Queen Of Sins - Stephanie Hudson Page 0,1

didn’t know. Was it because he didn’t want me to worry any more than I already was? I mean, I could understand this to a point, especially considering all the witch had done to me, and well, that Hex had been a bitch to remove! And obviously not something I would look forward to experiencing again any time soon.

So, the witch had been the one to send the Wraith Master. Big deal, as I already knew that she and Lucius’ evil brother were scheming to try and take control over the Eye and use it as a weapon. And well, it didn’t take a genius to know that I was now on his brother’s radar. Especially after he had seen the way I had been able to handle the Eye without becoming the next ‘Miss Extra Well Done and Crispy’ in Hell’s beauty pageant. then

It was also obvious why he wanted me.as was the only one who could handle the Eye and survive it.

Of course, this meant that all I had now was doubts about what was going on in Lucius’ head, I couldn’t help but feel as if there was something more he was keeping from me. Oh sure, I had wanted to ask him and confront him about what Vena had told me. But then, to be honest, I had been scared to after knowing how much we had both endured at the hands of the Wraith Master. One who had technically killed me once already, and I really didn’t think neither I nor Lucius could cope with the witch succeeding a second time by some other twisted means.

So, with this in mind, I gave Lucius a break and told myself he could no longer make any decisions without me first being in on it. No, he wouldn’t do that to me again… would he?

“As much as I would prefer that means of travel, sweetness, I fear its only destination is back in a bed and no closer to getting you home.”

“Home?” I questioned, picking up on the word, making him tense once before telling me on a smooth whisper,

“Our home.”

On hearing this I gripped onto him tighter, holding him in a way that told him how much I liked the sound of that. But then I had to be sure.

“Now, is that home the one in Hell or in Germany?” I asked, making him grip me tighter, and with his chin resting on the top of my head and my head tucked to his chest he whispered,

“Wherever you are is my home, Amelia.”

Now, I had to admit, I liked this even better. He held me to him for a minute longer before stepping back, and I got the impression it was a painful move for him to make. The look he refused to give me directly told me as much, but it was the regret I could see in his eyes that I clung onto. Did he regret having to let me go and not having the time to hold me for longer?

Well, whatever the reason, I gave his hand a squeeze for it, making him finally smile down at me before pulling me closer to the beast, one that was obviously saddled for us as it was the biggest of the herd… if that was what you could call them.

“Erm, so what exactly is that… um… thing?” I said feeling bad calling it a thing, but after tipping my head slightly to one side and not seeing anything obvious to tell me its sex, there was little else to call it. Lucius’ lips quirked up at this, but instead of laughing at my antics he stepped behind me and told me,

“It’s a Manticore… oh, and it’s a boy.” He whispered this last part after pushing me closer to it, making me reply in a cocky but still slightly strained voice,

“Mazel tov.” At this Lucius chuckled before saying,

“Come on, my Khuba, you will be just fine.”

“Oh, I doubt it, I mean I thought that thing was its second tail but now I know it’s a boy then I’m not so sure.” Again, Lucius’ lips quirked at this as he led me over to the mighty beast that looked as tall as the biggest of horses, and twice as wide! But, taking its size out of it, the rest of him looked just as deadly, with the body of a lion covered in reddish coarse fur. He had a spiked tail that had metal cuffs clasped to the