He only blinked at me and clasped his thick, spiked, armored arms behind his back. “I need to borrow your body to finish what I started. It’s the closest thing to my own in terms of power and strength.”
“Flattering, but I’m going to say no.”
“Don’t fret. It won’t hurt you. You carry so much of me inside you already. It will be like a second skin.”
I needed to stall. Stall and find my way out of this damned nightmare before he did exactly what he wanted and took me.
“Sorry, no hard feelings, but my body is my own. Well, also Sam—”
Gathrriel was suddenly right in front of me again, with no more calculated words or measured steps. His hand whipped out at lightning speed, grabbing my throat. All I could see were his eyes, burning a deep swirling orange tinged with red flecks. The Ig’Morruthen inside me did not fight or thrash as if she knew that he was the creator of us all as well as I did. She could not help me in this fight.
Fear hit me like a hammer to steel, resonating through each cell of my body. I struggled and fought but to no avail. My hands struck at any part of him I could reach, but it meant nothing. I hadn’t felt this helpless since the deserts of Eoria. Was this what a fly felt like, caught in an immovable web, to know you were about to be taken and not have the power or strength to save yourself?
“Be still.”
And I was. A switch flipped, and my limbs went limp, dangling at my sides as he held me by my throat.
Why did I listen? Why didn’t I fight? What was happening?
His smile sent a shiver down my spine as he set me back on my feet and took a step back. Horror filled me as his body wavered, armor melting to blackened mist. The horns along his head and shoulders curled next, quickly followed by the rest of his body. The sentient smoke beast made of horns and wings raced around the cavern once before crashing into my eyes, nose, and mouth. Heat scorched my flesh, my body convulsing as I was taken over.
10
DIANNA
GATHRRIEL
My eyes blinked open, only they were no longer under my control. I watched as I sat up and tossed the covers aside. I slipped out of bed, air hitting my naked flesh, the floor cool under my feet. Fear slithered into my gut as I tried and failed to take back control of my body. I felt like I was back on Onuna when Gabby and I used to go to the theater. We would sit so close to the screen, pretending we were the characters. Only this time, it wasn’t a movie. I was actually fucking possessed.
Goosebumps erupted on my skin, a chill going through me, followed quickly by a rush of heat. My muscles cramped and ached, and I watched in horror as my body began to change. My arms and legs expanded, growing thick and corded. I blinked, and my perspective changed. My body grew taller, and my center of gravity shifted as my chest and shoulders expanded. I could see the bulge of my biceps from the corner of my eye when my hand slid over my head. His satisfaction swamped me when his fingers found the horns growing from my skull.
“You truly are the perfect vessel,” Gathrriel said. He glanced down, and the dark armor he had worn in the cavern flowed over our body.
“I’m not a fucking toy!” I screamed back, the sound echoing inside my head … our head.
He ignored me and left our bedroom, heading for the stairs. I screamed, cursed, and fought, but to no avail. Rage turned to fear and worry. Where the fuck was Samkiel? Where was anyone? Could no one hear the armored boots against the floor, feel him here?
Gathrriel crossed the foyer and went out the front door. He stopped and inhaled deeply, seeming to savor the feel of the cool breeze. I felt the beast within him stretch awake and burst into reality. Our body shifted once more, and I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the windows of the castle. Horns and spikes that mirrored those he sported in his other form covered his head and torso. Enormous, powerful wings spawned mini tornadoes as we took flight. Massive didn’t come close to how I felt, and our shadow brought true darkness to the land below. The size and power of this monster put mine to shame, and I would have fled from any battlefield he entered, powers or not.
His wings were a clap of thunder that split the air, propelling us higher until we parted the clouds.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked.
His massive head swung toward the city, the cluster of lights glowing softly on the mountainside far below. It was late now, and the town was quiet, but I could almost hear the echoes of joyful laughter and industry as the people sought to rebuild their lives.
“What do you want with them?” I asked, still trying to will a flame, a claw, any fucking thing.
“I must feed to seal myself in your body. Once I have, I can use it freely and exact my revenge.” His dark, powerful voice rolled across my subconscious.
Panic settled in as he banked, and I realized where he wished to feed. Our city, the one Samkiel and I built and loved. No. We promised them they would be safe, and I would not be their undoing. I raged and screamed and fought, scraping at the specter of his mind, but nothing stopped his trajectory or descent. The ground quaked beneath our landing, the trees shuddering as he tucked his wings against his back. Dark mist swirled around our body, feeding the magic, and when it cleared, he was back in his base form. I continued to beat at the connection between us, determined to somehow, some way, stop this from happening.
“Relax,” he said, stalking toward the city. “The only blood I wish to bathe in is from the ones who took what I held most dear.”
A breath of relief left me, but then I realized what he had said.Held most dear.As in no more. I knew of his legend and of hers, too.
“Wait, do you mean Vvive?”
Gathrriel had already proven that I was no match for him. He had complete control over me, but as her name whispered across my mind, his foot stilled. There was no hiding the overwhelming and all-encompassing grief. It was violent and angry and thick. It consumed us both, coating my skin and lungs before pulling us under. We drowned in it, burned and swelled and suffocated.
