Lucas launched off his feet and arched his spine, flinging his head back. It crunched into something in a satisfying manner. There was a vicious snarl, and the arms loosened.
Twisting, he squirmed free and spun. He had a moment of astonished recognition—what was a Dire doing in his apartment?—before he lunged past and raced through the living room.
The bolt struck him full on, driving him into the wall. Lucas couldn’t stop the scream as it burned along every nerve. His mind lit with static and his legs refused to hold him. He slumped to the floor.
A blurry form leaned down to lift him, and once again, strong arms wrapped around him. The huge, clawed hands, halfway to human, grabbed his wrists and pinned them across his chest.
A form sidled up to him. Eyes glowing a sickly yellow, Sadie leaned into him.
“Welcome home, Lucas. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Lucas blinked. It wasn’t just her eyes that glowed—her brown skin gleamed, the darker spots prominent over her temples. He smelled the crystal on her—she was loaded with it. Where had she got her hands on so much? How had she paid for it?
A tall, thin form emerged from the shadows. Lucas’s eyes met the crimson gaze and suddenly things became alarmingly clear.
“Hello Lucas,” Demeti said. “Your stepmother has been filling me in on some interesting details. Amazing what some will do for their next fix.”
How had the Torshin found him? Lucas’s mind shrieked as Demeti pushed Sadie aside and traced a sharp fingernail along Lucas’s jaw.
“Didn’t think I’d let a tasty morsel like you escape, did you? My Seer tracked the gate you used to get to Udo’s. Your gatekeeper buddy was more than happy to tell me all about you. Seems you owed him. But you won’t have to worry about paying your debt.” The Torshin shrugged. “Gatekeepers are a dime a dozen.”
Tartak. The Torshin had tracked him through the gatekeeper. But it didn’t sound as though Tartak had survived the experience.
Demeti grinned, exposing his sharp teeth. “Mommy’s been telling me secrets.” His gaze flashed to the Dire. “Lift his arms.”
Dammit.No.Lucas writhed, driving his heels into the Dire’s sturdy legs, struggling to grow his poison claw—but he was too weak, it didn’t work. The Dire wrapped a tree trunk leg around each of Lucas’s, pinning them without effort, and the creature’s hands tightened on him like a vise. Lucas fought like a demon, but his arms were forced upward, exposing the underside of his upper arms to Demeti.
The Torshin’s grin took on a sick, lustful twist as he stroked his fingers along the flesh, searching. And finding.
Lucas’s entire body lit on fire when the sharp nails activated the stiff hairs. He couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped his lips, or the way his body leaped to obey. His hips arched toward Demeti, and the Torshin ripped the cloak aside to cup him with his other hand.
“Ahh. Yes, that’s it.” The eyes gleamed as he stroked Lucas through the thin cloth. “Lovely.”
Sadie had retreated to the couch, but now she watched with a sick grin on her face. Her eyes glowed with a mixture of crystal rapture and pure lust.
Lucas gritted his teeth and glared at them both, but it was a paltry defense. His body would betray him. He knew it. And so did Demeti.
That it was programmed to do so was no solace. Lucas didn’t know how much more of his soul could dissolve without losing himself forever.
“You’re a twisted bastard,” he snarled into the eyes now only inches from his own. Every tweak of the Torshin’s fingernails against the hairs sent frissons of pure, tortuous fire along the nerves directly to Lucas’s groin. Demeti smiled and stroked harder with his other hand. Lucas panted; he couldn’t stop himself from pushing against it.
Dammit.No. But his body wouldn’t listen...
* * *
Nikolai was focused on Lucas, so he didn’t sense Demeti until he reached the apartment building. Even then, it was muted, much like before. If he hadn’t seen that panicked image from the Morph, he might not have even noticed the Torshin was there.
Pushing through the main doors, he started up the stairs.
“Where is he?” panted Aria.
“Up,” was all he said as he bounded upward, trailing wisps of black fog in his wake.
She leaped up and grabbed him by the arm. “Nikolai, this place is full of people.”
He’d climbed an entire flight with her hanging from him before his mind connected the dots—his rage had him yanking life energy from everything around him, without any regard for their fragile existences.
He missed a step as he glanced at her. Aria’s face was pinched and white. “Turn it down,” she pleaded. “I can feel it.”
