“I’m not using my hands,” Ryland growls back. I furrow my eyebrows, confused.
“I heard that,” Thaddeus says, making my eyes snap back to the door. I could have sworn he said that aloud in the bathroom, his voice is echoing around us.
“Thaddeus has marked you now. He can get in your head no matter how far away you are,” Ryland tells me.
“So, he isn’t here?” I ask.
Ryland shakes his head. “No, and I am not sure when he will be back.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, worried.
“It doesn’t matter. Come on, let’s shower, get dressed, and see what’s on TV before we piss him off more,” Ryland says, turning back around and grabbing the soap.
We wash quickly, jump out, and I grab one of their shirts, pulling it over my head. We walk downstairs and flick the TV on. I scroll through the channels, past a news report, then go back to it when I hear the news anchor talking about breaking news and a recent development on the Dark Ones. My heart skips a beat. My blood runs cold when a street view comes on, and I can see Thaddeus’ blurred figure move onto the screen, another figure chasing him and tackling him, and I know it has to be Orion.
Suddenly, the entire street is plunged into darkness as everything explodes, and one can only see the flicker of lights and the explosion. Then, the screen goes blank, and the news lady’s voice comes across the air. “Main street has been destroyed. Anyone in the vicinity is urged to take shelter and remain indoors.”
Suddenly, the remote is snatched out of my hand, and the TV is turned off. I turn to face Ryland. “You weren’t meant to see that,” he says, sighing in frustration.
“Is that where he is? Is that where he went?” I yell at him. Ryland looks away.
“You know who he is, what he is, Evelyn,” Ryland says.
I shake my head; I won’t be a part of them destroying the world. “No, I won’t accept this. You expect me to be okay with that?” I scream angrily.
Ryland shrugs. He sits down and places his head in his hands. “He can’t help it. The darkness takes over, and there is no controlling him. Believe me; we have tried.”
“That’s no excuse! You don’t just go around killing people! He has been fine for days, and now this?”
“Yes, before he took it away, Evelyn. Everything has a price. The more he uses his magic, the worse it becomes. He absorbed your memories and turned them into his own. He did it for you so you wouldn’t have to deal with it. Now he is paying the price for it, and the only way to do so is to release it.”
I stumble back at his words, horrified. “So, this was my fault? I did this?”
“Shit, I didn’t mean it to come out like that,” Ryland says.
“No, don’t touch me! What, he couldn’t destroy an empty field or something? Why an entire city?” I scream as tears start rolling down my face.
“He would have gone running, trying to get rid of it, but sometimes it doesn’t work, and he explodes, okay? He doesn’t mean to destroy things; it just happens. Besides, he rarely kills anyone, just destroys the buildings. Sometimes people get caught in the crossfire. And sometimes…” he hesitates, not wanting to answer.
“Sometimes what, Ryland?”
“Hunger takes over.”
“No. Fucking, no. I won’t deal with this shit! Make him come back!” I yell at him.
Ryland’s eyes go completely black, and I feel his anger rising.
“Fine! If this is how it will be, I am done!” I tell him as I walk up the stairs. Grabbing some pants, I slip them on and grab my wallet, walking out of the room. Ryland growls at me, blocking me on the stairs.
“You’re not leaving.”
“Yes, I am,” I say, shoving him, but he doesn’t budge. “Fucking move, Ryland. I will not stay here knowing you are all killing innocent people,” I tell him, trying to walk past him. Every step I make, he blocks me again. “I reject you then,” I tell him, and his eyes go dark as a smirk graces his face.
“That’s not how you reject someone. Nice try, though.”
“Whatever,” I tell him, ducking under his arm on the banister and bolting down the stairs only for his arms to wrap around me as I reach the bottom step. He growls loudly, tossing me over his shoulder and marching back up the stairs.
“Fucking put me down!” I scream, smacking his head with my palm.
It has no effect as I squirm in his arms. I give up on hitting him and sink my teeth into his back, letting go when I feel his hand come down on my ass. I hit his back and feel him laugh. My hand stings from smacking him when he smacks my ass again, harder, making me forget my hand. I feel tears brim at the sudden intense pain, feel his handprint bruising. Suddenly, I am dumped on the bed, and I glare at him as I try to hop off the bed.
“I wouldn’t, Evelyn. You try to leave, and I will spank your ass until it bleeds,” Ryland warns me, as he pushes me over and lies down next to me.
“So, what? I am supposed to wait here until the psychopath returns from his killing spree?” I ask, glaring at him and defiantly fold my arms over my chest.
“You look so cute when you’re angry. And yes, that is exactly what I expect you to do. Take it up with Thaddeus when he returns. For now, lay down,” he says, tugging me down.
Groaning, I flop down on the bed. Ryland rolls on his side, trying to pull me against him. I throw his arm off and hear him sigh. “No point being angry about it, Evelyn. What’s done is done.”
“If I had known, I never would have let him meddle in my head,” I tell him.
“He would have done it anyway; Thaddeus isn’t a patient man. You will come to see that. You leaving when he’s gone will only make things worse. After all, he’s on his way home, so you wouldn’t get very far.”
“How do you know?” I ask.
“I feel him getting closer, feel his mood has shifted, and he is calmer,” Ryland answers. We sit in silence for God knows how long, waiting until the silence becomes too much.
“So, how does one reject someone?”
“I can’t believe you expect me to tell you. You are ours; whether or not you reject us, you aren’t leaving,” Ryland says.
“Well, if it means he won’t kill anyone, I will reject him.”
Suddenly, his hand is clamped over my mouth. “Shh, someone is in the house,” he whispers, making my heartbeat pick up. Ryland rolls off me and gets up. “Get in the closet,” he growls. I dart off the bed, doing as he says, feeling his alarm through the bond. Closing the door, I hear him walk downstairs. A growl leaves his lips.