surface, but we both knew they weren’t. There was a reason why we were connected. A reason why I needed the pain he inflicted, and he needed me just as much. I worked the muscle in my jaw, trying to unlock my mouth. Without warning, I shot out of my seat and rushed at his face, pushing him back with my hands splayed on his chest. Eric’s eyes went wide as he took in my fury. “Never make him think that I’d choose you over him.” I shoved him hard, and backed away. Eric’s eyes narrowed, but he remained silent.
Collin leaned forward, and abruptly ended the conversation. Tension lined his body. “Where’s the stone, Eric?” he demanded.
Eric didn’t remove his gaze from my face. “It’s where I left it. In the hilt of a dagger. Wanna guess which dagger?” His lips snaked into a smile.
My face fell. He couldn’t be serious. “You didn’t…”
Eric beamed, “I did. The stone is in Shannon McClure’s weapon.”
All this time I didn’t want to ask what happened to her. I had assumed Eric tormented her until she died. I didn’t want to know what Eric was capable of, and I didn’t want to see Shannon again. When he said her name it felt like stitches were ripped from my throat. I couldn’t breathe.
Collin leaned forward, watching me. When I said nothing, he asked, “Why does a Martis have the stone?”
Eric shrugged. I watched him, unable to fathom who he was or what he did. “She has no idea she has it. I was the one in charge of her and the Celestial Silver. I placed the stone in the hilt. To her it looks like a polished stone, a decoration—obsidian maybe. But it’s not. It’s the inverted match of yours,” he said pointing to my necklace. “We need to take her weapon.”
I found my voice, “I thought you killed her. Where is she?”
Eric pulled his legs in and leaned forward, draping his arms over his knees. “Why would you think that? She was alive last time you saw her. She was fine. Why would I kill her?”
I scoffed, “She was far from fine. And you wanted to kill her because she killed you in the Lorren!” Was he crazy? Did he really let her walk away? There had to be another explanation.
He laughed, “You are so short-sighted. If you have eternity ahead of you, you can’t kill every person who tries to fuck with you. There would be no one left to entertain you.” He paused, watching for the disgust that filled my eyes. When he saw it, he continued, “I didn’t kill her. I made her life hell. She’s a Martis addicted to demon blood. It was amusing for a while. When I was done playing with her, I sent her back and watched her fumble. Julia would have killed her if she could manage it. I’m sure she suspects, but it’s so ludicrous that most of them don’t even realize what happened.”
Collin’s hand was over his mouth, as he tried to suppress a smile. He knew Shannon was a traitor, that she betrayed me when I needed her. “You turned her into a blood slave and sent her home? She must have...”
Eric smiled, recognizing that Collin understood the complexity of his revenge. “And she did. She still can’t function. She kills people she’s supposed to heal. A healer with no power is an abomination. Julia’s banished her to the archives where she shuffles through piles of books trying to find a cure. I show up every few weeks and she begs for more blood. It’s her punishment.” His golden eyes stared vacantly, no doubt recalling the terror he thrust on Shannon on a daily basis. Not only did he remove her skill, but he screwed with her mind. If she couldn’t heal, she couldn’t think. Shannon had healed me once. If she hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to see. It bothered me that he tormented her. I could accept her death easier than torture. Eric cut his gaze to me, “It’s a much better punishment than killing her.”
CHAPTER TWELEVE
“So you say,” I said quietly. A million thoughts were on my tongue. One of them finally slipped
Collin leaned forward, and abruptly ended the conversation. Tension lined his body. “Where’s the stone, Eric?” he demanded.
Eric didn’t remove his gaze from my face. “It’s where I left it. In the hilt of a dagger. Wanna guess which dagger?” His lips snaked into a smile.
My face fell. He couldn’t be serious. “You didn’t…”
Eric beamed, “I did. The stone is in Shannon McClure’s weapon.”
All this time I didn’t want to ask what happened to her. I had assumed Eric tormented her until she died. I didn’t want to know what Eric was capable of, and I didn’t want to see Shannon again. When he said her name it felt like stitches were ripped from my throat. I couldn’t breathe.
Collin leaned forward, watching me. When I said nothing, he asked, “Why does a Martis have the stone?”
Eric shrugged. I watched him, unable to fathom who he was or what he did. “She has no idea she has it. I was the one in charge of her and the Celestial Silver. I placed the stone in the hilt. To her it looks like a polished stone, a decoration—obsidian maybe. But it’s not. It’s the inverted match of yours,” he said pointing to my necklace. “We need to take her weapon.”
I found my voice, “I thought you killed her. Where is she?”
Eric pulled his legs in and leaned forward, draping his arms over his knees. “Why would you think that? She was alive last time you saw her. She was fine. Why would I kill her?”
I scoffed, “She was far from fine. And you wanted to kill her because she killed you in the Lorren!” Was he crazy? Did he really let her walk away? There had to be another explanation.
He laughed, “You are so short-sighted. If you have eternity ahead of you, you can’t kill every person who tries to fuck with you. There would be no one left to entertain you.” He paused, watching for the disgust that filled my eyes. When he saw it, he continued, “I didn’t kill her. I made her life hell. She’s a Martis addicted to demon blood. It was amusing for a while. When I was done playing with her, I sent her back and watched her fumble. Julia would have killed her if she could manage it. I’m sure she suspects, but it’s so ludicrous that most of them don’t even realize what happened.”
Collin’s hand was over his mouth, as he tried to suppress a smile. He knew Shannon was a traitor, that she betrayed me when I needed her. “You turned her into a blood slave and sent her home? She must have...”
Eric smiled, recognizing that Collin understood the complexity of his revenge. “And she did. She still can’t function. She kills people she’s supposed to heal. A healer with no power is an abomination. Julia’s banished her to the archives where she shuffles through piles of books trying to find a cure. I show up every few weeks and she begs for more blood. It’s her punishment.” His golden eyes stared vacantly, no doubt recalling the terror he thrust on Shannon on a daily basis. Not only did he remove her skill, but he screwed with her mind. If she couldn’t heal, she couldn’t think. Shannon had healed me once. If she hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to see. It bothered me that he tormented her. I could accept her death easier than torture. Eric cut his gaze to me, “It’s a much better punishment than killing her.”
CHAPTER TWELEVE
“So you say,” I said quietly. A million thoughts were on my tongue. One of them finally slipped
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