restricted. It was all she could do to speak.
Kayne moved closer, bringing with him the musky scent she remembered so well. Instinctively, Ravyn stepped back.
"I heard what happened," he said, his voice filled with false concern. "I heard what that madman did to you. You were nearly murdered by a vicious serial killer. I was so worried, so horrified. Are you okay?"
Everyone was silent. Ravyn sucked in a breath. The last thing she wanted was for Nick to know such a personal detail about her. The last thing she wanted was to have to deal with some random asshole's morbid curiosity.
"I'm fine," she gritted out between clenched teeth. She took Kayne by the hand and pulled him into the back room, dropping her hold as soon as they were out of sight. But she knew it was too late. Nick had already heard. Damn .
With the curtain closed behind them, she and Kayne were hidden from view but still within earshot, so she kept her voice low. "You can drop the concerned act," she spat. "You don't give a damn about me or anyone else. I told you I never wanted to see you again."
"That was a while back, baby. I thought you'd miss me as much as I miss you. Besides, I told you, I was worried."
He reached out a hand, but she slapped it away. "That's a lie. I don't know what you're up to, but it's not concern that brought you here. And how dare you say something so private in front of a complete stranger? How did you find out what happened, anyway?"
Kayne looked down at his hands, spread them out as if the answer could be found between his splayed fingers. When he raised his eyes to meet her gaze, they glowed. It was a whirlpool of power that could suck her in, if she wasn't careful.
His entire face seemed to transform into something different, something evil. "Life has changed since I last saw you," he said. Even his voice was different. Although he still spoke quietly, there was a booming presence behind the words. "You wouldn't believe what I can do now, what power unleashing the spirits has given me."
A chill raced up Ravyn's spine. The energy emanating from Kayne was so strong, it was almost palpable. She wanted to step back farther. At the same time, she was mesmerized by his words, by his presence. "What do you mean?"
"I found myself in a town called Wyldewood. Ever heard of it?" When she shook her head, he continued. "I just wandered in, and in no time at all, I owned it. Everyone does my bidding. Everyone there lives to please me."
"You can't mess with free will. You know that," she chided. But her voice was no more than a whisper, and there was no conviction behind her words.
"Oh, but I can. I've learned the secret."
"But that will weaken you. You know that using your powers for forbidden goals will make you weaker until eventually you completely deteriorate."
Slowly Kayne shook his head, and the action was like that of a snake charmer. "I'm learning to overcome that. You can do it, too. I'll show you. We'll rule together. I can absorb the soul of another, and I will be replenished. Transcendent."
She'd read something of this in the book of black magic he'd given her. She'd been curious, yet at the same time afraid to learn more.
In spite of her misgivings, she asked, "What happens to that person?"
Kayne shrugged. "They are also reborn… so to speak. They lose their old soul, their old personality. And yes, there's the possibility of death. I haven't attempted it yet, so I'm not certain." His gaze gripped hers as he continued to speak in that hypnotic tone. "It's not too late to join me. You and I together would make a hell of a team. There's nothing we couldn't do. Nothing we won't do. I can help you with your problem."
Somehow she found her voice, but when she spoke it didn't sound at all like her. "What problem?"
"Him. The bastard who dared touch you. Dared threaten you. Together we can make him suffer as no human on earth has ever suffered."
Her brain told Ravyn to tell Kayne no, to make him go away so this
Kayne moved closer, bringing with him the musky scent she remembered so well. Instinctively, Ravyn stepped back.
"I heard what happened," he said, his voice filled with false concern. "I heard what that madman did to you. You were nearly murdered by a vicious serial killer. I was so worried, so horrified. Are you okay?"
Everyone was silent. Ravyn sucked in a breath. The last thing she wanted was for Nick to know such a personal detail about her. The last thing she wanted was to have to deal with some random asshole's morbid curiosity.
"I'm fine," she gritted out between clenched teeth. She took Kayne by the hand and pulled him into the back room, dropping her hold as soon as they were out of sight. But she knew it was too late. Nick had already heard. Damn .
With the curtain closed behind them, she and Kayne were hidden from view but still within earshot, so she kept her voice low. "You can drop the concerned act," she spat. "You don't give a damn about me or anyone else. I told you I never wanted to see you again."
"That was a while back, baby. I thought you'd miss me as much as I miss you. Besides, I told you, I was worried."
He reached out a hand, but she slapped it away. "That's a lie. I don't know what you're up to, but it's not concern that brought you here. And how dare you say something so private in front of a complete stranger? How did you find out what happened, anyway?"
Kayne looked down at his hands, spread them out as if the answer could be found between his splayed fingers. When he raised his eyes to meet her gaze, they glowed. It was a whirlpool of power that could suck her in, if she wasn't careful.
His entire face seemed to transform into something different, something evil. "Life has changed since I last saw you," he said. Even his voice was different. Although he still spoke quietly, there was a booming presence behind the words. "You wouldn't believe what I can do now, what power unleashing the spirits has given me."
A chill raced up Ravyn's spine. The energy emanating from Kayne was so strong, it was almost palpable. She wanted to step back farther. At the same time, she was mesmerized by his words, by his presence. "What do you mean?"
"I found myself in a town called Wyldewood. Ever heard of it?" When she shook her head, he continued. "I just wandered in, and in no time at all, I owned it. Everyone does my bidding. Everyone there lives to please me."
"You can't mess with free will. You know that," she chided. But her voice was no more than a whisper, and there was no conviction behind her words.
"Oh, but I can. I've learned the secret."
"But that will weaken you. You know that using your powers for forbidden goals will make you weaker until eventually you completely deteriorate."
Slowly Kayne shook his head, and the action was like that of a snake charmer. "I'm learning to overcome that. You can do it, too. I'll show you. We'll rule together. I can absorb the soul of another, and I will be replenished. Transcendent."
She'd read something of this in the book of black magic he'd given her. She'd been curious, yet at the same time afraid to learn more.
In spite of her misgivings, she asked, "What happens to that person?"
Kayne shrugged. "They are also reborn… so to speak. They lose their old soul, their old personality. And yes, there's the possibility of death. I haven't attempted it yet, so I'm not certain." His gaze gripped hers as he continued to speak in that hypnotic tone. "It's not too late to join me. You and I together would make a hell of a team. There's nothing we couldn't do. Nothing we won't do. I can help you with your problem."
Somehow she found her voice, but when she spoke it didn't sound at all like her. "What problem?"
"Him. The bastard who dared touch you. Dared threaten you. Together we can make him suffer as no human on earth has ever suffered."
Her brain told Ravyn to tell Kayne no, to make him go away so this
Similar Books
