“Farras did much of our bidding.”
My mind shifts to another image. I’m working diligently—no, not me, Farras—scrawling into a notebook. Like Luke mentioned about his visions, it’s like a dream where I just know that this is the Manual the Saints discovered.
“Farras defeated one of our greatest threats, but the very part of his nature that allowed us to connect with him was his greatest weakness. He could have helped us much more, but his appetites were too strong, and he was caught.”
Another series of images—this time chaos as men in tactical gear burst through the door of an apartment, descending upon Farras. I look at my hands, see a gun.
“What a waste of a great asset,”Vairov laments.“But he served his purpose. And because of him, now the Sinners are left with this useless creature instead of a god that could rival us.”
“He fucking helped stop you that night, didn’t he?”
I sense his rage. A small victory.
“He may have altered my plans, but while you were busy chasing Syphor from Cody’s body, my emissary was lighting my way, guiding me to a doorway out of the Rift.”
Fuck.“That’s why you needed Cody.”
He doesn’t respond, and I wonder if he doesn’t want to reveal what may be other reasons for needing Cody.
“I have no use for this man, though,” Vairov says. “Perhaps I should just end him for the inconvenience he caused.”
“Don’t you fucking dare.”
He laughs, and it echoes through me again. He’s clearly enjoying tormenting me.
“Don’t worry. He will be spared for tonight. For we have work to do.”
Vairov slides out of Alexei’s bed and heads for the door.
As terrifying as this experience is, there’s a moment of relief, knowing Alexei is safe. Even if just for now.
“Don’t be too pleased. As I said, I fully intend to enjoy him. Especially now that I know how much you have.”
I try to will my trauma to the surface to take him on.
“You’re only hurting yourself,”he assures me, and I can feel the truth of it, the way these images of my mother torment me. The fears of this darkness in me.
Vairov heads out the door, down the hall. Is he really gonna just walk through the dorm naked?
“Clothes are the least of my concerns,”he tells me, and I hate how he’s right on my every thought, that there’s no way to outsmart someone who’s in my goddamn mind like this.
I reach again for those dark memories in me, but it doesn’t feel as it did in Finnegan. And there’s nothing to cling on to within Vairov. Fuck, what am I gonna do?
I try to anticipate what he’s doing, and as he continues toward the end of the hall, I fear I know the answer.
“Yes, you know who I’m after.”
Cody.
As we reach Seth and Cody’s door, I try to shout—can’t I reclaim just enough of my body to warn them? But Vairov raises my hand to the keypad, and the green light flashes. Itreminds me of what Preston said, how Syphor was able to amplify Preston’s powers. I have some abilities too, and Vairov accesses them easily.
He opens the door and steps inside. Moonlight spills in through the window on the other side of Seth’s bed, illuminating the room. I’m trying fucking everything. To scream. To warn them that something’s in here. If Seth could just wake up and stop me!
Vairov heads into the kitchenette, drawing my eyes to the knife block on the kitchen island.
“You leave them the fuck alone.”
“What will be will be. Surely you must realize that by now.”
