Page 93 of Tiger's Destiny
He kissed me sweetly, then, resigned, he kept his arm wrapped around my waist, picked up the Rope, and shook it out.
I placed one hand over Kishan’s and the other on the Rope. Summoning my inner fire power, I let the heat bubble up from my core and flow down my arm. I poured energy from my palm into the Rope until the scales along the surface began to glow. They sparkled and shimmered until they burst into blinding flame. The Rope hummed, and I felt energy building. The last thought I had was that the white light reminded me of the fire flower Ren had given me.
Then I was swept away into a vision.
Thick darkness surrounded me. I heard a deep voice and a laugh as a wind whipped around my body and squeezed. I couldn’t tell where it came from, though the noise rumbled across my skin like a rough caress.
“I’ve been waiting for you, my dear.”
“Lokesh?” I spun, but I still couldn’t see him. His voice sounded different—deeper and gravelly, as if he was laboring to push the words through his lips.
My eyes adjusted, the mist thinned, and I caught a warm twinkle of a fire tree. I could see Kishan and Ren, but they couldn’t see or hear me. Then a cold wind blew.
I rubbed my arms, confused.Why am I feeling the cold? I never felt temperature before. . . .
Peering into the dark, I realized I was in a forest full of ominous, thick-trunked trees. Something shifted among the branches. I heard the scrape of heavy feet, and a dark form drew close.
I sucked in a shaky breath and heard the rumble of a rolling chuckle that echoed first on my right side, then behind me. It drifted far away and then snuck up close on my left. I felt hot breath on my neck that prickled goose bumps on my skin. I turned, but whatever had been behind me had vanished.
Then I felt him—a huge, dangerous presence—beside me. Slowly, I turned to face Lokesh and gasped. His body had been dramatically transformed and now towered over mine. He was easily three feet taller than me and three times as wide. His skin was black. Lokesh’s expensive business suits had been replaced by a sarong that hung from his waist to mid-thigh.
“Don’t you recognize me, my sweet?”
Lokesh took a step closer, and my mouth gaped open at the sight of him. His horned head was bony with protective ridges over the eyes, and his once tamed hair sprouted in wooly curls. One brown eye still looked human, but the other had a bright red iris and was surrounded by scars. His torso, arms, and silvery scarred neck were thick and bulging with muscle. Instead of feet, his legs tapered into two massive, cloven hooves.
Alarmed, I shuffled several steps back. Mr. Kadam said that Lokesh had used his power to become a demon. Having seen his contorted face, it was clear Mr. Kadam had been right. Lokesh looked like a dark devil, like whatever evil coursed through his veins had finally surfaced.
Lokesh flexed his hand, and his arm muscles bulged at the slight movement. He watched my reaction to him with a burning, hungry intensity. The almost completely formed amulet glowed where it hung against his wide chest.
“Lokesh? What . . . what have you done?”
He lifted his arms to examine his dark limbs. “Do you like it?”
“It’s . . . it’s monstrous!”
He snorted and steam shot from his nostrils. “It’s power.”
Lokesh twisted his lips into an evil grimace. Lifting one huge hand, he ran a finger down my bare arm. The pads of his fingers were rough like an animal’s and left my skin raw.
I took a step back as he took another step forward. I felt nauseous and wondered again,How can I feel this?
A gleam lit his eyes when Lokesh realized we had a physical connection, and he stretched his fingers toward my throat. I tried to run, but he grabbed my arm, wrenched me around, and wrapped his hand around my neck. He merely tightened his grip when I tried to twist free. Gasping for air, I felt tears leak from my eyes. I knew what he wanted. When I stopped thrashing, he let me breathe again. With an almost delicate touch, he reached for the fire amulet hanging around my neck. I flinched, waiting for him to rip the necklace away.
Lokesh’s bony brow furrowed in concentration as his thick fingers passed through the amulet as if it was made of air. Enraged, he threw me to the ground. Blood trickled down my elbow where I skinned it. I touched my bruised throat and hoped that the pain was only temporary and would disappear with this vision.How long will it last?
He dragged me to my feet. His covetous gaze turned lustful as he brusquely perused the amulet on my body.
“If I cannot have the amulet, then fate has at least given me the woman. I think we have some unfinished business, my pet.”
Hoping to distract him, I said hoarsely, “I think I preferred you more as a man.”
“I am now a mananda beast. Much like your pathetic princes.” Lokesh grabbed my shoulders and squeezed them mercilessly as his head descended toward mine. His horns scraped the side of my head and ripped out some of my hair by the root. I cried out, and my eyes teared. Moist air from his nostrils fanned over my face.
He breathed hotly, almost panting, as he said, “You won’t escape me again, my sweet.”
Lokesh yanked me against him and mashed his lips to mine. I tried to kick and bite, but he only laughed and hurt me more. He was too powerful. I screamed as he raked his fingers down my back. His nails dug into my flesh, and I felt the wet trickle of blood. The press of his body against mine was unbearable. He was smothering me. Wrenching away from him, I struggled to escape.
“Please, someone help me,” I sobbed.
