Page 131 of The Stone Initiation
His thin mouth curved in a taunting smile. “To see your brother of course.”
Theoomphdrained out of me as my pulse skipped a beat then settled into a canter. “What? What did you say?”
“To see Romi, your brother. He is your brother, right?” He canted his head questioningly.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. This was bullshit. He was fucking with me. He’d somehow found out who I was, and he was using that knowledge to throw me off balance and—
“Did they tell you he was dead?” he made a faux sad face. “Did they make you cry?”
Oh god. “Romi’s alive?”
This time his smile was all teeth. “Come with me and find out.”
“You’re lying. Tell me the truth.”
His expression hardened all mirth gone. His mouth turned down, nostrils flaring and dark eyes bleeding into the whites, giving me a glimpse of the monster beneath the pretty facade. “I don’t have to do anything, Walker. You’ll come with me regardless.”
“Fuck you, freak.” I turned and broke into a sprint.
I got maybe ten meters before my feet came to halt.
“Stop. You’re going to stop.”
My head vibrated, and his voice burrowed into my mind.
“Turn around and come with me.”
No. No I didn’t want to go with him. I needed to run away, so why was I walking back to him.
“That’s a good girl.”
My head buzzed, with his words as his instructions controlled my limbs.
No. No. No.
This couldn’t be happening. I didn’t want this.
He laughed and held out his hand. “That’s a very good girl.”
* * *
DEREK
“I’m scared, Derek. I’m scared he’ll come for me in my sleep.”
I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise. I sit by her bed and hold her hand. My fingers glow and that glow passes up her hand, over her arm and covers her, cocooning her like a shield. Nothing can hurt her now. Her mind will be safe. Her body will be safe.
“I love you Derek,” she whispers as she slips into dreams.
I close my eyes and dream with her.
No. No. No. I don’t want this.
Stop.
Let me go.
I snap out of the memory and stare at my hands. They’re pulsing with light.
