It takes me a while to realize the pain in my head is rapidly abating the closer we get to the top of the stairwell. I’m relieved for all of two seconds until the crushing realization of why it’s lessening plows through me.
“Sin,” I hiss. A cold chill floods my body as fear grips me.
“Sin, we have to turn around,” I urge, some panic seeping into my tone.
He shakes his head, causing the bottom of his short beard to brush up against the top of my head. “Can’t, kitten. The East wing exit is just ahead. We’re being followed.”
Sure enough, the ringing in my ears is dying down enough that I can hear footsteps far below us.
This is the stuff of nightmares.
“Let me down,” I hiss again, and Sin sets me down but keeps hold of my hand, ensuring we are still going up at a fast clip. The fog is getting dangerously thick in my mind, but I think to extinguish the silvery lights inmy hand. The light ahead of us is more than enough to illuminate our way.
The top of the steps is almost directly ahead of us now, and the ringing in my ears has completely stopped. The bond knows I’m going where it wants me. The thought makes me sick until it’s replaced by an even thicker fog. Before I’m completely overtaken by it, I warn Sin, “He’s waiting for us.”
Sin squeezes my hand in response.
A few more steps, and we come to a large, open atrium. The flat stone floors are polished and smooth, and large columns reach the ceiling hundreds of feet above us. A violent-looking river flows through a channel to our left and empties out of the room through a massive hole in the wall. The hole is the cause of the light we saw at the top of the steps. The water cascades over the lip, and I can barely hear it crashing below; the drop is so high.
Well, that explains the extra steps. We’re far above sea level now. The East wing exit leads to the top of a mountain. There are distant green hills far below the hole in the wall.
My attention is quickly drawn from the waterfall when a tugging sensation on my wrist snaps my attention to the right. There, on the other side of the room, is a door. I barely see it, though, my focus thoroughly centered on the person standing before it.
Leon.
My body reacts. More heat floods my system, and I feel drawn to him. Still, despite the thickening fog, I push against the bond, refusing to answer the beckoning call.
Leon’s face is twisted in rage, and he stands guard in front of the exit, ensuring we can’t leave. His tattoos are completely lit up, the blue lights brighter than I’ve ever seen them before. He barely spares me a glance; his focus is so centered on Sin.
“You have something that belongs to me,” Leon growls, his voice low and dangerous. His body is coiled tight, and the predatory gleam I’ve seen in him so often is in full view.
Sin stops our forward movement, and he pulls me back to him. He backs up so our backs are against the drop in the floor where the river courses through. From this position, we can see both Leon and the steps, ensuring no one will sneak up on us.
Sin gives Leon a bored look, but I can feel how tense he is beside me. “Are you sure about that? Because the last time I checked…” he pauses to look at my neck, still red from his bite, “she didn’t want you.”
Leon’s gaze centers on my neck, and he looks furious at what he sees. “I was always going to end you, Sin. But now, I am going to ensure it is slow and painful. You dare fucking touch what is mine? MINE!”
Again, Sin looks barely bothered by Leon’s antics.
The fog continues to thicken in my mind, and the heat flushing through me is worsening. The bond is practically at its snapping point, with Leon and I being so close, but each of us refusing to go to the other. My body sways forward a bit, but I keep my feet rooted.
So close.Don’t give in.
Sin quirks an eyebrow at Leon, who is now shaking with rage, and smiles at him. It isn’t a pleasant smile, though, but a menacing one. “She doesn’t soundlike yours when she’s screaming my name and begging for my touch.”
Despite Sin’s taunting to Leon, he squeezes my hand reassuringly as I continue to try and gasp for breath. The heat is turning to molten fire, and desire is lighting up inside of me.
The bond is losing patience.
Leon looks between the two of us before gritting out, “You’re using mind control on her.”
Sin lets out a low, humorless laugh. “You keep telling yourself that. Remember, my Destroyer powers are useless within the wards of the Council’s castle. And she ran from you there.”
Leon’s eyes harden, and he narrows them on me. My body practically purrs at the attention. “She is resisting the bond.” His focus snaps back to Sin, and a smug smile plays across his lips. “It’s no matter though. I’ll burn away every trace of your touch on her body when she returns with me. And I assure you, she is returning with me. The entire mountaintop has been warded against apparition. And Morgana isn’t here to release you.”
Without Sin’s energy lighting him up, Leon must not be able to tell that Sin’s already been released. Sin’s fingers tighten even further around my own. Leon doesn’t notice as he continues, turning his full attention to me.
“Vivian,” he starts, his voice low and beckoning.
