“I don’t know!” she cried out, fear streaking through her, her gaze pinned on the cyclone of flying debris, so sure she would shatter at the energy coursing through her. “I-I heard Tolvi’s voice in my head, and then this started—” She lifted a hand to the swirling havoc.
“You’re safe, I have you,moró…hell.”
At Nik’s curse, her head snapped to him. “What is it? Oh, god? Did Tolvi track me here?” Her gaze darted about.
“No, no. I think this isyou, Starshine.” He hugged her to him and rubbed her back. “Your psychic powers are awakening…I can feel your roiling energy. You need to calm down.”
“What?” She reared back. Gasped, “Me?I did this?”
Nik nodded. “But you need to shut it off, baby—”
“I don’t know how.”
“Yes, you can,” he encouraged. “Imagine a vault around the place where this energy stems from within you, then lock it down.”
Teeth gritted, her frantic heartbeat whooshing in her ears, Shadow shut her eyes and instantly found the churning heat deep within her. She bolted it.
Utter silence fell, followed by thuds.
She opened her eyes, dragging in huge gulps of breaths, and stared at broken branches and shattered bench parts scattered about. “Oh, crap. I’ll clean it up.”
Nik smiled and shook his head. “I’ll see to it later.”
“Wow,” one of the women said. “That was quite something to see.”
She pivoted and cautiously eyed the Guardians and the girls standing on the terrace. Her friends grinned in excitement, flashing thumbs-up signs. The guys just nodded, looking as if it was an everyday occurrence to see someone’s powers awaken.
As they all strolled into the castle again, despite her exhilaration over this new ability, worry careened through her. She wheeled back to Nik.
“What is it?” he asked softly.
“Tolvi. He said I still carry his mark. How?” she asked, eyes wide.
Nik instantly ran his palms over her body, his brow creasing. “Your powers are locked down, I can’t pick up anything, except for your symbionts’ dark energy…”
“Is it this?” She pulled down the neckline of her top, revealing a faint red tinge around the middle ruby-colored symbiont on her sternum.
He gently ran a finger over it, and his features hardened. “Has to be.”
“I’m so sorry for burdening you with this—”
He shook his head and straightened her top. “You are not a burden,agápi. You are my mate. Whatever this is, we will fight it together. We will find and get rid of the damn scourge.”
God, she hoped so.
She pressed her face into his chest, tightening her arms around him, wishing the dickwad would just vanish. She didn’t want him ruining their lives. But on the bright side, yay, at least she had a new ability.
“C’mon.” Nik ushered her inside. “You’ll need more of the potion.”
Ugh. For that alone, she wanted to kill the stupid demon.
Chapter 29
Sweat beading her brow,Shadow eyed the smirking immortal woman in front of her the following afternoon.
Why on earth was she training with this fighting machine when she could have spent some sexy, alone time with Nik before he left for work?
Because she was a masochist for aching muscles and burning lungs—
