Page 87 of Mate of a Monster

Holy shit.

Creed swipes his hand in the air, and a hologram pops up between us. The center shifts into a mirror that shows my reflection.

The red jewel at the edge of my temple glows.

“It’s where your power manifests from,” Creed says. “It’s been sealed inside out this whole time, Haide. A direct link to the soul stones.”

“It is a soul stone of its own, and it was fueled when I pressed the other into your chest. Like the royal said, it is now a direct link to the power of every fallen dragon, power and soul.”

I tilt my head to the left a little, staring at the other. “And the blue one?”

“Your link to Legend, the same color as your fated mate’s eyes.”

“It’s not glowing.” I don’t expect the hint of heartache that slips over me as I say it.

I didn’t even know I knew what heartache felt like, but that’s the only way to describe it.

“No, it’s not.” Creed’s guilt bleeds through his tone and I glare at him.

Did he destroy my link to my mate when he took him from me? Because if he did—I’ll kill him.

Creed’s lips twitch.

“There is something that this king has not yet told you that you need to know.”

My eyes narrow on Creed and he licks his lips, nodding.

“Arabella.”

A rumble works its way up my throat. I don’t know if it’s me, the Nightkin, or both. “I’m getting sick of hearing that name.”

“As am I.”

“Tell her,” the beast demands.

Creed nods. “I made the final decision to create the fake bond between her and Legend.”

“Doesn’t take much to figure that out, dickhead, but I know the Nightkin, and there is no way that’s what he meant. Keep talking.”

“We knew her to be Argent, but she’s not supposed to be able to harness the kind of power she is and be able to do what she is doing.”

“What is she doing?”

He hesitates and I fling my hand up, flame dancing at my fingertips.

“Don’t bitch out now,” I snap. “You’re responsible for all this, as you said. Own it, Creed. Say it with your full fucking chest.”

“She is deepening the bond.”

The words are like a blade sliding between my ribs, a feeling I am all too familiar with. But this time it’s worse.

“You mean the fake bond. It’s not real.” Say it’s not real…

“Yes,” Creed confirms quickly but my mind doesn’t ease. “But that’s part of the problem. It was supposed to be a temporary situation while we figured out how to fix him. I didn’t know his ethos had been torn from his being on the island when he went after you. I thought you were siphoning him.”

“I know all that,” I bite out. “Get to the fucking point before I fucking fry you out of spite.”

His jaw tightens.