Page 110 of Bitten By the Basilisk

While he was eager to wash the quickly cooling blood off himself so he could embrace his mate, he had one other to punish—the male who had attacked her.

Eric had prostrated himself on the floor. When Silas approached, he begged for mercy—for disfigurement and exile.

Had Eric held Alice hostage rather than hurt her, Silas might have considered sparing Eric’s life. Instead, he gave Eric the same end as Lance, making it quick, more blood anointing the floor.

Having vanquished his foes, Silas caught his breath and looked around the chamber. The other gala attendees called out their praise of his prowess. His parents looked on with relief and pride, as did his lieutenants.

Alice regarded him as though dazed, her lips parted, chest heaving.

Stars above, was she aroused?

He clenched his cloacal muscles, lest his cocks extrude for the entire room to see. Were he not determined to perform his mating dance for her, he would throw her over his shoulder and whisk her up to his apartment to claim her.

To that end, he pushed his way over to her, taking care to avoid the blood on the floor. Alice never took her eyes off him.

At his approach, Nic and Bruno both laid their hands over their hearts and dipped their heads. “Basilisk.”

“That nearly ended much differently,” Nic noted. “But well fought.”

“Well fought, Boss,” Bruno echoed.

“You…” Alice shakily began, still finding her voice. “You were incredible.”

Silas reached out to brush her cheek with the back of his hand, not wanting to sully her skin. He would embrace her, kiss her, but he was still bespattered in blood. “I’m sorry you had to see that. Were you scared?”

She reluctantly nodded.

“Of me?”

This time, she shook her head. “Only for you.”

He sighed in relief, his heart squeezing with gratification. “I’m glad you made it here. More than I can express.”

“Speaking of—I know how you got into the Nest, but how did you find your way down here?” Nic asked, as she had already explained what had happened to her driver.

Indeed, Silas hadn’t mentioned the Den to her, intending it to be a surprise.

Alice smiled, biting her lip as she held up her hand to look at it, then at Silas, and he noticed at last the somewhat crumpled gift bag dangling from her left wrist. “I followed my red thread.”

He drew in a sharp breath, joy piercing his heart. His mate beamed up at him, tears shimmering in her eyes. He lifted both of his hands, wondering which one was tied to her. She pointed to his right hand, specifically his shortest finger.

“Truly?” he rasped.

She nodded vigorously. “It’s you, Silas. You’re the One.”

Nic grasped his shoulder and shook it. “Congratulations, Boss.”

Bruno likewise slapped his other shoulder. “Congrats.”

“You’ll tell me if you see mine, right?” Nic asked Silas’s mate.

Before she could answer, Silas leaned down to kiss her. She chuckled against his mouth and cupped her hands around his face, kissing him back. Fuck, he ached to hold her.

“Gala’s not over yet, Boss,” Bruno said, tugging at his shoulder. “Save that for after.”

Silas reluctantly lifted his head. He couldn’t claim her like this, sweaty and blood-spattered, though part of him wanted to. No, his mate deserved the full spectacle.

And she was about to get it.