“Theo! Theo!” She calls, trying to distract him until she realizes he won’t be letting her go. “Hun,” she speaks softly, moving her hands to his face and tugging his face so he is looking at her. He cocks his head to the side observing her like it is the first time he has seen her.
She kisses him, and he doesn’t react, just a blank expression taking over his face. Her proximity becomes too much as I hear him growl. The sort of growl that makes goosebumps rise and sends a shiver down your spine. He is gone, too far gone to come back from. He slams her back, her scream resonates through the house and bounces off the walls as he sinks his teeth into her shoulder.
She fights against him and I move to her. Before I even have time to grab him, he pivots, throwing his arm out and sends me flying into the kitchen door frame. He growls loudly, possessive, and I feel Imogen’s magic sizzle through the bond as he sinks his teeth into her arm. Rabid, he doesn’t even care where he bites her. He just wants blood, her blood and the darkness coating it.
Thaddeus’ screams send the lights flickering and I jump to my feet, trying to get to her only before I have a chance, Imogen smacks him in the face to get him to let go of her arm.
Her blood runs down and drips on the floor before she slaps both hands on the side of his face. Pain radiates through the bond from both of them, as I see white fiery light illuminate her hands so brightly, I can see her veins glowing beneath her skin. A current runs from her chest, up her arms, and into her hands before zapping him. He lets her go, clutching his head. She drops to the floor and I race to her, grabbing her and pulling her to her feet and away from him.
Theo shakes himself off, his hands clench into fists as he spins on his heel and lunges toward us. I shove Imogen away, taking the full brunt of his impact, sending us both flying toward the fireplace. The floor shakes underneath us as we hit the floor.
“Theo, snap out of it!” I growl as he lunges for my throat. I punch him, snapping his head backwards. His nails dig into my shoulders, digging into my flesh, razor sharp. I hear Imogen scream as we fight each other. I try to pin him down, but he can’t be subdued long enough for us to make him see sense.
Imogen POV
I watch Tobias try to restrain him, but in this primal and rabid state, Theo is stronger and uncontrollable. I watch as Theo’s aura shifts, it has no color as it is consumed by nothing but darkness. I never realized how badly my magic affects him. He is always so good at masking what has been eating him from the inside out.
Theo shoves him off, and Tobias smacks against the stone of the fireplace. The stone cracks up the wall from the force. I watch, horrified, as Theo advances on Tobias like he doesn’t recognize the man he has loved his entire life. This is my doing, my magic did this to him.
Theo stalks toward Tobias, and I see Tobias trying to get to his feet, but Theo is quicker, and I waste no time lunging forward as I wrap my legs around Theo’s waist, my arm locks around his in a bear hug. My fangs sink into his neck and I taste the darkness as it bleeds out of him and into me.
Theo struggles against me, but I remain focused, trying to hold the magic at bay as it seeps back into me. I can feel my aura shifting, becoming darker, tainted with the madness as it leaves him. That’s when I realize I can burn off the energy through my magic. Theo can’t, it just lays there dormant, waiting to bust through his barriers and take over.
When I can’t handle the darkness and its bitter taste running down my throat, I let his arms go and clamp my hands onto the sides of his face.
I remember what Astral said about my magic being able to heal others, but not myself. I could never harness it properly, most of the plants we tried to heal wilted and died by my fingertips.
But seeing Theo like this tugs at something deep within me, I feel nothing but heartache as my love bleeds into him from me. I feel its energy spreading through me, warm and pure. Focusing on that energy and the love I have for both men, I push it through me and into him. I let it run through him, purifying the darkness that has swallowed him, removing the tainted parts of me from him.
I feel him falter as his knees go weak, dropping him on his knees. He gasps loudly and I can feel through the bond as his mood shifts, the hunger dissipates as he rolls underneath me and I watch as his eyes go back to their familiar, hypnotic green I fell in love with. Slowly, he returns to the man I know he is and not the monster that took him over.
The veins under his eyes disappear, before I feel my magic fizzle. Exhaustion washes over me in waves and I let the magic go, extinguishing the light and leaving me. I’m left panting and out of breath. I close my eyes, the darkness from him and the darkness that comes with using my magic runs rampant through me.
“I’m sorry,” Theo breathes, raising his hand, rubbing my face.
I lean into his familiar cool touch, as it cools my now flushed skin. Closing my eyes, I push against the darkness, refusing to let it take over, refusing to give into it.
“Are you okay?” Tobias speaks from behind me.
I nod. I just need to get rid of the icy feeling running through my veins. Thaddeus screaming upstairs is enough for me to pull myself together, remembering my son needs me, remembering my grounding place.
Tobias helps me up, and I lean against him for a second before looking to the stairs.
“I will get him,” Tobias says, running up the stairs as Theo pulls me toward him, embracing me. I breathe in his scent and feel the darkness move to the edges before I look up. Theo is watching me, and I can feel his guilt coming through to me from the bond.
“It’s not your fault. I’m fine, no harm done.” I tell him, before standing on my tippy toes and pecking him on the lips.
“You sure you’re okay?” He asks.
I know they can feel the darkness running through me. But I don’t fear it anymore, fearing it only amplifies it, when I don’t give it that fear, I know I can fight it off. “I’m fine, but starving and can really use that coffee now.” I chuckle, before letting him go, walking toward the kitchen in search of the blood bags in the fridge.