I’m ready for you. You shall serve me now, my alpha.
Nasil woke with a start, sweat pouring down his face. He sat up on the air mattress so quickly that Bruce nearly rolled on top of him.
He carefully slid out from under the thick comforter and stood. He ran a hand through his hair, and then shook his head again, trying to wake up. He remembered Bruce arriving and eating the dinner of fried chicken that had accompanied him. They’d made love and it had been good, but not as good as it once had been—before Bruce became so ill.
Then he’d dreamed of a dark woman with long, silver hair who called to him, raked his skin with poisoned teeth to taste his blood, and made his mind putty. He looked down to see that the dream had aroused his body too. When was the last time the thought of a woman had aroused him? Yes, he’d had women in the past, but that was before he’d met Bruce. The innocent human had stolen his heart and made him betray his old master.
I can do more for you than a human, my alpha. I have chosen you. You will be my mate and will implant your seed in a goddess.
The voice in his mind made him stumble and crack his head against the wall of the cave. Marduc! Fear filled him so completely he nearly vomited. And yet, his body was hard again. What the hell is happening to me?
The low, feminine chuckle in his mind made his skin both twitch and ache. I have happened to you. You are my chosen. Kill your lover and come to me, Ea-Nasil. We shall be one and we shall rule together. A low hiss followed her words. It filled his mind until nothing but the sound remained in the dark room. He had to obey her. Had to have her.
He felt himself walk to the farthest corner of the wide room and open the lead box. The black knife should have been invisible in the darkness. But instead, it glowed from within, as though begging to be used for the purpose it was created. He felt apart from himself as he picked it up and walked back to the mattress. He looked down at the man snuggled under the covers, his arm spread across the empty space where Nasil’s body had lay. Bruce’s formerly smooth cheek was pockmarked with sores now, earned from spending too much time with Nasil’s poisoned body.
The knife was raised high over his head, though he didn’t remember doing it. Part of his brain realized what was happening and rebelled. He would not kill Bruce just to please her.
Obey in all things, my mate, and we will lay together as only snakes can. At last you will be the god you were destined to be.
It had been a thousand years since he’d had sex with a female of his species. Sargon had instructed him not to breed. Now he could be what his lord had dreamed of being—but hadn’t been strong enough to become.
But you’re strong enough. I feel it. I would have you inside me.
No. Not at the cost of Bruce.
You must. I command it.
His muscles twitched. He was fighting, but as the knife inched downward, he knew he would lose. Bruce rolled over just then to lie flat on his back. It would be so easy. And he was dying anyway.
He dropped to his knees from the sheer force of the presence in his mind. He couldn’t seem to open his mouth to warn his lover. He closed his eyes because his lips were locked tight, his arm out of his control. He was mute and helpless as the knife made an arc through the air. Again he fought, but he felt the weapon plunge into something soft that spilled warmth over his hand. The scream that followed made bile rise. He couldn’t look, couldn’t think. All he could do was race out into the night. His legs moved of their own accord and even the frigid night air hitting his skin didn’t relieve the heat that was boiling his blood.
Yes, now is our time. Come to me, my love.