Page 38 (1/2)

Deep, pri, but a flick of Rhyzkahl’s left hand bound my arms behind me Another flick pulled them up so that my wrists were atpants "No, Rhyzkahl, please… It’s not too late"

The blade glimmered oily blue, fully formed in his hand

"It is too late…now," he said, voice laden with deadly pro ache of disappointh me I’d wanted so badly to trust hi terrible to ht on the heels of that disappointer at , and hadn’t fully trusted hi, but, damn it, I hadn’t wanted to look at any of it objectively My own need and angst keptdenial He’d attempted to coerce me in our very first encounter, placed his mark on me in a moment of true duress, dribbled information to me on his own terms, used my computer while I slept--and who knehat else And there’d been numerous moments where he showed flickers of indecision that echoed those he displayed just now, right after our lovereat cop sense, Kara He wasn’t simply a charismatic "bad boy" No, Rhyzkahl was far, far worse

I felt the shift in his aura, heavy and vile I thrashed in the bindings, sure that if I could break free I could find a way to escape I had to get away, had to But no No freedom The blade whispered Rhyzkahl lifted it and deep red fire ignited along its length, illu arcs

"Rhyzkahl, don’t do this" I felt my lips move, felt the clench in my throat, but heard no sound

Rhyzkahl heard "It is already done," he said, voice terrifying in a different way than Mzatal’s scary-as-fuck voice--colder and carrying a promise of horror "Can you not feel it? There is her, he ram

I let out a squeal of discoher up behind me Strappado That’s what this torturous position was called I only knew that because I had a case last year of consensual BDSM that went too far And now I understood Mzatal’s warnings, far too late Had he knohat lay in store fortold me? My heart slammed within my chest I kneas deeply and seriously fucked I tried to pull grove power, but it felt as if I ran up against a smooth wall

"It cannot touch you here," he said "You yourself sealed the charove"

Sick horror filled me "You swore not to do"‘During that ti the words of our agree with the intent of causing you harm’"

My world Stupid Stupid! "Stop! Don’t do this!" I didn’t even knohat "this" was, I only kneas going to be bad

Rhyzkahl raher thanme to lean forward to relieve some of the burn of the unco the naave a cold smile "He will pay for his audacity" His breath hissed, and I saw that the thorny protrusions on the blade hilt had ers Deep red fire wreathed his hand and crept up his forear he couldn’t release the blade even if he wanted to, at least not until this ritual was finished

My gut clenched as I stared at hi this?" I sed hard "Is this what happened to Elinor? Did you kill her too?"

Pain exploded inled cry as s Dizzy froain As soon as I did so, Rhyzkahl gripped my chin hard and turned my face fully toward hi the ice in his voice "Never speak that again" His gaze slid over the puffiness of my eye, but it didn’t see softly, I met his eyes My terror increased at the darkness I saw there

"Twelve," he said "We will begin with the nuhtened "Look well, Kara Helene Gillian" His eyes penetrated me with dark intensity "By the tier have the resolve to look into otten whisper, and you will have a new one"

The truth of it was etched in his perfect features He wasn’t going to kill me Whateverit would surely be my last act of defiance

Rhyzkahl didn’t show a flicker of reaction Still gripping my chin, he wiped the spittle aith the back of the hand that held the blade, then shifted to lay his other pal you, dear one, can I rebuild you into a greater existence, a new life," he said with a sickening gentleness of tone "Enthralled, you will be safe, cherished" He s my cheek with his thumb "You will thank me when you fully understand what I have done for you, when you understand that I have saved you"