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

by A.K. Caggiano

KILL, CACKLE, CONDEMN

“Amma, I would sooner be cleaved in two than allow anyone to take you from me.”

THE DREADCOUNCIL’S FRAGMENTABLE PENDANT OF ACCURSED BONDAGE AND NEFARIOUS CONQUEST.

IT IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND, FORGED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ITS TARGETS’ UNION AND SUBJUGATION. PUT IT ON, WON’T YOU?

The Dreadcouncil’s Fashionable Pendant of Accosted Bridges and Nonferrous Combat.” “That is not what it’s called.” “You said what it’s called doesn’t matter.”

Damien grinned. Darkness, did he like the sound of Mistress Bloodthorne when he looked on her.

“Misery personified shall descend upon a winged beast to unknowingly rescue her own undoing, but when the pieces are reforged, the downfall of the hallowed son, the chosen, and the heartless mother is inevitable.”

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.

“If the talisman weren’t inside me, we would be apart.” She was whispering, but the arcana still lingering under her skin made her voice thunderous. “I haven’t been able to separate myself from it because I don’t want to be separate from you. Not ever.”

“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.”

“Oh, gods,” she breathed as the pressure under his fingers built for a countless time. “Don’t invite the gods here,” he rumbled against her ear.

“I belong to you.” Damien’s hand slowed, but this time didn’t abandon her, instead only drawing lazy circles. “Do you mean this? Truly?” “Yes.” She caught her breath, nodding, the words that had been pouring from her chest for so long but always catching in her throat finally freeing themselves. “I’m yours, Damien.” He exhaled against her neck, his length throbbing, fingers quickening. “Mine,” he rasped, squeezing her wrists and pulling her even tighter against him. “My sweet Ammalie would do whatever I say, wouldn’t she? Arcanely possessed or not?” The truth broke out of her like a sprout reaching for the sun. “Yes. Anything.”

It may have not been in the way that humans were meant to, but he loved her.

“Whoo, Damien, I don’t know if I could have taken it if it’d been much bigger.” He cleared his throat, tucking the memory of her words away for the off chance he did survive all of this and found himself alone. “Yes, well, look at you, still conscious and everything.”

“I am in love with you, Amma, utterly and unconditionally, until my last breath and beyond.”