Page 134 of Lunar Diamonds
The Rubberskin hadn’t worked this time thanks to the invading magic inside me disarming everything.
He bent and sliced my arm with the knife. The slicing stung a little, most of it dimmed by the louder pain inside me.
“I…” My throat closed up, cutting off all speech.
Jonathon cut open his palm and closed it over my wound. “Blood of The Moon for The Moon.” He ran his hand over his face, smearing our joined blood over his skin.
Oh. My. God.
“I’ve been waiting for the new moon,” he said, eyes on me. “It’s a time for renewal, for change. And I’m changing things, Riley. I’m taking back what’s mine.”
The blue orb. He really was the blue orb.
He pulled out a necklace from beneath his shirt. A silver chain with two diamond-like charms dangling from it.
Wait. No. They weren’t… No way.
“Lunar diamonds,” he confirmed.
I gagged, my head screaming with pain.
No. No. No. This made no sense.
He checked his watch, then cast another spell. “Drain!”
His clap boomed in my ears.
The spell hit me like a slap to the face, my veins thumping.
“We have ten minutes until the spell does its work,” he said. “So I might as well explain myself. Or should I?” He stroked his chin. “What I can tell you is I’ve been watching. This house has always been my playground. Nothing ever passes me by.”
I gagged again, bile stinging the back of my throat. Spying? With what? Cameras? Magic?
“My illusion for you and that scrying cunt was my best work,” he added. “Playing with your fears. Such genius.”
I tried moving, getting nowhere.
He checked his watch again. “Soon none of this will matter. The spell on you will drain your essence from your body and transfer it into me. Blood and power from one Moon to another.” He chuckled.
This couldn’t be happening.
Come on, limbs. Work!
But my power malfunctioned, the shadow magic doing a serious number on me, switching everything off.
Shadow magic and celestial power. He’d given us the answer, hiding in plain sight as Erin. Playing games. For how long? Had the real Erin ever eaten my cookies and calmly welcomed me into the mansion?
“Two minutes to go,” he said. “The power you stole will be mine again.” He laughed hoarsely as he shook his head. “Yes, I know you didn’t ask to be born. But you were. You weakened me, driving me to find power in the shadows. To taint myself, to allow corruption to swim inside me, to murder five innocents in their beds.”
My blood went cold. Five innocents. The family murdered the same night I was attacked.
By Hecate. No.
I retched, vomit bubbling up my throat. But I choked, unable to bring it up. I swallowed, barely catching my breath.
He’d murdered that poor family…
“I quite like it now,” he added. “An enhancement of Hecate’s blessing, even. The possibilities are fascinating. You could call me Shadow Moon.”
