Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Every day he grew stronger and learned more. He practiced the extraordinary gifts he was born with far away from his father, brother and the members of their gang. He worked at shifting to be lightning fast. He’d timed his brother and father, the two fastest of the bloodthirsty, power-hungry, brutal gang. He had to be faster than either of them before he dared defy them openly.
His fate was sealed unexpectedly—although looking back, he should have realized his father would order his death if he continued to talk against torturing the villagers and raping their women. What man ordered the murder of his own son? Benedek had learned there was no love in his family and no real loyalty. His older brother would have been happy had Marius been killed, allowing Boian to take over and rule.
He was ordered to meet his father and brother on the outskirts of the closest village just before dawn. Fawn giggled and cackled like a demon from hell when she gave him the orders. That should have been another red flag, but he always tried to get out of her company as fast as possible. The fact that she had cackled made him worried for the women in the village, and he hurried to the edge of the forest.
It was dark and damp in the woods, branches dripping with moss and raindrops. As he materialized, he spotted Ernst and Ciprian, two of Marius’ soldiers. A rustle behind him told him they weren’t alone. Alin and Sergiu were never far from them. That meant they were going on a raid for certain. He shifted his stance to ensure he could see all four men. Boian emerged from a tree trunk and strode straight to him. He had a grin on his face and cruelty in his eyes as he placed one hand on Benedek’s shoulder.
“You made it so easy, Benedek. Too easy. You always were too soft for our father. It wasn’t that difficult to whisper in his ear what a liability you are to all of us.” As he spoke, the long blade slid from his sleeve, and he slammed it deep into Benedek’s chest, purposely missing the heart as he twisted and pulled the blade free. Still grinning. Happy for once.
Simultaneously, the four others drove knives into Benedek’s sides and back over and over with the strength of their species, grunting as they did so. Benedek went down hard, blood spurting from his body from dozens of deep wounds.
“Stupid, ignorant coward. You were never my brother. These men are my brothers. Marius fathered each of them. You, however, he stole after he killed your parents. You were supposed to have extraordinary talents. He was bitterly disappointed. We laughed at his weakness with you. How he trained you. How he took so much time with you when he didn’t bother with us. Yet in the end, we’re the ones he listens to and counts on. All you ever did was embarrass him.”
Boian crouched down and stabbed his blade into the side of Benedek’s neck and then created a necklace, circling his throat. “You loser. Just the sight of you like this gives me more pleasure than anything I’ve ever done.” He stood up and waved to his brothers. “Drag him out from the trees so the sun will finish him if he doesn’t bleed out first. I’m going to celebrate. That little redhead is close to age. She’ll do.”
Alin and Ciprian caught Benedek’s legs and dragged him roughly over the rocky ground out from under the trees, leaving a trail of bright red blood in the high grass. Ernst and Sergiu hurried after Boian, laughing as they caught up with him. Alin and Ciprian cursed and dropped Benedek’s body.
“They’ll get all the fresh ones,” Alin complained. He kicked Benedek as he rushed away. Ciprian cursed again and hurried after his brothers.
Benedek hadn’t believed his father would order his death, but now everything made sense. He wasn’t Marius’ son by blood. He was so different and had been from the time he was first aware. Marius and his treacherous sons should have paid more attention to the gifts Benedek had than to what they believed his flaws were.
They didn’t think him ruthless. Or brutal. They didn’t believe he could match their ferocity. Marius had shaped a killing machine. Just because Benedek had a code of honor didn’t mean he wasn’t capable of vengeance or viciousness. He had it in him. He was a Carpathian warrior, after all. He’d been raised by a madman.
Marius just had never been able to control Benedek as he could his sons. And all of them should have taken notice of Benedek’s steel mind. When he decided on a path, he wasn’t swayed, no matter how difficult. He made up his mind he would live, and he would hunt. It would be easy because they believed him dead.