Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Clearly, I ain’t about to receive communion or a blessing. Just my fucking luck. I’ve been double-crossed.
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath.
My heart begins to race. Those bastards set me up. This motherfucker is going to take my head.
“You can relax, Mr. Ricci. I only want to have a conversation with you to get some clarification. Our mutual acquaintances have informed me of your dilemma. I think we can strike a beneficial deal for all parties involved.”
“I’d be happy to answer without a sword to my neck,” I say and swallow hard.
He gives a dark laugh. “You mortals. Your fear of death is so pathetic. I guess it’s rational. If he were to press down, this would be the end of your life.
“As it should be. That’s how you were designed. The natural order of things. You know what I don’t like?”
“No, Bishop, what’s that?” I reply as I stare at his feet before me.
“When the order of things is disrupted. If something is made to be one way, why change the intention? Especially if you’re only going to do so for a few and not the whole,” he says as if musing to himself.
“I’m not following you.”
“I’m sure you’re not. Anyway, when the order is broken, correction is needed. This leads to the nasty business of more rules being broken to re-create balance. A thin line to be walked.”
“I’m still not getting your question.”
“Silence,” he barks at me. “You were given a prophecy. You were offered something unnatural in return for something unnatural. I want to know who gave you this erroneous prophecy,” he snarls.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Let me be a little more clear,” he growls, grabbing my hair and tugging my head back.
He looks down at me with those cold blue eyes as one of the hooded guys holds the blade against my skin, sending a chill down my spine as the cool blade bites at my flesh. This bishop is insane. He’s the one who’s unnatural. His face has clouded over and looks dark and eerie.
“A woman came to you and told you that you could keep your bond with those abominations. It was a lie,” he snarls in my face, spit flying and landing on my lip. Fucking gross.
He then continues while scowling down at me. “There will be a child born but not to aid you. I want that child and its mother.
“She has alluded my hunters and time is running out. Where is she? Where are your daughters?”
“I don’t know. I came to you because I don’t know,” I say.
“But you do know who helped you create those atrocities. Tell me who she was,” he snarls.
I think this over. I didn’t get to know my other girls, but I raised Ray. I’m not going to throw her to the wolves.
If I give him any information about her mother or the woman who led me to her, I could be placing all four of my girls in danger. I make the decision to act as if I know nothing. This guy is going to kill me anyway, and if he doesn’t, those genies who sent me here will.
The bishop laughs maniacally. “Oh, you think I need you to speak to get answers?”
With that, he palms my entire face in his hand. My eyes roll back and my face warms from his touch. I feel him reaching into my thoughts.
I fight to keep him out, but the battle is short and fleeting. It feels like I’m being rammed into by a truck. I go limp and black out.
Bishop
I step right into the time I’m looking for. Before me stands one of those fucking sirens. I thought I killed them all. This one should have died in the tomb I burned her in.
She leads Ricci into an apartment. I growl as another siren steps from one of the rooms. The idiot is salivating to get his hands on her.
I remember when we burned the village she was hiding in. Shape-shifting bitches. There’s a reason Tanrı keeps them as pets. They do his bidding in any form they are needed in.
This one has dark brown, silky, smooth-looking skin that looks as if she has bathed in gold every morning since her creation. Her dark locks are brushed back away from her face and fixed in a braid that falls down her back.
Her perky breasts and thick, childbearing hips would entice any fool into her bed. Ricci didn’t stand a chance. Even if they didn’t promise him a way to continue to hold those abominations in service to him, he would have fallen into her bed.
Moving forward in time, I find Ricci watching as the siren gives birth. My eyes widen and anger fills me as I count three babies crying as the siren pushes forth another.