The Darkest Lie (Lords of the Underworld #6)(68)
Author: Gena Showalter

When he rejoined her, reclaiming his chair at the foot of the bed, he stretched out his legs and anchored his hands behind his head, a pose of smug relaxation. “Feeling better after your rest, darling Hadiee?”

Surprise darkened those gunmetal eyes. “You know who I am.” A statement, not a question.

He answered anyway. “Yes.”

“Well, no one calls me that anymore. I’m Haidee now. A minor change in spelling, but a big stride in modernization, don’t you think? Defeat.”

So. She knew who he was, as well. How did she, but not the boyfriend?

“Or you could just call me Executioner,” she added, a taunt.

Rather than strike her as he wanted, he arched a brow. “I’ll just call you Ex, then. Since you and I are going to be intimate, an endearment seems appropriate.”

Surprise was replaced with anger. Once more, she began thrashing atop the bed, jerking at her ties. Her lips pulled back from her straight, white teeth, and she hissed over at him.

“Touch me and I’ll peel the skin from your body.”

“As if I’d touch you that way.” He shuddered. He was not attracted to this female. Not in any way.

“Like I’d be stupid enough to believe a demon.”

“No, you’re only stupid enough to murder one.”

No shame. No regret. Only a smile, dark and wicked, that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You say stupid. I say brave.”

“But as I was saying,” he continued past his sudden surge of rage, determined to scare her again, “I plan to intimately acquaint you with my weapons.”

Funnily enough, that seemed to calm her. “You can try” was all she said.

“I’ll do more than that.” Before she could reply, probably to him again, he switched the direction of their conversation. “You’ve changed.”

Her gaze raked over him, and she grimaced in distaste. “You haven’t.”

“Aw. Thank you.” He flattened a palm over his heart. “That means so much to me.”

“That wasn’t a compliment,” she snapped.

Good. He was getting to her. “Of course it was. I’m gorgeous.”

“You’re also a coward,” she snarled. “A real man would have fought someone his own size.”

He almost grinned. He’d been called worse. Maybe that was why insults like that never affected him. “Actually, I’m a very smart warrior. I took the weak link, yes, but now the rest of the chain will wither. Think about it. With your death, the men will go crazy. They’ll be ruled by their emotions. They’ll make mistakes. Fatal mistakes. All I’ll have to do is wait, swoop in and kill them.”

She didn’t flinch at his words. Either she didn’t believe he would actually kill a woman, which was stupid, since he’d done so before and as a Hunter, she had to know that, or she thought herself infallible. Which was…possible, he realized with a sudden blast of dread.

“I know you’re more than human.” His head tilted to the side as he ran his gaze along her compact little body. “What I don’t know is what you are and how you got that way.”

“And you’ll never know,” she replied, staunch once again.

“Doesn’t matter, I guess. Even immortals can be cut down.”

A smile curved the corners of her lips. Smug and satisfied and taunting. And this time, the amusement reached her eyes. “I know.”

Two simple words, but they built a fire inside him that crackled and smoldered, spread and raged. So badly he wanted to stand, stalk to her and choke the life from her. He wanted to hurt her, make her suffer endlessly.

And he would.

He’d always been a possessive man. What he considered his was his. Women, cars, weapons, didn’t matter. He didn’t share. Ever. And right now he considered this woman his property and her misery his mission.

She was his to do with whatever he willed.

Whatever we will, his demon interjected.

So. Defeat wanted a piece of her, as well. Maybe Strider could share, just this once.

He schooled his expression to reveal nothing but calm. He thought perhaps there were red flickers in his eyes, showing just how close to the surface his demon now was, because Hadiee, no, Haidee, no, Ex, paled, blue lines becoming visible beneath her skin.

Inside his head, Defeat laughed, almost giddy, loving that the woman had been intimidated.

“Capturing you was the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “Not a challenge at all. You’re not much of a warrior, are you? Which makes me wonder why the men keep you around. Because they like to pass you around? Because you managed to kill a Lord, something none of your kind has been able to do again?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe I let you capture me. Maybe I’m still Bait, and now that we’re together, I’ll lead you into slaughter. But let the men use me? No. I’m with one, and he will punish you for this. You have my word.”

“The word of a Hunter? Sorry, but that means nothing to me.”

“If you think I’ll beg you to let me go, you think wrong. If you think I’ll cower at your feet, you think wrong. I will prevail.”

“You can try,” he said, parroting her earlier words to him.

Her teeth flashed in a scowl. “I’ll do more than that. I’ll give my man your head as a birthday present.”

Most would have been crying by now. She was brave, as she’d claimed, he would give her that. “Clearly you don’t know me well enough. To think you’ll be alive for your lover’s next birthday…well, you are a Hunter. I shouldn’t have expected you to be intelligent.”

Tendrils of mist drifted from her nostrils. At first, he thought he was mistaken. But no. That really was mist, crystallizing in front of her face. “Oh, I know you,” she said. “You’re Strider, keeper of Defeat. I’ve seen your picture, heard tales of your exploits. You burned cities to the ground, tormented innocents then destroyed their families.”

The reminder caused a muscle to tick below his eye. “That was a long time ago.”

She wasn’t done. “You thrive on challenge. You can’t lose without pain. Well, guess what? I don’t think you can keep me in this room without having to tie me. I don’t think you’re strong enough.”

What. A. Bitch. She wanted to challenge him, did she? She’d soon learn the error of her ways. He stood, stalked to the bed and withdrew a knife. Surprisingly, she didn’t flinch as he lowered it toward her. She looked…eager. Ready to die.