I wipe steam from the mirror after I get out and notice the bruises starting to form around my neck.
“Fucking great.” I wince when I touch some of them.
As I get dressed in sweats and a tank top, I put on the Ghosts album from Nine Inch Nails, and I slide into bed. Trying to calm myself, I lay there, staring at the ceiling. As much as I want to fight it, my mind races with the events of the night.
He made his way on this side. He’s determined to go ahead with his plan, to end it all.
Anger fuels me, because what Jasper doesn’t know is I’m determined to destroy him. He’s not taking the one thing that has given me the missing part of myself I have longed for my whole damn life. Zayne is my soulmate, and I will be damned if Jasper is going to take that from me.
My eyes draw closed as the melody soothes me, but the old familiar stench takes over, and when I open my eyes, I’m back in the same mirrored room from our first encounter. Aetheriem’s crimson moon once again illuminates through the cracks in the ceiling once again leaving the room with shadows to hide in. The hairs on the back of my neck start to prick up and my nerves are on edge as I take a step back and see a hooded figure move in front of me. I can’t make out their face, but I know who it is.He knew this was going to happen. I was too weak to hold my ground.
It’s too late now, I’m here, and no amount of screaming will help me this time. He steps closer, and all I see is a brief glimpse of his glowing amber eyes staring at me.
Jasper.
Chapter 35
Zayne
Ididn’t want to leave Myssa, but I’ve asked Knox to meet me in my office. He’s already pacing my floor, waiting for me when I arrive.
“How the fuck did Jasper get on this side?” He explodes.
“I have no idea,” I say. I understand his frustration. When Myssa told us about the warning from the little girl, my first instinct was to stay away from Aetheriem at all costs. I was convinced that Jasper was going to try to keep Myssa there somehow. Maybe our absence would buy us some time. But clearly, we underestimated his reach.
“No idea, but we need to talk to Jess and Steph, because if he is starting to find a way to jump realms, he's closer to his goal.”
“How’s Myssa?” he asks.
“She’s ok,” I say, “she went upstairs to relax.”
“I want to get back up there with her. Something is telling me this isn’t over tonight. She put on a brave face, but I know her emotions are all over the place. The last thing she needs is to be alone. It’s so easy for her to transition, and I don’t want her to end up in Aetheriem.”
“Yeah, no problem, I’ll close up here tonight and take care of…” he pauses, using the camera feed to look at the guy in theconference room, who’s still knocked out. “Him. I got the guys if anything goes sideways. Go be with her, and we will figure this all out tomorrow.”
“Yeah, sounds good.” I pat Knox on the back and head back to the loft.
Walking in, I call out to Myssa, but when she doesn’t answer, a sudden dread floods my body. After running up the stairs, I find her in my bed, and I sigh in relief at the doorway as I start to walk towards her. As I get closer, though, panic washes over me as I see her tank top soaked in blood. A large wound is slashed across the top of her chest.
“FUCK,” I scream, rushing to her side. I need to get to her. She’s there without me, with him.Please, don’t let me be too late.I grab her hand, hoping her connection is still as powerful as it was before. As the weightlessness takes over, I’m pulled instantly through the frequency to Aetheriem. I look around, only to find her standing in the middle of the room. I take a step towards her when I see the blood still dripping from her chest, and my breaths become ragged.
Her eyes meet mine, and my heart stops as the warmth she once shown for me has gone. The scene in front of me is too much to take.
Jasper stands there in the corner of the room, swaying in and out of the shadows as if this is a game to him. His malicious chuckle fills the space.
“I told you, you can’t hide from me, boy,” he growls.
Myssa’s tears pour down her cheeks as her body shakes with fear, and her hurt-filled eyes never waver from mine. What has he told her? Everything? He would have twisted things, I know he would have. But she has to know he’s presenting it differently. I know he’ll have manipulated the truth of what happened.
And if I’d just would have told her the truth, she wouldn’t be looking at me like this.
“Tell me it isn’t true.” She sobs.
I make a move towards her, but she steps back.
The first of my tears falls at her action.
“Tell me he’s lying, Zayne,” her words stab through me and I flinch.
