Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 115860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
He glares down his shoulder at me, his expression unreadable. “You’re playing games you don’t understand.”
“You’re betraying people who count on you.”
“More than you know,” he mutters, then tugs on my elbow again.
As I fear, Shock lugs me back to the cold sitting room of black, glass, and chrome. There, Mathias sits, his expression cool but impatient. I have the distinct impression he’s concealing the depth of his rage. And it scares the hell out of me. The Doomsday Diary sits on the table in front of him. The half-dressed witch who took it from me sleeps in a corner. At least I hope the woman is asleep.
Shock shoves me into a chair across from Mathias.
“These meetings are too frequent, my dear,” he says. “Rhea is unable to use the book. Everything she writes disappears. I cannot see the words at all. Care to explain?”
I glance at Shock. As long as the traitor is here, I stand no chance of keeping my thoughts to myself. “I just wrote what I wanted in the book and…poof.”
“It came true immediately?”
“No. It took a few days.”
Mathias glances at Shock.
“She’s telling the truth as she knows it,” Shock supplies.
Mathias lounges against the back of the sofa. “It’s possible that larger magic takes time to organize.”
Shock nods. “She was looking only for a shag. Hardly difficult magic, but she’s not a witch…”
A feral grin stretches across the evil wizard’s mouth as he turns to me. “If you need a man in your bed, I’m more than happy to oblige.”
Ewww. “I don’t.”
“I can change your mind…whether you want it changed or not. Regardless of whether your new mate is languishing in the cell downstairs.”
How does he know?
“Your magical signature,” Shock says. “You now have one that brands you as Caden’s. Most anyone magical can see it.”
I like that idea and hope that I’ll have years and years with this signature—and a happy life to go with it. But I have to get out of here first.
Shock merely raises a brow at me, but thankfully keeps commentary to himself.
“You used the book twice with success. Rhea could not use it at all,” Mathias muses as if solving a puzzle aloud. “Of course, you’re a smart girl, and she’s a stupid slag. But she’s magical. You’re not. Puzzling, indeed. It must work for witches or Morgana le Fay would have never created it. There is something I’m missing.”
I’m not certain, but Sabelle and Olivia’s theory that the woman using the book must be wishing for her heart’s desire makes sense. I did when I wished for Caden. Who knows what Mathias’s witch wished for?
“She doesn’t know.” Shock’s tone is both annoyed and dismissive. “She’s human. She stumbled into magic and got lucky.”
I frown. If Shock can read my mind, why didn’t he regurgitate my every thought to Mathias?
“Any chance she’s able to mask her thoughts from you?”
Shock snorts in answer.
“Take her to my bed. I think I’ll enjoy finding out how much energy this feisty human can give me before she meets her sad and tragic end.”
As I zip my gaze to Shock’s face, my heart beats triple time. Bloody hell. The last thing in the world I want is Mathias’s touch. But to die in his bed… I shiver.
Shock is the only thing standing between me and death. His bland expression doesn’t give me much hope.
“In order to bed her, you’ll have to break her mate bond. That will likely kill her. Let me spend a little time with her. I have ways of getting deeper into a woman’s mind.”
“Unpleasant ones, I hope?” Mathias perks up.
“Absolutely.”
Mathias pauses, then smiles. “Take her, then. Don’t bring her back unless you’ve extracted everything from her mind—or she’s dead.”
Caden
The moment Shock magically seals me in the cell and drags Sydney away, ice floods my veins. Panic claws at my throat, threatening to choke me.
What the fuck do I do now? Shock’s magical seal might as well be Fort Knox, but I’ll be damned if I sit here while that traitor serves up my mate to Mathias like a sacrificial lamb. The thought alone makes me want to tear this place apart with my bare hands.
I unleash every martial arts move I know on the walls and bars, but it’s like punching smoke. No trap doors, no vents, no bloody way out. I’ll have to get creative with magic. The irony isn’t lost on me—after spending so long running from it, magic might be my only hope to save Sydney.
Swallowing my pride and fear, I force myself to focus. I must know something that can save her. Sitting here while my mate dies at Mathias’s hands is unthinkable. No. It’s not happening.
But I’ve never done big magic…except at transition.
Then it hits me: I have one special power Mathias doesn’t know a damn thing about.