“And what happens when you find his fangs in your neck, hm?” he drawls. “It won’t be erotic then, kitten. What if he can’t control himself and kills you in his hunger?”
“Once the curse is broken, I won’t have to worry about that.”
“Oh pet,” he mocks. “He is still a Dark Fae. They were bred for war and carnage. He will always be hungry. Especially for a little kitten’s magical blood.”
I shudder. He knows what I am. Does that mean this is a message from the Gods or my mind?
Surging forward, the imposter forces his tongue into my mouth as if to prove a point. His lips are frightening familiar and my blood roars with need so fierce I nearly combust. He cradles the back of my head, as he lays claim, taking what he thinks is owed to him. My body melts—the traitorous thing. Because this is not Kaden—notmyKaden. He feels like him but this isn’t real.
I bite him.Hard. Blood fills my mouth and I don’t stop until he rips away, laughing. His face is smeared in red and my teeth ache, but I glare at the image, chest heaving.
“I trust Kaden,” I defend. “He’d never hurt me.”
“Just imprison you until he makes you listen,” he tsks. “Tell me, do you like it when you’re forced to do things by your mate? Wouldn’t it be easier to let himgo?”
“No.” Shoving against him, our weapons tangle into a mess of sharp blades and frantic hand movements. They fly through the air, stabbing the sand.
Kaden grabs my neck, lifting me high. My vision blurs, blackness encroaching as I grasp at his forearm, raking into his pale skin. Blood erupts and the faintest drum hits my ears.
A drum.His heart beat.
If he was truly my mate, I would not be able to hear it. Yet, it’s there, thin and barely audible butthere.
“If you don’t let him go now, you’ll have to let him go eventually,” he says, shaking me like a doll. “You will have to choose. Him or the world.”
“I’ll always choose him,” I whisper, face turning red as oxygen sits trapped in my chest.
He brings me close, so close, I can see the black flecks in his eyes that sparkle like diamonds. The damned smell of roses wafts around us.
“You won’t get a choice, pet. You’ll never truly love him—not enough to save him.”
Anger, fresh and hot, stirs up inside me. My hand strikes out, gripping hold of the faint thread of his heart, listening to it fall under my command.
Those amber eyes turn cold and I know right there, I’ve won.
I know what I have to do to end this.
“I will save him.” My voice carries around us, a vengeful God ready to smite. With sure red fingers, I snap my knuckles and his heart explodes within his chest.
The image drops and I with him, as my face smacks into the hard ground. The sand is gone, the light has turned soft, and as I roll over, coughs racking my body, I look up into the familiar face of my father.
Then, it goes black.
