“Broke free and murdered dozens of my ancestors,” Trevor corrected, his voice hardening. “Did he mention that part? The slaughter? The revenge he took?”
Trevor approached me again, holding up my phone. “I triggered the alarm at your apartment. Set a little fire, nothing serious, just enough to get his attention. Then I trapped him there with a containment spell. Basic, temporary, but enough to keep him busy while I got you safely away.”
“Safely away?” I repeated incredulously. “You knocked me unconscious and kidnapped me!”
He waved his hand dismissively. “A necessary evil. You wouldn’t come willingly, not with how thoroughly he’s corrupted you.”
“And now what?” I demanded. “You’ve released the trap at my apartment? You’re bringing him here?”
Trevor’s smile returned. “I released him ten minutes ago. Based on how quickly demons can travel when motivated, and the distance from your apartment to here...” He checked his watch. “We should be expecting company quite soon.”
“He‘ll kill you,” I said with absolute certainty. “When he gets here and sees what you’ve done, he will tear you apart.”
Trevor’s smile didn’t waver. “That’s exactly what I’m counting on, Jade.” He patted my cheek condescendingly. “He’ll try. And when he does, he’ll prove everything I’ve been trying to tell you about what he really is.”
He stepped back, admiring his handiwork. “It’s all going to work out,” he said with the confidence of someone who believed completely in their own delusion. “You’ll see.”
I glared at him, hatred burning so hot in my chest I thought it might sear through the ropes binding me. Trevor paced around the larger circle in the center of the warehouse, there was an eagerness to his movements that made my skin crawl. He gestured to different sections of the intricate pattern, pointing out features as if I should be impressed by his handiwork rather than horrified by its purpose.
“The outer ring weakens him physically,” he explained, indicating a series of interlocking symbols. “The second layer dampens his powers. The third prevents transformation.” His finger traced an inner ring of jagged symbols. “And this causes pain. Controlled, adjustable pain.”
I stared at him, trying to comprehend how the man I’d once shared a bed with and believed I loved, could speak so casually about torturing someone. “You’re sick,” I said. “Genuinely, clinically sick.”
He ignored the comment, continuing his tour of the magical prison he’d created. “Once he steps into this, he won’t be able to leave unless I release him.” Trevor turned to me, his expression suddenly earnest. “But I don’twantto hurt him, Jade. That’s not the goal here.”
“Oh, I‘m sorry,” I said, sarcasm dripping from every word. “What exactly is the goal of your kidnapping-and-magical-torture plan? I must have missed the wholesome part.”
“To fix things,” he replied, as if it were the most reasonable answer in the world. “To put everything back where it belongs.”He stepped closer to my chair, crouching down so we were eye level. “To put you back where you belong, with me.”
The audacity of the statement would have made me laugh if the situation weren’t so terrifying. “I don’t belong with you,” I said flatly. “I never did.”
Trevor‘s face hardened. “That demon has you confused, he’s using some kind of influence over you. It’s not real, Jade. What we had was real.”
“What we had was a nightmare,” I countered. “One I woke up from months ago.”
He stood abruptly, running a hand through his hair. “You don’t mean that. You’re just saying it because you’re angry about this.” He gestured vaguely at my restraints. “Once you understand why I had to do this, you’ll see it differently.”
“Enlighten me, then,” I challenged. “Why exactly did you have to kidnap me and set a trap for Magnur?”
“I’m giving you a choice, Jade,” he said, his voice softening into the tone that once made me doubt my own perceptions. “A clear path forward that can end with everyone walking away.”
He began pacing again, more agitated now. “When your demon arrives, he‘ll step into the circle. They always do, they can‘t help themselves when their mates are threatened. Once he’s trapped, the terms are simple.” He stopped and turned to face me directly. “You agree to marry me, to come back where you belong, and I’ll let him go. Unharmed.”
I blinked, certain I’d misheard him. “Marry you?”
“It’s the only way to ensure you stay,” he explained, as if discussing a business transaction. “Legal ties. Binding. We‘ll move away from here, start fresh somewhere he can’t find us.”
“And if I refuse?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.
Trevor‘s expression darkened. “Then I’ll make him suffer. Right in front of you. I’ll use every method my ancestors documented in their journals until you understand exactly whatkind of monster you’ve tied yourself to.” He gestured to the circle again. “And believe me, Jade, I can keep him alive for a very, very long time.”
“No,” I said, the word coming out like a gunshot in the cavernous space. “Absolutely not. I would never choose you again. Not if you were the last man on earth. Not if you could promise me eternal life and perfect happiness. Never.”
Trevor’s expression froze, a muscle twitching in his jaw. “You don’t mean that.”
“I’ve never meant anything more in my life,” I continued, leaning forward as far as my restraints would allow. “Do you even hear yourself? Do you understand what you’re doing? This isn’t love, Trevor. This is control. This is obsession. This is fear.”
“I’m not afraid—“ he began, but I cut him off.
