Chapter 86

I brush hard at the tears on my cheeks, raising my chin, my canines elongating inside my mouth even as my lip trembles.

“Juniper,” Blythe snaps, pointing authoritatively down at the ground like a master calling his dog to heel. “You need to be more reasonable about this. Just because you have money doesn’t mean that we would have access to it – selling our story was going to set us up for life! I didn’t want to take money from your father –“

“Enough,” I snarl, seeing through all the lies and taking a step towards him. Laila takes her hands from me as she inhales a long anxious breath. Behind me, Faiza, Orion, and Anton are all silent.

“Juniper, I’m telling you right now –“

“I said enough!” I bark out, my words ringing through the Deadlands as I shoot a hand out towards Blythe, rage surging through my veins.

No words come from Blythe’s mouth even as he continues to move his lips. At first he keeps going, stepping towards me, beginning to argue. But as he realizes that he’s been silenced Blythe pauses, his hands going to his throat, his eyes darting between me and the others in my group, panicked.

“Holy shit, kitten,” Faiza whispers, her voice both intrigued and proud. “Nice trick.”

I ignore her, my eyes only on Blythe.

Blythe, who betrayed me.

Blythe, who played me for a fool.

Blythe…who is now going to pay for that privilege. At a hefty price.

His eyes flare wide and he takes a step back as I take one towards him. I huff a dark little laugh, shaking my head, because that’s wise of him. He never was a fool, was he?

“Did you make a mistake, Blythe?” I say, my voice low and controlled despite the anger surging through me, my wolf snarling viciously in my soul. “Did you forget which Sinclair it was that you were dating?”

Silently Blythe takes another step back as I advance one more, his eyes locked on me as if hypnotized.

“Did you think you were dating the nice sister?” I purr, my hands in fists at my side. “The pretty blonde one who still gives guys a chance after they shout at her like she’s some kind of pet for them to train? The one with pity in her heart, who thinks if she’s just kind to them they’ll turn themselves around?”

Blythe’s mouth falls open in shock as he stares at me, perhaps seeing me for who I truly am for the first time. Not the sweet lovesick girl that he was courting, all caught up in the first throes of love. No, the vengeful demigoddess who you should really not piss off.

“Or did you think I was my mom?” I ask, sneering at him now.

He takes another step back and I snarl, glancing down at his feet, willing them to root there. Soundlessly Blythe shrieks as he tries to move, tries to step away from me and finds himself stuck in place.

“The gentle queen?” I ask, my voice thick with derision. “Who sees the good in all people and just wants to heal and feed everyone, helping them grow?”

Silence rings around us as Blythe stops fighting and turns his eyes away back to me, an appropriate amount of terror coming into his expression now.

“You were a fool if you thought for a moment that I was anything like them,” I say, soft as a cold caress, like that of steel against flesh. “If failed to see me as the vengeful bitch I am, Blythe. Because I’m not my mother’s daughter – no, I’m my father’s daughter, you arrogant slob.” I raise my chin, baring my teeth at him, letting him see the points of my fangs. “Which means that I demand retribution for the wrongs done me. In blood, if necessary.”

Blythe stares at me wide-eyed, not knowing what to say or do. Indeed, not capable of either at the moment – not unless I permit it.

“Beg me,” I snarl, pointing at the ground. “Beg me for forgiveness, Redman Blythe. On your knees. I want to see you fucking grovel.”

Fear sweeps through Blythe for a second before, quite suddenly, a great deal of pride takes its place in his expression. I narrow my eyes, a growl building in my chest.

Because still – after all of this – he doesn’t take me seriously.

My snarl echoes through the underworld as his mouth moves.

“What’s that, boy?” I ask, my voice soft and condescending. “Something to say?”

He very clearly laughs at me, crossing his arms.

Behind me, someone else snarls too – Orion or Anton, I don’t know which. Perhaps both.

I tilt my head, thinking quietly that if Blythe wants to dig his grave a little deeper, I’d quite like to watch him do it.

“Go ahead then,” I purr, nodding my head, willing his voice back. “Tell me.”

“What are you even going to do, Princess?” he snaps, leaning towards me mockingly, bending quite low as if talking to a little girl. “You were fun for a while, but now you’re just running your mouth, boring me with these empty threats. I’m already dead – what else could you even do to me?”

