Eclipse of the Crown (Villains & Virtues, #3)

by A.K. Caggiano

She had become his weakness, and he would do almost anything to hold onto her. Was the tiny sliver of humanity within him enough to stop him from hurting her in the name of keeping her?

In fact, it made him inconceivably happy, and that, in turn, was sort of infuriating. If only she could just stop being so wonderful for a moment, he could figure out exactly what to do with all of his feelings for her.

When the day is night, and the corners of the realm have fallen into rot, the hallowed son shall release the Harbinger of Destruction upon earth once again. Only by the spilling of the descendants’ blood may It rise, and by the spilling of the heart of the earth’s blood to beseech the gods may It fall.

Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne was rarely brought to his knees willingly, and he could not remember a time he was sincerely happy about doing so, but as he lowered himself before Amma, a sort of euphoria spread out in his chest. He held Amma’s gaze as he went, the haughty amusement chased off her delicate features. She uncrossed her arms and legs to lean forward and look down on him, shocked. No, of course, she wouldn’t expect this, but then, if he’d ever worked up the courage to tell her the absolute torment her presence had been waging inside him, it would never have been a surprise to find him on his knees for her.

“I say a lot of idiotic things,” he grumbled, grip on her wrist and jaw tightening. “What I mean is that I want to keep you, your body, your soul. I want every beat of your heart for my own, and I want to be consumed by you.” Amma had fallen still again, glassiness to her blue eyes. “You’ve ruined me, Ammalie,” he said with a chuckle. “Enthralled me completely without even using magic.”