It’s just his power.
I blink and my head twitches, but he cups my cheek harder and runs his thumb across my lip. “Now, now. None of that.”
“Don’t,” I mumble halfheartedly as heat spreads through my body.
“Oh, but I have to. My Mazie is waiting for me back home. I will get out of this place and return to her.”
Tears well in my eyes and my head bobs up and down in agreement, although my mind screams at me.
His hand slides down my jaw in a tender caress, then he wraps it around my throat. “Look into my eyes, beautiful, then lie there and relax. Enjoy the feeling. It’ll be over soon.”
He applies pressure to my neck, but there is no pain, just growing heat. I raise my heavy hand and lay it on his, soaking in all the power flowing through his veins. My fingers tingle from the vibrations passing through him.
Snap the fuck out of it.
If you don’t, the guys are going to find you like this.
I highly doubt there’s any healing the dead.
My vision grows blurry, and a gurgling noise travels out of my mouth.
“It’s okay.”
It’s not fucking okay, Thayla. Don’t listen to him.
You know what it’s like to be at the mercy of a man and believe it’s right. Even when you don’t want to admit it was wrong, you know it was, just like it is now…
Fight this like you should have then.
Think of those you care about.
Lambrit, Yemi, Seismet, V, Rose, Havar…your parents.
Think of your Valtrue.
Kyzen’s real smile. Amick’s tender touches. Riven’s laugh. Creed’s watchful eyes.
Pull them to you. Promise yourself you’re going to tell them how you feel when you survive. You’re going to survive.
Pull them. Harder. Fight. Do something!
Heat flares everywhere through me and my soul expels out of my chest strong enough it washes away the feelings Dimitri has coursing through me.
My sight becomes covered in a thin, cloud-like curtain of dirt, but my mind completely clears, and control of my body returns to me immediately. I choke on a strangled gasp as my throat is released, but whatever it is that I inhale has me gagging, fighting for breath.
I scream and swing out with everything I got when someone latches onto my wrist. The dust-like texture continues to fill my mouth and nose, but I don’t quit shrieking or fighting.
“Thayla, stop. It’s me, I’m here. We’re here.”
My breathing becomes ragged at that voice. I’m snatched to my feet and my hands roam all over the body pressed close to me.
“Hold on. Let me clean your face.”
The smell of freshly baked bread engulfs me when a shirt covers my face. I barely hold in the sob that tries to escape me as he cleans my eyes, nose, lips, everything he possibly can.
I blink my heavy lashes until I can actually keep my lids up. The second I can, they collide with an endless white.
“Creed…”