A beautiful smile crests over my lips as I again wave a hand towards him, stealing his voice. “Oh, Blythy,” I murmur, like a lover desperately pleased lover over a pretty gift. “I’m so glad you asked.”

My eyes snap to his knees, which crumple beneath him, slamming him to the ground. His head bends back on his neck like someone has grabbed his hair in their fist and yanked it.

“Shit,” Faiza whispers.

“She’s…how…how is she doing that…” Orion murmurs, awed.

But I keep my eyes on Blythe, lessening the punishment somewhat until he’s able to lift his head again, his eyes flashing with anger at being forced to his knees.

“Want to ask me again, baby?” I whisper, soft, taking another step towards him. “What to see how much worse it can get?”

He snarls and I laugh at the empty threat.

“That’s what I thought,” I snap, crossing my arms across my chest. “Now beg.” The last two words slip between my teeth but Blythe just glares at me, his silent mouth unmoving, not even trying to ask for my forgiveness.

“Fine,” I say, quite cool now. “You asked for this.”

I watch him in pleased silence for a moment before turning to my friends.

Laila and Orion stare at me in shocked awe. Anton and Faiza give me twin looks of dark pleasure that make my mouth twitch at the corners, threatening to pull into a smile of my own. But I’m not finished yet.

“Is your Goddess still watching?” I ask Fazia, all business, lifting my chin towards the sky.

“Oh, she’s watching,” Faiza says, her eyes widening, nodding eagerly to me. “Not sure how…anyone could take their eyes away at this point.”

“Tell her I’d like to ask for a favor,” I say, turning back to Blythe whose face drops in fear. Because even if he’s not afraid of me, a Goddess? This perhaps gives him pause.

“All right,” Faiza says after a second. “Ask away.”

“Reincarnation,” I say, considering Blythe carefully, beginning to walk in a slow circle around him. “That’s her specialty, yes?”

Blythe whips his head towards me, trying to follow me around, fear starting to build in him now.

“Sure is,” Faiza says, her voice low and pleased.

“Then I’d like to request that Blythe be reincarnated. I came here to offer him new life, after all. But this time,” I hum lightly, pretending to consider. “Perhaps into a form…much more suited to him.”

“Suited to him?” Faiza asks, her voice pleased as hell as she plays along.

“Yes. I think this Alpha body has given him too much pretty-boy pride, made him think that he’s…invincible. Can do as he pleases. Made him fail to recognize where true power lies.”

“An interesting consideration,” Faiza says, crossing her arms, grinning at me with her vicious smile. “What did you have in mind?”

“Hmm,” I say, finishing my loop around Blythe and coming back to my spot in front of him, looking him up and down. “Three days as a slug, I think, will do it. And then please bring him back here to see if he’s capable of begging forgiveness.”

Blythe’s eyes fly wide as I bend down, bringing my face close to his so that I fill his vision, wanting to be the only thing he sees.

“And then, if he does…I’ll think about what I want next.”

Behind me Faiza laughs, delighted. “Any further stipulations?”

“Let him keep his mind the whole time,” I say, straightening again and crossing my arms over my chest. “And send him…” I cock my head, considering it. “To a playground.”

The Priestess steps to my side, beaming down at Blythe, and snaps her fingers. Before our eyes he shrinks down in an instant, becoming a thick grey slug seated on a green leaf. Faiza bends down and picks him up, stroking her finger down the length of Blythe’s slimy back.

“Want to say goodbye,” she asks, perfectly cheerful, holding him up so that his little slug eyes are equal with mine.

“Bye bye, Blythe,” I say, mock cheerful, raising my hand and waving like I’m saying goodbye to a little kid. Then I let my voice drop as I lean closer. “Oh, I’m going to enjoy ruining you.”

Faiza gives a happy sigh and pulls the leaf closer to her, cradling it against her chest.

“Well done, Princess,” she says, giving me a gentle smile like she’s truly proud. “See you in three days.”

Before I can say goodbye, she disappears.

The moment she does, the wind goes out of my sails and my shoulders slump, my head hanging a bit. My rage has been sufficiently sated for now but…

God, I feel like such an idiot. How? How could I not have seen it? How could I have loved him?

“Juniper?” Anton says softly, hesitant.

Slowly, I turn to my friends.

“Um,” I say, looking down at my feet, all of my emotions swooping back through me now that I no longer have an object of rage to focus them on. “Can we go home now?”