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“Yes,” my voice growled.
She frowned and pulled away. “I don’t remember that. Maybe it’s different in the dreamscape?” she asked, looking at me for confirmation, but I was too busy pushing Kaatu out of my mind. She shook her head. “Never mind. That doesn’t matter. I can’t see anything on you, and your thread is green. Savida tried to heal you too, but nothing happened. Will blood help?”
“Savida?” Kaatu asked.
“Present,” the male voice cheerfully announced, drawing our attention.
“A demon,” Kaatu acknowledged as we took in his dark skin, leathery wings, and flame-red hair.
“You know about him. He’s the demon who had his fire stolen by my witch, the reason this whole thing started for us. Remember?” Clawdia stared at us in a way that made it clear she was concerned for my mental health as well.
With him distracted by Savida, I managed to push him hard enough that I fully embodied myself again.
“Ah, yes. Nice. To. Meet. You,” I stammered out as Kaatu battled against me.
“You’re making me look bad. I know who Savida is. Let me answer these kinds of questions,”I told him, trying to convince him that he needed to stop fighting me, that we could work together.
He sneered.“I don’t care about the silly opinions of strangers. Once you have consummated your soul bond and have their gift, you can heal the portal, and I’ll leave you. Just let me work quickly.”
He continued pushing for control, regardless of whether he knew enough about my life to act convincingly, because he knew I’d get tired, beaten down, and go mad living helplessly in an empty space in my mind. And that person would do anything to be rid of him. Even sacrifice his soul mates.
He was strong, but I was the son of gods. I wouldn’t give in so easily.
“I’m not consummating anything while you reside in my head,”I growled.
Soul bonds were sacred, and I wouldn’t allow him to poison such an important moment for us all by being there. Especially if it was him in control. My soul mates would be unaware of who was engaging with them. A shudder ripped through me at the thought. Everything felt so hopeless.
And he reminded me as such.“You will not always be in control. And if you do not consummate, then as soon as I am stronger, I will take them to the portal myself and force them to do my bidding. I do not need you if I have them.”
I couldn’t risk him hurting them. Draining their gifts to heal something that died eons ago was certain to do that. Consummated bond or not, I couldn’t allow it, and he knew it. He wanted me to follow his plan because it saved him energy, humiliated me, and got him the use of someone with the power to heal anything.
“They will know something is wrong with me,”I warned him. Because they would. Surely.
He leaned on my insecurities and made me even more uncertain and helpless.“They don’t know you well enough to know you are behaving strangely.”
“They are going to see …”But I said it with less confidence.
He pounced again.“Me. They are going to see me. You’ll go where I want you to go. Do what I want you to do. You have no choice.”
“You sound like you’re in pain, Baelen. What can I do? Do you need blood?” Clawdia’s voice sounded distant as I felt myself being dragged back.
With all my strength, I pushed him back down, pulling myself back up and gasping like I’d been underwater.“No. I’m not going to let you take over so easily.”
“Get out!” I suddenly screamed, and it was me. It was my voice. What I wanted to say.
But I said it out loud. To my soul mate. When she was offering me blood. I felt sick, but hunger roared inside me again, and I salivated at the thought of her sunshine flavored blood.
She jolted to her feet, tears pricked her eyes, and my heart sank. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to help.”
Kaatu didn’t fight me as I pushed myself up from my prone position in the bed, grunting with the pain, and took her hand before she could back away from me further.
“I think he means me, Clawdia. Feeding is a private matter for akari, and he’ll not want me around,” Savida said, but he stared at me like he didn’t believe what he was saying. Clawdia said nothing, but her hands were shaking as she flicked her gaze from me then back to Savida.
“I’ll leave, Baelen, but don’t hurt her.” He pointed at me, and I wanted to be offended that he thought I would hurt her.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t. But with a shadow interloper inside my mind, I didn’t trust myself.
He turned, and Clawdia gave him a soft smile as he closed the door on us.
