She froze, eyes wide. “Oh, shit! Oh, no?—”
“Yes. You are the descendant of a Watcher, Nia.” With a hand on her back, he ushered her into the bedroom. “I’ve seen this before.”
Harsh breaths sawed in and out of her throat. Raw fear surged through her veins to pound in her head. If they were attacked, and right now Lore had no powers, they would be easy targets. God!
“What do we do?”
“For now? Nothing.” He slid the towel off his shoulder and draped it around his lean hips.
“How can you be so calm?” she demanded. “When I have your abilities and no control over anything! We could be ambushed again!”
“I can still fight, Nia, powers or not.” He leaned against the desk near the window, rubbing his washboard abs, appearing calm as all heck.
“I’m not questioning your fighting capability. It’sme. I’m the liability!” Dread warred with frustration, she grabbed a change of clothes from the closet and tossed her things on the bed.
“You aren’t a liability.” He watched her discard her towel, his gaze skimming over her as she yanked on panties and fumbled with her bra. “Yes, your humanity makes you weaker, but it doesn’t mean you are weak. Need help?”
“I got it.” She cast him a frustrated look as she fastened the hooks of her bra, then yanked on jeans, a long-sleeved tee, and the sweater she wore the night before, trying hard not to crumble from the reality of this scary-as-hell ability.
“The best thing to do would be to remain here in the abbey until we figure out a way for me to retrieve my powers. If demons sense the sway in you, they will come after you, and that cannot happen. I don’t want you hurt. Besides, those abilities tie me to the Celestial Realm.”
And will make it easier for demons to enter and unleash their evilness in a place of purity if they get hold of me.
The enormity of that possibility hit her like a physical blow, leaving her breathless with dread.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
Nia stared at Lore,bile rushing up her throat. Worse, she couldn’t even strengthen her shaky mind shields to keep herself safe!
“I cannot enter the Celestial Realm without my powers,” Lore said quietly.
Panting like she’d run a mile, Nia sat on the bed and rubbed her face. The chaos in her head resurged, pressure built, and voices hammered inside her skull. Her mind flew across the lands to different places now. A melodious voice called for her?—
No, for Lore.
Nooo!She shook her head, the towel falling, her damp hair spilling all over her face. “Lore, I can’t…I can’t control this. They’re calling for you!” She shot up, flipping back her tangled mane and kneading the heels of her hands against her temples. “Take it back!”
He reached for her. “I am trying.”
“No, you’re not! You’re just talking to me. Take it—” She slammed her palms on his chest in frustration and fear, and he flew back, crashing into the desk near the window.
“Lore!” She sprinted across. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry—I’m so sorry!”
He shook his head, appearing a little dazed. “And no more peace for me.”
“What?” She blinked at him. And that hint of a smile that made her heart skip appeared.
“You’re incredibly strong,habun.” He rubbed his pecs with a grimace. “Your power strike has quite an impact even in its return. At least it didn’t render me unconscious this time.”
“What are you talking about?” She lifted a hand to her achy brow again, only to pause midway… The chaos inside her skull was silent. Even her own prickling powers had abated. “Lore, it’s gone.”
“I know,” he said, straightening. Clad once more in his usual immaculate black, he swept back his hair and secured it in a ponytail.
The truth whacked her like a punch in the head. When she struck him, it somehow channeled his powers from her back to him.
Holy crap!
