this time his grin was filled with malice and wicked intent. “You enjoy inflicting pain and terror. Enjoy tormenting the weak. You murder, kill, and rape as easily as you breathe. Completely beyond redemption. Well... do I have a treat for you!”

His hand shot out, grabbing the man’s face faster than I could blink. Hell, I jumped, my body turning cold as I got that predator feeling all over again.

This creature---!

“No, no---!” The man cried, trying to shove himself backward. Trying to claw away the hand that held him firm.

But it was too late!

His fate was already sealed…

Something white-hot and writhing tore free of his body, slowly being dragged out of him. He flailed like a man drowning, kicking and twisting.

The man screamed!

Screamed like his very flesh was being peeled from his bones. Screaming in a voice that didn’t belong to any human throat. It echoed through the forest, ringing in my ears as if someone was jabbing an ice pick through my skull.

I couldn’t take it!

I covered my ears, doing anything I could to block out the terrifying screams. It literally sounded like--- and that was when it hit me!

It sounded like the torment of a thousand souls!

It was his soul…

The shadow didn’t even flinch. He pulled the soul out completely, holding the squirming black, shadowy thing in his hand, laughing as the tortured lump bled before him. Strangely, it seemed small and deformed, compared to the man it came out of. It looked more like a living slab of tar, screeching and screaming as gaping wounds oozed red, liquidized goo...

“So fucking pathetic,” the shadow snorted, throwing it over his shoulder. Instantly, the black raven was there, catching it and tearing into it with gluttonous eagerness. The bird shrieked once, then tore into the glowing essence with its beak. The soul kept screaming, begging and pleading, until--- the bird ripped off its head and swallowed it whole…

The man’s body went limp then, falling into the dirt like a discarded husk...

My stomach lurched. I turned and vomited into the grass, shaking so hard my teeth clattered.

What the hell had I just witnessed?!

“What the fuck---?”

My head snapped in their direction, having almost forgotten about the other two men who’d been hunting me. Their voice was strangled with panic, their hands shaking like leaves as they clumsily held up their guns and pointed it towards the shadow.

But didn’t fire…

They already knew it was useless, but somehow still thought it gave them some sort of security. But in the face of the darkness before them, it was merely a fool's tool...

“You’re in no better condition,” the shadow sighed, although there was no sympathy or compassion in his tone, but rather boredom. “But I have better things to do than to dispose of the likes of you!”

The Raven crowed once more, landing gracefully on the hand that he held out for him. He reached up and gently petted the bird's head, eliciting a satisfied gurgle from the feathered beast.

“So you,” he continued, not the least bit bothered. “I’ll leave to the Unkind!”

Unkind?

Wasn’t that what they called a flock of---

The shadow lifted one gloved hand, and a low whistle echoed throughout the night. And just like that, something in the woods seemed to shift. The wind seemed to still, and everything became eerily quiet. The air felt heavy, and I struggled to breathe. Feeling as if eyes weighed heavily on me…

Carefully, as if any sudden move might break the spell, I lifted my head, scanning the canopy. It took me a second to get used to the darkness, but soon, I was able to make out their outline...

Ravens!

Occupying every inch of darkness, the black birds sat there. Leaning forward in anticipation...

Waiting!

“Bon appétit!” the shadow grinned--- and the forest became alive with hundreds--- no, thousands of them! Spilling out of the treeline like a living storm, they tore the skies open as they emerged from the shadows. Their wings beat the air into a frenzy, the sound deafening as they swirled above. They descended like a black wave, their wails so loud it shook the forest with their force. The two men screamed, their shots firing wildly into the dark as talons and beaks ripped at them.

But they’d been doomed from the very beginning...

I screamed, hitting the ground hard, and covered my head. Choking on my breath as fear once more tore through me, my heart slamming against my ribs so hard it hurt. Waiting for the birds to dig into my flesh too, waiting for the pain---

But it never came…

Footsteps moved closer, and despite my teetering heart, I scrambled to get upright. If he was going to kill me, I would fight to the very end!

I wouldn’t give up---!

But the second I turned to face him, I was surprised to see how close he was. He was kneeling next to me, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

“You’re safe now,” he said, his voice low and intimate, almost kind. He reached out, picking a dead leaf out of my hair, and gently brushed mud off my cheek. “Nobody will ever hurt you while I’m at your side.”

Well---

What the hell was I supposed to do with that?!

He bent at the knees until his face was level with mine, his red eyes blazing. Every instinct told me to recoil, but I couldn’t. My body was a trap, every nerve tangled between terror and something--- something I didn’t want to name...

My pulse skittered wildly, heat and dread twisting through me until I could barely breathe. So much had happened in so little time, my head was still reeling. I shouldn’t be thinking about anything but escaping the situation I’d played no role in getting myself into...

But---

He was so beautiful. Hell, it shouldn’t be possible to be this stunning. To be able to disarm me with just one look. One touch sparked fireworks that had my body wanting to be closer to him, aching the second it stopped...

As if he could hear my body’s cry for him, he leaned closer, his warm breath ghosting against my lips. And before I could stop him – before I could even think! – his mouth claimed mine in a kiss that had the whole world tilting on its axes...