body, like the marbled effect of a tiger moth’s wings. His long, moon-white hair trailed over his shoulders and licked at his smooth chest. He was naked, like all demons, apart from two sword belts hanging low on his slim hips. His deadly velvet-wings hung relaxed behind him. He made a devastatingly beautiful demon. How could I admire him and fear him at the same time?
My parasite throbbed in my chest with a sudden ferocity. Viscous liquid bubbled up my insides. I heaved, my brother momentarily forgotten, as I fell to my knees. Thin black tendrils traced through the veins on the back of my hands. Damien’s presence spilled into muscle and flesh. Panic once again clawed at my mind. No, not yet. I wasn’t ready. Just a little longer. That’s all I needed, just a few more hours… Not here on this rooftop… I have to get back to Stefan. I have to help Coleman and find Dawn. Goddammit, Damien, not yet!
“An infusion, mmm… “ Val’s eloquent voice slid easily through the panic and urged the dark on. “It will hasten your transformation. Embrace it.”
“Screw… you…” I forced the words through clenched teeth and tried to call the fire. My element rippled, but my thoughts were too fragmented to organize, and the heat slipped beyond my reach.
Val’s soft chuckles stroked a perverse sensation of hunger. Hunger for the hunt. The kill. A lust for him.
“Do you believe you can drain my element before I flood your mind with lust, sweet sister-mine?”
Lust. Hell help me, no. Don’t let him do this. I slumped onto a forearm, shivering hot.
“You are still too weak. This is disappointing, although, not surprising. You’ve always disappointed. Not our father though. No, not him… He has only ever seen what you will be, not what you are.”
“Will you kill me now?” I silently wished he would. The dark clawed at my control, sinking phantom claws in, shredding my humanity. Kill me quick before I turn.
“No.” He spread his vast black wings and crouched down before me, encircling me in the swaths of dark velvet. Hungry lust chased the poison through me, threatening to sunder my sanity. My mortal body trembled, and my demon surged, trying to break free, but if she came in the midst of this assault, I would never regain control. I battled on all fronts, mentally, physically, demon, and human. My body heaved and trembled. It was all I could do to stay conscious.
Val tilted his head, studying my struggle like a bird of prey studies the nonsensical actions of its next kill. The molten silver of his eyes held me transfixed. I found myself leaning toward him, eager to drown in his embrace. The touch of his wings would end it all. I wanted that, wanted him. I licked my lips.
Val drew back. “Perhaps you will die here, now, fragile thing.” He reached out a hand and trailed his cool fingers down my cheek. His touch flushed desire through me and sparked painful pleasure. I gasped hard. “All humans are fragile things. I fear I have broken the enforcer. Not before she told me all I need to know. She’ll die with the taste of me upon her lips. Would you like to know that taste, dear sister?”
Jenna was dying? Might already be dead? I ground out a snarl, horrified that my friend lay hurting. Sudden and disgusting urges assaulted me. I did want to taste my brother. I craved him, his touch, his gaze. More. All of him. And still the dark drank me down. I had to let go and release my demon. I couldn’t survive this—survive him. As demon, I could stop him.
A cruel smile twisted on his lips. “You cannot deny fate, sister. The moment you gasped your first breath, I witnessed what you would become.”
I blinked, leaning into his touch, wishing he would trail his hand lower. My human body was not my own. Need pulsed hot and wet, flushing reason away. The stinking touch of Damien’s soul surged on.
“Our father has the ability to strip your human mind bare. You, dear Muse, read the past in metal. I see the future in flesh. And yours has always led you here to me. I held you in my arms as a babe, wet with your mother’s birthing blood, and saw the destruction you are destined to rain upon this world.” His smug smile grew as horror blanched my face. “Why do you think I refused the Institute