Page 12 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

There was a long pause as my words seemed to echo between us.

Arabella sighed deeply.

She nodded like she’d come to a decision.

She looked me straight in the eyes and smiled. “What was it Lothaire said? You can’t find your mate anywhere in the realms. That’s too bad.” She smiled wider. “It must suck to be you.”

I didn’t think. I reacted.

I lunged forward.

I needed her to be afraid.

The closest I got to satisfaction was exerting myself over a willing woman. I’d used men before, but their compliance wasn’t as sweet. A humiliated woman temporarily gave me the illusion of control.

It helped fill the hole of our missing mate. Marginally.

Even now, as I towered above Arabella, shedding flames, she refused to cower before me. She refused to give me what I needed.

I’d hated Aran for his weakness and his secrets, but I loathed Arabella with every ounce of my being.

She smirked. “I hope you never find your mate.”

That was it.

I was going to burn her.

Flames shot forward.

Orion yanked me away from the most worthless creature in all the realms. My fire just barely missed her.

He pulled me back to the center of the room. Away from her.

Scorpius stepped towards the bitch as my Revered dragged me away.

I immediately stopped struggling.

I would never hurt my Revered. Ever. It was the foundational tenant of my existence.

We’d almost lost Orion during the competition to become kings, and I’d never known such soul-rending torment. Scorpius and I could not function.

All we could do was stand vigil over his healing body. Ignises and Protectors were extremely defensive and territorial of their Revered. But what we’d experienced had gone beyond that.

It was called bond sickness.

Just thinking about it made me break out in a cold sweat, and I pressed myself against Orion as he held me.

Bond sickness occurred if a Revered was exposed to unimaginable pain.

When an Ignis and Protectors failed their mate, the bond became corrupted to ensure this wrong never happened again. We’d learned you didn’t need a full soul bond to experience sickness.

The unfinished bond between us hadn’t let us eat or sleep. It had punished us, and we’d gladly accepted the pain.

When Orion had finally awakened, Scorpius and I had openly wept with relief.

Fresh pain and regret squeezed my heart, but I focused on the man pressed against me.

Your Revered is healthy, I reminded myself as I let him pull me away.

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