52

The prison was far more pleasant than Damien had been expecting. Warm, bright and clean, with only a faint whiff of urine and despair. Unlike the werewolves, he had no heightened sense of smell--a fact he was grateful for. It was the single advantage they had over him. He had a plethora of psychic powers, was a hundred times stronger, could fly and in his shifted form... could breathe a fire that burned hotter than the sun's surface.

Adrian's face lit up when he saw Damien approach.

"I told you, didn't I?" Adrian boasted. He was always boasting. "I said I could get you any girl you wanted. I bet she's just eating out of your hands."

Damien smiled as he sat opposite his friend at the white plastic table.

"You are the master of manipulation." Damien flattered him. “But is that really what you wish to discuss?”

He gave him one of those, 'Really, bitch?' looks until Adrian’s face fell, his chin wobbling for a second before he shut up and looked down.

“Why did you eat Tom?” he muttered at last.

“I only ate his liver. And to set you up, of course,” he calmly told his friend.

Though he sensed the rage boiling up inside the Alpha wolf, Damien was not worried. Adrian could escape this prison and kill every guard in sight if he wanted to. Heck… he could kill everyone in the town.

But what he could never do was stand up to Damien. He had to know being inside was safer.

“But why?” Adrian wanted to know. “You said if I listened to you and followed your instructions that nobody would get hurt. That I’d get to lead—”

As Adrian's voice rose he glanced over at the guard. There was no need to worry. The underpaid and underappreciated guard was too busy thinking about what he needed to pick up from the supermarket on the way home to notice Adrian's tantrum.

“Yeah, I lied about both of those things,” Damien admitted, speaking calmly. “I genuinely don’t want to hurt any of your people, but if they don’t do what I want them to do, I’ll resort to force. Playing these games is fun… but long winded.”

“But why… I don’t understand why you’ve done this to me,” Adrian whined.

‘Of course you don’t, you absolute muppet,’ he thought. He didn’t say as much out loud.

“I couldn’t let you lead and I couldn’t let Scarlett pair off with your handsome little beta. You sensed it… she’s going to be more powerful than you or your mother when she’s fully grown. And she needs a mate who will produce the best offspring possible,” Damien explained. "That isn't you and it certainly isn't Riley."

He watched the eyes of his companion flash bright with rage at these words. Damien knew how frustrating it must be—how jealous he must feel. After all these years waiting for the girl to blossom, she had not only matched but surpassed him.

“You want her for yourself?” Adrian frowned.

“Oh, heavens no.” Damien chuckled. “She’d never carry my offspring to term. I’m thinking further ahead with my little breeding program.”

Now Adrian just looked confused. “You’re planning to breed with… her future kid?”

“Maybe… or grandchild.” Damien tilted his head, pondering when he noticed the disgusted curl in Adrian’s lip.

“You realise I’ve been alive since the dark ages,” Damien told him. “You think you being here is an accident? Hmm?”

Damien leaned forward, staring into his eyes. “I bred you into existence.”

When the portly guard shuffled over to let him know the visitor’s hours were coming to an end, Damien nodded.

He turned back to a stunned looking Adrian before taking his leave. “You’re lucky to be in here. It’s a kindness, because if they refuse to follow my plan… I’m going to kill every last one of them. In here… you’re safe.”

“W—wait. Damien, wait… please… don’t.” Adrian stood. When the guard asked him to sit back down, he did so, slumping back into his seat with a dejected sigh. “Don’t do this.”

Damien didn’t turn back. He thanked the officers and guards, smiling at each in turn as he passed. When he got onto the bus he smiled and nodded, thanking the driver before taking a seat.

The journey home was pleasant enough but lead him back to that odious girl.

Oh, how he hated her. He’d have killed her long ago, but that was too good for this little monster. Maybe once he’d done messing with her head and tormenting her, he would devour her, if he could stomach the taste of her. There was always death by flames to consider.

He entered his bedroom to find Sienna where he'd left her, tear stains running the length of her pretty face.

"You came back," she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.

"It's my room," Damien pointed out.

"Can you uncuff me?" she asked, staring up with the saddest eyes he'd ever seen.

"Aww, you want to stop?" he asked, feigning confusion.

"W—what, I... I don't understand," she stammered. "Y-you said..."

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long," Damien interrupted, barely able to keep a straight face. "My Mum asked for my help with something, and I could hardly say no because I have a naked girl chained to my bed."

He watched her face, seeing the cogs turning behind her eyes. Was she really pathetic and desperate enough to fall for this?

He knew the answer was yes. He and Adrian had made sure of it.

"I understand if you want to go home. This was a little much for your first time I guess," Damien said, slumping his shoulders and sighing.

Sienna’s eyes widened, seemingly terrified at the thought of disappointing him.

"No, no, no," Sienna protested, shaking her head so fiercely her hair gathered static from the sheets. "It's fine. Really."

As he got on the bed next to her, she shifted toward him, hungry for contact, and snuggled her head into his chest. The salty smell of her tears made him nauseous. Everything about her made him sick. He’d eaten an entire packet of strong mints and the disgusting taste of her still lingered in his mouth.

"You know I love you right?" she asked. She was probably hoping he would say it in return. Instead, he nodded.

"Just... please please don't break my heart," she begged, looking up into his eyes with sheer desperation. "I don't think I could bear it."

He gave her a sympathetic look as he tenderly stroked her hair.

"I won't," he lied.