More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“Phoebe, relax. I promised that my attire would be up to the dress code.” I slipped off my overcoat, and it was whisked away by one of her beetling staff. I gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. “Besides, you can never be too prepared. What if a guest brings you to such anger that you smite them? I will be fashionably prepared for the occasion.”
It put men at ease sometimes, to know that my skills involved something more feminine. Explaining myself was exhausting. I would instead dumb it down to keep my peace. Speaking of peace, there was the matter of the under-the-table products reserved for women looking to eliminate any unsavory characters, bound by marriage or otherwise. My exceptional understanding of botany and chemistry had allowed me to aid in the disappearance of many men—a professional poisoner, if you will.
each corpse leaving more flirtatious hints as to how the poison could be improved for the next sinner.
“There is nothing wrong. It is poliosis. It just turns the hair on the left side of my face white.”
It is not a choice to be stupid, though I gave my best efforts to be sympathetic.
Someday maybe I would be as notorious as Giulia Tofana,
Personal pleasures were like drying flowers, best kept away from the light to preserve their vibrance.
I wish I could say that I made that man suffer—that I put his hands in jars and severed the tongue from his mouth. Instead, I did something far worse. I did nothing.
It had been a while since that unbridled, rapidly returning passion for the hunt returned to me. I must have just needed something worth chasing. Will you have just as delicious an expression when I catch you?
There was no need to change out of funeral attire, as men die every day—a cause for celebration.
“I look forward to us, little shadow,” I whispered against her ear, tucking a bit of hair behind it before I allowed her one last night of rest. One more night before our games began.
“Oh”—I could hear a cocky smirk in his voice—“she not only speaks, she also bites.” “I am sure you would be the type of degenerate to enjoy that,” I sneered.
“I am anything you want me to be.” His voice manifested next to my ear. “I’ll let you decide, one last illusion of autonomy before I devour you.”
Believe me when I say this woman gave me butterflies in my stomach. Though that might just be internal bleeding. Either way, she had charmed me.
Could she be the cause of all of the sudden poisonings of men and Vipera? I was starting to think she had more up her sleeve than I initially assumed.
nightshade across the cut on my cheek mindlessly. She probably thought she killed me! Imagining her relief after that night was amusing. It would be even better when I saw her again. Witnessing her confusion and cutting down her ego would be delicious. She might even think herself a poor poisoner when she sees that the venom did not take. This was the most fun I had ever had on a hunt.
While Alina was surely bright, she had the worst case of fixation I had ever seen.
I nearly bumped into her several times. When passing her at the market, I even let her run into my shoulder. She said sorry and did not stop walking. I will repeat myself: she said sorry and did not even look in my direction.
It was quite annoying actually. I wanted to shove her off the bridge, but she might be more upset about the book getting wet rather than the sight of me.
It seemed she was targeting men she found distasteful, which was understandable, knowing how many men of my kind were suddenly falling ill with aches and pains.
they thought it was a coordinated effort to harm the Nest, which was amusing considering that she had done this entirely by accident and without her knowledge.
I worried she would drown before I got to do the honors myself.
“I cannot…wait…to kill you,”
“But why would I go see those masterpieces when there is one right here?”
His tongue twitched, and the two independently moving pieces of the split end curled in discomfort.
“If you kill him, then you go back on our deal. I need his help. Promise that you will not murder him.” He grumbled something under his breath. “I want to hear you say it, Silas.” I kept my eyes on him. He averted his gaze. “Silas!” I put pressure on the needle. “Fine!” he hissed. “I won’t.” “You won’t what?” “I won’t kill him.” “Or maim?” “I won’t maim or kill him.” “I’m glad we are in agreement.”
reluctantly leaned up and took the tip of it into my mouth. I sucked on it gently, which prompted a sound from Silas. Did he just whimper?
“Down,” I demanded, pointing at the floor. “I don’t think so,” he said stubbornly. I leaned in, playing with the edge of his shirt. “Do you expect me to climb you? Get on your knees, Silas.” His eyes widened at my demand as he slowly complied.
It brought me joy knowing I could make a creature like him mewl for me, beg for me without a single word.
“What are they for?” I asked once more. “Don’t make me repeat myself again.” My eyes narrowed at him. “They’re for…” he mumbled, something I could not hear. “I didn’t quite get that.” “Mating.” He kept his eyes averted. This was the first time I’d seen him blush.
Those same spines were now erect. They hooked out like barbs, presumably to keep it inside whatever it was buried in upon release. They quivered, flexing out as if upset that they did not get to hook into anything—their only purpose. I saw something dripping from the spines as well, an amber liquid mixing with his cum. “They have venom too?” “It’s for the pain. The spines, they inject something for the pain, I think,”
“You know how to braid?” “Of course I do. I have sisters.” My eyes widened. “There’s more of you?” “They are nothing like me, but I remember some from when I was young who taught me, and then I also taught one of the younger ones.” “That’s…quite sweet actually.” I smirked. “I can’t imagine you as an older brother.”
I was unaware that my father had hired him to find the Poisoner, but I suspected that it was the only explanation for him setting his sights on Alina.
Luka was a madman. He was responsible in part for many atrocities throughout history. Luka was always whispering in the ears of depraved humans in power. He’d used their insanity to feed himself for decades. Many older Vipera had fostered Luka as a protégé, setting him loose to wreak havoc on whoever displeased them until he eventually turned on them or found a new master.
“I thought you were going to feed.” I flinched. “I will,” he mumbled between my legs, looking up at me. “But you said I could have it all, and that is exactly what I will be taking.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” He kissed my shoulder. “Unless you want me to break you.” “Don’t flatter yourself,” I whispered, though I was almost hoping for him to try.
“Alina,”
“tell me what you want.”
“I…want you,”
“You have me.”
She was mine. All of her. If I had any claim to anything priceless, it was her.
I leaned up on my elbow, one hand on her hip, entranced with her movements. If she let me, I would worship her like this every day for eternity.
I flipped her over and put one leg over my shoulder, the other between my legs. I leaned over her as she lay on her side in the grass. I grabbed her by the face, turning it toward me. “You are mine,” I whispered against her lips, a smirk forming as I slammed into her as hard as I could. “You will never be rid of me.” Those blue eyes looked up at me pleadingly before they occasionally rolled back. That’s right. This is how you like to feel.
She flinched when the spines pierced her. It brought me no joy that it had to hurt, but it felt so good to be inside her like this. Even the involuntary parts of me ached to sink themselves into her. Not only could I feel my cock pulsing, but I could feel the spines latch on to her, filling her with venom.
I never thought I could reach the point of craving someone aside from a simple hunger. Starving for her would be more painful than any true hunger. I would rather perish. I was wholeheartedly, pathologically addicted to her.
They let me sit up, one to my front and one to my back, but they did not relieve me of their deadly grasp. I swallowed and stared up at the ceiling.
My arms covered my bare chest and whatever I could. Nothing was mine anymore. Not my body, not my words. I tried to curl up, but they wouldn’t let me become any smaller than I already was.
I was not sure if it was the lack of air in my brain, the lingering venom, or the satisfaction of my poison working, but I took comfort in that scalding monstrosity possibly being my last masterpiece.
